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• June 6, 2016
  ===== DSC04341.JPG ===== THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AY PISA METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH Cutstin yp Recon Ye)" VOLUME 165, NO. 1 4 NO.18 “GOD OUR FATHER = CHRIST OUR REDEEMER ~ THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER - HUMANKIND OUR FAMILY” JUNE 6, 2016 ® eee ee + = > ¢ GE .......... CONCERNS FOR OUR YOUTH IN BALTIMORE 29g28 Editorial: Authentic Worshi ai pest eae eee oe pierre irr a = 3 2 : : Sige ail eae HELP. When the youth begin to question | Stars? What are we adults ests and their perspective on = Q > 4 8 i With the “Wows” and the where is God outside of the church and outside of church | Saying, when we disregard life. More importantly, know = ro =v = ; “Whys” Of Lif@ .ccu.n.-. pe school, what is the response? Furthermore, whether we | 2nd allow others to disre- | what or who are their chal- = Sas ¢ adults choose to acknowledge it or not, our young people | 84d our black history? lenges; take the time to hear “ 23s & TCR Op-Ed: Qualification are also weighed down by our adultish mess which also What are we saying when | their hurt in their words and = * a 2 Requirements to Run forthe. contributes to the reality that our youth are unable just to | Y° choose to kill each other be whom they need most-the = "8 8 Office of the Bishop........ ps be youthful. Our mess has become their mess; our depres- with sugar/weapons/drugs/ | person God created as their = aS Fe aicier Theelooical sion has become their depression. How we adults handle - eee ae parent, guardian, mentor, = & SammaryatiTC ........... De one another helps to show our youth how to treat one another, k paige oe teacher, counselor, minister, = Z and, unfortunately, spills over as to how a young person make sure lyite asa a ae = 2 Ad: Dr. Terence L. Mays, Sr: will or will not respect adults, each other and so on. for black people every day? ca “s Candidate for Executive Director Question: semipiibhinn oe Rea of Church Growth and When our youth become challenged with their individual heat theres pane To clarify, to respondiand Development 2016............ pee trials, are they prepared to know how to respond and who to Tract are nO aaa ° 5 ; to trust that would have their best interest at heart? What Petes : ge ee a Bee Ad: Vote #261: Roderick Belin Take the time to hear those To react is to provide an Qe Sea festa President! can we, the A.M.E. Church, do for our youth? Church, young voices connected to | answer or retumed acti of Publisher. sc... De, the unfortunate reality is that our youth are either violated | those souls who too are mnaicen ie aa S or the violators and in either regard are crying out for the | jhircty andi heen es rae oe ee Meditation Based on A.M.E. Church’s help. oe on to a ae : Re ars Philippians 2:1-10............. PO, eae nee ath ies minds. fie ay acting as though our young reflect on the aftermath of Se : eh ow are we to project to | “do not know” or “do not | such a response, which = The Truth Is the Light......... Peo, spend most of their time; | our young people that they | need to know,” OE ee = ee eae |_are kings and queens if we | most cases, our Me. aes ae oe DG self with others, self with | support television shows | more than we give them | However, to respond is to self and how to accept self. that demonize black frater- | credit for. Itis time now to | allow all information Ad: Vote #262: Rev. Henry E. Too much on the television, | nities and sororities? What | listen to these young minds | shared a time to process Green, Jr. for AMEC Publisher/.. magazines and social media | are we saying when we | and find out what is on their | and to allow self to look RESTO GM tree. cre creccainsssss pss still attempts to strip the | support the media who con- | mind. Take the time to initi- | past immediate urges and ee ; beauty and the intelligence tinues to portrays our black | ate person-to-person com- | take in how God would y Pastors Shouldn't Work from our young and beautiful | men as baby-makers/thugs/ | munication. Find out what | like for ...continued on p7 More Than 40 Hours a Week - and Why Most Do Doo), A List of 2016 General Conference Candidates as Certified by the Office of the General Secretary/Cl0...... 2allO: Ad: Vote #403: Rev. Dr. Silvester _. Beaman for Bishop........... pal2 THE WAY IT WAS TCR Editor’s Note: Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams delivered the speech below at Harvard University on March 2, 2016. It is my hope that everyone will read this great tribute written by a living icon! what you can, where you can, to Yo U erase the last vestige of racism... “It’s Up to You.” It truly is. It really is! It “sure enough” is! By Dr. JAMYE COLEMAN WILLIAMS, Ph.D.* adage which says, “Blessed is the woman who has a friend.” | want to paraphrase it tonight and say, “Blessed is the teacher who has a former student intro- duce her. Thank you so much, Dr. Counter.” Let me say at the outset that | do indeed consider it an honor to be invited to this time- honored institution to be a part of a much-needed conversation on one of the problems that continues to face our nation. HAVE THE RESPONSIBILITY to do Ad: Vote #410: Terence R. .: Gray for BiShOP .......ssssss000 Wheneventie onportiint®y presents itself, | speak with great pride about my many former students over 48 years of teaching in five HBCU’s— four of my denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, the oldest African American denomination ..continued on p3 me at once when this session is over. That out of the way, let me do what | know is proper: Dr. Counter, Other Distinguished Harvard Professors, Dedicated Students, and others from this educational community and elsewhere. There is an old As | look out at you Harvard | scholars | cannot resist making my usual recruitment com- mercial: “If you have not already committed yourselves to a career in academe, please do so. It really, surely, ‘sure enough’ needs you.” Please don’t everyone crowd around Ad: Vote #428: Rev. Darryl Williams for Bishop ...... sl Ad: Vote #102: Taylor T. Thompson for Chairperson .........ssssseeesee ip WE HAVE THE POWER By Shirley A. Waters White, Ph.D., Big Bethel AME. Church, Atlanta IS) Ad: Vote #426: Stafford Wicker for Bishop......... do not reflect the will of the people. The voters selected Obama and his vision over Romney and his, Schlesinger wrote, and they did it decisively. Here are some key statistics about President Obama’s victory cited in the article: Barack Obama got 51.1 percent of the popular vote to Mitt Romney’s 47.2 percent, the first president to exceed 51 percent two elections in a row since Dwight D. Eisenhower. Obama won 26 states and the District of Columbia, 332 electoral votes. No state won by Obama would have swung the election to Romney had Romney won it. There were only four especially close states in the 2012 election; Florida, North Carolina, Ohio and Virginia were decided by less than 5 percentage points, the...continued on p10 It is understandable that we are perplexed, confused and repelled by what we see. Our political system may be flawed, but that may be all the more reason we ; ; : need to stay engaged and make every effort to make As the primary elections continue across America, | 4 difference. | ‘some voters may be repelled by the negative and often | tn January 2013, just a few weeks before President ‘hostile and violent scenes enacted each night on the | Obama was sworn in for his second term, columnist ‘national news. It is my prayer that these disagreeable Robert Schlesinger wrote an article titled: “Conservatives antics will not result in the avoidance of the entire | Can’t Win at the Negotiating Table What They Lost at | political process by many Americans, who might avoid | the Ballot Box.” Schlesinger was referring to the con- ‘going to the polls completely either in the primaries | tinuing efforts by Republicans to block the President lor the national election in November. The danger that at every turn, no matter what the cost to the country. \this attitude may well lead to disengagement when it | He reminded them —- and us —- that despite having | /comes time to vote in the national election is very real. | control of the Congress through numbers, their efforts ===== DSC04342.JPG ===== In 2010, I decided that I was going to learn to play the guitar; it was something I had always wanted to do, but had not gotten around to doing. As a matter of fact, way back in 1997, I even bought a cheap guitar and a parishioner offered to teach me how to play the guitar, but I didn’t follow up and the cheap guitar stayed in my closet for years. DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder In 2009, a dear friend sent me a new expensive guitar with the encouragement to learn to play it. No movement on my part until he emailed and wrote, “I am going to try to get to Nashville and we can strum together.” | got nervous because I didn’t want to embarrass myself by accepting a gift and not using it. I quickly decided I needed to find a guitar teacher so I could learn to play something. I found a good teacher and his studio was not far from home. Before accepting me as a student, the guitar instructor asked, “Are you willing to practice?” | responded affir- matively. The rest is history, but there were some learning curves along the way. As an aside, I have been playing the piano since I was a teenager and played for choirs, but I always wanted to play the guitar. The guitar is such a mobile instrument and I dreamed of playing the guitar and singing along as I played; so I chose to learn to play the acoustic guitar. I quickly discovered that playing the guitar was not an extension of playing the piano. My fingers took a beat- ing and those six strings seemed at times to be 12 strings. My big hands and long fingers didn’t seem big enough to maneuver my fingers to play even the simplest chords. I struggled. About six months into my lessons, I had an epiphany. My teacher explained to me what some call the Nashville Numbering System. He explained that if you went to the various studios around Nashville, you will see guitarists and pianists excit- edly numbering their musical score. He numbered a rock and roll song and a hymn and | was on my way to learning to play the guitar. I always knew that I learn best when I understand how things work and my guitar lessons reinforced it. I learn best when I can make an application to something concrete; I do not learn well in a vacuum. I don’t learn well from ethereal concepts. Over time in my life and ministry, I discovered worship became more meaningful as | gained a greater knowl- edge about worship and liturgy and came to understand that the order of worship was not something that was “kind of thrown together.” Recently, a young man doing some work in our home came into my office and saw all of my guitars and two ukuleles and we got into a discussion about playing the guitar. I mentioned the Nashville Numbering System to him and he had a quizzical look. After explaining it to him, I pulled out some music and showed him how I had numbered several musical selections. He said, “I understand the 1-4-5 notations, but I don’t know anything about all of the minor, sev- I know that | play | } DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Publisher DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III, The 20" Editor ! The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS } 016880) is published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee. Periodicals postage paid at | Nashville, Tennessee. Postmaster, send address changes to The Christian | | Recorder, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4119. | The Christian Recorder was established in 1852. | Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4119. Advertising rates are available on request Subscription rate-$36.00 per annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers checks payable to The Christian Recorder BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chair of Publications’ Commission Office: 615-714-0986 / chsydnor@bellsouth.net / Fax: 615-658-5552 www.the-christian-recorder.org The Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. Letters must be exclusive to The Christian Recorder and must be signed, including the writer's home address and business telephone number. No defamatory, libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed; and The Christian Recorder reserves the right to reject or edit any letter or artic le to conform to good taste, style, and space requirements Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot publish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be addressed to The Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 512 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4119 All photograph submissions \ are the property of The Christian Recorder and will not be returned. them, but | don’t know them like that.” I suspect there some parishioners like the young man working on our home; they know about church, but they are unaware of the power of worship. I suspect there are parishioners, and maybe some clergy too, who attend worship and “meet the require- ments for having attended church on Sunday.” They are familiar with the order of worship, love the singing, like to hear the preaching, tolerate preaching and meet the requirement of having gone to church $36.00 Per Year Send Check or Name SUBSCRIBE! to The Christian Recorder Keep yourself informed about your church fo Money Order Payable to: The Christian Recorder 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4119 Please PRINT, Fayment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. JUNE 6, 2016 © Cf -2f. CDANLD AUTHENTIC WORSHIP ALLOWS PARISHIONERS TO DEAL WITH THE “WOWS" AND THE “WHYS" OF LIFE They love the “Wow” moments of church; the great music, dynamic sermons, the good job, the new car, the great medical results, etc. They often have difficulty with the “Why” moments of faith. Why things don’t go right, why the children are rebellious, why the troublesome medical issues, why the conflicts in marriage, why the financial burdens. I believe worship would be more meaningful if we understood the various parts of worship. I think if we understand worship, we can more effectively deal with the “Wow” and “Why” moments of life. A.M.E. worship is kind of like A.M.E. protocol; we always acknowledge God first. A synopsis of A.M.E. worship The prelude and introit help parishioners prepare their hearts and minds for worship. Parishioners should rid themselves of non-spiritual distractions. The Doxology is an affirmation at the beginning of worship that affirms the authority of God in our lives and in the worship event. The Doxology is the assembled parishioners’ praise to God. The Doxology always requires an “Amen.” A doxo- logical statement sung or spoken requires an “Amen” from Christians. A shout or a holy dance is appropriate after the Doxology! A call to worship is just that, a call of the people to congregational worship and an opportunity for parish- ioners to affirm their love and commitment to be in the house of the Lord, in the presence of the Holy God and their commitment to share in joyful worship. If a pastor uses another call to worship, that call to worship should express the same intentions of the joy of being in the house of the Lord and a commitment for joyful worship. The opening hymn, which should be taken from the AMEC Hymnal, should always be a hymn of praise to God! The opening hymn gives honor and acknowledges the awesomeness and power of God. If..continued on p11 Order online at amecpublishing- house.com ===== DSC04343.JPG ===== QUALIFICATION REQUIREMENTS TO RUN FOR THE OFFICE OF THE BISHOP By the Rev. Dimpho Alpheus Gaobepe, 19th Episcopal District (South Africa) * | have deemed it appropriate and orderly for me to write this article in order to attempt to share with members | of the A.M.E. Church around the globe my own understanding of the requirements for pastors of Episcopal dis- tricts 14 - 20 to run for the office of a bishop as enshrined in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012. This article is motivated by recent developments that have arisen due to non-certification of candidates who were educated in seminaries and universities outside of the Continental United States and particular candidates coming from South Africa and Namibia. | would wish to first place on record issues that | believe are common cause attendant to the foregoing subject: Page 116, Paragraph 4 of The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012, provides that the candidates for the office of the bishop must register their credentials with the AMEC General Secretary/ ClO at least 180 days prior to the opening day of the General Conference. It further provides that, they must pos- sess an earned seminary degree from an Association of Theological Schools (ATS) accredited seminary or, if outside the United States, an accredited seminary as determined by the country in which he or she is educated. Consistent with this part of the cited provision in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012, candidates who acquired their seminary degree in the U.S.A. are required by law to have obtained a seminary degree from an ATS accredited seminary. What does this mean? It means that the seminaries from which they obtained their theological degree would have complied with ATS requirements for accreditation. It is my considered submission that, reference to “seminary degree” in the provision under view, cannot reasonably and rationally have a common definition in all the jurisdictions that affiliate to the church. This provision does not even require candidates from outside the United States to have an equivalent seminary degree. The provision simply states, “If outside the United States, an accredited seminary as determined by the country in which he or she is educated.” Acknowledging and appreciating the fact that in terms _of the internal arrangements in the U.S.A. reference of _! —approved and accredited in terms of a particular NOF- ...From The Way p1 in our nation which will in this year of 2016 celebrate its Bicentennial. We will return to Philadelphia, where when in 1787 the fathers of our country were drafting the U.S. Constitution, a few blocks away Richard Allen, a former slave, and others, were establishing the A.M.E. Church. It was a most unexpected surprise to receive a letter from Doni Lehman, an intern at the Harvard Foundation, inviting me to come to Harvard for this occasion. Doni’s mother, Ellen Lehman, is the President of the thriving Community Foundation of Middle TN, which was orga- nized in 1991. | was pleased to be a member of the first Board of Trustees, and I have continued to be a supporter through the years. It is a case of connecting the dots, according to Doni’s mother, that Doni would become an intern at the Harvard Foundation, where Dr. Allen Counter is the distinguished President and just happened to have been one of my students at Tennessee State University. Is this a coincidence or something else? You have no idea how much pride | take in having been a part of their educational experience. But there is one more—a more recent addition to Harvard—a graduate of Wilberforce University, my alma mater—in the person of Dr. William Julius Wilson, distinguished professor in the John F. Kennedy School of Government. Now, all that being said, you can perhaps understand my opening commercial. A teacher's life is so enriched by the achievements of the students who have passed her way. | am blessed also that not only was | invited to your institution but that | was able to respond in the affirmative. But let me hasten to tell you that | could not be here today if my husband of 72 years, 2 months and 3 days had not been able to accompany me—and neither one of us could have come had our daughter not traveled with us. Please stand up—Dr. McDonald Williams and Donna Williams. They mistakenly think I'm too old to travel alone. Having just celebrated Black History Month we have the seminary in the provision in question would be interpreted as making reference to a Master’s degree, commonly called Master of Divinity or any seminary Master’s degree offered by an ATS accredited seminary, which would not, as a matter of fact, be consistent with the internal arrangements in other jurisdictions; South Africa is a classic example. | feel inclined to indicate that, in the case of South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA)’s determination of what would constitute the seminary degree, SAQA employs NQF credits as a barometer; which in this instance, 360 NQF credits would constitute NQF level 6 (degree), and on the other hand, 480 NQF credits would constitute NQF level 7 (degree). When obtained, these are considered seminary degrees in our context. Accreditation does not begin at a Master’s degree, unlike in the U.S.A., as it is determined by the Association of Theological Schools in the U.S.A. and Canada. In South Africa the following seminary degrees are today—not only as it concerns race relations but also the multiplicity of other problems that confront our nation and the world. It is indeed relevant that you want to look back on a major event in our democracy—the Civil Rights Movement—and look ahead to your participation as a new generation of thinkers who must also want the best for America. As a background to my discussion of the 1960’s, let me take you back with me to the year 1956. From 1942 to 1956 our family lived in the quiet and peace of an Ohio community, the home of Wilberforce University, founded in 1856, the oldest private coeducational institu- tion of higher education owned and controlled by African Americans. Of interest to you, perhaps, is the fact that one of the early teachers at Wilberforce University was W.E.B. DuBois, the first African American to be awarded the Ph.D. from Harvard University. Living in Ohio and rearing our young daughter in relative freedom was all | could ask for. Then my husband, with his recently granted - Ph.D., was offered a position as Head of the Department of English at Morris Brown College. This was 1956. The place was Atlanta, GA, where segregation, despite Brown v. Board of Education, was the de facto law of many southern states. That then was the beginning of my involvement in civil rights. Atlanta was the home of 5 HBCU’s—Spelman, Clark, Morehouse, Atlanta University and Morris Brown. | became active with the NAACP, and worked with the youth councils of the colleges. | became a member of the Executive Committee of the NAACP and had the opportunity on more than one occasion to volunteer to pick up Atty. Thurgood Marshall at the airport when he was coming to speak. Now the reason for my vol- unteering was that | was in the process of writing my doctoral dissertation on “A Rhetorical Analysis of Thurgood Marshall’s Arguments Before the Supreme Court in the Public School Segregation Controversy.” (Brown v. Board of Education) heard many discussions about the state of America Other involvement included attending the court AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM neal i credits threshold: Diploma in Theology (360 credits) NQF Level 6 | (Degree) Systematic Diploma in Theology (480 Credits) NQF Level 7 (BA or B.Th) B.A. or B.Th (with honors) (120 Credits) NOF LEVEL 8 Master’s Degree (120 Credits) NOF level 9 Doctoral Degree NQF Level 10 My point is that The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 states that candidates should have a seminary degree and in so far as | am concerned, all of the above are considered seminary degrees as determined by the country in which clergy members are educated. Let me also bring to the attention of the readers in the U.S.A., the majority of certified candidates have Masters of Divinity, which is a three year program. The seminary degree (M.Div.) in South Africa is only offered by three universities: Stellenbosch University in Cape Town, University of North West and University of Pretoria. Note that though the degree is called a Master of Divinity in South Africa it is not at the level of a profes- sional Master’s degree which is NOF Level 9; it is at NOF Level 8, which is B.A. with Honors. | invite the readers to visit all these prestigious uni- versities online and confirm my facts. Furthermore note that the reason for the non-certification is based on the idea that such candidates do not possess a profes- sional Master’s degree in terms of (ATS) U.S.A. standards and requirements. Using (ATS) U.S.A. approved requirements and (SAQA) | south African standards-on equal —~22tinued on p6_ presided over by Judge Durwood Pye, where Atty. Donald Hollowell, who secured Martin Luther King, Jr’s, release from Reidsville Prison, would represent the NAACP, which was under fire because of the failure of the President, John C. Calhoun, to register the organization with the Secretary of State. | recall another dramatic case when Judge Pye cross-examined Mrs. Eunice Cooper, the NAACP Secretary, concerning her refusal to turn over the membership roll of the Atlanta Branch. To do so would have endangered the jobs of many of its members. When the trial ended Judge Pye, a diehard segregationist, fined the Atlanta Branch $25,000. Interestingly, the state’s highest bench ruled in support of the NAACP, which resulted in the NAACP not having to pay the fine nor surrender its membership roll. Fast forward to 1958 when my husband and | were invited to join the faculty of Tennessee A & | State College, as it was then called. Because | had just been granted a Danforth Fellowship to complete my dissertation at The Ohio State University, | was given a year’s leave of absence. When | returned to Nashville in 1959 it was on the eve of the 1960 Civil Rights Movement. Actually the Nashville Movement had its inception in December, 1959, when after training in nonviolent techniques by James Lawson, the students of Fisk, TN A&, Meharry and American Baptist College quietly tested the status quo by sitting-in at Harvey and Cain Sloan Department Stores, the Greyhound and Trailway Bus Stations, and Woolworth and McClellan Ten Cent Stores. This action took the community by surprise; so there was no violence. The decision was made to continue the demonstrations upon returning from the Christmas holidays. Meanwhile in Greensboro, NC, four freshman students on February 1, 1960, staged a sit-down at the lunch counters at the Woolworth Store. The students in Nashville then on February 6 staged a sympathy sit-in. The major players in the Nashville Movement were Diane Nash, Marion Barry (Fisk), Fred Leonard, Leo Lillard ..continued on p4 ===== DSC04344.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER From The Way p3 Lucretia Catherine Burke, William Barbee John Lewis, Bernard Lafayette Bevel (ABC). James Lawson, a graduate student at Vanderbilt Divinity School with Rev. Kelly Miller Smith, Sr., Pastor of First Baptist Church and Associate Dean at Vanderbilt Divinity School, Rev. C.T. Vivian, Rev. Andrew White, Rev. Joseph ES Lowery, were mentors and supporters, They represented the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), the NAACP and local churches. We as adult activists in the community attended weekly mass meetings, held at various churches where we sang freedom songs, prayed and contributed funds for bail for the jailed students, provided trans- portation and were a part of the civil rights marches. | will mention one example of an event that solidified the community. On April 19, 1960, at 5:30 a.m., the home of the leading lawyer for the movement— Z. Alexander Looby—was bombed. One Collins TN A&l and James along hundred and forty windows at nearby | Meharry Medical College were broken. | Our family, living several miles away, was awakened by the blast. This cowardly act mobilized the black | community. A massive march of some 1500 persons left the TN A&! community, joined by others from the Fisk and Meharry communities until there were more than 3000 marchers who reached the court- house to confront Mayor Ben West. Let me add that there had been no plan to demonstrations, but on this day some college students when marching past Pearl High School barged in and called them out. Mr. John Hull, the Principal, stood at the door and, according to our daughter Donna, asked her what her parents would say, and she assured him they would expect her to be in the march. Upon reaching the capitol, Rev. C.T. Vivian read a statement setting forth the position of the demonstrators. Diane Nash, the real leader of the group, spoke up and asked the Mayor to use the prestige of his office to end segregation and then asked the pointed question: “Do you recommend that the lunch counters be desegregated?” To his credit and to our amazement he said, “Yes.” These courageous student leaders included John Lewis, now a mem- ber of Congress; Dr. Gloria Powell Johnson, first black female to become a tenured full professor at Harvard Medical School; Dr. Rodney Powell, a doctor in Hawaii; Curtis Murphy, an educator in Chicago; and Dr. Bernard Lafayette, a former President of American Baptist College. The bombing, | the massive march, the Mayor's response | | struck a death knell to the continued white opposition to the desegregation of public accommodations. In addition, the Movement used a selective buying tech- nique—couldn’t call it a boycott—just before Easter, urging African Americans to stay out of town. Dr. Vivian Henderson, a noted economist at Fisk, announced that in the month of March downtown stores purchasing power of the black community was $40 million. But the hat caught my sit-ins were not the only activity attention. Nashville vad two other movements requiring citizen nvolvement. In April, 1967, Dr. Martin uther King, Jr, Stokely Carmichael and Senator Strom Thurmond were invited to speak at Vanderbilt University’s Annual mpact Symposium. Stokely Carmichael delivered a speech that stressed the signifi- cance of the Movement but was not con- troversial. Interestingly, the Nashville Banner had tried to prevent his appearance, claiming he would incite violence. By contrast, several days later he spoke at Fisk University and TN State—reluctantly agreed to by the administrations—and his inflamed rhetoric generated such a response that it ignited also _ trouble in the North Nashville Community. A riot broke out between students and the police, resulting in Governor Buford | Ellington dispatching National Guardsmen with tanks and firearms to the intersection | of the street at the main entrance of the TSU campus. Students, in turn, assembled, kept running toward the troops and taunting them. The TSU administration arranged for a conference with Governor Buford Ellington at his mansion. Dr. W.N. Jackson, Vice | President of Academic Affairs; Dr. Joseph A. Payne, Vice President of Student Affairs; James Montgomery, SGA President; and |, as Chairperson of the Student Faculty | Advisory Committee, met with the Governor and apprised him of the gravity of the situ- JUNE 6, 2016 The Governor listened and promised to withdraw the troops if we could persuade the students to stop demonstrating, Relative peace ensued as a result The Nashville Community faced other challenges. On one occasion the KKK announced that it planned to march in the streets of Nashville. The Nashville Panel, an integrated group of which | was a member, sought to work across racial lines. We decided on a course of action to stop the march. On April 10, 1980, Rabbi Marc Tannenbaum of New York, a leading ecumenist and Human Rights Rabbi of America, accepted our invitation to speak at a mass meeting. Three panel- ists were to react to his strong supportive statements for justice—I was the woman on the reaction panel. As a result of this event, the Klan did not march! That is a snapshot of some of the dramatic events of the 1960’s movement. But the times demanded citizen participation in other ways to help America become of the people, by the people and for the people. Political activity was another area in which we chose to be involved. We continued our | activity with the Nashville Branch, NAACP, 40 years as members of the Executive Committee; my husband was a first Vice President. | for some 20 years served as Chair of the Life Membership Committee. Then there was the Tennessee Voters Council (TVC), a state-wide political orga- nization, chaired by Senator Avon Williams, first black elected to the Tennessee Senate, include high school students in the | lost $250,000 and noted that the overall '_ation with students taunting armed troops. |_and for which | served as_...continued on p7 Do You Feel Like God is Calling You To Help pansion ane World? RORELESSWESS SOLU BUSY: Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Presiding Elder, East Tennessee 13th Episcopal District DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM tmayes5116@aol.com Turner Theological Seminary at ITC & is your answer to become equipped and empowered to do it! Enroll today at itc.edu 404-527-7792 Ls tS pha ie Ma " AN sy et; 1 \ Admissions@itc.edu a) ENA f it ife orev TRANSFORMING! Lives. Communities. The World. ===== DSC04345.JPG ===== wane i if ery of Light i sek; LVL. LEARN, F tions that inform, inspire and transform ica RODERICK BELIN Address 114 Abbottsford, Nashville, TN 37215 safe You deserve publ Website belinforpublisher.com Phone 615.554.1488 | ===== DSC04346.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER JUNE 6, 2016 MEDITATION BASED ON PHILIPPIANS 2:1-10 By the Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby’ OF THE AFRICAN METHODIS1 EPISCOPAL CHURCH. The denomination was incorporated in 1816, but the church was really born in 1787, when a young preacher named Richard Allen and his followers rejected racial prejudice, walked out of a church that restricted them to the balcony because of the color of their skin and established what is now Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church in Philadelphia. The present Mother Bethel is a beautiful Romanesque cathedral, but the first Mother Bethel was an old blacksmith’s shop that was retrofitted to serve as a church. That’s why the cross and the anvil - the basic tools of a blacksmith - form the emblem of the A.M.E. Church - Allen and his followers took an unremarkable structure and made it special. Remember that Jesus died what should have been ...From Qualification p3 a humiliating and disgraceful death on a cross - an instrument of cruel torture reserved by the Roman government for vile criminals and enemies of the state. Because of Christ, however, what was a symbol of crushing and final defeat in the Roman Empire is now a beloved, eternal and sacred symbol of salva- tion, hope, power and everlasting life - Christ made the cross special. The same Christ who did that with the cross can do the same for us. This world can often throw us into agonizing, crushing and humiliating circumstances that steal our hope, hinder our well-being and restrict our joy. People in this world - especially in a mean- spirited, partisan political season - can speak words that divide, demean and make many people feel like “nobodies.” When we take the time, however, to trust in the | Jesus who made the cross special, he’ll also make us _| special. We’ll find special hope that can’t be limited | grounds, given the fact that The Doctrine and Discipline of the | by this world, special blessings that can’t be restricted by rude and crude politicians and their angry followers and special reassurance that we don’t walk alone and that we can achieve and find victory. Put your life in the hands of the Risen Savior, When you do, then you won’t have to wait for Easter Sunday to feel special. You can walk life’s journey, saying every day as one hymn writer said, “He walks with me and He talks with me, and he tells me I am his own; and the joy we share as we tarry there, none other has ever known!” *The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The point | am trying to make is that when | employ the standards as set forth in African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 recognizes other agencies outside of the United States, then one is left without any choice except to conclude that the applica- tion of the law favours the United States standards and all others are mandated to | follow the U.S.A. dictates. This is the truth some of our leaders in the A.M.E. Church do not want to know or accept. The kairos moment requires church leaders to speak truth to power. Black life matters. Seminary degrees obtained in A.M.E. institutions outside the U.S.A. matter. THE TRUTH IS THE L/GHT my country against the ATS requirements | can only arrive at the conclusion that M. | Div. is not a professional Master’s Degree as opposed to the popular understanding and application in the A.M.E. Church in the U.S.A. It is for this reason that | continue to argue that, given the fact that in the same text that is cited herein, the drafters acknowledged the reality that it would not have been rational to universalize the standing and standards of the ATS, hence a qualifica- tion in the provision appreciating the sovereignty and autonomy of domestic arrange- | ments in the jurisdiction outside the USA. ..continued on p7 By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* BIBLICAL TEXT: “And this have ye done again, covering the altar of the Lord with tears, with weeping, and with crying out, insomuch that he regardeth not the offering any more, or receiveth it with good will at your hand.” — MALACHI 2:13 (KJV) The pleasure from your hands.” NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION TRANSLATES, “Another thing you do: You flood the Lord’s altar with tears. You weep and wail because he no longer looks with favor on your offerings or accepts them with It might have been. I shoulda, coulda, woulda or my favorite, I’m “fittin to.” That is what regret is all about! A poem says, “For of all the sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these, it might have been.” Lamentably, the world is full of people who regret having thoughtlessly chosen the wrong thing, the wrong person, the wrong profession or the wrong path. The truth of the matter is, life is a series of forks in the road. We are challenged to decide; do we take this way or chose another way. Life is a series of decisions we have to make, understanding that some are more critical than others. Some decisions affect us more than others. Some actually affect folk around us more than others. However, the decisions are ours to make. The choices are up to us. We must be aware that the consequences that come with the choices are ours, too. The responsibility for bad or ill-advised choices we make can be embarrassing, painful and potentially expensive. However, like it or not we are faced with decisions every day. And the decisions we are challenged to make come in all shapes and sizes. Sometimes there are so many decisions we may feel like we are on a merry-go-round. After each time we get one thing done we find that we have even more decisions to make. The fact is, we need to be concerned about the decisions we make. We need to be careful about our decisions so that we won’t have a life full of regrets. There is nothing more miserable than a life of unhappiness because of the decisions we have made. More importantly, there is no pain like the pain of feeling God’s disap- pointment. There is no greater pain of regret than the pain that comes with knowing God is disappointed with decisions we make and of wishing we could have a chance to do it all over again. Unfortunately, life offers very few, if any, do-overs. Having said that, I can let us in on a few biblical truths that will enable us in making decisions with fewer regrets. The Bible tells us that we are to, “Seek God’s Will,” “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding” and “In all your ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your paths.” Seek, trust and acknowledge, with all our heart and He will help us through our choices. He will help us narrow down the choices that will work best in our situation. He will help us make the most appropriate decision for our circumstance. We are admonished, however, to seek, trust and acknowledge the Lord with all of our heart. We will find that the greatest resource , counsel of prayer, understanding that available to us as we journey through | praying is still the way we communi- the valley of decision is the Lord! We | cate with God. The Bible promises are challenged to look to hgim. The | that God still answers our communica- decisions we have to make need the ! tion. We will never regret taking time to pray before we make a decision. The decisions we make need the counsel of the Word of God. When we are faced with a decision we should ask ourselves, what does God say? We need to pause to consider what God’s Word has to say. The Bible reminds us that, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and he delights in his way.” One thing we must be reminded of constantly is that the decisions we make must not seek the counsel of feelings. In other words, we cannot make decisions based on how we feel. Feelings can change from day to day. We cannot make rational decisions based on how we feel, tranquil and calm today and tossed and driven tomorrow. Jesus prayed in the garden knowing that the “cup of mankind’s sin” was to be his drink. He prayed, however, “O ) my Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.” Not as I will moves our feelings out of the way. Jesus made his feelings known to God but he was determined to accept God’s will as his decision. Finally, to make wise decisions we must learn to wait on the Lord. Before we commit, before we start out, before we open our mouth, wait on the Lord! Pray that the Lord will be our guide. Look to the Word of God. The Bible reminds us, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” The Word of God is the sword of the spirit! The Word of God is enduring and powerful. The Word of God is flawless and it can be trusted. The Word of God is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruc- tion in righteousness. Wait on the Lord! Not my will, Lord, but your will. Before we make a decision we are cautioned to wait, pray seeking quality time alone with God. Wait, read the Word, seeking quality time in study and devotion. Wait, put our feelings aside! Not my will, Lord, but your will. ae! *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC. ===== DSC04347.JPG ===== |-From Qualifications p6 = Most importantly, in my considered view, the operative word that constitutes an overbearing prerequisite to the latter part of the provi- | sion, being reference to as “a degree,” which in my view, had the drafters intended _ to qualify the level of such a degree, such a clarity would have been expressly provided in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 like they have done on Pages 113-114 on requirements when running for Office of Connectional WMS and including Pages 84 and 85 of The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church- 2012 on appointment of members to the Board of Examiners. The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 is clear! For example, Page 125 Section Ill, The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 as it relates to General Officers states, “Persons elected General Officers by the General Conference shall be blameless in character and possess the necessary qualifications.” Dealing only with this first part of the provision as enshrined in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012, one wonders what is meant by “necessary qualifications.” Are we going to be told the definition of this | requirement at the time some of the potential candidates outside the U.S.A. declare interest to run for office? To me, this requirement of “necessary requirements” is the same as “Seminary Degree” because it is not specific as to what degree threshold is required. Reverting to my subject, acknowledging and appreciating the role that the ATS plays in the context of the U.S.A. and Canada, it is equally of paramount importance to proffer that various accrediting agencies in respective jurisdictions outside the purview of ATS, based on the autonomous determination of their educational programmes, may not accredit the degrees at the same levels as ATS. This competence is unambiguously given life and acknowledged in the scheme of the above cited | provision, which affords those members outside the U.S.A. such a competency. | want to reiterate that my understanding without giving interpretation of the lan- guage in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012, candidates that went to seminaries in the U.S.A. and Canada would need a seminary ..From The Way p4 Secretary for 19 years. One of the main functions of the TVC was to interview candidates for state-wide and national office and give our endorsement. Interestingly, legislative as well as presidential candidates sought our endorsement. That was the way it was. It was truly a gratifying moment when on April 19, 1995, exactly 35 years after Diane Nash posed that crucial question to Mayor West -on the morality of segregation another Mayor—Philip Bredesen—on the same spot in front of the courthouse in the presence of civil rights activists, including an older Diane Nash, dedicated a plaque commemorating that historic day with the words from the Old Testament prophet Joshua: “And the people shouted with a great shout so that the walls fell down.” All that having been said, what can | say to you? As future leaders of the 21st Century, as individuals who are more privileged than many others who are denied access to education and a better life, you have the responsibility to do what you can, where you can, to erase the last vestige of racism which negates the words of the Declaration of Independence being a creed to live by: We hold these truths to be self-evident that we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. What | want you to keep in your remembrance is a simple message. It is simply this, “It’s Up to You.” It truly is. It really is! It “sure enough” is!! You, the millennial generation, with more advantages than many in prior centuries. You who live in a highly sophisticated, technological, advanced society with far more advantages than many of your ancestors. | urge you to take seriously all of the crucial problems of a degree at a Master's Level because of the ATS requirement, while candidates from the country in which | was educated would need to have a seminary degree at any thresh- old to be certified as candidates so long as they possess a seminary degree not a Master's degree, but a seminary degree earned from an accredited seminary, Why? Because it is common cause that the domestic arrangements in a particular member country, which are being acknowledged and given effect by the enabling provision in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, would not be bound by the autonomous arrangements in the ATS regulated jurisdic- tions in the form of U.S.A. and Canada on determination of a level of a degree con- cerned, It is thus compellingly evident that the interpretation and application of this provision by the A.M.E. Church is currently favorably lopsided towards the ATS standards, which paradoxically are not explicitly enshrined in any official document of the A.M.E. Church as such; let alone in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012, as assuming such principal point of reference by other jurisdictions. Let us remember that while a Master of Divinity is a professional degree in the U.S.A., in South Africa, a Master of Divinity Degree, in terms of our NQF level is at level 8, not NQF level 9, which is considered a professional Master’s degree. Finally, The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 does not mention the requirement as a professional Master’s degree but it says a | seminary degree. Had it been the intention of the drafters of The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church to set the level of the seminary degree at the professional Master’s degree level as per the argument tendered by some individuals in the U.S.A., either a definition would have been included in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church - 2012 to provide certainty on this, or the body of this provision would have explicitly made reference to “a Professional Master’s Degree.” Like all other A.M.E.s around the world - | love my Church and | am proud to be an A.M.E. *The Rev. Dimpho Alpheus Gaobepe, M.A., International Relations, BSC Math and Political Science; Diploma Systematic Theology (NOF Level 7, a Seminary Degree), Current M.Th. degree; Senior Pastor at H.J. Bryant Temple, West Conference, 19th Episcopal District- South Africa. hurting world. Look at them carefully. The writer of Ecclesiastes reminds us that “for everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.” This is a time to evaluate with an unprejudiced, objective eye; and-act in the best of inter- est of everybody. It’s up to you. The Southern Poverty Law Center urges us to “fight against the far-right extremists who want to divide our country; seek justice in the courts for victims of racism and discrimination, whether it is ethnic, cultural, religious or class; be examples for children with lessons of tolerance and understanding before the seeds of hate can take root in their lives.” Somebody should have reached Dylann Roof, the misguided young man, who on June 17, 2015, murdered nine Christian women and men in Bible Study at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston—because he wanted to start a race war. | was able to attend the funeral of the Pastor of Mother Emanuel, the | pontinued on p11 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP PRESTON WARREN WILLIAMS II JUNE 8-10, 2016 PLANNING MEETING Macon Marriott Centreplex 240 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 Site Phone: (478) 621-5300 ..From Concerns p1 you to proceed forward. Please keep in mind “that if a parent loves his child, he will correct him when he is out of line.” A loving parent will guide and teach their children. The Bible adds that “if you neglect to train and teach your child, you don’t love your child (Proverbs 13:24).” If our youth are too uncomfortable to seek help from family, the community, or the church--our future is in trouble. As a minister of the youth, it troubled my heart when I learned from a few high schoolers; first, that the bathrooms and various sections within the schools smell of marijuana on a daily basis. Since the smell of this drug is blatant, both students and teachers detect and are aware of the activities that transpire; however, it appears none of the school administration has said or has done anything to stop such activity to occur on/ within school grounds. Second, several students are faced with bullying on a daily basis. Although reported to teachers and/or vice principals/principals with the requested written bullying reports, it appears none of the school administration has body or faculty. Unfortunately, it also seems no school administrative action is in place to discipline the young people who are doing the bullying. Furthermore, it was revealed that some if not most of the teachers are too in fear to speak up about/or speak to those who are the “bullies”--for fear of becoming threatened or the ones included as the victims of bullying. No more shall children go to school and remain in doubt, threatened and/or feel that that if truly faced with a problem, no one will listen. It is important that our youth know that their lives are significant and of value wherever they go and with whoever is in their company. No longer should suicide or homicide be an option as a solution. If a child feels in danger, a child should have confidence within those who vow to cultivate, encourage, teach and aspire to excellence- -would also serve as those same persons make sure each child knows they are valuable, and treatment unto them and from one another SHOULD be in excellence. If we do not consider them as valuable rather than collectively addressed this issue to either the student AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM anything glamorized negatively, the legacy of our people and our church will die. It is time to take back our youth; from depression, thoughts/attempts of suicide, drugs, unprotected/underage/unmarried Sex, insecurity, mom’s and dad’s mess, the wrong crowds, neglect and manipulation. It is time, to make the change to preserve our future as black people, restore our community as one in Christ; not as enemies and not as thieves but as brothers and sisters in Christ making investments into the younger brothers and sisters in need. When asked by a younger person, “Where is God?”, make sure that each of them knows God is wherever they are because Christ lives within them and they are never alone or apart from a reliable provider of comfort, power, love and safety--Jesus Christ. Assignment: Be the church and minister unto our youth-- Young lives matter! LE i eR The Reverend Miesha Osborne, Minister of the Youth at Mount Calvary A.M.E. Church in Tow- son, Maryland. 900 ===== DSC04348.JPG ===== Continuing sa A Legacy of ais dist Century 3 UDIIShing Am VOTE #262 REV. HENRY E. GREEN, JR. Dear 2016 GC Delegates and Alternates, As one of the candidates for Publisher/President of the AME Church Sunday School Union, I’m writing this letter to hopefully help you understand why I’m called to this ministry, and what I hope to offer once elected. As you know, the AME Church Sunday School Union has served as the publishing house for the African Methodist Episcopal Church since the Union’s inception by Charles S. Smith in 1882. For over a century we’ve published magazines, guides, journals, handbooks, and other material in support of the overall church mission. I firmly believe in remaining loyal to our history while using the technology we have at our disposal today to have a strong positive impact on our communities around the world. This means that we’ll continue to operate our printing mill while also supporting and pursuing digital strategies. Today, the AME church is a global organization, and I’m committed to serving the best interests of our international membership through effective localization strategies including embracing local authors and supporting an effort to translate our materials into local languages so that they can be effectively used around the world. I believe that by respecting our history, making full use of modern technology, and focusing on serving our international membership, we can continue to grow and support our communities around the world. More importantly, we can spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to reach the masses. I’ve already developed a plan to build new facilities based on my prior experiences as a pastor and business consultant to support modern printing and publishing technology including shifting our production focus to sustainability and environmental responsibility. If elected, I vow to continue the tradition of serving God, the Church, and our communities. I'll do this by improving our publishing capabilities, focusing on our international growth and support, and leveraging technology to foster a global community. Thank you for your time spent reading this letter, and I look forward to serving you well. Rev. Henry E. Green, Jr. VOTE #262 FOR AMEC PUBLISHER/PRESIDENT pra SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION REV. HENRY E. ===== DSC04349.JPG ===== rer rane | WHY PASTORS SHOULDN'T WORK MORE THAN 40 HOURS A WEEK — AND WHY MOST DO “If you want to see me on my day off, you will have to die.” peepee pastor shared this line with me that he uses to protect his day off. He sets the boundary that the only work he is willing to make exceptions for, on his day off, is imminent death or funerals. i] Managing work time and hours as a professional in ministry is a constant struggle. | don’t know many pastors who work less than a 45 hour a week, with many working 50 or 60 hours. Being “busy” and over-worked is the norm for most in ministry (as it is for many in our busy-ness focused society). After 7 years of being in ordained ministry, | still have difficulty understanding just why so many pastors feel the need to work more than full time. While I have never heard anyone articulate it this way, | suspect many pastors have a sense that the first 40 hours are for the salary, and the rest are for Jesus. | am sure there are a few church folks who may agree, but I think this is a sentiment that originates with pastors themselves. Many pastors are running around going to every church event, dropping everything for every hospital call or shut-in visit, answering every phone call, arriving before every church meeting and staying for the meeting after the meeting in the parking lot. It seems like many pastors and the churches they serve are completely content with the idea that the pastor is omni-present in body... while never being able to focus well — in mind and soul — on anything in particular. | once attended a retirement party for a pastor leaving a long time call to institutional ministry. While it was a celebratory event, there was a certain awkwardness about the whole thing. The community he served thanked him for his tremendous service, while his family made jokes about their husband and father that was never home. And when he was home, he was bringing work with him. The community that this pastor served basically thanked this pastor’s family for sacrificing quality time with their husband and father... for Jesus? I don’t think this is a healthy way to do ministry, nor do I think that Jesus calls pastors to be work-a-holics. A few weeks ago, I came across an article by Eugene Peterson called, “The Un-busy Pastor.” It is an article that has resonated with me, even though it was written the year before I was born. The idea of an “un-busy” pastor seems like a rarity: A pastor who takes the time to contemplatively read scripture so that she is drenched in the word. A pastor who prays often enough and in such a way that she exudes calmness and wisdom. A pastor who is isn’t so busy running around from function to function, that she has time to listen when real listening is needed. I don’t know what the cultural value of being busy in 1981 was when Eugene Peterson wrote about the unbusy pastor, but certainly being busy in 2016 is a sign of importance. Now pastors have no exclusive claim to being busy in today’s world, but like so many other professions and jobs out there, being busy seems to be the way pastors show we are doing our job and worth our keep. I can’t help but think of the contrast between the omni-present, omni-doing pastor with the idea of the unbusy pastor who, accord- ing to Peterson, focuses on prayer, reading scripture and unhur- riedly listening. oy Decades ago, as the church in North America became heavily prescribed and institutionalized post-WWII, the role of pastor shifted from leader, expert and resident theologian of a community to the chief doer of ministry for a community. This means the culture now is one where instead of leading communities that do ministry, pastors do ministry on behalf of churches. However, in the past 10 or so years this has started shifting back. As churches contend with the big “change” happening around them (rapid technological advancement changing the way communities organize and interact coupled with decline of insti- tutional Christianity), many are realizing that communities need to be a part of ministry again. It can’t all sit on the shoulders of the pastor. As that shift takes place and pastors start doing less so that they can provide leadership and expertise, pastors will have to better understand how to prioritize their time. In Eugene Peterson’s article “The Un-busy Pastor,” he suggests that being a busy pastor (as many pastors are) is actually a sign of laziness: “The other reason I become busy is that I am lazy. I indolently let other people decide what I will do instead of resolutely decid- ing myself. I let people who do not understand the work of the pastor write the agenda for my day’s work because I am too slipshod to write it myself. But these people don’t know what a pastor is supposed to do. The pastor is a shadow figure in their ‘minds, a marginal person vaguely connected with matters of God and good will. Anything remotely religious or somehow well- intentioned can be properly assigned to the pastor.” Taking control of our own schedules and prioritizing is essential as pastors shift from chief doers to expert leaders, but so is under- standing how a pastor’s time is valuable to a faith community. To that end, I think there are three competing ways in which a pastor’s time is valuable to congregations. Balancing these three will be essential for healthy ministry in the future. 1) Quantity Society, at least legislatively speaking, thinks that about 40 hours of work a week is enough for most full time jobs. Yet, as responsibilities meant more time. And as pastors worked to prove their value to their congregations, they worked more and more and more. But when quantity of ministry is the highest value, it neces- sitates a decline of quality. You cannot write a good sermon if they are all Saturday night spe- cials. You cannot plan for the future, if it takes all your energy to get through the day. You cannot attend to the needs of the community as a whole, if you are running from individual to individual like a nursemaid. You cannot take the time for prayer, reading scripture or to really listen, if your calendar is full of the appointments made by others. 2) Flexibility Churches tend to hold their functions when most people are not working, which means pas- tors work when most people are off. Evening and weekends. Standard eight hour work days wouldn’t work for ministry. This means that usually a pas- tor’s day(s) off are a weekday, and that often pastors might find themselves without some- thing scheduled on a weekday morning or afternoon. This flexibility works well for pas- tors and is a benefit to congre- gations, as churches wouldn’t be very good places for com- munity if they operated on bank hours. But when pastors start to work bank hours AND evenings and weekends, the boundaries around work-life balance disap- pear. Pastors set an expectation that they can be anywhere, anytime. Congregations then embrace that behaviour. Then when pastors do try to have boundaries, they have to say things like, “If you want to see me on my day off, you have to die.” Flexibility is important for ministry, but not at the cost of a balance of personal time and space. Nor at the cost of a healthy relationship between pastor and congregation, but that is for another article. 3) Expertise Seminary training gives pas- tors tools and knowledge that simply cannot be found in other ways. The training and educa- tion shapes and forms a pastor into a person who should be a scholar of the Bible, a compe- tent provider of pastoral care, a theologian and liturgist, an administrator and leader of systems, and an educator and teacher among other things. Of course not all gifts and skills are equal among pastors, but there is a certain expertise that is brought to the table with a pastor. I know that I have stud- ied the Bible in ways that my parishioners have not. I know that I have been trained to care for emotional and spiritual needs in ways that most of my parishioners have not. I know that my understanding of theol- ogy and liturgy is a resource that my congregation wouldn’t have access to without me. | | But expertise takes time to keep up and maintain. It takes a sharp, well-rested mind to dig back to readings and lectures buried in the recesses of the brain. It takes time to keep up on current articles and books about ministry or theology or administration. It takes inten- tionality to leave the mind time to ponder and reflect on the bigger picture of ministry in the parish. The expertise a pas- tor provides is like that of a doctor or lawyer or other pro- fessional. It should be seen as something that church people cannot receive elsewhere or on their own. Just like Dr. Google is not a substitute for a real doctor, nor is Pastor Google a substitute (says the pastor). The balance between quan- tity, flexibility and expertise has long been weighted towards quantity. The sacrifice has been quality expertise. Too many pastors boast about not reading any books since seminary, nor having the time to do continuing education. The church for the future needs less of a chief doer of ministry and more of an expert leader. Pastors need to re-bal- ance. Lots of ministry can hap- pen in 60 hours a week, but good ministry should only take 40. After that you are not likely helping your congregation in their ministry, nor providing the leadership and expertise that the church has been longing for, for some time now. As congregations and the church contend with a changing world, Christians need pastors who can help prioritize the mission of the gospel. A pastor cannot help people grow in relationship with Jesus if that pastor is too busy filling his or her days with un-prioritized busy work. Ultimately, the proof will be in the pudding. Thriving, healthy, mission and Jesus- minded congregations will be led and served by unbusy pastors. Are you a pastor who works more than 40 hours a week? Why? How much do you think pastors should work and why? Share on the Facebook Page: The Millennial Pastor or on Twitter: @ParkerErik. pb fps ims ena ie aS Read more: http://millennialpastor.net/20 1 6/03/03/why- pastors-shouldnt-work-more-than-40-hours-a-week-and- why-most-do/. pastors became the chief doers of ministry decades ago, added AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM ===== DSC04350.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ..From We Have p1 smallest number of close states in a presidential election in nearly 30 years. No matter how you interpret the 2012 election results, the people made their choice very clear. Many voters don’t know that Democrats gained seats in the U.S. Senate and in the U.S. House of Representatives; and although the GOP kept control of the House, nearly 1.4 million more people voted for Democratic House candidates than for Republicans. 1.4 million—remem- ber that figure the next time the Republican Party uses its numbers to block the President's agenda. We have the numbers. We have the power. We can determine the next President of the United States. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham was quoted by columnist Steve Benen as saying that the fiscal fights of 2013, over raising the debt ceiling and funding the government, would be “one hell [sic] of a contest about the direction and vision of this country.” What Graham and his allies seemed to forget, Benen remarked, is that we already had “one hell [sic] of a contest about the direction and the vision of this country.” It was the 2012 election, and the Republican direction | and vision lost the contest. _ highest concentrations of black voters. In| Voters were told repeatedly that the | 2012 election would be the most impor- tant election ever. It would determine the | direction of the country for a generation, | so it was time to fight like there was no | tomorrow. Although Barack Obama won the election, Republican members of Congress have taken the idea of “sore other forms of identification. But getting a photo ID has been made more difficult in many states, including Georgia. But thirty-one of Alabama’s county driver's license offices were closed, prompting the head of the state’s American Civil Liberties Union to say that the people of this nation should be very worried. These closures took place in eight of the ten counties with the highest share of regis- tered voters of color, including all five of the counties that voted most strongly Democratic in the 2012 election. Hillary Clinton warned that these closings were designed to make it harder for people to vote, and called them “a blast from the Jim Crow past.” Closing offices where voters can get the required voter |.D. would have been reviewed by federal officials enforcing the Voting Rights Act. But the Supreme Court overturned a key provision of that law that required advance approval of state actions that affect elec- tions. In Georgia, studies found that in the areas with the greatest concentrations | of rural black voters, no state driver's license offices are open more than two days per week, and many of the state's part-time offices are in the areas with the 21 contiguous “black belt” Georgia coun- ties, all state driver's license offices are open two days per week or less. Citizens can be denied the right to | register and vote if they cannot produce an acceptable birth certificate. This is | problematic for some who may have | | voted for decades, especially if they were loser” to new heights in their campaign | to undermine the President and subvert his agenda for the nation. They realized very well that their “tomorrow” was in | serious jeopardy. The recent efforts by Republicans to interfere with our right to born at a time when hospitals were seg- regated and they were born at home. There are many stories on the internet about citizens who have been unable to register to vote because of these bureau- cratic glitches. A woman who could not vote is a glaring example of their strategy |_ produce a marriage license was denied to win back some of the power they lost. | because her name on her ID was different As of February 2016, 33 states have | from the name on her birth certificate. A | enacted voter identification requirements. | student from out of state, even with a valid ‘ | ; Eighteen states require voters to present | student photo ID, can’t vote. Veterans photo identification, while 15 require | of the U.S. armed forces have been denied A LIST OF 2016 GENERAL CONFERENCE 100 CHAIR OF EPISCOPAL COMMITTEE: 101 - Mayberry, Harold R. (Rev. Dr.) 102 - Thompson, Taylor T. (Rev. Dr.) 200 GENERAL OFFICERS: 210 Treasurer/CFO: 211 - Lewis, Richard Allen (Dr.) 220 General Secretary/CIO: 221 - Cooper, Jeffery Bernard (Rev. Dr.) CANDIDATES AS CERTIFIED BY THE OFFICE 280 Department of Christian Education: 281 - Bass, Kabrina W. (Ms.) 282 - Gallmon, Joy L. (Rev.) 283 - Green, Vivian (Rev.) 284 - Johnson, Amanda L. (Ms.) 285 - Jones, Roy P. Jr. (Rev. Dr.) 286 - Pierce, Garland F. (Rev. Dr.) 287 - Smith, Robin Porter (Mrs.) 290 Church Growth and Development: 291 - Hampton, Dennis J. (Rev.) 292 - McLamore, Charles Carnell (Rev. Dr.) in some states because their military 1D was not considered an acceptable iden tification. This is both unbelievable and outrageous. There was even a case of a black elected official who could not vote because she lacked “acceptable” ID. She, too, was born at a time and in a place when black babies had no birth certificates issued. These and other voting restrictions across the country have resulted in more than half the population of the United States finding it harder to cast a ballot. Such repressive measures represent a sharp reversal for a country whose histori- cal path has been to expand voting rights and make the process more convenient and accessible. But they are all too familiar to a people who fought long and hard — often at the risk of our very lives — to participate in this democracy. Party politics play a key role. But race has been a sig- nificant factor. In 2008, voter participation among African Americans and certain _ other groups increased dramatically. But the more a state saw increases in voter turnout by the previously disenfranchised, | the more likely it was to push laws cutting back on voting rights, according to a push to shut down Sunday early voting in states where African American churches _ organized successful “Souls to the Polls” drives is a glaring example of racially- motivated efforts to restrict the vote. The Brennan Center for Justice at the University of New York found that seven of the 11 states with the highest African | American turnout in 2008 passed laws states with the largest Hispanic population growth in the 2010 Census have new restric- closely under the Voting Rights Act because | of a history of racial discrimination in elec- tions passed new restrictions after oversight was removed by the Supreme Court. Laws restricting voter registration drives are another tactic of repression. African _ Americans and Latinos register through tions in place. And nine of the 15 states | that were once required to be monitored | JUNE 6, 2016 drives at twice the rate of whites, and, as in our past history of struggle, voter reg- istration drives have been used to help close the racial registration gap. In response to these efforts, Florida and several other states passed laws that made it difficult for groups to help voters register. The result was a significant drop in reg- istrations. In December 2011, the League of Women Voters of Florida, Rock the Vote and the Florida Public Interest Research Group Education Fund (PIRG) filed suit in federal court challenging Florida’s new restrictions on community- based voter registration drives. These restrictions were so unnecessarily harsh that they forced groups like the League of Women Voters and Rock the Vote to shut down their voter registration programs in Florida. The Court agreed, and after initially blocking enforcement of most of the law, in August 2011, an order was issued permanently removing restrictions on community-based voter registration drives on the grounds that they violated | the U.S. Constitution and federal law. University of Massachusetts study. The | Experts say the move to restrict voter participation in the U.S. is the worst it’s been since Reconstruction — and it is not just on the legal front. The Brennan Center for Justice cautions us about politically | motivated attacks on groups that register | voters, last-minute attempts to purge names off voter rolls and voter harassment by vigilante groups. These acts are eerily reminiscent of the vigilante and Ku Klux Klan attacks on black voters during the | era of Jim Crow. All of these tactics were making it harder to vote. Nine of the 12 | | Americans from registering and voting. used for decades to prevent African Watch also, these experts say, for wide- spread confusion and mistakes as a result of all these voting rules changes. Even officials and those who staff the polls often get it wrong and deny citizens their right to vote because of all the changes and conditions that have been enacted. | And watch out for long lines at the polls, especially in communities of color. All these will have a. ...continued on pil OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY/CIO 400 BISHOP: 401 - Alexander, James A. Sr. (Rev.) 402 - Anthony, Wayne Johnathan (Rev.) 403 - Beaman, Silvester S. (Rev. Dr.) 404 - Brailsford, Ronnie E. Sr. (Rev. Dr.) 405 - Brookins, Francine A. (Rev. Dr.) 406 - Calloway, Kelvin T. Sr. (Rev. Dr.) 407 - Cooper, Katurah York (Rev. Dr.) 408 - Eason, Gregory Vaughn Sr. (Rev. Dr.) 409 - Goff, Norvel Sr. (Rev. Dr.) 410 - Gray, Terence Renard I (Rev.) 411 - Greenebarr, Cecelia (Rev. Dr.) 230 AMEC Department of Retirement Services: : 231 - Harris, Jerome V. (Rev. Dr.) 412 - Hendricks, Uklyn Augustus (Rev.) 413 - Henning-Byfield, E. Anne (Rev. Dr.) 414 - Ingram, Daryl B. (Rev. Dr.) 415 - Mitchell, Michael Leon (Rev. Dr.) 416 - Mugala, Paul M. Sr. (Rev.) 417 - Pierson, Mark S. (Rev.) 418 - Reid, Frank Madison III (Rev. Dr.) 419 - Richburg, Caesar R. (Rev. Dr.) 420 - Rumph, James Arthur (Rev.) 421 - Scott, Magnus W.T. Sr. (Rev.) 422 - Seawright, Harry Lee (Rev. Dr.) 423 - Seibo, Samuel D. (Rev.) 424 - Simms, Moses A. Jr. (Rev. Dr.) 425 - Tyler, Timothy E. (Rev. Dr.) 426 - Wicker, Stafford J. N. (Rev. Dr.) 427 - Williams, Allen L. Sr. (Rev.) 428 - Williams, Darryl R. (Rev.) 429 - Wright, Frederick A. (Dr.) 430 - Yates, Elizabeth E. (Rev.) 431 - Zanders, Marvin Clyde II (Rev.) 293 - Mayes, Terence L. Sr. (Rev. Dr.) 294 - Wade, James C. (Rev. Dr.) 240 Global Witness and Ministry: 241 - Flowers, George F. (Rev. Dr.) 300 JUDICIAL COUNCIL: 310 Clergy Member: 311 - Bess, Thomas Leon (Rev. Dr.) 312 - Curry, Eduardo K., Esq. (Rev.) 313 - Golden, James T., Esq. (Rev.) 314 - Green, O. Jerome, Esq. (Rev. Dr.) 315 - Howard, Delman (Rev.) 250 Historiographer/Director of Research & Scholarship, Editor of A.M.E. Review: i 251 - Fry Brown, Teresa L. (Rev. Dr.) 260 President/Publisher, Sunday School Union: 261 - Belin, Roderick Dwayne (Rev.) 262 - Green, Henry E. Jr. (Rev.) 263 - Parker, Joseph (Rev.) 320 Clergy Alternate: 330 Lay Member: 331 - Anderson, Derek H. 332 - Dawson, Warren H., Esq. 333 - Mayberry, Patricia M., Esq. 334 - Wright, Tania E., Esq. 270 Editor of The Christian Recorder: 271 - Glenn, V. Gordon III (Rev.) 272 - Grant, Velma E. (Rev.) - John II] (Mr. ee al) 340 Lay Alternate: 341 - Battle, Starr L., Esq. ===== DSC04352.JPG ===== ..From Authentic p2. a pastor does not use an opening hymn out of the AMEC Hymnal, the opening hymn should express the awesomeness and power of God. The opening hymn should not focus upon the issues and struggles. The opening hymn is about God, nothing else! The worship prayer is congregational or a shared petition; it’s not a personal prayer. A pastor or parishioner who prays should not use personal pronouns, i.e., “Lord, bless my family...” Corporate prayer is about “us” and “we,” never “I” or “my.” “I” or “my” are used in personal prayer. We kneel to pray and if a person is unable to kneel, it might be more appropriate to ask someone who can kneel to lead in the prayer. We do not stand when peti- tioning God, we kneel or bow. An outline for prayer that has been around for a while is ACTS: Adoration, which should praise / adore God; Confession - a general confession type statement(s); Thanksgiving as in expressing our thanks to God for the blessings of the congregation, the church, the commu- nity; and Supplication, which expresses the collective needs of the congregation or issues facing the congrega- tion. In many A.M.E. churches, those offering prayers end their prayers with an eschatological appeal. In congregational prayer the use of “us” and “we” are most appropriate. In personal prayer “I” and “my” are appropriate and the ACTS might be a helpful outline to follow. In churches that use the term “invocation,” it simply means invoking God’s presence, not necessarily in the worship space, but in our lives and in our hearts as we join in corporate worship. We pray before reading the scripture because we seek God’s presence before reading the Word. or whoever prays remains Kneeling until the end of the prayer response. A prayer response should be an appropriate ending of the prayer, “Go tell it on the mountain” is not a prayer response. Choirs should not use a prayer response as a special selection, A prayer response should not take five minutes, not even four minutes, and probably not three minutes, unless the Spirit is high, The Decalogue allows us to affirm that we will follow God’s law. If a pastor uses a responsive reading, the responsive reading should give the congregants an opportunity to affirm that they will follow God’s laws. The Gloria Patri provides a Trinitarian conclusion of the Decalogue and a statement of Jesus Christ’s fulfill- ment of the law, The offering gives parishioners an opportunity to support the ministry of the church and to give to God a portion of what God has provided for us. Up to this point in worship, everything should be | moving to a climax in preparation for the delivery of the sermon. The music and the announcements and other acts of _ I respond, “Yes” and if they ask me how I know, then worship are all good, but the sermon is the supreme act — of worship. The coordination of the opening hymn, prayers, scripture lessons, the Decalogue or responsive readings, announcements should all be done as liturgical move- ment to the sermon. The sermon is the supreme act of ~ worship. The hymn of preparation should be just that, a hymn of preparation for the people to listen to the Word of God. In some areas of the country, people sit for the _ hymn of preparation. If a choir gives a musical selection in place of the for the sermon that will follow, “All roads” of the liturgy should lead to the sermon, The delivery of the sermon is given from the pulpit and should be delivered with power and authority, because the sermon represents the Word of God. The sermon should “cut to the soul” of the congregation. Sermons should be well prepared and it should be evident to all that the sermon is well prepared. There should not be a lot of activities after the sermon; and on Communion Sundays no activities after the Lord’s Supper. The invitation to discipleship gives parishioners and guests the opportunity to recommit or make a decision for Christ. The invitation should be given with power and with care. The invitation should not be rushed. People should be allowed to respond to the Word of God. It takes some people longer to make a decision and a decision for Christ is an important decision! The Affirmation of Faith gives parishioners an oppor- _ tunity to reaffirm what they believe. If someone on the street asks me if I am a Christian, I know I have got them; I respond, “I believe in God _ the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ...” and go on to recite the entire Apostles’ Creed, which usually ends the inquiry. The closing Doxology gives parishioners another opportunity to praise and proclaim the greatness of God. The benediction is simply the closing blessing and worship does not end before the benediction is pronounced. The recessional is an orderly way for the clergy and choir to exit. Worship is movement and worship allows us to effec-. The prayer ends with the prayer response. The preacher ..From We Have p10 significant effect on the numbers of voters in these communities. We are and always have been a strong, resilient people; we survived the worst | that could be done to us — from the Middle Passage and enslavement, to Black Code | and Jim Crow laws, to deadly attacks on our people from lynching by mobs, to | attacks by law enforcement for exercising our rights, unequal sentencing and impris- onment, and recently the widely publi- cized killings by law enforcement. We > have survived the Klan, brutal attempts — at voter suppression by both white suprem- acists and the government sworn to represent and protect us, and modern-day hate crimes. With God as our help, surely we will not allow this latest attempt to | undermine our rights as citizens to succeed. Psalms 91:1, 2 reads: “He who | ‘dwells in the shelter of the Most High will _ abide in the shadow of the Almighty. |. will say of the Lord, my refuge and my | We can remember that we enjoy both the | full and inalienable rights of citizens of the - United States of America, and the protec- | tion and blessings of Almighty God. But | while we pray, and wait upon God, we - have work to do. We know the right of | these states. Millions are staying home fortress, my God, in whom | trust.” Just as our forefathers did when they resisted enslavement-- from Gabriel Prosser | to Denmark Vesey; just as we have fought to call attention to and defeat the purposes _ of the murder, mayhem and indignity — heaped upon our people -- from Ida B. Wells to Rosa Parks; just as we continued to fight to gain the full rights of citizenship over decades -- from W.E.B. DuBois to | the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., we will meet this challenge as well. We will continue to pray that those who have malice in their hearts, and are trying to harm us through their actions, will turn from their wicked ways. But in the hymn of preparation, the selection should be appropriate — meantime, while we continue to pray, we have work to do. We can remember that we have the power, no matter what others may say, no matter what others may do. it, and we know the wrong. | believe God would expect that while we are praying, we put our shoulders to the wheel and | work to right this wrong that is being com- _ mitted against us. What can we do about a Republican- | dominated Congress that threatens to stall any nomination the President makes to fill the Supreme Court vacancy? Let our voices be heard! Let elected officials know tively deal with the “Wows” and the “Whys” of life. : : they will be held accountable for their Obstruction and delaying tactics. Get out and vote, and elect representatives that will do what is best for you and what is best for the nation! What can we do about a hate-filled, negative primary campaign? Speak up! Remember that the loud, angry and violent crowds you see on the nightly news at these rallies actually represent only a fraction of the eligible voters in out of disgust and disappointment. We need to encourage those voters to become active, to vote, to make their voices heard. The primaries are just the first phase. We must not grow weary of doing good and continue to fight for what is right and good for all people. We can campaign, work for a candidate, and most impor- tantly, vote in every election. _.From The Wayp7 Reverend Clementa Pinckney. There were in fact two funerals—the A.M.E. Church’s at 11:00 o'clock, and the second at 1:00, at which President Obama gave a moving eulogy, | concluding by singing “Amazing _ Grace,” with the large audience | joining in. What was a source of inspiration was the presence through both services of the Mayor of Charleston; the Governor; Senator Graham; and former Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton; and Congressman James Clyburn. | would also remind you not to be overly concerned with the pursuit of things. We should not live with only the concern for that which brings us pleasure, comfort, and security. Being products of a materialistic culture, we find ourselves primarily interested in things. We even | measure success in terms of what | can, where you can. a person has—houses, land and money. We are often too con- | cerned with power, prestige and portfolios. Mahatma Gandhi, the great Indian humanitarian who was born into privilege, died with — | tion not only for the vitriolic fewer than ten possessions includ- ing a watch, spectacles, sandals, eating bowl and plate, and a few — clothes. Gandhi said, “You may have occasion to possess or use material things, but the secret of life lies in never missing them.” Your generation is confronted with a multiplicity of crucial prob- lems and issues. Tentacles of racism still permeate every facet of our society. Benign neglect and insensitivity still exist in high places. Obstacles to parity are in many aspects of American life. It’s up to you to do what you Edmund Burke in the 19th Century reminded us that evil prevails because men of goodwill are silent. Martin Luther King, Jr, in our day, declared that we may have to repent in this genera- words and acts of the bad people but also for the appalling silence of the good people. Let me close as | began with — a plug for my introductory com- — mercial. Do please consider a career in academe! If you do, you will have my heartwarming experience of having my life so enriched by so many of my stu- dents. In addition to the three distinguished ones whose names I’ve already called (Allen, David and Julius), there are others: the late Wilma Rudolph, winner of three gold medals in the Rome Olympics; Oprah Winfrey, the television personality; Dr. Bobby Jones, renowned Grammy Award gospel singer; Dr. Karen Dunlap, first female and first African American to be President of Poynter Institute of Journalism; Dr. Glenda Baskin Glover, President of Tennessee State University; the late Dr. Hazo Carter, President of West Virginia State University for 25 years—all TSU students. From Wilberforce, eight young men became bishops in the A.M.E. Church; two became President of Payne Theological Seminary; two became college presidents— _ Kittrell and Allen, and Leontyne Price, the operatic diva, whose ~ Lincoln paving stones York... But am one | cannot do everything But | can do something And what I can do, ! ought to do And what | out to do, By the grace of God, | will do. May God bless each of you. ———— “Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams is a retired General Officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. ===== DSC04353.JPG ===== VOTE ||#403 BEAMAN, "BEAMAN BELIEVERS’ 0006 A BELIEVABLE PLAN SPIRITUAL REVIVAL: An outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the worship, witness and Kingdom work of African Methodism. RENEWAL: A reclaiming of African Methodism’s commitment to social justice for Black People around the world. RENAISSANCE: That African Methodism is spiritually, socially, economically and politically relevant in the countries where we have ministry and witness. CHURCH GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: That as a denomination we focus on worship and ministries that will advance the Kingdom of God and grow our churches. ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT: Financing the Connectional Budget through endowments and economic development to relieve the local church of the burden of heavy assessments. YOUNG ADULT ENTERPRISE: The AME Church must create relevant ministries and initiatives that will engage young adults beyond the YPD age. MEN‘S MINISTRY MISSIONS: A reclamation of fathers and adult men within the life of African Methodism. REV. DR. SILVESTER BEAMAN BETHELAME CHURCH 604 N. Walnut Street ¢ Wilmington, Delaware WWW.BEAMAN FORBISHOP.COM ===== DSC04354.JPG ===== WAN More EXCELLENT: Way! "em OL \C ORINTHIANS 12:31... > ou) LOVE THE PEOPLE ee MATTHEW! 22: 737: 239, ===== DSC04355.JPG ===== = - I - - * «= - .) a * Servant Leade | METHODIST rship for the 21st Century Expansion Global Mission Young Adult Involvement Inclusion Foundational Principles Evangelism ===== DSC04356.JPG ===== AYLOR |. LHOMPSON Of the 2016 General Conference of the AME Church | To My Brothers and Sisters in Christ, | | greet you in the joy of the Lord! Congratulations on your | | upcoming participation in the 2016 General Conference of the | African Methodist Episcopal Church! | 80, 2008, 2016 | look forward to your input as the Holy Spirit leads us in all of | *Men eneral F ¥ = ourwork during the General Conference.I seekyour prayers and | 988 - 200 support in my candidacy for Chair of the Episcopal Committee. | astor- 46th Quadrennial — A Sacred Trust: Please handle all things with Prayer! ‘In the same way, prayer is essential in this ongoing warfare. Pray hard and long, Pray foryour brothers and sisters. Keep your eyes open. Keep each other's spirits up so that no one falls behind or drops out.’ Ephesians 6:18 (MSG) ===== DSC04357.JPG ===== WICKER FOR BISHOP Membership is very important to the life blood of the church. True membership must be determined and defined in order to build upon where God will continue to lead the African Methodist Episcopal Church. To Paul the apostle, membership meant becoming a vital organ of a living body (Rom. 12:4-5). A member is a person committed to the body of Christ and uses all the gifts God has blessed him or her with, to build up the Kingdom. For Dr. Stafford J.N. Wicker membership also means we are incorporating God's family into our fellowship ¢ Spe RotCC C5 05 CCAK C5 Mette cored. Une. 765 SOUTH HAIRSTON ROAD 1790 EBENEZER ROAD STONE MOUNTAIN, GA CONYERS, GA 7:00AM, 8:30AM, & 11:00AM WORSHIP SERVICES, SUNDAYS 10:00AM WORSHIP SERVICE, SUNDAYS 404.299.3388 404-299-0398-FAX WWW.ANTIOCH—AME.ORG 770-761-0006 ANTIOCH CHILD CARE CENTER ANTIOCH MANOR ESTATES 4730 ELAM ROAD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 4711 BISHOP MING BLVD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 404.299.5521 CENTER HOURS—6AM—6PM, MONDAY—FRIDAY 770-322-8839 770-322-8234-FAX WWW.ANTIOCHMANORLIVING.COM
• February 29, 2016
  ===== DSC04329.JPG ===== THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AT RICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH VOLUME 165, NO. 11 inthislSSUEC... Editorial: A Weighty Subject That . Needs to Be Addressed ........ pee Monrovia, Liberia-The Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church Celebrates 14™ Anniversary... Get the “Hook Up” in 2016 Deo) AMEC Ministers’ Alliance Congratulates Mayor Sylvester Turner, Chris Brown. and Amanda Edwards ............. [Do ) Ad: McLamore for A.M.E. Church Growth and Development........ Dor, Ad: Robes of Faith ....cccscsese pat Ad: Terence L. Mays, Sr.: Candidate for Executive Director of Church Growth and Development 2016 ............... Ad: Rev. James Avery Alexander, Sr.: Candidate for Episcopal SSAC. Us eee eee Meditation Based APO AMIGS 1219°27 seeccseasecvasessseese The 2016 Candidates’ Guidelines efor Submitting News Items TO) sla eee eee een First Episcopal District Calendar CNG. eee D6) The Truth Is the Light ............... AMEC Episcopal Districts’ oye Quarterly Payments..........::.000 AD: Elect Green in 2016: President/Publisher...............-+ [Doo Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter and Pentecost... Dod), Annual Conference Schedules. PLO) The 50" Quadrennial Session of the General Conference Observer . Registration Information....... p Retired Bishop Frederick H. Talbot and Retired Episcopal Supervisor Sylvia Talbot Visited with Executive President of Guyana............. A.M.E. Church Connectional Lay Organization to Host Benefit Be AMLASE Pet ic ciikeeniecicerscccsssesss St. Croix, Virgin Islands Ceremony Recognizing the Issuance of Stam Dis Honoring Richard Allen... pal AD: Stafford Wicker POTAESISHO Dire wats redeem aciseesvene THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG pel | REMEMBERING ABSALOM JONE hl near and far gathered to celebrate the mortgage burning of 253 Central Avenue in Rahway, New Jersey; the house of worship for [B 3 African Methodist Episcopal Ebenezer Church of Rahway. Accompanied by shouts of praise, the cheering of children, thunderous applause, words of commendation, tears of joy and the watchful eye of the od & ’Rahway Fire Departme: t, the believers at Ebenezer, Rahway watched the mortgage go up in flames—literally. According to church records, this edi- fice is the first in the church’s 189-year history not to be damaged by fire. In June of 2014, under the leadership of the Rev. Dr. Erika D. Crawford, Pastor, the believers at Ebenezer embarked upon a “Jour- ney Towards Jubilee.” Saddled with a monthly mortgage pay- ment of almost $6,000 per month, the congregation followed Pastor Crawford on a faith journey to- wards the pre-mature liquidation of the quarter of a million dollar bal- ance of its $1.3 million mortgage. Since her appointment in June of 2011, Pastor Crawford ceased all fundraising and moved the mid- size congregation towards being a totally tithing congregation as an act of faith and obedience. This resulted in the retirement of almost a half-a-million dollars of debt, __ the settlement of multiple | lawsuits and the acquisition — | of two addi- ) tional pieces of property in a little over four years. im 1997, after years of praying and sacrifice, the By John Thomas Ill On November 1 (All Saints’ Day) of last year, the Most Reverend Michael B. Curry was installed as the 27th Presiding Bishop and Primate of The Episcopal Church in the Cathedral Church of Saint Peter and Saint Paul (also known as the Washington National Cathedral). On that day, Bishop Curry became the first African American Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church and one of the few African Americans to assume leadership of a denomination outside of the traditionally Black Church. To African Methodists, Curry’s selection is especially significant because of our strong historical ties to the Episcopal Church through the Reverend Absalom Jones. avery in Sussex County, Delaware on November 6, 1746. He Wynkoop who brought him to Philadelphia in 1762. Jones was gs and earned enough money to purchase freedom for his wife The Reverend Jones was born into sl eventually was purchased by a Benjamin allowed to work for himself in the evenin Mary in 1770 and himself in 1784. He also learned to read and went to a Quaker school for ...continued on p9 is not religious cannot be elected president of the United States, a new Pew Research Center survey finds that one of the candidates who is widely viewed by Republicans as a potentially “good” or “great” presi- dent, Donald Trump, is not widely seen as a religious person, even by those in his own party. sntinued on p7 (*) “GOD OUR FATHER = CHRIST OUR REDEEMER = THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER = HUMANKIND OUR FAMILY” FEBRUARY 29, 2016 MIRACULOUS MORTGAGE BURNING AT RAHWA Ay Satay December 13°9014 at T2500 noon, Believers fiom” WRIOSORS CRUE DU 1 di ig Was erected under the leadership of Rev. Rudolph P. Gibbs, Sr., who faithfully served the congrega- tion for 32 years before retiring. in 2007. When asked why she ] pushed to liquidate the mort- | gage early, Pastor Crawford replied, “I was led to do this for several reasons. First, >| | wanted the congregation "Ij to see how God honors our Bi] tithes and offerings by do- i) ing the impossible. Second, because I wanted Pastor Gibbs to see the mortgage ‘burned. I even took him with me to make the final pay- ment. Lastly, there are other things God has in store for Ebenezer and it was time for us to.move.in-that direction.” In anticipation of this celebra- tion, Pastor Crawford spent two years doing in-depth research on the congregation’s history which revealed years of financial hard- ship and difficulty dating back to the mid 1800’s. Ebenezer had its beginnings on December 25, 1826, and in 1829, thirty or more families of “free persons of color” procured a site on the banks of the Robinson Branch of the Rahway River, on Central Avenue, the site of the current edifice. On April 10, 1841, the Minutes of the New York Annual Conference of the A.M.E. Church say, “It seems that the Rahway Church was still in pecuniary embarrassment, and in order that it might be extricated, a committee was appointed for the purpose, which was to act in conjunction with a Philadelphia committee.” It was again recorded in the — Except for Trump ..continued on p4 eR ewe AHLUPROT WCW oT bo chor Ro | O00€ SLS MN LS HLbL VELL 9LEv-L000Z DG NOLONIHSWM ‘YS XNVSARC ‘d WVITIIM dOHSIS - GOP Candidates Seen as Religious “4 SHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 27, 2016) - While the conventional wisdom in American politics has long been that someone who ‘dWOO Ad MANSY xCbx6bxZOV=!0007 LIDIO-Seassenssnersnsensesess ===== DSC04330.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FEBRUARY 29, 2016 DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR Ill The 20th Editor of ~— ‘% AD D R F S S ED The Christian Recorder - = . subject of this editorial is directed to the clergy, but it is applicable to the laity, too. This is not an A.M.E. issue; it’s a concern of clergy in almost e every denomination and Christian faith group. 5 | have dealt with pastoral issues every year since being the Editor of The Christian Recorder and | have sleight of hand dealt with this issue never “head-on.” | am dealing with this issue because | am concerned about preachers and it is important, not only for clergy, but because it also impacts ministry and fam- ily. This issue needs to be addressed again and again and perhaps in the spirit of a joke | heard many years ago. oA preacher arrived at his new pastoral appointment and his sermon was dynamic and the parishioners were ecstatic about their new preacher. The next Sunday the preacher again waxed eloquent, but he preached the same sermon. The church members and officers were concerned, but not alarmed because they thought he might just have accidently re-preached the same sermon and they were looking forward to hearing what he was going to preach on the next Sunday. The following Sunday he preached exactly the same sermon. The stewards were perplexed and it showed and the pastor invited the steward pro tem to publicly express to the congregation any concerns about the ser- mon. The steward stood up and commented on the congregation’s concern about the pastor preaching the same sermon three Sundays in a row. The pastor stood up and responded, ‘Yes, | preached the same sermon for the past three Sundays and you all are still doing the same things and are disobedient to the Word of God. | am going to stay on this sermon until you change some of the behaviors addressed in the sermon and when you change, | will change sermons.” It’s in the spirit of the humorous story about the preacher preaching the same sermon again and again until The sad aspect is that ignoring the important issue the people follow the teaching and lessons of the sermon that | am addressing this editorial. has caused low-performing and failed ministries, The issue | am addressing has not been dealt with in The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal divorces, breakup of families, addictions, rebellious Church. 2012 and it has never. becn.dealt with, in any Book af Disc iplime-The issue cannot be tegistated and bishops children fractured relationships, low-esteem, depres- cannot, or have not, enforced it. sion, poor health and in more serious cases, death. The issue is ignored by presiding elders, pastors, official boards and even the General Conference. The issue The paradox about the issue is that many preachers is among the most ignored issues in the profession of ministry. function superbly even though they are affected by | don’t believe that I have ever heard any bishop or presiding elder publicly address the issue head-on the issue. The A.M.E. Church and the Episcopal leadership can do a better job addressing the issue, but having said that, The major issue is pastoral self-care and in that the issue is not systemic, but personal. sense it is primarily a personal issue, but a systemic Laypersons are aware of the issue, and in many cases refuse to do anything about it even when it involves their one too. spiritual leader. Every church and every member wants the perfect if we are honest, we know that everyone is aware of the issue, but very few people do anything about it. We pastor, but the bad news is the perfect pastor is burned won’t even spend time dealing with the issue at connectional or episcopal district meetings out, ineffective, in poor health, in deep ...continued on p3 THE CHETAN pensar crag ll i The Christian Recorder of the African Meth Episcopal Church (U 16880) is published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday Schot nion, 500 Eighth Avenue itt The Christian Recorder was established in Keep yourself informed about your church for $36.00 Per Year Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville Tenne 37203-4119. Advertising rates are available on request. subscription rat $36.00 pe annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers chet ks payable t Recorder BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chair of Publications Commis: DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Publisher DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR Ill, The 20'° Editor Office: 615-714-0986 / chsydnor@bellsot th.net / Fax: 61. www.the-christian-recOrgerorg The Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder welcomes letters trom its readers on Mm tte of general Send Check or Money Order Payable to: 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4119 interest. Letters must be exclusive to /he Christiar Rev ler and must be signed including the writer's home address and business telephone number, No defamatory | hristian Ree Jer reserves the libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed; and /e ¢ right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform to good taste, style, and spact requirements. Although we are unable to at knowledge the etters we cannot pub Please PRINT. Payment must lish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for diadhod st send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be addressed to Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor 512 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville IN 37203-4119 All photograph submissions are the property of The Christian Recorde ynd will not} be returned Postmaster, please send address Corrections to SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4119 ===== DSC04331.JPG ===== ..From A Weighty p2 financial debt, with very little sav- ings; cynical and fed up with ministry, is in repetitive occupational crises and overweight. Oooops, | have used the “W” word! WEIGHT In the spirit of transparency let me say upfront, | am overweight and with that admission, | have a license to discuss the subject. Weight is a sensitive subject and we don’t like to talk about weight, and we don’t talk about it, but we need to talk about it. Too many preachers are overweight, not just A.M.E. clergy, but clergy in general. We have wonderful preachers who are dedicated men and women of God. They have outstanding min- istries, but it’s obvious they are not taking physical care of themselves. Preachers can become so involved in ministry to the neglect of their own physical well-being. | suspect some readers have stopped reading this editorial because weight is such a sensitive issue, but | have a few more things to say. The A.M.E. Church needs to have a conversation about weight and should develop programs to help clergy to participate in weight loss and physical exercise programs. Have you noticed that our bishops are not overweight? So, why don’t they pull overweight preachers aside and counsel them about their weight, if they haven’t done so; not publically, but pull them off to the side for a private conversation? The preachers might be offended at first, but in the long haul, they would probably be appreciative. Weight is such a sensitive subject and the issue of weight must be addressed sensitively and with com- passion and love. A first step in weight loss-is-the admission from the individual that he or she has a weight problem. The reason for addressing weight is that being over- weight can lead to serious medical issues. Weight and wellness go “hand in hand.” If you are young, you might get away with being overweight with no serious medi- cal issues for a season, but over the long haul, medical issues will develop. The same holds true with physical exercise. Each individual has to make up in his or her mind that he or she wants to get themselves in excellent physical conditioning. The operative word in weight loss and physical con- ditioning is “discipline.” And, sometimes, everybody needs a push and episcopal leaders can take the lead. It would be helpful for pastors, their churches, their families if episcopal leaders had special presentations and workshops about wellness and weight. | am almost finished with weight and physical exercise. Weight loss programs include caloric intake, but any weight loss program must include a regular regimen of aerobic physical activities, e.g., walking, jogging, swimming, jumping, etc. Other activities include line-dancing, chair exercises and yoga. Many communities have senior citizens’ programs. Local churches could implement programs. And there is the “Y” and other organizations that have wellness and weight programs. Many pastors are in personal and family crises because they fail to provide self-care for themselves and the result is that they neglect their families and in an insidious way, fail to be in good health so they can take care of their congregations. In order for pastors to take care of their families, they must first take care of themselves. tej intain good health It’s important for clergy to main good healt MONROVIA, LIBERIA-THE EMPOWERMENT TEMPLE A.M.E. CHURCH CELEBRATES 14" ANNIVERSARY By Sister Belinda 8. Yahwon* THAT WAS THEN JURTEEN YEARS AGO, the Rey. Katurah York Cooper packed her bags, armed with an M. Diy, degree and her Elder’s ordination papers, and boarded a flight back home. It was like Peter walking on water. Keeping her eyes on Jesus, she demonstrated the faith of ‘water walkers’ when she founded the Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church and opened the doors of the church on September 30, 2001. Fourteen years later, the members of Empowerment Temple have been hosting several events to commemorate her founding of Empowerment Temple. Fourteen years symbolize double the biblical number of completion, When Job went through his great trial it seemed like he would never recover. At the end Job received “double blessings for his trouble.” There have been many challenges over the fourteen years. In the beginning, there was no elementary school, now there is JHB HOPE Academy. In the beginning, there was no 501C/NGO, now there is Helping Our People Excel, Inc. In the beginning, we were 16 in membership, now we are pushing 1000. GET THE “HOOK UP" IN 2016 ..continued on p7 By the Rev. JANICE CASEY* If you Google the word fantasy, you'll end up with everything from football to amusement parks to fiction writing and beyond. Psychologists will tell you how dangerous it is to live a life based on fantasy. Unbelievably, though, that’s what we do when we live a life without God at the helm. It’s all a fantasy---an illusion, because in him we live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28) You see, we have no power of our own. Can you start a stopped heart or breathe life into a dead soul? You might answer that people have done it. No, God has done it through people. Is the creation better and more pow- erful than the Creator---never! (Romans 1:25) So as you prepare for 2016, remember that your worth is tied to the source of all life. We are conduits. God is the generator, the life source, the all and all. Hook up! *The Rev. Janice Casey is an itinerant deacon in the 6th Episcopal District, where she works with her husband, Pastor Darrell Casey, at St. James A.M.E. Church, Nicholls, Georgia. AMEC MINISTERS’ ALLIANCE CONGRATULATES MAYOR SYLVESTER TURNER, CHRIS BROWN and AMANDA EDWARDS — — a time where the J 1 city of Houston is positioned to be in the fore-front of change, the city has elected a leader that is passionate, determined and has a proven presence that will ensure Houston’s promi- nence and future well-being. The constituents have spoken, a leader that has the skills and talents to fix problems, bridge gaps, cross party lines and make things happen has been elected. A persistent and sea- soned tenure present in community services, this veteran of the Texas legislature, the Honorable Sylvester Turner, now carries the mantle for change and effective leadership. Coming from a modest and humble beginning in the Houston’s Acres Homes community, Turner knows what it means to work hard to achieve success. Promising to bring more opportunities to Houston’s middle class families, Sylvester Turner ran for mayor to be a voice for all, because, “Houston works best when it works for all of us.” Sylvester Turner pledges to fix potholes, make the city safer, address economic inequalities, support local schools, create partnerships, etc. All of this can be seen in the work he did as a state representative for more than twenty-five years. He has the expe- rience, connections and passion to get the job done. The Texas Conference Ministers’ Alliance (A.M.E. Church) is proud to have pledged its support early on to the Honorable Sylvester Turner’s campaign. We stood firm in our faith and belief that as a community we have the responsi- bility to elect people who hold our best interests at heart. We have the responsibility to ensure that we put people in place that will be pur- veyors of positive change in our city. It was our choice and is our belief that the Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor-elect, is the change agent to galvanize a positive direc- tion for the multifarious require- ments for a city destined to lead as we grow. The Texas Conference Ministers’ Alliance (A.M.E. Church) also pledged its support early on to Chris Brown, City Controller-elect, and Amanda Edwards for City Council- elect At-Large Position 4. These dedicated servants are poised and positioned to work with the mayor and other elected officials for the greater good of the whole community. Their commitment to a better city is evident in their dedicated work and support of overall community development and improvement. These leaders will help complete a team that will go to work and lead change along with the Honorable Sylvester Turner, Mayor-elect. In AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM a world in which the only constant is change, Houston has a mayor that is not afraid of the “constant.” Bishop Vashti McKenzie, Presiding Prelate, 10th Episcopal District, A.M.E. Church: “We offer our congratulations to all the newly elected officials of Houston. We are excited about the future of Houston under their lead- ership. We are glad to see Sylvester Turner have the opportunity to take the helm of the city and usher in a bright future. Amid the backdrop of challenges and crises which all major cities are currently facing, we pray that God will bless all these elected officials to provide wise, creative and innovative leadership to the 4th largest city in the nation.” The Rev. David Israel Madison, President, Texas Conference Ministers Alliance and Pastor, Greater Ward A.M.E. Church: “Our hearty congratulations go to Sylvester Turner on his historic elec- tion. He has been a champion for his district and the entire state of Texas for over 25 years and now he brings all his experience to serve at city hall as the Mayor of Houston. We stand in prayer for all of our elected offi- cials as they tackle the daunting issues Houston faces. We pledge our support to work with them to make Houston the greatest city in the nation and the world.” ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04332.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FEBRUARY 29, 2016 .-From Miraculous p1 May 21, 1842 minutes that, “The Rahw ay Church Rev. Dr. Charles C. McLamore 2016 Candidate for AME Church Growth & Development Greetings and blessings be unto the A.M.E. Church in the 4} name of Christ Jesus our king. I am pleased to offer my CALL in Ministry to a greater level of SERVICE in the ficld of EVANGELISM during our Historic General Conference Y car of ‘JUBILEE ' at the very location where Bishop Richard Allen ) began the First Class of Bishops - Elected and Consecrated to our Lord's Work 1816. As a Candidate for The Director of Church Growth and Development out of South Carolina (The 7th Episcopal District) I wish to extend "A Nation -State African Methodist Episcopal" 'THANK YOU' to the General Connection for the millions of Prayers you poured out for us in The 7th Episcopal District as we went through the Gun Fires of "The Emanuel 9" in Charleston, SC and then, what was described as "A 1000 Year Flood" in South Carolina during ER Onis 2015. Yes Isay THANK - YOU to one and all who kept the faith. Bishop Daniel [actin Payne appears again to have been in an embarrassing condition and a collection was recommended to be taken up for its relief.” “Reading about Ebenezer’s rich yet trying history, made me more committed to setting them on a path of financial freedom and good stewardship,” said Pastor Crawford. In addition to burning the mortgage, the congregation dedicated its most recent property acquisition - a little red-brick building formerly known as, “The Rahway School for Colored Children.” In 1844, the construction of the one-room schoolhouse for colored children com- menced on the property belonging to Jacob R. Shotwell (former Vice President of RSI Bank). In 1848, with hopes of giving the school some stability, several Rahway citizens met in the home of Jacob R. Shotwell to incorporate trustees for the Rahway School for Colored Children. The school averaged an enrollment of approximately 35 pupils. By 1882, the Rahway schools integrated, and by the mid-1880s, the Rahway School for Colored Children was closed. After the closing of the school in the late 1800's, the building was turned into a one-bedroom home. How- ever, in spite of its change in use, much of the structural and architectural integrity of the building has remained intact, making this 185-year-old building the oldest standing schoolhouse in the city of Rahway and per- haps the oldest standing “Colored School in the State of New Jersey.” In attendance at the mortgage burning were: Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District; Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Presiding Prelate of the Twentieth Episcopal District; Rev. Dr. Jessica Kendall Ingram, Episcopal Supervisor of the First Episcopal District; Rev. Vernard R. Leak, Presiding Elder of the New Brunswick District of the New Jersey Annual Conference; Rev. Melvin E. Wilson, Presiding Elder of the Brooklyn-Westchester District of the New York Annual Conference; Rev. Rudolph P. Gibbs, former Pastor of Ebenezer (1975-2007); pastors and preachers of the New Jersey Annual Confer- ence; and a host of members and friends from the community. Together with the officers and members of Ebenezer, Pastor Crawford is prayerfully discerning the best way forward for this historic site, which will become The African American History and Heritage Learning Center of Rahway, NJ, as well as the future of Ebenezer Church as it continues Our God is up to Something Good in this Season! You will be Getting More With MCLAMORE in Church Growth And Development Department. 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CLERGY ROBES, APPAREL AND PARAMENTS Serving the Needs of the Church, Clergy and Laity. Satisfied clients include WMS, YPD, LAY, SOA, DOS, DMC and more! ===== DSC04333.JPG ===== JF a man deste the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work, 1 Timothy 3:1 A\ [Bay ALEXANDER, sr. CANDIDATE"FOR EPISCOPAL SERVICE — OBEDIENT 4 ORIGINAL = AIAN OF GOD. DEDICATED A*GOOD” Work For God: + Develop Servant Leadership + Promote honesty and integrity in our churches 4 Cultivate an environment where YOUTH voices and voices of all generations are heard, valued, respected and appreciated Promote living a Godly life Support and encourage persons in ministry to develop their specific call Develop a systematic continual relationship with people to minister to their total spiritual needs RS ae ===== DSC04334.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER MEDITATION BASED ON JAMES 1:19-27 By the Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby* I'm WRITING THIS MEDITATION AS THE 2016 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTORAL SEASON BECOMES AN INCREASINGLY INTERESTING SPECTACLE. Some candidates pur- Suing the “evangelical Christian” vote are proclaiming their love for the Lord, to the delight of potential voters who also say that they love the Lord. What’s interesting, however, is how many of them apply their professed faith. They ridicule the President of the United States, question his faith and oppose his every move. They speak against allowing refugees fleeing terrorism into the United States - although Jesus and his earthly parents were once refugees who fled to Egypt to avoid genocidal terrorism in Israel. They label those seeking to immigrate to America from some countries as rapists and crimi- nals, perpetuate divisive racial stereotypes, speak against aiding those in need and engage in angry rhetoric that is rude, crude, insulting, inflammatory and often blatantly untrue. Those candidates and their “evangelical Christian” supporters remind me of what Jesus said about differentiating between those with authentic faith and those with bogus, self-serving faith - that, like some trees, we’ll be known by the fruit that we bear. Remember that not only in this political season, but also as you travel life’s roads. Authentic faith is something that’s not only proclaimed in worship or at other convenient or advantageous times, but that’s lived out in the spirit of the “golden rule” articulated in different ways by most world religions. Authentic faith means reaching out to and making the needy whole. Authentic faith means defending those Jesus called “the least of these” and seeing that their well-being isn’t trampled under the feet of the powerful. Authentic faith THE 2016 CANDIDATES’ GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING NEWS ITEMS TOTCR — FEBRUARY 29, 2016 means respecting all of those who cross your path, even those with whom you disagree, Authentic faith means lifting others up instead of putting them down and not quietly accom- modating to evil. Do better than some of our presidential candi- dates. Don’t just talk about your faith - live your faith. You'll find new joy in life, new peace of mind, new direction and new appreciation for the song of my ancestors in the faith: “I’m gonna live so God can use me, anywhere, Lord; any time.” Get ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship! *The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. the phrase or any semblance of the phrase, “Candidate for election/reelection..., ” is present, the article becomes an advertisement. Advertisements are still available TCR will publish news received from the 2016 candidates for election | to be purchased for publication in the “print edition of ‘The Christian Recorder. at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. If | Candidates’ news items should be submitted in accordance with “The Guidelines for Submitting Articles to The Christian Recorder.” All submissions will be in Word format or imbedded (pasted) in an email message. 299 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT CALENDAR OF EVENTS First District Bicentennial Celebration April 10, 2016 April 8, 2016 Social Justice Forum Reenactment of the First General Conference Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church April 9, 2016 Sarah Bass Allen Awards and Dinner Theater First District Plaza First District Plaza June 16-18, 2016 Planning Meeting July 3-13, 2016 Episcopal Church A Tribute to Sarah Allen for Youth and Young Adults Ecumenical Worship Service Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church Bicentennial Celebration of the African Methodist THE TRUTH ISTHE LIGHT BIBLICAL TEXT: “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.” — DANIEL 3:17 KJV Th ACCOUNT IN THE 3RD CHAPTER OF DANIEL is a familiar a story to most of us. It is a story many of us have probably heard in Sunday School or Vacation Bible School when we were growing up as a child. However, the truth of the matter is that even though many know this story of faith and courage, some may still not practice this kind of faith in our lives each day. What is faith? The Bible says that, “Faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” In other words, even when it is not clear by faith we just know. When our way seems dark by faith, we know that as long as we have Jesus every- thing is going to be alright. When we can’t seem to make ends meet, more bills than we have money, by faith we know that God will make a way some how. When nobody else can give us what we need by faith we know that God is able. By faith we know that when nobody else can, God can. By faith we know that when nobody else will, God will. There are examples of this kind of faith in our everyday life. Think about it; we go to a doctor whose name we can’t spell or pronounce. The doctor gives us a prescription we can’t read. We take the prescription to a pharmacist we have never met. The pharmacist gives us some medication we don’t understand and we take it without thinking twice about it. What I am attempting to demonstrate is proof that faith involves believing that somebody else will do something that is not yet visible. Faith involves believing that somebody else will do something that has not yet happened. In other words, to have faith is to relinquish trust in ourselves and put that trust in something or By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* somebody else. That’s the way it is with Jesus. We have to decide that Jesus is what we need. We have to make our way to Jesus. We have to embrace Jesus and know by faith that Jesus can hold us. We must know by faith that Jesus will take care of us. Faith is the medium by which the power of God is made visible. Just like an artist may use paint as his medium and a sculp- tor might work through clay, God works through faith. The Bible tells us that faith moves mountains, heals the sick, raises people from the dead, makes the lame walk, makes the blind see and feeds mul- titudes. It is also by faith that we can have entrance into the kingdom of heaven. In our text we find that the three Hebrews boys believed by faith that “God is able!” I submit that too many of us have never learned to trust God. Too many of us have never learned to have faith in God. There are a whole lot of us, church folk, who profess to be Christian, having a relationship with and knowing Jesus, but when things start to get a little rough we July 6-13, 2016 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference Philadelphia, Pennsylvania July 25-28, 2016 Christian Education Congress Dover, Delaware July 29-30, 2016 First Episcopal District Lay Organization Annual Meeting Wilmington, Delaware call on everybody else but Jesus. The truth of the matter is, when things get a little tight some of us look and act as worried as folk who don’t know Jesus. We are praising the Lord during the good times but oh as soon as things go bad we act like we don’t know who to turn to or where our help is coming from. You see, the Lord didn’t say that Christians wouldn’t have any more prob- lems but he did say by faith we should know, he’ll never leave us nor forsake us. The Lord didn’t say that Christians wouldn’t run into obstacles but he did say our faith will move mountains. The Lord didn’t say that for Christians everything would be easy but he did say that by faith we should know that with him everything is possible. In other words, we should have the kind of faith like the three Hebrew boys. We have to say by faith, “I know my God is able!” 90.4 amen *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC. ===== DSC04335.JPG ===== (1st Quarter) Payments Owed Episcopal Districts 718,378 164,943 316,323 | 357,473 | 240 355,000 | 332,454 | 106,342 | 213,713 | [390,782 | 79,475 | 2,000 | ; a (ist Quarter) | Difference from | (2nd Quarter) Payments June Received AMEC Episcopal Districts 3rd Quarterly Payments Payments (Overpayment) Owed ($2,835) $494,331 (250,240) 218,185 (0) 166,486 - 316,323 | 357,761 339,177 | 332,454 | -| 106,836 | (126) 148,748 | 213,708 | 390,003 | 116,570 | 120,114 | (15,100) (10,095) - (15,100)| 7,000 | 7,000 | 18,000 | Bai 2000 | esi ——— + | | r | | April 2015 - December 2015 September (Overpayment) ($5,669), $491,497 $ (718,667)| -250,242 27 | 166,512 -| 316,323 288 357,809 (15,823)| 333,449 -| 332,454) 494 | 107,329 (149,000)! (126) _(5)| 213,708 (779), __ 390,003) _(2)| 116,570) 2,114 120,335) (15,100)| (15,100), Payments Owed t Payments Received _ 118,221 (2nd Quarter) | Difference from | (3rd Quarter) | (3rd Quarter) | Difference from Payments Received December (Overpayment) ($8,504) | (250,242) | 166,500 | 12 | 316,323 | 0 | 357,473 | 336 | 350,000 | (16,551) 341,361 | (8,907) | 107,000 | 329 | =i (126) 213,713 | (5), 390,783 | (780), 116,572 | (2)) 2,114 | (15,100) | Payment 500,000 ee athe : "Includes 3/31/15 Receivable PAID IN FULLwith an ‘overpayment =i From Monrovia ps3 +~=We remember our humble beginnings in the small lobby space of a defunct bank build- ing. We remember one bathroom and one meeting room for every- body. We remember no lights and no running water. We remember cardboard partitions, un-tiled floors, no windows and leaking roofs. THIS IS NOW Now we do ministry in a multi- complex 3-storey edifice with a sanctuary capable of seating over 600 persons. Now we have adequate classroom spaces (nursery through 6th grade), a boardroom and several ministry meeting rooms. Now, we touch the lives of hun- dreds of families, single mothers, young adults and children. Now, Empowerment has become a voice for social justice, economic empowerment and spiritual refresh- ing in the nation of Liberia and across our Zion. Through it all, the — Se es manifestation of God’s blessings is very visible. With such a history, our 14th Anniversary theme succinctly cap- tures our testimony: “God’s Divine Revelation: From Fulfillment to Manifestation.” The biblical text of Romans 4:20-21 is our Anniversary scripture. It reads, “He did not waver at the promise of God through unbelief, but was strength- ened in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully convinced that what God had promised God was also able to perform.” Empowerment Temple members, led by Pastor Katurah York Cooper, kicked off the celebration with the unveiling of the official 14th Anniversary Banner on Sunday, September 27th. On Wednesday evening, September 30th, we honored six sister churches that have partnered with us over the years. Each church was presented with a certificate and given a moment _____ Approved by _ ___ Richard A.Lewis AMEC Treasurer, CFO to reflect on our journey together. On Saturday, October 3rd, hun- dreds of Empowermenters took to the streets with a marching band and banners held high proclaiming, “The Lord has done great things for us and we are glad!” On Sunday morning, there was not a vacant seat at the Anniversary Thanksgiving Service. At that service, fifteen dedicated and committed members were pinned, sashed and certificated as Giants of Empowerment. This year, our Anniversary Preacher was our own founding pastor, the Reverend Dr. Katurah York Cooper, who exhorted us from the theme, “Believe in a Grander Vision.” She challenged us to build on the big vision that God had already given for Empowerment and to get ready to embrace an even grander vision for our personal lives. The 14th Anniversary ended on the afternoon of the 4th of October _ _ ke feeb ___Date_ __Last Updated: 2/18/2016 with a fantastic Gospel Music and Art Exposition in support and appre- ciation of Dr. Katurah York Cooper. What a week it was and what a wonderful manifestation of the fulfillment of God’s promises to Empowerment Temple. TO GOD BELONGS ALL THE GLORY! The Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church is located in the Central Liberia Annual Conference of the 14th Episcopal District. Bishop Clement W. Fugh is the Presiding Prelate. Dr. Katurah York Cooper is the founder and pastor. Email: katu.cooper2012@gmail.com. Facebook Pages: Members of Empowerment Temple & Hope % } Liberia. *By Sister Belinda S. Yah- won, the Steward Pro-tempore of Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church in Monrovia, Liberia. ...From Faith and p1 And on the Democratic side, the share of Americans who say Hillary Clinton is not a religious person now stands at 43%, which is sharply higher than it was in the summer of 2007, when she was seeking the presidential nomination for the first time. The new survey, conducted Jan. 7-14, 2016, among 2,009 adults, finds that the leading Republican presidential candidates are more widely viewed as religious people than are Clinton and Bernie Sanders. Roughly two-thirds of adults (68%) say they think Ben Carson is “very” or “somewhat” religious, while 65% say the same about Ted Cruz and 61% think Marco Rubio is a religious person. By comparison, 48% of adults say they believe Clinton is a religious person, and 40% think Sanders is “very” or “somewhat” religious. The major exception to this pattern is Donald Trump; just 30% of U.S. adults view Trump as a religious person. The new survey confirms that being an atheist continues to be one of the biggest perceived short- comings a hypothetical presidential candidate could have, with 51% of adults indicating they would be less likely to vote for a presidential can- didate who does not believe in God. The study also AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM shows that having a president who shares their religious beliefs is important to many Americans, with about half of U.S. adults saying it is “very important” (27%) or “somewhat important” (24%) to have someone in the White House who shares their religious perspective. This view is particularly common with Republicans, among whom 64% say it is at least “somewhat important” to them that the president share their religious beliefs. At the same time, many Republicans think Trump would be a good president despite his perceived lack of religiousness. Of the 56% of GOP voters who think Trump would be a good ..continued on p9 Nee ===== DSC04336.JPG ===== f ceed GREE N "leside, LW / Publis A | AME Su i Unk le) ‘MUING 21st Century MINISTRY Publishing 4k &k —— x, ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Gardens, FL in completing a $6.2 million Worship Center and Community Center in 2007 Purchased 4 acres of land for Grant Memorial AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Purchased 5 acres of land for Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Gardens, FL Founder of the Richard Allen Leadership Academy (First all-Boys Charter School in the State of Florida in 2007) Purchased 3 acres of land for New Bethel AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Increased Membership and Stewardship at every congregation and District served. ELECPHENRY E. GREEN. JR. PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER of the AMEC Sunday School Union ===== DSC04337.JPG ===== ASH WEDNESDAY, PALM SUNDAY, G00D FRIDAY, EASTER AND PENTECOST Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calen- dar. It occurs exactly 46 days before Easter (40 fasting days not counting Sundays). It is a moveable feast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10. Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of Jesus Christ. Easter is the oldest and most important festival of the Western Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ (rising from the grave) following his crucifixion on Good Friday. Easter marks the end of the 40 days of Lent. Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth day,” is celebrated 50 days (seven weeks plus one day so it always falls on a Sunday) after Easter Sunday. _ -- Ash Wednesday - February 10, 2016 -- Palm Sunday - March 20, 2016 -- Good Friday - March 25, 2016 -- Easter Sunday - March 27, 2016 -- Pentecost Sunday - May 15, 2016 Read more: http:/www.calendarpedia.com/. ..From A Weighty p3_ which includes height and weight, because healthy pastors can be more effective pastors. Here is the word for every preacher: | would tell pastors and preachers that they need to set up a physical training program and be committed to doing physical exercise at least five times a week, but no less than three times a week, e.g., jogging, walking, swimming, join the YMCA or some other athletic facility. For younger preachers, | suspect physical exercise would probably take care of the weight. Older preachers should consult their physicians before beginning a rigorous exercise or diet program. Dealing with weight and wellness is a personal decision. It’s as personal a decision as a person accepting to be a Christian. One is physical and the other is spiritual — and both are important! Okay, | am finished with “weight,” but | have some other issues to address and | want to expand on some of the top issues of ministry that destroy members of the clergy, their families and ministries and at the top of the list is... .«From Remembering p1 matic : ichar i gp . mathematic s. He and Richard Allen became friends, bond- ing together over their similar life experiences and their desire to uplift the black community. They were acknowledged as the leaders behind the Free African Society that was founded in 1787 as a mutual benefit society to provide for the care for widows, orphans, indigent persons as well as to assist in burial expenses, They both served as lay preachers at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church and together led the walkout on that fateful day after being accosted by church officers during prayer. “The African Church” was formed by them as an indepen- dent house of worship. It was here where their paths diverged into parallel courses. While Allen and Jones both wanted to affiliate with the Methodist Church, a majority of their fol- lowers wanted to go with the Episcopal Church. Those who wanted to maintain the Methodist doctrine left The African Church with Allen in 1793 to form what would become Mother Bethel. The African Church would eventually become “The African Episcopal Church of St. Thomas” with Absalom Jones as its deacon and lay reader. Jones would finally be ordained a priest in 1802 becoming the first African American to be ordained an Episcopal priest. Despite these differences in church affiliation (and a legal proceeding due to a failed business), Allen and Jones remained lifelong friends until Jones’ death in 1818. In “Freedom’s Prophet”, Richard Newman extensively records the relation- ship between the pair. For example, Jones was one of Allen’s consecrators at the first General Conference and in his will left Allen his favorite walking cane. Even though Jones was Allen’s senior by almost fifteen years, they appeared to have a mutual respect and genuinely worked well together for the black people of Philadelphia. The Episcopal Church celebrates the Feast Day of Absalom Jones on the day of his death, February 13th. The A.M.E. Church observes Founder’s Day on the birthday of Richard Allen, February 14th. In some places, A.M.E. churches have joint celebrations with Episcopal churches in honor of Jones and Allen to celebrate the friendship of these men and their joint contributions to religious liberty and social uplift for African Americans during the early history of the United States. The following collect (brief prayer) is said during services on Absalom Jones’ Feast Day: “Set us free, heavenly Father, from every bond of prejudice and fear; that, hon- oring the steadfast courage of your servant Absalom Jones, we may show forth in our lives the reconciling love and true freedom of the children of God, which you. have given us in your Son our Savior Jesus Christ; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen!” ‘ As we reflect upon the 200 years since our first General Conference, may we also never forget Absalom Jones and his partnership with our founder. Bishop Michael Curry’s election may open a new chapter in the relationship between our denominations and a chance to build upon our shared heritage. *John Thomas III is a member of the General Board and a Ph.D. student at ..From Faith and p7 or great president, a substantial minority of them (17% of Republican registered vot- ers overall) say they think Trump is not religious. The pattern is very different for the other leading GOP candidates; virtually all Republicans who think Cruz, Rubio and Carson would be suc- cessful presidents (and who express a view about their religiousness) also say they view those candidates as at least somewhat religious. Just 2% of GOP voters think Rubio would be a good president and that he is not particularly religious, with just 1% saying the same about Cruz and Carson. The new survey shows that among religious groups, 52% of white evan- gelical Protestant voters (regardless of party affiliation) think Trump would make a “good” or a “great” president. Evangelicals express a similar degree of confidence that Carson (52%) and Cruz (49%) would be successful presidents. They are less convinced that other Republican candidates would be good presi- dents. And few evangelical voters think Bernie Sanders (16%) or Clinton (15%) would be good presidents. On the Democratic side, the view that Sanders and Clinton would be good presidents is most common among black Protestants and reli- giously unaffiliated voters (i.e., reli- gious “nones”). Fully half of reli- giously unaffiliated registered voters (51%) think Sanders would be a successful president, while 42% think Clinton would be a good or great president. Among black Protestant voters, 62% think Clinton would be a “good” or a “great” president, while 36% say this about Sanders. Among both groups, just 15% or fewer think any of the Republican candidates would be good presidents. The survey finds that 68% of U.S. the University of Chicago in the Political Science department. adults believe that religion is losing influence in American society. And most who hold this view - 51% of all U.S. adults — say they think reli- gion’s declining influence is a bad thing for American society. The survey also shows that 40% of Americans think there has been too little expression of religious faith and prayer by political lead- ers, compared with 27% who say there has been too much religious talk by politicians. These figures are considerably different from the results of a survey taken at a similar point in the 2012 presidential elec- tion cycle. At that time, there were more people who thought there was too much religious discussion (38%) than who said there wasn't enough (30%). Other key findings include: Candidates are viewed as religious by more people in their own party ne AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM than the opposing party. The big- gest partisan gap on these questions is seen in views about Hillary Clinton; two-thirds of Democrats say she is “very” or “somewhat” religious, while two-thirds of Republicans express the opposite view, saying that she is “not too” or “not at all” religious. Like Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama is also seen as less religious today than in 2007; about one-third of adults (35%) now say Obama is “not too” or “not at all” religious, up from 9% in 2007. Half of Americans (51%) believe religious conservatives have too much control over the GOP, and more than four-in-ten (44%) think that liberals who are not religious have too much control over the Democratic Party. Two-thirds of Democrats say the GOP has been co-opted by religious conservatives, while most Republicans reject this rrinved on p10 ===== DSC04338.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FEBRUARY 29, 2016 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.NLE. CHURCH WMS DAY St. John, Niagara Falls, Host MARCH 28, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint James A.M.E. Church FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT The Rev. Tar-Kolo Miller, Host A.M.E. CHURCH re SIXTE MAY 16-22, 2016 632 E. Broad Street OIE eee PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Savannah, GA 31401 ,,* MAY 17, 2016 Church Phone: 5 was DAY urch Phone: (912) 236-2051 The Reverend J. C. Roberts, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Dan Stevenson, Host P.E. SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT | APRIL 26-29, 2016 Mother Bethel, Host BISHOP GREGORY G. M. ADLE CHURCH | AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH INGRAM Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church MARCH 4-6. 2016 ——— MARCH 1-6, 2016 7476 Georgia Highway 296 SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN F. WHITE DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE ) Stapleton, GA 30823 Bishop Campbell A.M.E. Church, Host Church MARCH 2-6, 2016 MARCH 2, 2016 The Rev. Forrest Dickey, Host Pastor Freetown, Sierra Leone VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL WMS DAY The Rev. Bertram Smith, Host P.E. j Delaware Ministerial Alliance, Host raya oe Bethel Neo Church MAY 3-6, 2016 MARCH 11, 2016 St. Croix, Virgi ve — MACON GEORGIA ANN - Cro, Vino Reais vera 8 13,2016 RETA S OReeTANT Anan iA A UAL CONFERENCE NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE The Rev. Uklyn Hendricks, Host Pastor WILLIAMS II ' Christ Love A.M.E. Church, Host Church and Host P.E MARCH 9, 2016 WILLIAMS II WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION pee lle Ife, Nigeria Phone: (340) 718-0495 The Rev. Margaret Fadehan, Host Pastor WMS DAY Bermuda Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 1-4, 2016 SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 29, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint Mark A.M.E. Church 700 Lester Street Thomasville, GA 31792 Church Phone: (229) 226-4614 Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church 269 Pursley Street Macon, GA 31201 Church Phone: (478) 745-4646 The Rev. Johnnie Cook, Sr., Host Pastor The Rev. Benjamin Ridley, Host P.E. MARCH 8-13, 2016 JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Greater Selby's A.M.E. Church, Host Church Jamaica The Rev. Michael Blake, Host Pastor The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, Host P.E. Phone: (876) 462-5116 MARCH 15, 2016 TOGO/BENIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. John A.M.E. Church, Host Church Lome, Togo The Rev. John Afawoubo, Host Pastor MARCH 28-APRIL 3, 2016 NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 28, 2016 WMS DAY Atlantic City District, Host MAY 17-20, 2016 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES The Rev. Timothy Sands, Host Pastor ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA MARCH 18-20, 2016 APRIL 12-17, 2016 The Rev. Patrick Brinson, Host P.E. ANNUAL CONFERENCE GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 16, 2016 St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Host Church APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2016 APRIL 13, 2016 MARCH 8-11, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Takoradi (Sekondi), Ghana EUROPEAN ANNUAL CORFERSIES WMS DAY SOUTHWEST GEORGIA Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church The Rev. Stephen Ainu, Host Pastor Richard Allen A.M.E. Church, Host Chueh Bethel, Bloomfield, Host ANNUAL CONFERENCE 492 North Marietta Parkway NE Londen aaa MARCH 7, 2016 Marietta, GA 30060 MARCH 23-25, 2016 The Rev. Rudolph Aaron, Host Pastor APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Church Phone: (770) 422-6791 CENTRAL LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE and Host P.E, NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE Live Oak A.M.E. Church The Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Marcus, Host Pastor | Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church, Phone: (442) 038e a APRIL 26, 2016 402 Baldwin Street The Rev. Dr. David Rhone, Host P.E. Host Church _WMs DAY Donaldsonville, GA 39845 Monrovia, Liberia MAY 31-JUNE 3, 2016 Bridge Street, Host Church Phone: (229) 524-2395 JUNE 8-10, 2016 The Rev. Dr. Katurah Cooper, Host Pastor PLANNING MEETING The Rev. Millie Rambeau, Host Pastor and PLANNING MEETING The Rev. LB Beanies MAY 10-14, 2016 Host PE. Macon Marriott Centreplex MARCH 28-31, 2016 The Rev. Clarence Turpin, P.E. WESTERN NEW YORK ANNUAL 940 Coliseum Drive LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Kingston, Jamaica Sto MARCH 29-APRIL 1, 2016 Macon, GA 31217 Mt. Ashton A.M.E. Church, Host Church GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Site Phone: (478) 621-5300 Cape Palmas, Liberia THE 50” QUADRENNIAL SESSION OF THE GENERAL CONFERENCE OBSERVER REGISTRATION INFORMATION Go to the AMEC Website: http://ame-church.com/. From the main Here is the link to that information: page you will see banners that continuously scroll at the top of the page. http://ame-church.com/fiftieth-quadrennial When the General Conference banner comes up you can click on it to -session-of-the-general-conference/. get additional information. RETIRED BISHOP FREDERICK H. TALBOT AND RETIRED EPISCOPAL SUPERVISOR SYLVIA TALBOT VISITED WITH EXECUTIVE PRESIDENT OF GUYANA ee es Bete Seton for all.” During our visit and only after | the “Garden City of the Caribbean.” DECEMBER 2,| The new President on the 50th | six months in office, the President | There is a great sense of hope for 2015 DURING | Anniversary of Independence of | had already begun the restoration | the nation as the President leads it OUR VISIT TO | Guyana from colonial rule produced | of Georgetown to become again | into the future. a document, which traces the move- GUYANA, retired Episcopal Supervisor Dr. Sylvia Talbot and I paid a courtesy call on His Excellency, the Honorable David Arthur Granger, Executive President of Guyana. We were accompanied by my niece, Lucinda Harding. President Granger was sworn in as Guyana’s eighth Executive | President on May 16th, 2015 and | extended the “olive branch” to the | outgoing party and administration | by pledging to work for the unity | of our country and the “good life | _.From Faith and p9 notion. Conversely, two-thirds of Republicans believe that secular liberals have too much power in the Democratic Party, while two-thirds of Democrats disagree. One-quarter of adults (26%) say they would be less likely to vote for a gay or lesbian presi- dential candidate, while 69% say it would make no difference to their vote. Since 2007, the share of Americans who say a candidate’s sexual ment from colonialism to the inde- pendent nation on May 26, 1966. President Granger is a retired military officer who served as Commander of the Defence Force and retired with the rank of Brigadier. He is a graduate of the University of Guyana and pursued post-graduate Studies in | International Relations at the /a communicant of the Anglican Church. University of the West Indies. He is | orientation would not matter in their vote has been steadily rising, while the share who say they would be less likely to support a gay or lesbian candidate has been declining. There are more than twice as many Republicans who say they would be less likely to support a presidential candidate who has been an elected official in Washington for many years as who would be more likely to support such a candidate (44% vs. 18%). Among Democrats, the balance of opinion leans in the opposite direction; 27% see extensive Washington experience as a positive, compared with 19% who see it as a liability. The full report is for immediate release and available at: http://www.pewforum.org/2016/01/27/ faith-and-the-2016-campaign/ Pew Research Center is a ..continuedon p11 ===== DSC04339.JPG ===== «From Faith and p10 nonparti the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shap- its primary funder. ing America and the world. It does not take policy positions. Pew Research san fact tank that informs Center is a subsidiary of Che Pew Charitable Trusts, Press Release «From AMEC Ministers’ p3 American Methodist denomination based in Annual Conference. A.M.E. Church, is a predominantly African Texas Conference Ministers’ Alliance is made up of pastors and ministers in the Texas The African Methodist Episcopal Church, usually referred to as the the United States. It is the oldest independent denomination founded by blacks in the world. It was founded by the Rt. Rev. Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in 1816, A.M.E. CHURCH CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION TO HOST BENEFIT BREAKFAST Th e Connectional Lay Organization (CLO), Glover, President, will host a benefit breakfast at the site of the 50th Quadrennial Session of the A.M.E. Church General Conference on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 7:00 a.m. The event will take place at the Philadelphia Convention Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The breakfast is a fundraiser for the Connectional Lay Organization’s Scholarship and Disaster Relief Funds. During the 2012 General Conference, the CLO reached its goal of raising $50,000 and was able to award three | $5,000 scholarships in lieu of the $1,000 previously awarded under the leadership of Dr. Willie C. | to individual scholarship recipients. The Connectional Lay Organization also was able to give substantial con- tributions for disaster relief in Haiti, the Dominican Republic and to several African countries thanks to a successful fundraiser and the guests who attended. This major CLO event is co-chaired by William “Bill” Ayers and Cheryl Hammond Hopewell. A primary goal is to raise $60,000 at this breakfast fundraiser to continue the Organization’s support of our scholarship and disaster relief funds. Another goal is to have 100 youth/young adults in attendance to share in this major occasion, A dynamic program has been planned with outstanding talent from the Host (1st) District and Connectional participation during the breakfast. Tickets are available now. Your $85 donation will help us realize our financial goal. Please contact your Episcopal District Lay Organization President or his/her designee for tickets to support this worthy cause. *Submitted by Brother William Ayers, Jr. ST. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS CEREMONY RECOGNIZING THE ISSUANCE OF STAMP HONORING RICHARD ALLEN And the excitement continues! A remarkable event unfolded after publication in The Christian Recorder sre DELLA MOSES WALKER, a member of St. James A.M.E. Church in Newark, New Jersey, moved by the Spirit to visit St. Croix on a short vacation, read in The Christian Recorder retired Bishop Frederick Talbot’s excite- ment on seeing the Richard Allen stamp. Sister Della Moses Walker immediately contacted Presiding Elder Uklyn Hendricks and officials of the postal service in St. Croix, who put in motion arrangements for a celebration on February 2, 2016 to recognize the issuance of the Richard Allen stamp. The Governor of the Virgin Islands is a member of the Bethel A.M.E. Church. He was contacted and got involved in helping to bring the Richard Allen Postage Stamp Ceremony in St. Croix to fruition. On Tuesday, February 2nd some 40 members representing the three congre- gations on the island gathered at the Richmond Post Office at 9:00 a.m. (EST) / 10:00 a.m. St. Croix time, to purchase stamps. The Postmaster, Louis Jackson, the Governor’s representative; Ms. Stephanie Williams, St. Croix Administrator, were also present as was the press. By 11:00 a.m. the post office supply had been sold out and by noon stamps in three other post offices on the island had been sold out. At the post office, the Postmaster, Louis Jackson, the Governor’s Representative Mrs. Walker and Bishop Talbot made remarks recorded by the press, which later appeared on television. The motorcade then proceeded to Bethel A.M.E. Church nearby in Christiansted where Presiding Elder Hendricks had planned an imaginative Photo credit: Della Moses Walker and moving program which included a prayer by the Reverend Carlos Perkins, Pastor of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, and remarks by Mrs. Walker, Postmaster Jackson and Mrs. Stephanie Williams. Bishop Talbot was invited to tell the story of Richard Allen, which he did enthusiastically using narratives from his book, God’ Fearless Prophet. Hymns were appropriately placed in the program, beginning with, “O for Photo credit: Della Moses Walker of St. Clement, AMEC #42, and clos- ing with “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” i Bishop Allen followed at Bethel A.M.E, St. Croix Reverend Hilborn Talbot. 90th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church an (Retired), left, and Louis A. Jackson, Postmaster, United States Virgin Islands a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” then (cy ¢yaiy St. Thomas and St John), Also attending ‘walk in event, Dr. Sylvia Richard Allen’s hymn, “Ministers Who [albot, Supervisor of Ls ea ee ite fn ing” Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church St. Croix, Pastor Carlos Ferkins OF ol. LUKE A.1VI.©. ae pean Saad Church, St Croix, Sisters Vestine Williams, Ruth Hansen, Carvell James and a host of members from the Bethel A.IV.E. Church family. A Reception and Tribute AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM Bethel A.M.E. Church served us refreshments following the program. We are grateful to the Presiding Elder for his guidance and leadership in producing a memorable event, to Sister Della Moses Walker for her enthusiasm and energy in promoting and helping to plan the event and to the Postmaster for providing assistance in this unprecedented and historic event. It will long be remembered in this small island where the African Methodist Episcopal Church was started in 1920. And the excitement continues! *Submitted by retired Bishop Frederick and retired Episcopal Supervisor, Dr. Sylvia Talbot. Members of the St. Luke African Methodist Episcopal Church, St. Croix, ‘walk Retired Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot, 90th Bishop of the African Methodist in’ The Wilbert R. Armstrong Main Post Office and purchase Richard Allen Black Heritage Stamps on Feb. 2, 2016, the first day of sale. The main post Episcopal Church, is a published expert on the history of Bishop Richard Allen. Bishop Talbot advocated many years for this stamp, saying, “Its finally here and | office sold out of Richard Allen Stamps before 10:00 am. Postmaster Jackson am overly excited! Richard Allen was a remarkable man, and we should all read was amazed, and immediately placed a new order to meet the demand. his story, and leam from Allen's struggles and victories.” Bishop Talbot shown purchasing Richard Allen stamps from Postal Supervisor Mrs. Comer-Monelle. = Photo credit: Della Moses Walker Photo credit: Della Moses Walker Blondelle P. Lawrence, St luke A.M.E, St. Croix, ‘walks in’ to purchase Richard Allen Black Heritage stamps and mails letter, on the first day of sale, in honor of Richard Allen, Founder and First Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Allen negotiated a deal, and bought his freedom from his slave master, then created a plan to help others buy their freedom. He developed an economic survival plan, built schools, universities and societies to prosper and uplift the Negro race. In a song verse, penned by Bishop Allen, he wrote: 0 sinners, shun your sinful courses, and trifle not your time away.” ===== DSC04340.JPG ===== The Reverend Dr. Stafford J.N. Wicker believes the strength of the church can be found in it’s economic development initiatives. The ministry of Antioch AME Church is a testament of how the reach and scope of the church is further broadened by its ability to grow the church outside of the four walls of the sanctuary to impact lives for positive change. In the year 2000, Antioch purchased 32.5 acres on S. Hairston near Covington Highway, now housing all phases of Antioch Manor Estates, a senior housing development for active seniors consisting of Antioch Manor Estates, Antioch Gardens, and the planned Antioch Summits. Antioch Manor Estates is 120 units completed in 2005 at a development cost of $13,500,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 2, Antioch Gardens is 106 units of villas and garden apartment s completed in 2005 at a development cost of $14,700,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 3 Antioch Summits is planned at 123 units at projection of $15,000,000 with over 500 persons on the waiting list. A total economic development project of $43,200,000. 765 SOUTH HAIRSTON ROAD 1790 EBENEZER ROAD NYERS, GA STONE MOUNTAIN, GA Ee) ; 7:00AM, 8:30AM, & 11:00AM WORSHIP SERVICES, SUNDAYS 10:00AM WORSHIP SERVICE, SUNDAYS 404.299.3388 404-299-0398-FAX WWW.ANTIOCH—AME.ORG 770-761-0006 NTER ANTIOCH MANOR ESTATES for ots lates bdlvgeigtat 4711 BISHOP MING BLVD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA —6AM—6PM, MONDAY—FRIDAY 770-322-8839 770-322-8234-FAX 1 Oe a he eae x WWW.ANTIOCHMANORLIVING.COM
• February 15, 2016
  ===== DSC04317.JPG ===== SRE CTR. THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARUCAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH THE mortgage ij way to realize this reduction in the amount owed and of course the savings on our | monthly mortgage note,” said Dr. Foster. The new oS secrnicenaceqrautete De, of $4,800,000 to a new Big Bethel has reduced its loan 718 ae ~ ‘ 25732 a aeeusz ft hie: Big Bethel A.M.E. Church, Atlanta, GA, EO 55 | intnis eee F ; =Z42-5} in tnise u receives $2,000,000 Discount on Mortgage Loan Fan. | RS Ieee ee ce aime a 3 a ri Editorial: Richard Allen’s Legacy - Big Bethel African Methodist loan with a principal of principal through’ process of = © 2 = 8 ; and Memory Should Be Episcopal Church - under the $8,800,000, realizing asavings “Discounting.” “These negotia- eS 3 UO “Sacredly Cherished”......... pe leadership of Rev. John Foster, | of $2,000,000. Working with | tions have been ongoing with 26 m 4 E . Ph.D., Senior Pastor - has suc- | Wells Fargo Bank as the former | Wells Fargo and Citizens Trust = ra o i # The Leadership Lessons ofthe Right cessfully renegotiated its current | loan holder and Citizens Trust | for more than two years. God has =e . ce 8 Rev. Richard Allen Are Relevant mortgage loan with a principal | Bank as the current loan holder, | blessed Big Bethel in a mighty = He 8 == aN Get the “Hook Up” in 2016 .... Dee, Ad: Nurse Careers Coach, LLC .. pat Ad: Robes of Faith... pak monthly mortgage savings ’ exceed ten thousand dollars. Ad: Terence L. Mays, Sr:: “We are awed by the great- Candidate for Executive Director oN = ‘ ness of our God and how he of Church Growth and ’ J, >i | has blessed us through Development 2016................ pee : ’ a / . 4 these negotiations,” said Dr. el) Foster. Ad: Rev. James Avery Alexander, Sr.: | , Py Candidate for Episcopal | ‘efl| Mortgage Loan Reduction 2 Se ps oy | Celebration Pi : es In recognition of the dis- Meditation Based LR: S tion for Wells F on Galatians 5:16-25............ Po i toF Fostaremasheen Lucas and Mary | | ee poe The 2016 Candidates’ Guidelines $ 7. CROIX, VIRGIN ISLANDS CEREMON y RECOGNIZING "BISHOP MORRIS, STRONG LEADER. frSubmiinatewsitans THE (SSUANCE OF STAMP HONORING RICHARD ALLEN| . AND PREACHER, DIES AT 78 0 po - By And the excitement continues! A remarkable event unfolded. The Truth Is the Light ............. xO after publication in The Christian Recorder af iN R Filia " “You Ask” by Bishop Carolyn 7STER DELLA MOSES — retired Bishop Frederick | - Bill” Morris died Thursday m ring, Jan. 14, Tyler Guidry... nner DG WALKER, a member of St. , Talbot's excitement on seeing the (ASSIS James A.M.E. Church in Newark, | Richard Allen stamp. Sister Della | Tennessee Conference reported. _ Morris, who was 78, led the Alabama-West Florida Episcopal Area from 1992 to 2000. He was the first ‘African American to hold that post, and made news in ‘1998 when he was among the clergy officiating at the ‘funeral of George Wallace, who had by then often apolo- gized for defending segregation as Alabama’s governor. Reader RESPOMse......sssseeeeen [2 AD: Elect Green in 2016: President/Publisher............. [Do Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter and Benbecostetivsccicciesc-- Dod), _ Morris also oversaw the Nashville Episcopal Area, gy comprising the Tennessee and Memphis conferences. Wilberforce University Media ~ oh ‘He retired from the episcopacy in 2008. RElLCASE ....escesenceessnsseeesrnee Das) t nis Ina 2007 television interview, Morris spoke about ‘the importance of Christians taking their vertical ‘relationship with God and “making it horizontal” through evangelism and service to others. | “In the missionary enterprise ... your objective is Annual Conference Schedules..... [Dol 10) 12™ District - Bishop Green Consecrated 97 Year Old “lly /Dol i : : kn t God | them,” id. a Ply New Jersey moved by the Spirit | Moses Walker immediately con- for_people to know that God loves thsi Buc AD: Stafford Wicker to visit St. Croix for a short vaca-| tacted Presiding Elder Uklyn A ‘great gift’ to the church ole 134 C1110 [0h eceeeperree ee. jpaZ tion, read in The Christian ' Hendricks and _, continued on p6 News of Morris’ death saddened continued on p7 LET'S “CUT TO THE CHASE” ig a ee —|T'S TIME - Th e end of every calendar year is a natural time of reflection. This year is no different. At the end of 2014, African Americans responded to the rallying call from Bishop John R. Bryant id L i v S D O IT that “Black Life Matters.” We started the year 2015 with continued discussions, activities and actions toward A the treatment of African Americans in general and with specific concerns about police action shootings and By Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor II, black on black urban violence. | The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder Then the massacre of the nine people at Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church shook the very foundation of our : ear 3 souls. This violent, heinous act ee the A.M.E. Church, the Global Church and the world in general. We F% Let's as ee te ee ; 7 ee ight a prayed, rallied, had services, wrote litanies and songs, and responded with generosity. : hee 13, 1985, Pape tol me wanete” Bishop Adam J. Richardson penned a liturgical response, “The Doors of the Church Are Still Open,” that a oe ce AGES Pe eee reflected our courage in the face of assault. Amani Henry of the 4th District wrote a moving song, “The Doors FF - hits Chase ee of the Church Are Still Open.” Our themes of “no hate, no fear response and our determination ...continued on p9h ' THE DUTY OF WATCHING By the Rev. Anne Henning Byfield* ..continued on pF Dit enn ee, ee UL eee ===== DSC04318.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER 7 FEBRUARY 15, 2016 Z - <— SA; — C ' ae, y @ DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder RICHARD ET ‘ ae AND | MERE SHOULD BE “SACREDLY CHERISHED” eo 14 IS FOUNDER’S DAY ACROSS THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH and | hope that all of our churches across our Zion will be faithful in observing Founder’s Day. Richard Allen was born on February 14, 1760; that was 256 years ago. We should all be greeting each other this year with “Happy Founder’s Day” not “Happy Valentine’s Day.” Every church in the Connection should be celebrating Founder’s Day because of the legacy of the Right Rev. Richard Allen, the first elected and consecrated bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen was also the first black bishop in the United States. He founded the first black religious denomination in the United States. He built the first black house of worship in the United States. He was the forerunner of the Red Cross; since the Red Cross was not organized until 1881. He and his companions were the “Red Cross” during the 1793 Yellow Fever Epidemic in Philadelphia. When we think of the organization of black denominations, the Civil Rights’ Movement, all branches of liberation theology, education in general, HBCUs, the Red Cross, racial and gender equality, we should remem- ber Richard Allen. His legacy is one that we should never forget. Something nags at me and my gut tells me that a number of our churches will meet on Sunday and it will be worship as usual with no mention of Richard Allen. | have seen some churches observe Founder's Day with the wearing of dashikis and cute poems, and those things are fine, but Founder’s Day should be more than a cursory observance; it should be an inten- tional celebration with a focus on our founder, the Right Rev. Richard Allen. Richard Allen, born a slave, had a vision of being a free man, worked on his own time cutting cord wood, doing odd jobs and by the time he was 20 years old, had bought his freedom. In his own words, in spite of having a relatively good master, Allen said, “| had it often impressed upon my mind that | should one day enjoy my freedom; for slavery is a bitter pill...’ Not only did he endure slavery, but he also endured racism and inequality. He endured rebuke and adver- sity, not only from whites, but from blacks as well. He was a man who had a vision, knew how to stay focused and didn’t let adversity discourage him. And perhaps most importantly, he did not let the circumstances of his birth or the institutional racism that he endured, define his reality. Dr. Richard S. Newman, in his outstanding book, Freedom’s Prophet, says that Richard Allen was “essen- tially the forerunner of modern Civil Rights’ activists, for his belief in nonviolent but confrontational reform offered lessons for virtually every black leader who followed in his wake.” It is important for African Methodists to understand that Richard Allen was the forerunner of the Civil Rights’ Movement. Each year, we honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and it is right that we do so, but we should never forget that Richard Allen was the Father of the Civil Rights’ Movement. He influenced and had an impact upon the thinking of Frederick Douglass, W.F.B. DuBois, the early bishops of the A.M.E. Church and apparently many white leaders such as Francis Asbury, Benjamin Rush and others Richard Allen’s influence goes beyond the African Methodist Episcopal Church and his actions have significantly impacted the religious and social landscape of America, the Caribbean and the continent of Africa. Not only is Richard Allen the Father of the Civil Rights’ Movement, he is the Father of liberationist theology. Richard Allen “planted the seeds” for all branches of liberation theology so that academicians and theolo- gians could cultivate and nurture his revolutionary thinking of equality for all. Richard Allen was a man before his time. Newman, in Freedom’s Prophet, reports that Frederick Douglass paid tribute to Richard Allen at the Chicago World’s Fair in September 1893. Frederick Douglass said of Allen, “Among the remarkable men whose names have found deserved place in American annals; there is not one who will be longer remembered or whose memory will be more sacredly cherished by coming generations of colored Americans than will the name and character of Richard Allen.” Douglass also said that Richard Allen was the author of a “new Declaration of Independence” and racial equality. Yes, February 14 is Founder’s Day and our celebra- tion of Founder’s Day should follow the model of Moses’ sermon to the Israelites recorded in Deuteronomy 11:19-21: “You shall teach them to your children, speaking of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land of which the LORD swore to your fathers to give them, like the days of the heavens above the earth.” For African Methodists around the world, Richard Allen’s legacy must continue to live and his memory should be “sacredly cherished” by albAmerteans.__ Happy Founder's Day! if you failed to plan something appropriate for Founder’s Day, plan something next Sunday or the Sunday after next; but by all means do something. THE LEADERSHIP LESSONS OF THE RIGHT REV. RICHARD ALLEN ARE RELEVANT TODAY Bishop Richard Allen was born 256 years ago, came into this world as a slave; he and his family were sold The Christian Recorder of the African Methe published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday . Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 Periodicals The Christian Recorder was established in 18° Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, \ are available on request. ot t 37203-4181. Advertising rates annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers ch Recorder BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chai of Pu DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Pubiish DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR Hil, [he 20 Office: 615-714-0986 ‘ The Christian Recorder welcomes letter interest. Letters must including the writer's home adaress and busine be exclusive to /he Chris libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed, an right to reject or edit any letter or art le to confor by one slave master to another, he did not have the opportunity to attend public or private school, was not a high school graduate, purchased his freedom by the time he was 20 years old, never ...comtinued on p3 SUBSCRIBE! to The Christian Recorder $36.00 Per Year Send Check or Money Order Payable to: The Christian Aecorder 500 Eighth Avenue Seuth Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Keep yourself informed about your church for . requirements Although we are unable to wcknowledge those letters we Cannot pub Please PRINT. Payment must of those who take the tin accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for delivery lish, we appreciate the interest and value the views send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 91 Eighth Avenue Sou 37203-4181 All photograph submissions a be returned ida re the property of /he Postmaster, please send address corrections to SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ===== DSC04319.JPG ===== ..From Big Bethelp1 hosted a Mortgage Loan Reduction Celebration ceremony on Sunday, November 15, 8015. Attending the ceremony were representatives from the following groups: Wells Fargo Bank, Citizens Trust Bank, Bethel Towers, the Commission on Stewardship and Finance, the Big Bethel congregation and admin- istrative staff, and City of Atlanta Organizations. These seven entities all contributed to making this loan reduction a reality. Mrs. Rasheen Lucas - Wells Fargo’s loan officer for Big Bethel - stated: “This loan reduction happened because of the right people in the right organizations coming together at the right time. I am delighted to play a role in making this deal come to fruition.” Those receiving awards at the ceremony were: Mrs. Rasheen Lucas and Mr. Leonard Walker (Wells Fargo Bank); Mr. James Dow and Mr. ..From The Leadership p2 attended college, did not have an opportunity to attend seminary, had no Wall Street investments, was considered a second-class citizen because of his race, was rejected by his fellow church members at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church, pulled off of his knees while in prayer, and criticized, even when he attempted to do the right thing. Richard Allen’s life had the recipe for failure and mediocrity, but he did not let the circumstances of his birth, his station in life or what other persons thought about him, define his reality. In spite of all of the nega- tivity in his life, the economic constraints and the racial and religious prejudice he experienced Richard Allen excelled and proved himself to be a leader. His legacy and leadership lessons are worthy to be emulated by clergy and laity, not only clergy and laity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, but by people of all denominations and faith groups. His leadership lessons are universal and timeless. ~ {want to share several leadership lessons of Richard Allen from my soon to be published book, The Leadership Lessons of the Right Rev. Richard Allen. Richard Allen’s model of leadership is relevant and effective today. Organizations will be more efficient if persons in leadership positions would follow the lead- ership lessons of the Right Rev. Richard Allen. - Richard Allen had vision and refused to accept the status quo: Richard Allen said, “| had it often impressed upon my mind that | should one day enjoy my freedom; for slavery is a bitter pill, notwithstanding we had a good master.” - Richard Allen did not let the circumstances of his birth define his reality: Richard Allen had a determination to be free. He worked nights and at off-hours cutting cord wood and doing odd jobs and by the time he was 20, bought his freedom. - Richard Allen was not deterred by setbacks and rejection: Richard Allen was “read out” of the Free African Society because he was not in agreement with the organization’s position of adopting the quiet Quaker style of worship because he felt that blacks needed a more spiritually spontaneous expressive style of wor- ship that he experienced with the Methodists. When Richard Allen experienced persecution from the Methodist leadership and from some of the blacks who remained at St. George’s, he remarked that he was ee thankful to Almighty God, who was our deliverer.” - Richard Allen understood the concept that the church extended beyond the church building: Richard Allen did as much, or more, work in the community as he did within the environs of Mother Bethel. He worked tirelessly during the 1793 Philadelphia Yellow Fever Epidemic, was a community leader in ..continued on p9 Farrand Logan (Citizens Trust Bank); Bro. Charles Moore and Bro, Timothy Crim (Bethel Towers Board of Directors); Bro. Alvin Francis and Bro. James Rudd (Big Bethel’s Commission on Stewardship and Finance); Sis. Nannette McGee and Sis. Geri Dodson (Big Bethel Church congre- gation); Bro. Marvin Fleming and Bro, Ed Jones (Big Bethel administrative staff); Ms. Jennifer Ball (Central Atlanta Progress); and Mr. Ken Bleakley and Mr. Gary Mongeon (The Bleakley Group). “Big Bethel has been progressing with their property development by leaps and bounds over the past couple of years, They are moving forward in a powerful way which will benefit the entire community,” said Ms. Jennifer Ball. Big Bethel Campus Development Plan The two million dollar mortgage reduction GET THE “HOOK UP” IN 2016 came at an opportune time in the life cycle of Big Bethel’s strategic planning, Big Bethel A.M.E, Church, in conjunction with the Benoit Group/Herman Russell Construction, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to develop a 120 million dollar four- | phase development project. This project includes | the following four phases: i) the renovation of | a 160 unit, low-income apartment condomini- ums, ii) the construction of a multi-level, 700 unit parking deck, iii) the construction of a 1,100 student commercial dormitory, with retail space and iv) the development of new and renovated 35,000 sq. ft. retail/office space on the frontage of Auburn Avenue. “The $2,000,000 mortgage reduction allows us to leverage the savings towards the project,” Pastor Foster explained, “It puts the Church in cantinued on pd By the Rev. JANICE CASEY* If you Google the word fantasy, you'll end up with everything from football to amusement parks to fic- tion writing and beyond. Psychologists will tell you how dangerous it is to live a life based on fantasy. Unbelievably, though, that’s what we do when we live a life without God at the helm. It’s all a fantasy---an illusion, because in him we live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28) You see, we have no power of our own. Can you start a stopped heart or breathe life into a dead soul? You might answer that people have done it. No, God has done it through people. Is the creation better and more powerful than the Creator---never! (Romans 1:25) So as you prepare for 2016, remember that your worth is tied to the source of all life. We are conduits. God is the generator, the life source, the all and all. Hook up! ee — ————E—E———eE *The Rev. Janice Casey is an itinerant deacon in the 6th Episcopal District, where she works with her husband, Pastor Darrell Casey, at St. James A.M.E. Church, Nicholls, Georgia. ..From Let's p1_ slave trade. The United Methodist Church and the Southern Baptist Convention and other religious denomina- tions in the United States have all issued statements apologizing for the part they played in slavery, which lasted for almost 250 years. The first slaves arrived in what is now the United States in the year 1619 and the legal institution of slavery lasted until the 13th Amendment was ratified on December 6, 1865. The Southern Baptist Convention apologized in 1995 for the part they played in the slave trade and did so by a resolution in which they stated, “.. we lament and repu- diate historic acts of evil such as slavery from which we continue to reap a bitter har- vest, and we recognize that the racism which yet plagues our culture today is inextri- cably tied to the past...” and ignored. ase denominations | that apologized for not having done the right thing gained my respect ‘for rective actions earns the they were willing to right the wrongs they had done and the injustices they had | Convention in 2006 apologized for supporting the institution of slavery. The denomination issued a resolution declaring that the institution of slavery was a sin and a betrayal of humanity and apologized for the benefits it derived from the slave trade in the Caribbean. I felt great each time a religious group apologized for their past injudiciousness and inhumane mis- deeds. Those denominations that apologized for not having done the right thing gained my respect for they were will- ing to right the wrongs they had done and the injustices they had ignored. An apology and taking cor- respect and praise of individu- als and groups. On an individual level, we admire and respect a person who steps forward and says, “Tam sorry” or “I was wrong, please forgive me.” There is went on to apologize to all African Americans for con- doning and/or perpetuating individual and systemic racism that still exists. The resolution asked for forgiveness from African Americans. The United Methodist Church (UMC) at its 2000 General Conference apologized to the black churches (A.M.E., AMEZ, CME, AUMP, UAME, etal) that left the Methodist Episcopal Church because of pervasive racial discrimination. In addition, UMC apologized to black United Methodists who still faced racial prejudice. The churchwide mea culpa is the latest apology in an unprecedented season of repentance that saw Pope John Paul II apologize to Jews for the Holocaust and Christians apologize to Muslims and others for its involvement in the Crusades and Pope John Paul II begged God's forgiveness. The Episcopal Church at its 75th General Philadelphia among blacks and whites AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM “just something noble about . "pee confession and acknowledge- ment of intentional or unintentional wrongdoing and taking responsibility for one’s actions. The quickest way to lose respect is for a person to do wrong and fail to acknowledge and apologize. I think most of us who were aware of the apolo- gies of the United Methodists, Southern Baptists, Episcopalians, Roman Catholics and other groups who apologized for slavery felt good and gained respect for the courage of those religious groups. Well, it’s our time The African Methodist Episcopal Church needs to right a wrong that is long overdue. The A.M.E. Church needs to make a posthumous ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04320.JPG ===== FEBRUARY 15, 2016 concluded by late cted to begin dur scenario for the con to begin the Bethel Towers and Parking Lot E, J. Bacon to be followed by the Student Housing/Retail N | J RS E COACH, tc www.nursecareerscoach.com ejbacon@nursecareerscoach.com (404) 445-4205 — é Who will benefit? L-R: Award recipients and Big Bethel members include Charles Moore, Pastor Foster, Rasheen Lucas, Gary Pro spective n ursin iS st u fe | Cr ts Mongeon, Jamye Coleman Williams, Ken Bleakley, James Dow, Farrand Logan and Jennifer Ball. Cc i Peed ending with the : urrent nursing students Auburn Avenue Retail/ | =I New graduate nurses Office Space. nae a Registered nurses “I want to take this] opportunity to thank} ! : LPN and LVN Bishop Preston Williams Ta i Middle school students for his visionary leader. [alge We | as Claes High school students ship of the Sixth Episcopal Hy = District. He has encour- |i < | Healthcare employers aged us to move forward . ee Anyone interested in a career in nursing with God’s vision at the » 00S : local church level,” said ||__ vo s Dr. Foster, “Bishop gig Bethel Campus Development Plan showing Bethel Towers, Student Williams inspires us to Housing/Retail Space and Auburn Avenue Retail/Office Space. strive to realize God’s plan for our lives, both individually and collectively.” God is doing great things at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church, as we pro- claim that “JESUS SAVES!” 400 as ee Mayes, Sr. — Dr. Terence L. Presiding Elder, East Tennessee 13th Episcopal District DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM tmayes5116@aol.com EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF | CHURCH GROWTH, 9s AND DEVELOPMENT 201655 ‘gyi OFFICIAL DESIGNER FOR A.M.E. CLERGY ROBES, APPAREL AND PARAMENTS Serving the Needs of the Church, Clergy and Laity. Satisfied clients include WMS, YPD, LAY, SOA, DOS, DMC and more! ===== DSC04321.JPG ===== Jf a man desires the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work, 1 Timothy 3:1 A\/E CN / ALEXANDER SR. CANDIDATE™FOR EPISCOPAL SERVICE OBEDIENT MELEE ORIGINAL _ =~ MAN OF GOD DEDICATED A “GOOD” Work For God: + Develop Servant Leadership + Promote honesty and integrity in our churches Cultivate an environment where YOUTH voices and voices of all generations are heard, valued, respected and appreciated Promote living a Godly life + Support and encourage persons in ministry to develop their specific call Develop a systematic continual relationship with people to minister to their total spiritual needs AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM ===== DSC04322.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER MEDITATION BASED ON GALATIANS 5:16-25 By the Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby * WAS LATE POSTING FOR THE FIRST TIME in four years of writing - due to what can most kindly and least profanely be called “technical difficulties.” I decided, after waiting a few months for the “bugs” to be worked out, to follow the inviting prompts on my computer screen and upgrade my operating system from Windows 8.1 to Windows 10. The download and installation went smoothly and Windows 10 seemed to be all that it was promised to be - until it crashed an hour or so later and left me with a “blue screen” that wouldn’t go away and with no access to my computer! After a long and frustrating Tuesday night and Wednesday morning and afternoon on the phone with Microsoft technical support, I was finally able to “roll back” my computer operat- ing system to Windows 8.1. Icount that as a blessing, because even though my computer has plenty of useful and amazing software and apps, it was little more than a large paperweight without a functioning operating system that makes everything works as it should. Remember that in the time after we celebrate the birth of Jesus - a birth that came about not by human means, but by the power of the Holy Spirit. Contrary to the belief of many that the Holy Spirit only “hits” people in worship to make them dance, shout and swoon, the authen- tic Holy Spirit guides the thoughts, words and deeds of those who love and trust in the Lord each and every day and gives meaning, order, function and direction to our lives. The Holy Spirit is God’s “operating system.” Without God’s presence in our lives, we’re empty, inoperable and unable to reach our potential and subject to all of the fears, doubts and insecurities that this world throws at us. With God’s presence, we find new strength, at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. If THE 2016 CANDIDATES’ GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING NEWS ITEMS TO TCR TCR will publish news received from the 2016 candidates for election | to be purchased for publication in the “print edition of ‘The Christian Recorder.’ | Candidates’ news items should be submitted in accordance with “The Guidelines | the phrase or any semblance of the phrase, “Candidate for election/reelection...,” | for Submitting Articles to The Christian Recorder.” All submissions will be in is present the article becomes an advertisement. Advertisement are still available | Word format or imbedded (pasted) in an email message. eel FEBRUARY 15, 2016 new functionality and new power to achieve peace of mind and serve the Lord. Let the Holy Spirit be the “operating system” who orders your steps and guides your feet in the New Year to come and every day of your life. You’ll find new hope, realize new joy and know why one hymn of the church says, “There’s something within me that holdeth the rein, something within me that banishes pain; something within me, I cannot explain; all that I know, there is some- thing within.” Get ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship! *The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. ” ...From St. Croix p1 officials of the postal service in St. Croix, who put in motion arrangements for a celebra- tion on February 2, 2016 to recognize the issuance of the Richard Allen stamp. The Governor of the Virgin Islands is a member of the Bethel A.M.E. Church. He was contacted and got involved in helping to bring the Richard Allen Postage Stamp Ceremony in St. Croix to fruition. On Tuesday, February 2, some 40 members repre- senting the three congregations on the island gathered at the Richmond Post Office at 9:00 a.m. (EST) / 10:00 a.m. St. Croix time, to purchase stamps. The Postmaster, Louis Jackson, the Governor’s representative, Ms. Stephanie Williams, St. Croix Administrator was also present as was the press. By 11:00 a.m. the post office supply had been sold out and by noon stamps in three other post offices on the island had been sold out. At the post office, the Postmaster, Louis Jackson, the Governor’s Representative, Mrs. Walker and Bishop Talbot made remarks recorded by the press, which later appeared on television. The motorcade then proceeded to Bethel A.M.E. Church nearby in Christiansted where Presiding Elder Hendricks had planned an imaginative and moving program which included a prayer by the Reverend Carlos Perkins, Pastor of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, and remarks by Mrs Walker, Postmaster Jackson and Mrs. Stephanie Williams. Bishop Talbot was invited to tell THE TRUTH ISTHE LIGHT BIBLICAL TEXT: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” — COLOSSIANS 3:17 KJV By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* us in a very real and close way with Jesus Christ. In fact while we live in our bodies on earth, we have in us another life, derived from our Savior, Jesus Christ. the story of Richard Allen, which he did enthusiasti- cally using narratives from his book, God's Fearless Prophet. Hymns were appropriately placed in the program, beginning with “O for a Thousand Tongues to Sing,” then Richard Allen’s hymn, “Ministers Who Are Called to Preaching” to the tune of St. Clement, AMEC #42 and closing with “Lift Every Voice and Sing.” Bethel A.M.E. Church served us refreshments fol- lowing the program. We are grateful to the Presiding Elder for his guid- ance and leadership in producing a memorable event, to Sister Della Moses Walker for her enthusiasm and energy in promoting and helping to continued Ghat his spirit of self-con- trol and temperance. Jesus alone can remove the emotion of hatred and replace Ta TES Wi quickly come to the realization that time waits for no one. Time goes es by whether we are paying attention or not. Believe it or not, another year has come and gone. We can look back today and conclude that some of the issues we resolved to change have been conquered. However, we can probably also conclude that there are many other issues still looming. As we contemplate the New Year, as usual we find it to be a time of reflection. We are forced to take an introspective review of our life. We decide, once again, this new year, just as others in the past, our common goal is to start over and begin anew. We each have lists of baggage we would like to unload. Many of us admit there are habits we would like to break. For some there are relationships we would like to mend or end. We resolve to remold ourselves into a personality that is more to our liking. So we vow to start over. For us who profess to know the Lord and maintain a loving, trusting relation- ship with him, there is only one way to begin anew. To begin anew, according to the Word of God, commands that we walk in the newness of life as mirror images of a risen Savior. The Bible reminds us, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.” (Romans 6:4) As we seek to emulate the only one who is worthy of imitation, our flesh is not crucified with him once, but daily. The truth of the matter is, our faith joins Quite frankly, until we grasp that truth we have not yet risen to the height of the New Testament teachings. Unfortunately until we grasp that truth we will never understand the meaning of the “newness of life.” We are admon- ished to “put off” our old nature, which constitutes that life, which is ruled by the world. We are then challenged to solemnly lay hold of our union with Jesus. This new life, part of our union with Jesus, that we press to discover is wait- ing for us each morning that we awaken to see a new day. The spirit of Christ pushes off the old much like the tree does shedding its decaying leaves and replacing them with a fresh unfurling of his Spirit. Jesus alone can push off the lust and greed of yesterday, and replace it with it with a spirit of brotherly love. We witness Paul light up with excite- ment as he thinks of that new nature which our union with Christ has brought us. Paul actually very cleverly condenses volumes of theological truth into just a few verses of scripture. Paul reminds us that who we are, greatly motivates what we do. As the elect of God we are holy and beloved! We are a privileged assembly and a royal priesthood. We must realize that to whom much is given, much is required. We should not count our blessings and think of all the privileges and then neglect our duty to share Christ’s spirit with the world. Knowing “who we are” should encourage us to walk as mirror images and embodiments of God’s mercy toward us. In fact we are charged to turn this earthly hell into an Eden! We are charged Continue ===== DSC04323.JPG ===== ASE Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry | ASK: | inquired whether “EXTENDING THE _ INVITATION TO DISCIPLESHIP IS AN EXCLUSIVE FUNCTION OF CLERGY?” BISHOP GUIDRY’S RESPONSE TO THE QUESTION: I am assuming you have in mind extending the invitation at the end of a worship service which is usually done by the “preacher.” Extending the invitation to discipleship is NOT an exclusive function of clergy. Anyone who is Christian and knows how to invite others to salvation in Jesus Christ may do so, i.e. During a lay service when “RETIRED BISHOP CAROLYN TYLER GUIDRY 122” Elected and Consecrated Bishop of the AMEC the participants are lay persons. (The Order of Receiving Members into the Church is done by clergy; see Page 518 in The Doctrine and ei ceiae oh. the African Meraa, Episcaggs Church 2012.) aaa READER RESPONSES AO IS SE EE SEA LIE OPI LE. PRO TE EG To the Editor RE: TCR Editorial — Some Things I Want to Say Again Before Getting Too Far Into 2016 We use TCR in many of our lay meetings. We will use this one for sure. As our church grows we have many members who are new to the A.M.E. Church or were not brought up in a church as a child. Thank you always, Carolyn Chatman Bethel - Perris, California Lay President eikdiciiainidaaianmmaimaaiael To the Editor RE: Richard Allen Postage Stamp Elation was unsurpassed on a visit to the post of- fice in Frederiksted, St. Croix, the town of seven streets, as I caught a glimpse on the counter of the Sarah Vaughn stamp. As I looked closer, what did I see but the likeness of Richard Allen on the second stamp! Excitedly, I called attention of the attendant to tell her that Allen was the founder of my Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Knowing OR TPT EN me well, she smiled broadly and I am sure expects me to buy out the supply. It has been a long time waiting for this to happen. I could not wait to exit the post office to share my excitement with Presid- ing Elder Uklyn Hendricks, who was with me at the time to let him know that after many years of trying it really happened. I shouted to him, “I saw it, I saw it! .... Right here in St. Croix, USVI.” To all of us who have been envisioning the coming of this day and those who have been working to make it a reality, Gloria in excelsis Deo! Bishop Frederick Talbot ..From Bishop Morris p1 many across The United Methodist Church, especially in Tennessee, where he had continued to live in the Nashville area. “Bishop Morris was a great gift to the church,” said Nashville Area Bishop William McAlilly. “He was especially helpful and a great mentor to me as I entered the episcopacy of the Tennessee and Memphis conferences.” In Alabama, the Rev. John Ed Mathison recalled Morris as an effective leader who could make hard decisions and who moved the Alabama- West Florida Conference forward in race relations. Mathison, Pastor Emeritus of Frazer Memorial United Methodist Church in Montgomery, also praised Morris’s preaching. “He was an excellent preacher. As a lot of folks around here would say, he could shuck the corn,” Mathison said. “And one of the interesting things was he incorporated a solo in most every sermon. Rather than quote a song, he would sing it, which was very, very effective. He had a marvelous voice.” Far into retirement, Morris taught Sunday school at Clark Memorial United Methodist Church in Nashville. “The United Methodist Church has lost a giant and Clark Memorial has lost a giant,” said the Rev. Herbert L. Lester Jr., the church’s Pastor. Bishop Marcus Matthews of the Baltimore-Washington Conference also expressed sadness, and recalled Morris fondly. “He was a mentor, adviser and friend,” Matthews said. “I will always remember hearing the sound of his deep bass voice at Council of Bishops meetings. He ..From The Truth p6 lived ‘the Methodist way.’” He ‘knew his churches’ William Wesley Morris was born in Baltimore on August 7, 1937, and attended the Baltimore public schools. He was a graduate of Ohio Wesleyan University, Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary, Scarritt College and Vanderbilt University, where he earned a doctorate of ministry degree. Morris was ordained a deacon in 1959 and an elder in 196] Bethany Methodist Church and Union Avenue Community Methodist Church in Chicago; Stanley Methodist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee; John Wesley United Methodist Church in Nashville; and First United Methodist Church in Gallatin, Tennessee. . He served As an African American pastor at the predominantly white Gallatin church, he also was crossing an important racial to bear the sorrows of others. We are admonished to offer help wherever needed, We are cautioned to bear no resentment toward those who would persecute us. We are to offer the same forgiveness that Jesus offered us. We cannot afford to wait a year to refresh our storehouse of his grace w ithin us. If we live a risen life, having put on the “new man,” then the “peace of Christ” is ours to renew us every day. Every day will be a day for resolution and starting over, Every day we can hear the preached Word with new ears and look upon AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM boundary for the Tennessee Conference. In that conference, he twice was a district superintendent, leading the Clarksville and Murfreesboro (Tennessee) districts. The Rev. Skip Armistead, a retired clergyman, recalled Morris as a district superintendent who “knew his churches.” “He read every single church newslet- ter. He’d ask you, ‘How did your revival go?’” said Armistead, who also served as Assistant Director of the old United Methodist Council of Ministries when Morris was the Director. He recalled Morris standing up for a staff member that some people wanted to see leave. “He stood up for that person. He wanted to give them a chance,” Armistead said, adding that the staffer turned out to be a real asset. “He always saw potential,” Armistead said. On July 15, 1992, Morris was elected a bishop at the Southeastern Jurisdictional Conference in Lake Junaluska, North Carolina. As Bishop, Morris served as President of the United Methodist Board of Pension and Health Benefits from 2000 to 2004. He was a trustee of several United Methodist institutions, including Emory University in Atlanta. One abiding interest of Morris’ was men’s ministries, and as a retired bishop he served as interim top executive of the Commission on United Methodist Men for more than a year and super- vised the agency’s move into its current Nashville headquarters. ~ “In retirement, he always spoke of his love for The United Methodist Church,” said Gil Hanke, United Methodist Men’s current top executive. The Rev. Ryan Bennett, Pastor of Bethlehem United Methodist Church in Franklin, Tennessee, spoke of Morris as a mentor who cared deeply about people and never really retired. Bennett also recalled how Morris would really pay attention and “be in the moment” in relationships. Once when Bennett had a chance meeting with Morris and claimed to be doing fine, Morris wasn’t convinced. “How are you really doing?” he recalled the Bishop asking. Morris was married to the late Mary Head Morris of McMinnville, Tenn., and they had four children. He married Princilla Smart Evans in 2006. Hodges, a United Methodist News Service writer, lives in Dallas. Contact him at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@ umcom.org. Heather Hahn, Kathy L. Gilbert and Vicki Brown contributed to this article. a *Used with permission of the United Methad- ist News Service. God’s creation with new eyes. Every day we can fulfill our responsibilities with new enthusiasm while confronting our difficulties with a new attitude. We can offer a prayer to God on new knees and we can mi agnify him with new praise. We can contemplate holy things with a new mind, worshipping the Lord with new lips. Finally, we can labor in God’s v ineyard with new hands and we can reflect the glory of God with new hearts. 444 Watkins. Jr is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E Church in Charleston, SC. *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. ===== DSC04324.JPG ===== ~~ HENRY F GREEN i inn TOCSY), : as Sident Publis} 1eP EC Sun J 100. ve Mdhay S; Ol Uryiny fi 7 t Ww? 21st Century Publishing —— kkk —— MINISTISY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Founder of the Richard Allen Gardens, FL in completing a $6.2 Leadership Academy (First million Worship Center and all-Boys Charter School in the _ Community Center in 2007 State of Florida in 2007) Purchased 4 acres of land for Grant Purchased 3 acres of land for Ne Memorial AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Bethel AMEC, Jacksonville, FL ‘ Purchased 5 acres of land for Increased Membership and Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Stewardship at every Gardens, FL ELECPHENRY E. GREEN, JR. PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER of the AMEC Sunday School Union ===== DSC04325.JPG ===== ASH WEDNESDAY, PALM SUNDAY, GOOD FRIDAY, EASTER AND PENTECOST Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calen- dar. It occurs exactly 46 days before Easter (40 fasting days not counting Sundays). It is a moveable feast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10. Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of Jesus Christ. Easter is the oldest and most important festival of the Western Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ (rising from the grave) following his crucifixion on Good Friday. Easter marks the end of the 40 days of Lent. Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth day,” is celebrated 50 days (seven weeks plus one day so it always falls on a Sunday) after Easter Sunday. -- Ash Wednesday - February 10, 2016 -- Palm Sunday - March 20, 2016 -- Good Friday - March 25, 2016 -- Easter Sunday - March 27, 2016 -- Pentecost Sunday - May 15, 2016 Read more: http://www. calendarpedia. com/. ..From The Leadership p3__ and was active in the abolitionist movement. - Richard Allen recognized the importance of education: Shortly after Bethel’s founding, Richard Allen established a children’s day school and an adult night school. - Richard Allen did not quit because of opposition: The blacks who remained at St. George’s after the 1787 schism accused Richard Allen of segregating the races and there was the continuous struggle with the trust- ees at St. George's who fought to control Mother Bethel’s affairs. Many of the challenges that Richard Allen faced still exist today and people who do not tackle their challenges and demons are surrounded by unfulfilled lives and even failure. There are individuals today who are slaves to their own inability to conquer the fears and demons in their lives. Some do not see the value of training and education; others are trapped in an economic quagmire and haven’t developed a strategy to overcome their predicament; still others are victims or perpetrators of crime; and many individuals have accepted their “station in life” and have become satisfied, and even comfortable with the status quo. Some organizations, even some A.M.E. churches, have the same attributes as indi- viduals in not rising above the slave state of mind, unable to conquer their fears and demons, and see little value of even attempting to move from “poor to good” or from “sood to great.” Some organizations and some churches refuse to see the value of education and training or to see the importance of maintaining a high ethical environ- ment and have become satisfied with their state of affairs that currently exists. Those organizations and individuals need to examine and adopt the “The Leadership Lessons of the Right Rev. Richard Allen.” His legacy and leadership lessons are worthy to be emulated by clergy and laity because his leadership lessons are universal and timeless. a TCR Editor's Comment: | will be celebrating Founder's Day as the preacher at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, 6910 New Kings Road (US 1 and Richardson) in Jacksonville, Florida where the Rev. Dr. Marvin Zanders Ill is the Pastor 40 WILBERFORCE UNIVERSITY MEDIA RELEASE The fall 2015 inaugural edition of the Sable Health and Human Development Journal dedicated to Dr. Algeania Marie Warren Freeman who the edito- rial board cited as a Living Legend in Higher Education for her stellar contributions to the academy. Dr. Freeman was honored with a plaque from the journal’s editorial board for her devotion and outstanding contributions in saving and mak- ing a difference at HBCUs. The editorial board staff wrote: “...we decided to dedicate this inaugural issue to the contemporary living legend Dr. Algeania Marie Warren Freeman-Ph.D., President of Wilberforce University. Dr. Freeman is a contemporary leader who has managed to accomplish much against great odds.” Her record of professional achievements is simply exceptional. Moreover, Dr. Freeman’s higher education leadership accomplishments, in our time are truly legendary. However, there are three professional achievements n higher education that stand out among all of the rest. Those three ae eee ee AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM «From The Duty p1 to not let these kinds of actions deter our worship, our love of God and humanity” have been and are still appropriate. Shortly after the Charleston massacre, several people criticized the wonderful people of Mother Emanuel A.M.E. Church because they did not have guns in the church and no other means to adequately protect their members. But, nothing in the article implied that the victims of a deranged man acted inappropriately, I do not believe that the victims could have done anything to change the tragedy. However, how can we, looking toward the future, reasonably protect our con- gregations and buildings without limiting our doors and access to all who desire to worship? I found it stunning that on the Sunday immediately after the massacre, and the days that followed, how people continued to enter our fully accessible buildings and sanctuaries across the country with few, if any, barriers, limitations or filters by anyone in the church. While I celebrate our freedom, | wonder if this is good stew- ardship and if, as good Levites, our failure to plan is a proper Levitical response. This discussion is not new for me. Like many, I have had numerous opportunities to try to reconcile this dilemma. In the mid 1990’s, during a Sunday morning service, a young white male burst through the sanctuary door as I preached. As he marched toward the pulpit, one of the young preachers stood and invited him to sit down on the front row. After I preached, I told another minister to escort him out of the sanctuary. As I started the invitation, the young preacher brought the “visitor” back in saying “he had a testimony.” I refused to let the “visitor” give his testimony because he had disrupted the service and that this was not the time or place to address his concerns, but could do so later. At that point, the visitor grabbed me and started shouting, “Baby killers, you are all abortionists.” As several men in the congregation approached him, he ran out of the sanctuary. During this time a member had slipped out to call the police, but the dispatcher did not send anyone because, as we later found out, when she heard that a white person has disrupted a black church service she said, that the report was simply a case of prejudice against white people in a black church. At that time several mem- bers, who were in law enforcement, carried weapons, but none of them had attended church that Sunday. We had not developed a security policy because we had relied on the fact that so many members in law enforcement attended the church. ___When I pastored in Detroit, the environment dictated some form of a plan since. the mental health facilities located near the church had closed and a house across the street housed people with “interesting behaviors” who would “escape” and “visit” to our church. We often encountered people entering the church with extraordinary mental issues. Like many churches, people attended church simply because they needed food, clothing and shelter. We provided for their needs. On at least three different occasions people, even with church security, disrupted the service; two actually entered the sanctuary. We praised God that church members handled the incidents without violence. These reported incidents began my requirement for every church that I pastored to have a security, evacuation and/or emergency plans. This policy has continued even after I became a presiding elder. Over the years I, along with individuals in church leadership, have developed foundational guideposts for creating a security plan. I am sharing these security guideposts to assist local churches in security planning. The Church is a refuge and must be treated as such and people want a safe place for their sacred time and fellowship. Designing clear explanations and expectations for and with the congregation will empower the congregation to expect a calm, protective and caring place to worship. : Biblical Mandate: Every church must empower the Levites to operate in their biblical model. A teview of the duties of the official board: stewards, trustees, choirs, ushers, class leaders, etc., suggests that we already operate under a biblical model and that we must continue to utilize it for each church. The office of the Levite is more than a praise leader; it covers a spectrum of handling the sacred things of God. The sacred things include more than managing the vessels; they include the gate-keeping of the people and the | continued on p10 achievements are centered on her exceptional acumen and demonstrated leadership skills as a president of three different institutions of higher education. Those institutions are Martin University, Livingstone College and Wilberforce University where she is the current President. Her most recent accomplishment against great odds is her extremely suc- cessful launch of a renaissance at Wilberforce University. ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04326.JPG ===== FEBRUARY 15, 2016 SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH MAY 3-6, 2016 MARCH 11, 20 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE a Bethesda A.M.E. NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE tn LIE Sather ine) The Rev. Elton Bobb, Host Pastor Se re ae i i Christ Love A.M.E. Church, Host Church Phone: (868) 680-9772 lle Ife, Nigeria The Rev. J Greater Alan Uhsgel KLE. Chrch Rev. Jonathan Wayne Anthony, Host P.E. 289 Pusey Stem The Rev. Margaret Fadehan, Host Pastor Phone: (868) 750-8062 Macon, GA 31201 Church Phone: (478) 745-4646 The Rev. Johnnie Cook, Sr., Host Pastor The Rev. Benjamin Ridley, Host P.E. MARCH 15, 2016 TOGO/BENIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. John A.M.E. Church, Host Church Lome, Togo The Rev. John Afawoubo, Host Pastor MARCH 2-6, 2016 VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bethel A.M.E. Church, Host Church St. Croix, Virgin Islands The Rev. Uklyn Hendricks, Host Pastor and Host P.E. BISHOP PRESTON WARREN WILLIAMS II MARCH 1.4, 2016 BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM MARCH 1-6, 2016 MAY 17-20, 2016 ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA MARCH 18-20, 2016 DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFER SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERE ANNUAL CONFERENCE GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE ree rae eRENCE ae MAY 16, 2016 St. Paul A.M.E, Church, Host Church Phone: (340) ea adhe eer euity coavENTiON ws ANNUAL CONVENTION Takoradi (Sekondil, Ghana wancne eae Baas Ministerial Alliance, Host Saint Mark A.M.E. Church urner Chapel A.M.E. Church The Rev. Stephen Ainu, Host Pastor ie Hanes Has 700 Lester Street 492 North Marietta Parkway NE JAMAICA ANAUAL COBFEREES Greater Selby's A.M.E. Church, Host Church Jamaica The Rev. Michael Blake, Host Pastor The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, Host P.E. Phone: (876) 462-5116 MARCH 23-25, 2016 CENTRAL LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church, Host Church Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. Dr. Katurah Cooper, Host Pastor Marietta, GA 30060 Church Phone: (770) 422-6791 The Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Marcus, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. David Rhone, Host P.E. MARCH 8-13, 2016 BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 9, 2016 WMS DAY Bermuda Ministerial Alliance, Host Thomasville, GA 31792 Church Phone: (229) 226-4614 The Rev. Timothy Sands, Host Pastor The Rev. Patrick Brinson, Host P.E. JUNE 8-10, 2016 SPACES 2Me PLANNING MEETING APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2016 MARCH 28-APRIL 3, 2016 SOUTHWEST GEORGIA NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Macon Marriott Centreplex IA ANNUAL CONFER har Alen AME. Church, Host Ch ee neal CoM MUALCONEE REN AN Cobeoun-Ddve LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Richard Allen A.M.E. Church, Host Church Deon " Mt. Ashton A.M.E. Church, Host Church London, England oda WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Macon, GA 31217 Cape Palmas, Liberia The Rev. Rudolph Aaron, Host Pastor antic City District, Host Live Oak A.M.E. Church Site Phone: (478) 621-5300 The Rev. Tar-Kolo Miller, Host Pastor and Host P.E. 402 Baldwin Street Phone: (442) 088905381 FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH APRIL 12-17, 2016 NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 13, 2016 WMS DAY Bethel, Bloomfield, Host Donaldsonville, GA 39845 Church Phone: (229) 524-2395 The Rev. Millie Rambeau, Host Pastor and Host P.E. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH MAY 31-JUNE 3, 2016 PLANNING MEETING The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, P.E. The Rev. Clarence Turpin, P.E. MARCH 29-APRIL 1, 2016 Kingston, Jamaica GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 28, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint James A.M.E. Church 632 E. Broad Street Savannah, GA 31401 Church Phone: (912) 236-2051 APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2016 NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 26, 2016 WMS DAY Bridge Street, Host ..From St. Croix p6 plan the event and to the Postmaster for pro- viding assistance in this unprec- edented and historic event. It will long be remembered in "A BISHOP JOHN F. WHITE FEBRUARY 17-21, 2016 BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH FEBRUARY 27, 2016 MAY 10-14, 2016 COTE D'IVOIRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE WESTERN NEW YORK ANNUAL , CONFERENCE The Reverend J. C. Roberts, Host Pastor | St. Augustine's A.M.E. Church, Host Church GUY ABAISURINAE ANNUAL COMFEREREE hi Il isl te ee St. Peter's A.M.E. Church, Host Church this small island where the MAY 11, 2016 The Rev. Dr. Dan Stevenson, Host P.E. Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire Goaractunn ts Afri Macho A WMS DAY The Rev. Desus S. Darkoh, Host Pastor cere a rican Methodist Episcopal The Rev. Troy Parris, Host Pastor Phone: (579) 601-0060 The Rev. Andrew C. Morris-Grant, Host P.E. Phone: (592) 646-2726 Church was started in 1920. _ And the excitement continues! APRIL 26-29, 2016 AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church 7476 Georgia Highway 296 St. John, Niagara Falls, Host MARCH 4-6, 2016 SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bishop Campbell A.M.E. Church, Host Church ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES MAY 16-22, 2016 PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 17, 2016 Stapleton, GA 30823 Freetown, Sierra Leone 2 5 ; ; ' ; : FEBRUARY 25-28, 2016 Submitted by retired Bishop Fred- ‘ ~ DAY The Rev. Forrest Dickey, Host Pastor The Rev. Joseph P. A. Wilhelm, Host Pastor WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL erick and retired Eniseopal Supervi other Bethel, Host The Rev. Bertram Smith, Host P.E. CONFERENCE sor, Dr Sylvia Talbot ..From The Duty p9 building. First Chronicles 9:19-27 defines the duties of the gatekeeper. They took charge the work of the worship service, guarded of the thresholds of the tents and the entrance. Verse 27 states, “and they would spend the night near the house of God, for on them lay the duty of watching, and they had charge of opening it every morning.” The duty of watching is a serious respon- sibility, and if nothing else, watching has to be a major part of providing protection to the people and the building. Educating the congregation The church Levites must educate the congregation, sometimes even against their will. This education is more than giving men and women something to do, but it is an opportunity to represent true biblical stewardship. We must answer their questions that belie inaction. The answers include, but are not limited to, statements like: “It won’t happen here.” Many members correctly feel that their church is a close-knit family and their church doesn’t get much traffic, therefore, | it just won’t happen to them. They feel that they do not have to do anything | because the greater odds are that no one will tar; et their church. While that is most | likely true, unfortunately, no one expects trouble to target them and prayerful preparation is critical. We do not need to overreact: many churches think that their quasi-plan will suffice because they only have small opportunities for disasters. However, having a part-time security guard or people getting up walking around checking for possible trouble from time to time is not a plan. We do not have the money for security: it is sad that many of our local institutions make decisions solely based on income. physical plant and church operation is essential to a strong security plan. Take a moment to review these addi- tional questions: 4 Is their adequate lighting inside and outside? 4 How many doors do you have? # Where are the doors? 4 Do the doors have panic-bars so that anyone can get out, but restricts who enters? “Are there adequate emergency controls? | # Are there exit signs, alarm systems, des- It is a false belief that a solid, secure plan — church does not have a large budget. Many of the conditions that require plan- | can’t be initiated simply because the | ning only require thought and | cooperation. A plan is not an overreaction but an action, and in every institution where | violence has occurred, the congregation | never thought that they would be victim- ized. Talking about a security plan is not an invitation for an attack; it is a plan that if there is ever an attack, the church is reasonably ready. Evaluation of the physical plant and | administrative process Knowin f ignated security code holders and persons designated to make emergency calls? # Who is (and when are they) designated to call the police? # Who is designated as the building contact person and do they have all of the keys needed in an emergency situation? # Is the parking lot protected? | 4 Are there environmental blockages - areas that are compromised such as roof damage and broken windows? # Who provides security during service, meeting and rehearsal times? # Is there a monitored alarm system and how does it work in a case where there is a need to call for assistance in an You need to address these issues no matter whether you have implemented a full security plan or not. Initiating the plan The church must identify a team that will represent the congregation in plan- ning, preparing, responding and imple- menting the security plan. The team must carefully identify the required framework of the plan, and all who will be involved in its implementation, the person(s) who will train the church membership to imple- ment the plan should the need arise and all of the additional needed resources. The church leadership should complete these initial steps before contacting a professional to assist them in finalizing the written security plan. Follow these next steps to assist in finalizing the security plan. Have a conversation with profession- als who can help you shape the final the plan. The suggested security professionals include, but are not limited to, persons in your congregation such as law enforce- ment officers, TSA agents, security personnel, health practitioners and emer- gency services personnel. These persons can help the church complete a workable plan. ...continued on p11 ===== DSC04327.JPG ===== From The Duty p10 Have a conversation with the Board of Trustees and the Board of Stewards to get their input and concerns. Develop a security team that represents the various stake- holders in the church membership. Teach all members to be alert and not judgmental. There is a fine line between observation and a rush to call the police. A decision must be made if this person needs immediate ministerial help rather than removal. Have specific written protocols for when someone should call the police. Decide who will lock and unlock the doors, protect the parking lot and other environmental property, and greet worshippers. Determine where the security team, both men and women, will stand so that they will not disrupt the atmosphere or diminish the spirit of worship, how to handle the stewardship period, who will guard the process and where the counting of offerings will occur, etc. Determine who will protect the vulnerable population including the children, youth, elderly and differently-abled and who will protect the pastor and the pastor’s family. Set an annual date for the implementation of the plan and a review of the church building by the Board of Trustees. Be sure to get the plan approved by the church and all of its stakeholders. It is my hope that we will be good stewards in all that we do for our trust is in God. We will not trust in chariots or horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God (Psalm 20:7). Teaching our members to be discerning, prayerful, loving and spiritually responsible will greatly strengthen our “duty to watch.” *The Rev. Anne Henning Byfield is the Presiding Elder of the North District Indiana Annual Conference. 12™ DISTRICT-BISHOP GREEN | ~ CONSECRATED 97 YEAR OLD AS DEACONESS By the Rev. Thurston B. Lamb* The Annual Conference Ordination Service at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Hope, Arkansas on September 26, 2015 was no ordinary worship service. Not only was Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green, Sr., the Pre- siding Prelate of the 12th Episcopal District, present, but Bishop Green was given the distinguished honor of conse- crating Sister Annie D. Johnson as a deaconess. Deaconess Johnson, 97 years old, has been a devoted Christian and member of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Hope, Arkansas for over 80 years. She was selected by her Pastor, the Reverend Thurston B. Lamb, and officers of the church. Bishop Green is the 125th elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, 12th Episcopal District, which encompasses Arkansas and Oklahoma. During Bishop Green’s leadership, he has worked tirelessly to equip the saints to live a life pleasing to God and has been inspired to take daring new approach- es, including more open worship and a ministry special- ized for individual needs. *The Rev. Thurston B. Lamb is the former Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Hope, Arkansas. ..From Wilberforce p9 Many in the higher education community and many outside of that community | be and are not worth reviving.” Therefore, we were had already begun writing the epitaph for | determined to provide recognition of Dr. Freeman's most recent accomplishment “against great odds.” “An eminent daughter of Benson, North Carolina, | Wilberforce University. Of course, after Dr. Freeman received the call | she simply went to work doing what she has proven "Dr. Freeman, this one is for you!” Dr. Freeman expertise in. That expertise is the leadership in | was featured in the December 4, 2015 and November and movin institutions that often “experts conclude cannot | toward renaissance | 23 issues in BlackEnterprise.com for her -From Let's p3_ ordination of Jarena Lee. And the Church needs to go further and issue an apology to women in ministry for inequitable pastoral appointments, failure to prepare congregations for women clergy, failure across the board is promoted posthumously because, if he or she had lived, they would have been promoted or awarded a special medal(s). Women were not ordained during Jarena Lee’s lifetime; had they, no doubt, she would have been ordained. to promote women in ministry, but that’s another editorial! The posthumous ordi- nation of Jarena Lee is a no-brainer and does not takemeane Act of Congress” or a vote from the General Conference. Unless I have missed something, there is noth- ing in The AMEC Doctrine and Discipline - 2012 that would pro- . wey hibit the posthumous WM IMINISLY, ge ordination of JarenaLee. ~ I suspect a decision of the Council of Bishops, the President of the Council of Bishops or a “suggestion” of the Senior Bishop could make it happen. It could be done by something as simple as a resolu- tion or a full-fledged ceremony could be held for the posthumous ordination of Jarena Lee. The process does not have to be complicated. There is no need for an annual conference or laying on of hands, no need for an ordina- tion sermon, unless someone would want to give one. There would be no need for an ordi- nation certificate, but it would be nice to have something that could be placed with the other historical docu- ments at Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. A post- humous certifi- cate of ordination from the General Conference would be nice and a generous gesture. The GC Ordination of the Rev. Jarena Lee could be displayed at Mother Bethel and doing so at the 200th anniversary of the denomination might be the appropriate place to do it. A posthumous action is a ceremony of recognition (simply, it’s the fair thing to do, makes people feel good because it’s the right thing to do). “Posthumous” does not require a ‘body / corpse or anyone to stand in for her. Posthumous promotions and awards hap- pen regularly in the military, academia and © in other entities. During combat or after combat, a soldier AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM And the Church needs ... lo go further and issue an apology lo women i ministy for inequitable pas- loral appointments, failure lo prepare congregations for women clergy, failure ACVOSS the board to promote women Women are ordained today and Jarena Lee was a pioneer for women in ministry. We can’t bring her back in this life, but we can “right the wrong” that she experienced. She lived and preached in a time when women were sec- ond-class citizens and could not vote. That was then, this is now! In a posthumous cer- emony, no laying on of hands is necessary. A posthumous ordination of Jarena Lee could be done anywhere and actually, the General Conference would be an appropriate place to conduct the ceremony. The Women In Ministry would be an appro- priate group to participate. Does a posthumous ordination set precedent? Yes and no, but I don’t think so, because Jarena Lee is so unusual and she stands in a class by herself. There were other women who desired to preach, but in her situation, Richard Allen who at first denied permission for her. Let’s not worry about why we can't do it or who gets the credit, LET’S PUT OUR ENERGY INTO DOING [Tr to preach, allowed her to preach and she was a member of Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. Her position at Mother Bethel and her rela- tionship with Richard Allen put her in a unique position. As it relates to precedent, posthumous awards should not be given out frivolously! For exam- ple, we wouldn’t want to posthumously con- secrate bishops or give posthumous recognition to general officers and other clergy. The issue is the posthumous ordination of ig fs _ Jarena Lee - Let’s “cut to the chase” - it’s time and let’s do it! Let’s not worry about why we can’t do it or who gets the credit, let’s put our energy into doing it! accomplishments in saving the accreditation of Wilberforce University. She also received the Citizen of the Year Award from Omega Psi Phi Fraternity in Dayton. Dr. Freeman was one of the first recipients of the Harlem Renaissance Awards as an Outstanding HBCU President. a For additional information, please contact Dr. D.R. Buffinger, Provost of Wilberforce University at drbuff@wilberforce. edu. ===== DSC04328.JPG ===== WICH OR a Mi 3 Jay zc I Pal 4 The Reverend Dr. Stafford J.N. Wicker believes the strength of the church can be found in it’s economic development initiatives. The ministry of Antioch AME Church is a testament of how the reach and scope of the church is further broadened by its ability to grow the church outside of the four walls of the sanctuary to impact lives for positive change. In the year 2000, Antioch purchased 32.5 acres on S. Hairston near Covington Highway, now housing all phases of Antioch Manor Estates, a senior housing development for active seniors consisting of Antioch Manor Estates, Antioch Gardens, and the planned Antioch Summits. Antioch Manor Estates is 120 units completed in 2005 at a development cost of $13,500,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 2, Antioch Gardens is 106 units of villas and garden apartment s completed in 2005 at a development cost of $14,700,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 3 Antioch Summits is planned at 123 units at projection of $15,000,000 with over 500 persons on the waiting list. A total economic development project of $43,200,000. 765 SOUTH HAIRSTON ROAD 1790 2 apeeataet aie STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 7:00AM, 8:30AM, & 11:00AM WORSHIP SERVICES, SUNDAYS 10:00AM WORSHIP SERVICE, SUNDAYS 404.299.3388 404-299-0398-FAX WWW.ANTIOCH—AME.ORG 770-761-0006 NTER ANTIOCH MANOR ESTATES pelle abate rnin ia 4711 BISHOP MING BLVD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA —_ — ‘ NDAY—FRIDAY 770-322-8839 770-322-8234-FAX 404.299.5521 CENTER HOURS—6AM—6PM MOND De oRIvINGICOM
• February 1, 2016
  ===== DSC04305.JPG ===== ES EEE EEE LLL Le eee a ee ae ieee ee ee A ES TS . CHURCH Recon “GOD OUR FATHER = CHRIST OUR REDEEMER = THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER = HUMANKIND OUR FAMILY” THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL ¥ THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG VOLUME 165, NO. 9 FEBRUARY 1, 2016 2016 Richard Allen Forever Stamp Unveiling inthisLSSUC... eeeeeé Editorial: | Am Not Confused, dWOO Ad MANSY O0€ SLS MN LS Hit} Vell 91€¢-10007 0G NOLONIHSVM YS XNVWAARG ‘d WYITHIM dOHSIS MIE GE csc ccccnnsseacqncenceses pe2 paced pe HOLGarill always bee day.oh hemembranog Reflection” in the life of African Methodism. It was BRE ii The AMEC Connectional Day of the day that the Richard Allen Forever Stamp went from | | | Prayer Will Be Wednesday, _ idea to reality. The conception was from the late Bishop LT S07) | Dee eee Dee) Vinton R. Anderson and the tireless follow-through since 8002 was coordinated by Sister Jackie Dupont-Walker of The Social Action Commission of the A.M.E. Church Thanks President Obama for His Bold Stance on Gun ee Getthe “Hook Up” in 2016... ad) How | Wrote Prince Hall Freemasonry in the Lone Sint SSIS 3 ee Ad: Robes of Faith.................. Ad: Terence L. Mays, Sr.: Candidate for Executive Director of Church Growth and Development I oc coeecrcccrvcnnee [D> Meditation Based ___on Matthew 51-12... pb) i The 2016 Candidates’ Guidelines for Submitting News Items The Truth Is the Light............. peo Albany State University Marching Band Headed to Pasadena.............. pee (NEW ORLEANS) - On January 16 and 17, world- famous pianist and vocalist Ellis Hall joined the Louisiana Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert includ- ing well-known favorites by Ray Charles and Stevie Wonder. Soul Revival: The Music of Ray Charles and History Made in Fayetteville - First Black Mayor in City Solicited GOP Votes, Is Seen as “Bridge-Builder’”....... PG AD: Elect Green in 2016: President/Publisher............ pe Ash Wednesday, Palm Sunday, Good Friday, Easter and ECHCCOSL cegteiencccsieieceisn- Dor), More, featuring songs such The Macon North District aS oe On My Me GONE ENCE oc cctresscsseces.. Doo) “I Can’t Stop Loving You, and other favorites by Stevie Wonder, Tower of Power and The California Raisins, took pall Annual Conference Schedules. Rio, Texas (UMC) Bishop Resigns After Admitting place January 16, 7:30 p.m., Wrongdoing -veecsssssseeseeesee Pel/O) and January 17, 2:30 p.m., t the Orpheum Theater. AD: Stafford Wicker Be eee : MIDIS OD erveteccctsesrenens PRUETT WAIN LD, ON RS Pe AME PASTOR WILL LEAD THE BLACK CLERGY OF PHILADELPHIA AND VICINITY By Angelena Spears, Philadelphia Conference Reporter The Church, Philadelphia, has been elected the new President of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and fF The REV. JAY BROADNAX, Pastor of the historic Mt. Pisgah A.M_E. FF Vicinity. The election was held November 19 and F the installation ceremony was held January 31 at Mt. Pisgah. ..continued on p9 pal 2 Information is online at HISTORICAL POINT OF VIEW - A PROUD CHURCH HERITAGE YEAR 2016 ' Allen. “Negro Richard,” as he was called BY RAY CHARLES AND MORE WITH “AMBASSADOR OF SOUL” ELLIS HALL RICHARD ALLEN the Commission on Social Action. The event coincides with Richard Allen’s 256th | Birthday on February 14th and the 200th Anniversary of the A.M.E. Church which | will be celebrated July 2016 fanaLeteneg Ute fot Ugo PU fyege EG eh Church ) 1 |in Philadelphia. LPOmusic.com or by calling a (504) 523-6530. Ellis Hall, accomplished and prolific performer, multi- instrumentalist and vocalist with a five-octave range, is entertainment’s best-kept secret. In a career spanning more than four decades, Hall has solidified a reputation for soul-searing rhythm & blues, and has electrified audiences throughout the world. A master of the guitar, bass, piano, keyboards and drums, Hall has also made a mark as an incredible song- writer, arranger and producer. He is well-known for his work with the magnetic soul -_bontinued on p6 IN TIME FOR THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH. There are two outstanding events that are a direct result of the forward thinking and progressive actions of the founder of our denomination-- Richard WILL RESONATED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD AND | IN AMERICAN HISTORY AS A SIGNIFICANT PERIOD ..continued on p9 : William Bernard and Candace Mention Clark, was selected as a delegate to the prestigious Congress. of Future Science and Technology ee a dees Ss (CFS&TL) pro- gram representing the Prince George’s Community | College Academy of Health Sciences and the state of Maryland. This event will take place in Boston, Massachusetts on June 29, 30 and July 1, 2016. das oe of Feature Pastor’s Conference preheat dcekoes ha, aca Durin » Christian Methodist E Joshua Clark, the son of P STATEMENT ON SOCIAL JUSTICE ISSUES | BY THE CHRISTIAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL | CHURCH (CME) COLLEGE OF BISHOPS Presented at the January 2016 Phillips School of Theology "| The official stamp : ee oa place at the ..continued on 4 “LPOFEAT TIRED MW FVENING OF MUSIC F ~ JOSHUA CLARK SELECTED ASA DELEGATE. T0 THE CONGRESS OF FUTURE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERS PROGRAM Leaders is a highly selective national program honoring aca- demically supe- rior high school | students dedi- cated to careers in science, tech- nology, engineer- ing or math (STEM). The CFS&TL is an academic honors program with strict require- ments, and you must have a minimum 3.5 GPA to attend. Joshua is being recognized because of his outstanding grades, his leadership potential and his desire to contribute to ..continued on p7 THIS NEW YEAR SEASON, The College of Bishops of the copal Church continues to be con- cerned about the various social calamities and tragedies that we hear about in our nation and world daily. We urge the church to continue to use the ...continued on p11 «Sub bel LZxLO00T LIDIO-Seeresesvenseseesesenses ===== DSC04306.JPG ===== ee rrr—C ..rtttt~—~—iS—S THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER &£ [ ~ |thought | was confused when | wrote the previous editorial that was entitled, “1 Am Confused, Is Anyone Else Confused?”, the use of the term “confused” was'sort of “tongue in cheek” because | am not really confused about the reality of the injustice experienced by a large segment of our population in the U.S. | had not intended to deal with law enforcement terrorism this editorial because | wanted to address some pastoral issues, which | love addressing, but the Chicago officials’ release recently of the video of police officers chasing and fatally shooting an African American teenager angered me. The images show Cedrick Chatman, a 17-year-old black youth, running away from the police and being shot in the back. Each time | viewed the video, | got angrier. In November a video showed Laquan McDonald being shot 16 times while he was walking away from the policeman. As in the case of Cedrick Chatman, the Laquan McDonald video was released under a judge’s order after months of resistance from city officials. And to add insult to injury, in these two cases and probably many more cases, the city officials had fought for months to keep the videos private. The Chicago city officials’ rationale for not releasing the images was because they make the decision about how much information the city should reveal when an officer fatally shoots a resi- dent. The police officers involved in the Chatman shooting have not been charged with wrongdoing, and both remain on full-duty status. The officer involved in the Cedrick Chatman shooting is still a free man and if the past is any indication, he will be exonerated. If Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel didn’t know about the cover-up, he should have known. Everyone con- nected with the cover-up should be disciplined. We have been saddened by the news of too many deaths of unarmed African American citizens by white police officers. We recall Sandra Bland, a black woman stopped for a minor traffic violation of switching lanes without using her turn signal, thrown to the ground, arrested and found dead three days later. We read about the University of Cincinnati police officer, Ray Tensing, who shot unarmed Samuel Debose in the head in July 2015. Mr. Dubose did not act aggres- sively or pose a threat to the officer. And to add insult to injury, the police officer lied about being dragged by Mr. Dubose’s car. In Chicago, both young men, Laquan McDonald and Cedrick Chatman, were moving away from the police- men, and it appears in the video that neither posed a threat to law enforcement officers, but in both cases, DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder the law enforcement officials felt threatened and their excuses were supported by their superiors even in the face of videos that showed a different scenario from of the policemen’s version of events. | am angry about white police officers violently act- ing against black males and females for seemingly minor issues; and in the case of Trayvon Martin, killed by a man who wanted to be a cop. Police violence seems to be rampant and out of control. Police violence against black citizens includes Hempstead, Texas; Chicago, Staten Island, Cleveland, Baltimore, North Charleston, South Carolina; Ferguson, Missouri; and other cities and probably a lot of other incidents of which we are unaware | am angry about use of force by law enforcement generally and specifically as it relates to race; and most specifically as it relates to police crimes against blacks It seems to me that “black lives don’t matter.” Black women and children are violated by white policemen who apparently feel threatened by black Americans THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday Schoo! Union, 900 Eighth A\ Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Periodicals postage paid at h The Christian Recorder was established in 1852 | Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nash 37203-4181. Advertising rates are available on request. Subscription | annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers checks p ayable to /h Recorder $36.00 Per Year BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chair of Publications Lommis: DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Publishe DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III, Ihe 20° Caitor Office: 615-714-0986 / chsydnor@bellsouth.net Send Check or Money Order Payable to: The Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers interest. Letters must be exclusive to /he Christian Recorder and must D ne Nashville, TN 37203-4181 500 Eighth Avenue South including the writer's home address and business t¢ lephone numbe libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed; and [he Christian Recorde right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform to good taste requirements. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot pub lish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters intended for publication hould be addressed to Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 512 Eighth Avenue South, Nas 37203-4181 All photograph submissions are the property of / ristian he be returned Postmaster, please send address corrections to SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ‘a : pees batt beat BD sce 1am Not conrusep, 1 AMI ANGRY The Christian Recorder FEBRUARY 1, 2016 Let me get back to Chicago and the videos we have been privy to see. | wonder how many more images are “out there.” | am angry that the Chicago officials, and probably other officials, withheld videos, in other words, “covered-up the evidence.” And, what makes me “more” angrier (eboni- cally, “twice as angry”) is the fact that the videos appear to show the policemen acting grossly inappropriate. | guess, if the officials, after seeing that the policemen acted inappropriately, took some kind of negative action against the offending policemen, like firing them, demot- ing them, giving them letters of reprimand, suspending them “or something,” but to “cover up” the offense; do nothing and issue statements that the offending police- men acted appropriately, without even a “blush of shame,” shows disrespect and contempt for the law and order that they should be protecting. It shows dishonesty and racism (and now | have used the “r” word). If you changed the race of the black men and women who have been killed by white policemen, you could not even imagine that the outcomes would have been the same. \f Sandra Bland, the black woman stopped for a minor traffic violation of switching lanes without using her turn signal, had been white, she would have never been thrown to the ground, arrested and found dead three days later. lf Trayvon Martin had been white, he would have never been confronted by George Zimmerman. {f Laquan McDonald and Cedrick Chatman had been white, they would still be alive. \f an armed group of militiamen who have taken over the federal wildlife refuge in Oregon had been African Americans or Muslims, my gut tells me there would have been a significant law enforcement response that would have resulted in significant deaths. | am angry about inequality of law enforcement and the justice system! It’s time for a change and change needs to happen now! O99 | SUBSCRIBE! to The Christian Recorder Keep yourself informed about your church for Please PRINT. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. ===== DSC04307.JPG ===== THE AMEC CONNECTIONAL DAY OF PRAYER WILL BE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 By Dr. Val Eloby-Slade, Evangelist EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It! The time is quickly approaching when all of God's children will be gathering for the 2016 AMEC Connectional Day of Prayer. The glorious day of prayer and praise will be taking place on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. There are “Save the Date” flyers and note-cards being distributed to all Episcopal districts. Hopefully you have seen them. This year’s Connectional Day of Prayer will be a date that you will not want to miss, so mark your calendars, update your note book, and send out invites on FaceBook, Twitter and feel THE SOCIAL ACTION COMMISSION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH THANKS PRESIDENT OBAMA FOR HIS BOLD STANCE ON GUN VIOLENCE 4 pew you, President Obama. As we sit across this nation listening to you, we have never felt closer to the work that you are engaged in, because we are on this journey together. Your commitment to take action to help make our communities safer by stopping gun violence is a welcomed trek and the African Methodist Episcopal Church is ready to go forward with you. The African Methodist Episcopal Church is no stranger to the impact of gun violence, not the least of which is the most recent massacre at Mother Emanuel A.ME. Church in Charleston, South Carolina where 9 innocent lives were snuffed out and hundreds of thousands of people around the globe still shudder when thinking about that senseless and tragic loss. While we continue to struggle with the “open sore” of free to text the event and date now! The Jubilee Prayer Team 2016 under the lead- ership of Bishop McKinley Young, Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. and the Rev. Dorisalene Hughes have been fasting and praying since last year for the special anointing of the Holy Spirit to in- fuse the 2016 Connectional Day of Prayer events with a magnification of our Lord and Savior Je- sus Christ throughout Episcopal districts 1 - 20. In March, the Jubilee Prayer Team will distrib- ute the “dial-in conference numbers” to all the Get ready! Get ready, and get ready! You will surely be blessed by reserving the date -Wednes- day, April 13, 2016, the African Methodist Episco- pal Church Connectional Day of Prayer, which has been endorsed by the Council of Bishops. If you would like to be a part of the prayer warriors and intercessors team, email your contact informa- tion to Jubileeprayerteam2016@gmail.com. Bishop McKinley Young, Chair The Rev. Dorisalene Hughes, Director Episcopal districts. Submitted by Evg. Dr. Val Eloby-Slader GET THE “HOOK UP" IN 2016 By the Rev. JANICE CASEY* If you Google the word fantasy, you’ll end up with everything from football to amusement parks to fiction writing and beyond. Psychologists will tell you how dangerous it is to live a life based on fantasy. Unbelievably, though, that’s what we do when we live a life without God at the helm. It’s all a fantasy---an illusion, because in Him we live and breathe and have our being. (Acts 17:28) You see, we have no power of our own. Can you start a stopped heart or breathe life into a dead soul? You might answer that people have done it. No, God has done it through people. Is the creation better and more pow- erful than the Creator---never! (Romans 1:25) So as go through 2016, remember that your worth is tied to the source of all life. We are conduits. God is the generator, the life source, the all and all. Hook up! *The Rev. Janice Casey is an itinerant deacon in the 6th Episcopal District, where she works with her husband, Pastor Darrell Casey, at St. James A.M.E. Church, Nicholls, Georgia. HOW | WROTE PRINCE HALL FREEMASONRY IN THE LONE STAR STATE _ Bes Recs UZZEL . “yacism, we can surely craft corrective courses and take away some of the tools that have been and are being used to carry out senseless acts of violence. Keeping guns out the wrong hands through back- ground checks is one of those steps. If an effective background system had been in place, the Mother Emanuel shooter very likely would not have been issued a gun. As you noted, we are no stranger to check-points; so background checks would serve that purpose for those who want to “bear arms.” As we reflect on the value of further screening and the accounts of family and friends of the racial hatred that characterized the Emanuel shooter’s vocabulary, an effective mental health system may have provided some preventive care or early intervention. When a person with a troubled mind who believes that (s)he has a mandate to destroy people can easily and legally purchase or obtain guns to destroy that race, gender or group, it seems that, by omission, we are issuing a permit to kill. Early intervention and diagnosis can help break the cycle of killing by gun power. All of us must become engaged to create and maintain safe communities. Acquiring more guns is not the solution nor should we fuel a destructive economy, which creates weapons of human destruction that can be carelessly used to kill innocent people. You have given new and invigorating definition to statesmanship and selfless leadership. Misguided and selfish persons who benefit from the sale of guns must be brought along on this journey and the faith community is obligated to play a role in that conversion effort. The A.M.E. Church pledges to do what it is called to do — speak truth in far and remote places, carry the good news, and incentivize changing of lives and minds. We will also educate the “true” intent of the “right to bear arms,” which has been twisted by those with a motive of greed. Te ie ae Prince Hall Freemasonry is a subject with which I have been fascinated for many years. From the begin- ning of my involvement in the Prince Hall Grand Lodge of Texas in 1981, I thought of one day writing a history of my beloved fraternity. In view of my passion for biographies, I felt that the history of the Grand Lodge could best be written in terms of the lives of the grand masters. I obtained copies of the early Grand Lodge proceedings which provided valuable information on Texas’ first Grand Master, Norris Wright Cuney of Galveston. These documents revealed to me that our second Grand Master was Richard Allen of Houston, not to be confused with Richard Allen of Philadelphia, founder and first Bishop of the A.M.E. Church. I learned that Grand Master Allen was a Baptist layman, but that two of his successors—Abram Grand (our fourth Grand Master) and Josiah Haynes Armstrong (our seventh Grand Master) were ie M. E. pehors During the summer of 1992, I took a seminar in Oral History at Baylor University (where I was then working on my Ph.D. in World Religions). My research project involved recoded inter- views with twelve people, all African Americans aged seventy or above. My focus was on three Worshipful Masters who pre- sided over Prince Hall lodges in Waco during the early 1900s. These three were John Adrian Kirk of Mount Mariah Lodge No. 6, who served as our twelfth Grand Master; William D. Cain of Wyatt Lodge No. 31, who served as Grand Recorder for thirty-three years; and Willis Porter of Union Seal Lodge No. 64. Bros. Kirk and Cain were members of Saint Paul A.M.E. Church in Waco. By the year 2000, I had com- pleted papers on all twenty grand masters who had served since 1875. I revised and com- piled these articles as twenty chapters of a book, along with Acknowledgments, Dedication, AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM | Prologue, ioduedon. Epilogue, Bibliography and Vita. I then submitted my manuscript to the well-known publisher of Texas history, Eakin Press. In October 2000, I was elated to receive a letter from founder Ed Eakin, announcing plans to publish my book in 2001. As it turned out, I would achieve my goal but not as quickly as I had hoped. For the next three years, publication would be delayed by Grand Lodge politics. On September 21, 2003, Wilbert M. Curtis was installed as the 21st Grand Master of the Prince Hall Masons in Texas. On November 22, 2003, at the Mid-Winter Session of the Grand Lodge in Fort Worth, the Board of Directors and the Grand Lodge as a whole approved the publication of my book. By the end of the year, I had updated my manu- script and added a new chapter on Curtis, who sent a fax to Eakin Press, requesting that they proceed ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04308.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FEBRUARY 1, 2016 scone Peri * Dr. fn Allen Lewis - Treasurer / Presentation of Gallas for t! an coon ” os : ME Church Finance Office Mayor of Philadelphia, The Honorable Jim Kenney offering greetings and welcome THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG ===== DSC04309.JPG ===== REBRUARY 1, 2016 Richard Lawrence - 8th generation direct descendant of Richard Allen offering greetings. - A <a report: & our cllé Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Sr. Presiding Elder, East Tennessee 13th Episcopal District DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM tmayes511é6@aol.com EXECUTIVE race 7 z CHURCH SENT eS : AND DEVELOPMENT 26 % ia A TU fy Re ~ ae, 4 URA w. Ty AF 4 at ; _ OFFICIAL DESIGNER FOR A.NLE. CLERGY ROBES, APPAREL AND aS Serving the Needs of the Church, Clergy and Laity. : Satisfied clients include WMS, YPD, LAY, SOA, me ee and more! Sa ae ===== DSC04310.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER MEDITATION BASED ON MATTHEW 5:1-12 By the Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby* I'm writing this meditation after listening to President Barack Obama announce mea- sured but significant Executive Action steps he'll take to help stem the rising tide of gun violence in America in the absence of mean- ingful Congressional action. His words were eloquent, powerful, resolute and moving - and were immediately and unilaterally criticized and rejected by fearful and insecure people who care more about guns than about God. Some of that criticism came even before he announced his course of action. That was no surprise to me, because President Obama, has been criticized and attacked by enemies of progress almost from the day of his election, but I admire and appreciate his committed Christian spirit. President Obama epitomizes not only Christian action, but posi- tive action by principled people of good will, regardless of their faith. He’s always chosen to do the right thing - even in the face of criti cism and ridicule. His example should be instructive to all of us in a world where it’s tempting to choose the easy and least controversial path - to “go along to get along.” Too many good people never realize their potential and never make a difference in life because we seek to please those around us. We often hold our peace and hesitate to share or act on our thoughts out of fear of the personal cost in terms of prestige, acceptance and positive regard. We’d do well to remember that the Jesus whose birth we just celebrated was, in the words of the Prophet Isaiah, “...despised and rejected, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief.” Jesus faced ridicule and rejection - and eventual death - for doing the right thing, but he stood for principle to better the lives of others anyway. THE 2016 CANDIDATES’ GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING NEWS ITEMS TO TCR TCR will publish news received from the 2016 candidates for election | to be purchased for publication in the “print edition of ‘The Christian Recorder.” | at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. If | Candidates’ news items should be submitted in accordance with “The Guidelines | FEBRUARY 1, 2016 Make a personal commit- ment to take a principled stand in 2016 - to do what’s right and not what’s expedi- ent, even if it “ruffles the feathers” of those who reject progress and even if you're ridiculed and criti- cized. You'll have the spiritual satisfaction of knowing that you made a difference in the lives of others and gain a better understanding of why a hymn of my faith tradition says, *...be not dismayed when men don’t believe you, he’ll understand and say, ‘Well done.” Get ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship! *The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. | the phrase or any semblance of the phrase, “Candidate for election/reelection...is | for Submitting Articles to The Christian Recorder.” All submissions will be in | | present, the article becomes an advertisement. Advertisements are still available | Word format or imbedded (pasted) in an em ail message. ...From LPO Featured p1 sensations Tower of Power, where he was lead singer and keyboardist in the mid- 1980s. He has also performed with a multitude of musical icons, including Stevie Wonder, Patti LaBelle, George Benson, Herbie Hancock, Earth Wind & Fire, Natalie Cole, George Duke, Bobby Womack, Billy Preston, James Taylor, Kenny G, Sheila E, John Mayer and his musical mentor Ray Charles. Diagnosed with glaucoma as a child, in a time when there were no treatment options available, Hall and his family were informed by doctors that he would ultimately lose his sight. For many years he maintained good vision in one of his eyes, and was blessed to enjoy the sense in many ways. Unfortunately, he lost this ability after a devastating wrestling accident at the age of 18. By then, however, he had already begun attending the Perkins School for the Blind in Boston, Massachusetts, and found himself determined to suc- ceed beyond his limitation. Hall’s passion for music has also led him to share his powerful vocals throughout the years on many types of projects. He was a lead voice in the animated blues/soul band “The California Raisins,” and the whimsical “Beetlejuice” for a Universal Studios show. A versatile talent, Hall is a star of numerous film soundtracks, including “The Lion King 2,” “Chicken Run,” “Shrek 2,” “A Bug’s Life,” “Bruce Almighty,” “Beneath the Darkness” and “Invincible.” He has even THE TRUTH IS THE LIGHT By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* had acting roles in the box office hits “Big Momma’s House” and “Catch Me If You Can.” He also served as advisor to Jamie Foxx on the set of the movie “Ray.” For more information, contact Sean Snyder, Director of Marketing and Communications, at (504) 523-6530, ext. 201 or email sean.snyder@|pomusic.com. For interviews contact Ellis Hall’s publicist Diane Larche’ at (404) 273-3227 or email diane@larchecommunica- tions.com Soul Revival: The Music of Ray Charles and More Saturday, January 16, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, January 17, 2:30 p.m. Orpheum Theater O00 BIBLICAL TEXT: “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” — JOHN 2:11 KJV Our text is from the Gospel account of the first miracle performed by Jesus Christ. The manifestation of this miracle set in motion the earthly ministry of our Lord. Jesus came to earth on a definite, pre-ordained mission. To accomplish his purpose, it was necessary that men recog- nize him and respond to him as the Son of God. Jesus was a patient, gifted teacher with the ability to intertwine the mundane activities of daily living with heaven’s most valuable lessons. His parabolic style of teaching confounded the scholars while reaching out to the hearts of the common man. And by the use of miracles, Jesus publicly revealed himself to be the Son of God. We need to understand that Jesus’ miracles were never selfish. In fact, his miracles were always executed for the benefit of someone in need and brought forth an essential revelation. The first of seven miracles recorded by John is where Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. John was a true evangelist and this account of the wedding event in his New Testament Gospel, written from an evangelistic viewpoint, is an attempt to win new converts to Jesus. We can conclude that this wed- | Jesus acted both unexpectedly and ding in Cana was a large one, or generously when he came to the certainly larger than anticipated, aid of the new bride and groom, because the wine soon ran out. | filling their pots with new wine. However, there is an even greater significance of this wedding gift. With his simple command to “fill the pots,” Jesus reveals his super- natural power over nature. After all, “all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” Jesus exer- cised his divinity and certified his blessing with this wedding gift. But that’s not all. With the command to “fill the pots,” Jesus reveals his ability to make the last better than the first. The wine he creates is better than the wine served by the hostess. At the Cana wedding, Jesus begins his ministry with the cre- ation of new wine. And the Bible shows us that three years later, at the Feast of the Passover, Jesus closed out his earthly ministry with the Last Supper wine as a testament of his blood, which was shed for the remission of sin. Jesus is inviting us today to come to his feast! The table is set and the invitations have gone out. No gift is necessary; the greatest gift has already been given. We are invited to come and fill our vessels with his new wine. This new wine Jesus offers us will set us free from our agonies and afflictions; free from our burdens and battles; free from our conflicts and crisis. We are invited to come and fill our vessels with Jesus’ new wine that will free us from discourage- ment and danger, heaviness and hardships, pressures and problems, trials and tribulations! Jesus is inviting us today to come to his feast! The table is set. All things are ready. We just have to come to the feast! QO piece *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.ME. Church in Charleston, SC. ===== DSC04311.JPG ===== ALBANY STATE UNIVERSITY MARCHING BAND HEADED TO PASADENA ALBANY, Ga. -- Albany State Uni- versity has exceeded its goal to raise $270,000 for the “Rams in the Roses and Beyond” campaign. The campaign raised $332,775; thanks to supporters, the Albany State Uni- versity Marching Band will head to the 2016 Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena, Calif. The re- maining funds will be used to sup- port need-based scholarships. “This is an outstanding accom- plishment for the university and the hundreds of supporters who do- nated, not only funds, but time and effort to help us send this talented group of scholar musicians to Pasa- dena,” said Chanta Haywood, vice president of Institutional Advance- ment and Executive Director of the ASU Foundation. The ASU Marching Band is the only Georgia band, the only university band from the southeastern United States, and the only historically black university band in the nation to partic- ipate in the event that serves as a pre- lude to the nation’s oldest bowl game. “We really can’t thank everyone enough who donated to help us get to Pasadena’, said Band Director Michael Decuir. “All of the alumni, students, and supporters in Albany and around the nation, on behalf of the band, I want to let you know that we couldn’t have done this without you. We’re ready to show the world what it means to be a Golden Ram.” Funds raised are being used for travel and expenses associated with sending the band to California. Band members will leave for the Golden State on Dec. 28 for a week- long stay that includes band per- formances, television interviews, community service projects, and visits to top California tourist at- tractions such as the Grammy Mu- HISTORY MADE IN FAYETTEVILLE - FIRST BLACK MAYOR IN CITY SOLICITED GOP VOTES, IS SEEN AS “BRIDGE-BUILDER” By Tammy Joyner ees ED JOHNSON was elected as the city’s first black councilman in 2011 and recently was elected as the city’s first African American mayor. Steve Schaefer / Contributed The Edward James Johnson File Age: 60 Native of: New Orleans Residence: Fayetteville, GA Political history: Elected to Fayetteville City Council, 2011. Currently, Fayetteville mayor-elect. Work history: Retired in 2000 as a naval commander after 22 years in the Navy. Currently, Pastor of Flat Rock A.M.E. Church in Fayette County, the oldest African American church in the county. Community activities: Has served three times as President of the Fayette County branch of the NAACP since its founding in 1997. Family: Married to retired naval officer Vanessa Johnson for 36 years. The couple has two sons, Edwin and Devan, both graduates of Fayette County High School. Edwin is a graduate of Georgia Tech and Devan is a graduate of Georgia State University. Hobbies: Fishing and golf. As Fayette County continues to spar over the question of preserving at-large voting or embracing district voting, voters in the county seat of this Republican stronghold elected a con- sensus-building Democrat recently as the county’s first black mayor. Ed Johnson, a retired naval com- mander and Pastor of Fayette’s oldest black church, unseated incumbent mayor Greg Clifton in an at-large, nonpartisan race that drew only 11 percent of Fayetteville’s 12,000 registered voters. Johnson got 673, or 54 percent, of the votes. Clifton drew 582, or 42 percent, of the votes. About a third of Fayetteville’s 16,000 residents are African American. It is the second time the 60-year-old Johnson has made history in a part of the county where streets are named after Confederate generals. In 2011, the three- term President of the local NAACP was elected Fayetteville’s first black City Council member with the help of a coalition of political groups that included the local Tea Party. “He’s a person who can attract support seum and Museum of Tolerance. “These students will have cul- tural and educational experiences and memories that will last them a lifetime,’ said ASU President Ar- thur Dunning, who contributed to the fundraising campaign with his wife Karen Baynes-Dunning. The Dunnings also matched donated gifts in the month of October, dol- lar for dollar, for up to $25,000. “For many of our students, this will be their first time in California and we want to provide them with enrich- ing experiences that will benefit them, academically and culturally.” Student buses will depart from Re- ese Hall at Albany State University promptly at 6 a.m. and the Walmart Supercenter at 6020 Harrison Road in Macon, Ga., at 7 a.m. Community members and supporters are in- vited to attend the send-off. Event participants will depart from Harts- from those who historically differ from African American views,” said Fayette NAACP President John E. Jones. “He’s a bridge-builder.” During his run for mayor, Johnson attended the Fayette County Republican monthly breakfast and solicited votes for his candidacy. “T cannot ever recall that happening before in my two decades of residing in Fayette County,” County Commissioner Steve Brown said. At that time of his election to the City Council, Johnson was only the second black candidate to win any kind of politi- cal office in Fayette. (Chief Magistrate Judge Charles “Chuck” Floyd holds the distinction of being the first. Floyd was first appointed to the job in 2002 and later elected to the post in 2004 and again in 2008. He died in 2010.) In the bigger political picture, Johnson’s win could “bolster the argument that African Americans can get elected in the county under an at-large system,” said Charles Bullock, Richard Russell Professor of Political Science at the University of Georgia. “For the defense it’s something they could point to,” added Bullock, author of the 2009 book, “The Triumph of Voting Rights in the South.” At the same time, Bullock said “the other side would come back and say ‘So this African American wins in Fayetteville field-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and arrive in Los Angeles International Airport. Soon after the band returns from Pasadena, Calif., Albany State will officially launch the second phase of its fundraising campaign, which includes the Tom Joyner Foundation School of the Month. As the School of the Month, the TJF will promote raising funds for the university and highlight its programs for the entire year, although ASU will be featured daily during its designated month of November. “The TJF designation allows us to expand our fundraising to the millions of listeners and website visitors of Mr. Joyner’s show. We can’t put a price tag on this level of exposure. The fact that very single dollar given to ASU via Mr. Joyner’s Foundation flows directly back to the university shows his com- mitment to the success ...continued on p11 but that’s not the entire county.’ So it’s not as strong an argument for the defense because it’s not a probate judge or some officer who’s running countywide.” Either way, advocates and opponents of at-large voting hailed Johnson’s win. “He’s won twice now in a small Southern town with a white majority population,” said Bob Ross, co-founder of the Fayette County Issues Tea Party and an advocate of at-large voting. “They looked first at the person to see what kind of person he is. He certainly gets a check in the box for being a good citizen. He’s community-minded and selfless with his service. He’s got the ability to listen to different sides of an issue and he tries to build consensus,” Ross said. “People appreciate that and they say “That’s the kind of person I’d like to be running my city.’ Clearly, the majority of voters were voting for the right person. They’ ve seen how he performed as a City Council member for four years and they elevated him to mayor,” Ross added. The NAACP’s Jones called Johnson’s win “a testament to the work the NAACP is doing to make our community more inclusive and diverse as far as the people who govern. We look forward to great things from Rey. Johnson. I know he has some great ideas he wants to implement. We’re all concerned about the high rate of vacant commercial properties in Fayetteville. I’m sure he ...continued on p11 From Joshua p1_ the field of science or technology. At the Congress, Joshua will come face-to-face with winners of the Nobel Prize, deans of top universities, world leaders in science, the nation’s most innovative and successful technologists, and award-winning young inventors and scientists. His congratulatory letter, signed by the President of Washington Adventist University, Dr. Weymouth Spencer, stated that, “Joshua’s presence at the Congress would enhance his academic profile and distinguishes him as one of their most promising future leaders in science and technology.” The letter further stated that Joshua would leave better prepared to achieve his dreams and mold himself into the strongest candidate for competitive college admissions. Joshua is a 10th grade student at the Prince George's Community College Academy of Health Sciences in Largo, Maryland. The Academy’s rigorous, innovative four- year program combines high school and college courses through duel enrollment credits. Josh enjoys the rigors of the school’s curriculum. His hobbies include doing research, playing video games, reading and compiling material toward becoming a fiction writer. During his spare time, he enjoys hanging out with his friends and playing with his dog, Max. Josh is also a dedicated member of Ward Memorial A.M.E. Church in Washington, DC, where the Rev. Dr. Michel O. Thomas is Pastor. At Ward, Josh is actively involved in the Young People’s Department (YPD), serves as a worship service acolyte and is a volunteer with the Church’s Share program. Joshua’s future plans include a short-term goal of graduating with all A’s, and increasing his volunteer service. His long-term goal is to acquire a doctoral degree in one of the sciences. He looks forward with great enthusiasm to his latest aca- demic challenge and opportunity as a delegate to the Congress of Future Science and Technology Leaders program in Boston, MA.904 AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM iss & ===== DSC04312.JPG ===== ; [ 7 my 2. 4 e. Vide Ay, seine 4 | MEC Stary Fay Sch fos hi £0 Ont Inting 5 a es EZ, lf 1g 21st Century Publishing —— kk —— MINISTRY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami _— Founder of the Richard Allen Gardens, FL in completing a $6.2 Leadership Academy (First million Worship Center and all-Boys Charter School in the Community Center in 2007 State of Florida in-2007) Purchased 4 acres of land for Grant Purchased 3 acres of land for New Memorial AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Bethel AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Stewardship at every Purchased 5 acres of land for Increased Membership and 4 Gardens, FL - congregation and District “a EL PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER of the AMEC Sunday School Union — ===== DSC04313.JPG ===== ASH WEDNESDAY, PALM SUNDAY, GOOD FRIDAY, EASTER AND PENTECOST Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent in the Western Christian calen- dar. It occurs exactly 46 days before Easter (40 fasting days not counting Sundays). It is a moveable feast that can fall as early as February 4 and as late as March 10. Good Friday is observed on the Friday before Easter Sunday. Christians commemorate the passion, or suffering, and death on the cross of Jesus Christ. Easter is the oldest and most important festival of the Western Christian year, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ (rising from the grave) following his crucifixion on Good Friday. Easter marks the end of the 40 days of Lent. Pentecost, meaning “fiftieth day,” is celebrated 50 days (seven weeks plus one day so it always falls on a Sunday) after Easter Sunday. %* Ash Wednesday - February 10, 2016 * Palm Sunday - March 20, 2016 * Good Friday - March 25, 2016 % Easter Sunday - March 27, 2016 % PentecostSunday - May 15, 2016 Read more: http://www.calendarpedia.com/ THE MACON NORTH DISTRICT CONFERENCE The Macon North District is part of the Sixth Episcopal District under the lead- ership of Bishop Preston and Dr. Wilma Delores Webb Williams. We held our Annual District Conference on November 5-6, 2015. This year’s theme was “Leadership Matters: Laying the Foundation for Successful Church Growth.” The Conference was held at the Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church, Forsyth, Georgia and hosted by the Rev. Selena Clark. The District Conference was opened by our Worship Leader, the Rev. Esther K. Powers, who serves as the Christian Education Director of the Macon Georgia Conference and the Pastor of Mathalama A.M_E. Church in Morrow, Georgia. November is the month where many in our country celebrate the lives and sac- rifices of our veterans. We were honored to have veterans and ‘Soldiers in the Army of the Lord’ through our district conference worship services. Thursday night, army veteran and the District Presiding Elder Benjamin opened the service. From the pulpit where he pastored over 36 years ago, Elder Ridley delivered another amazing and timely message from Luke 23:39-43 - “God Can Save Anyone, Anytime and Anywhere.” He followed up on his lesson Friday morn- ing using the other accounts from Matthew, Mark and Luke. During Friday’s Hour of Power, the Rev. Dr. John Foster shared with us “How to Reach the Masses” from Luke 15:31-32. For further lessons on our conference theme, we had dynamic presentations from gifted speakers. Conference Workshop Highlights: - The Rev. Dr. John Foster of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Georgia “Strategies for Church Growth - 44 Church Growth Principles That Are Real and Work” Necessary Ingredients for Church Growth: Right Preacher, Right Place, Right People, Right Time - Major George Foster of the Forsyth Police Department Safety in Our Church - Home - and Community _ Pastor Arthur Brown of Cleveland Chapel AMEC, McDonough, Georgia Know Your Church We wrapped things up with a fantastic dinner set up to honor the veterans in our district. The YPDers of Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church served during the dinner, We were able to give ninety veterans special recognition with a certificate of appreciation. The Worship Leader was Rev. Ezekiel Powers, a veteran from Mathalama A.M.E. Church. Our speaker on Friday evening was retired Army veteran, the Rev. Dr. Johnny L. Cook of Greater Allen Chapel | continued on pi! From The Social p3 also include the elected leadership in the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives, the African Methodist Episcopal Church also pledges to speak truth to our elected servants and show boldness at the polls. Let’s get going! Our moral outrage and action must be palpable, visible and unstoppable. As Richard Allen said, “The Lord was pleased to strengthen us, and remove all fear from us, and disposed our hearts to be as useful as possible.” With God, and together, we will prevail! AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM From A.M.E. Pastorp1 Prior to the election, the Rev. Broadnax served as the first Vice President of the organization from 2012 to 2015, During the November election, the Rey. Paul J. Thomas, Pastor of A.M.B. Union Church, Philadelphia, was elected to serve as the organization's General Secretary, The 34-year-old organization represents over 100 faith-based organizations. The organization was formed in 1981 when black clergy joined together to organize a demonstration to end a 51-day boycott for the city of Philadelphia School District. Their strategy to block a major intersection in the city proved effective and gave birth to the alliance. Other A.M.E. clergy who have served as president of the organization have included the Rey. O. Urcille Ifill, when he was the Pastor of A.M.E. Union Church, Philadelphia; the Rey. Joseph D, Patterson, when he was the Pastor of Hickman Temple, Philadelphia; the Rey. Vernal E. Simms, Sr., when he was the Pastor of Morris Brown, Philadelphia; and the Rey. Ellis I. Washington, when he was the Pastor of St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia. The Rey. Broadnax said, “I hope to increase the organization’s presence in the community and build on its tradition of advocacy on issues affecting our people such as reform of the criminal justice system, full and fair funding for public education, and economic justice.” The Rev. Broadnax, who is originally from the Boston area, has been the Pastor of Mt. Pisgah since 2005. The church is the oldest A.M.E. church in West Philadelphia. The granite structure at 41st and Spring Garden streets gained national recognition in the 1980s when it was chosen to depict the fictional First Community Church for NBC’s popular AMEN television show, which starred Sherman Hemsley and Clifton: Davis. ; ae The Rev. Broadnax also serves as the Executive Director of the First Episcopal District Christian Education Department. eet So cen He and his wife, Ingrid, have one daughter, Dara Jianna Broadnax.QQQ ..From From a Historical p1 during his early years as a slave, would rise up to improve himself as a human being and would also better the lives of countless people with whom he would directly or indirectly come in contact. It is because of Richard Allen’s visionary outlook on life in particular and people in general and his standing as one of America’s most active and influential black leaders that he is being honored by the United States Postal Service with a Richard Allen Commemorative Forever Stamp on Tuesday, February 2, with a first-day ceremony at the church he founded, Mother Bethel in Philadelphia. The other event is the celebration of the denomination’s 200 years in its influential existence beginning July 6, at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the A.M.E. Church General Conference in Philadelphia, PA. These two major celebrations are because of the hard work, determined effort, fortitude and leadership of the Right Reverend Richard Allen, the first consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. To God be the glory. As many of you know, Richard Allen was born a slave on February 14, 1760 in Philadelphia and sold into slavery at a plantation in Delaware. The second owner sold his mother and three siblings but kept Richard, his older brother and a sister. Eventually, Richard and his brother purchased their freedom for $2,000 each. Richard changed his name from “Negro Richard” to “Richard Allen.” During his lifetime, Richard had several titles including shoemaker, manager of a successful chimney-sweeping company, journalist, civil rights activist, educator and minister just to name a few. : Allen converted to Methodism at the age of 17. He joined St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church, in Philadelphia where blacks and whites worshipped together. There, he became an assistant minister and conducted prayer meetings for blacks. In 1787, frustrated with the limitations the church placed on him and black parish- ioners, Allen left the church with the intention of creating an independent Methodist church. That same year, along with the Reverend Absalom Jones, Allen helped found the Free African Society, a non-denominational religious mutual-aid society dedicated to helping the black community. More importantly, in 1816 Richard Allen founded the first national black church in the United States, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Richard Allen had a vision of what America could--and should--become: a place where the promise of equality set forth in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution was not simply a shining statement of principles but a living real- ity for all. Allen’s vision has echoed throughout history, influencing activists and thinkers including Frederick Douglass and Martin Luther King, Jr. One of Allen’s last lessons, before his death in 1831 in Philadelphia, was the economic power of boycotting. Civil rights workers successfully used this tactic in the 1960’s. Researched and compiled by William “Bill” Ayers, Historiographer, The Joseph C. McKinney Lay Organization, Ward Memorial A.M.E. Church — Washington, DC, Volume 1 #1 —January 12, 2016 The Social Action Commission of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chairperson Jacquelyn Dupont-Walker, Director/Consultant ===== DSC04314.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM MARCH 1-6, 2016 DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 2, 2016 WMS DAY Delaware Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 8-13, 2016 BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 9, 2016 WMS DAY Bermuda Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 28-APRIL 3, 2016 NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 29, 2016 WMS DAY Atlantic City District, Host APRIL 12-17, 2016 NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 13, 2016 WMS DAY Bethel, Bloomfield, Host APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2016 NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 26, 2016 WMS DAY Bridge Street, Host MAY 10-14, 2016 WESTERN NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 11, 2016 WMS DAY ~~ $t. John, Niagara Falls, Host ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES MAY 16-22, 2016 PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 17, 2016 WMS DAY SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP PRESTON WARREN WILLIAMS II MARCH 1-4, 2016 SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 29, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint Mark A.M.E. Church 700 Lester Street Thomasville, GA 31792 Church Phone: (229) 226-4614 The Rev. Timothy Sands, Host Pastor The Rev. Patrick Brinson, Host P.E. MARCH 8-11, 2016 SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 7, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Live Oak A.M.E. Church 402 Baldwin Street Donaldsonville, GA 39845 Church Phone: (229) 524-2395 The Rev. Millie Rambeau, Host Pastor and Host P.E. MARCH 29-APRIL 1, 2016 GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 28, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint James A.M.E. Church 632 E. Broad Street Savannah, GA 31401 Church Phone: (912) 236-2051 The Reverend J. C. Roberts, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Dan Stevenson, Host P.E. APRIL 26-29, 2016 AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church 7476 Georgia Highway 296 Stapleton, GA 30823 MAY 3-6, 2016 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 2, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church 269 Pursley Street Macon, GA 31201 Church Phone: (478) 745-4646 The Rev. Johnnie Cook, Sr., Host Pastor The Rev. Benjamin Ridley, Host P.E. MAY 17-20, 2016 ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 16, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church 492 North Marietta Parkway NE Marietta, GA 30060 Church Phone: (770) 422-6791 The Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Marcus, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. David Rhone, Host P.E. JUNE 8-10, 2016 PLANNING MEETING Macon Marriott Centreplex 240 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 Site Phone: (478) 621-5300 FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH = FEBRUARY 27, 2016 COTE D'IVOIRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Augustine’s A.M.E. Church, Host Church Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire The Rev. Desus S. Darkoh, Host Pastor MARCH 4-6, 2016 SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bishop Campbell A.M.E. Church, Host Church Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. Joseph P. A. Wilhelm, Host Pastor MARCH 11, 2016 NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Christ Love A.M.E. Church, Host Church lle Ife, Nigeria The Rev. Margaret Fadehan, Host Pastor MARCH 15, 2016 TOGO/BENIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. John A.M.E. Church, Host Church Lome, Togo The Rev. John Afawoubo, Host Pastor MARCH 18-20, 2016 GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Host Church Takoradi (Sekondi), Ghana The Rev. Stephen Ainu, Host Pastor MARCH 23-25, 2016 CENTRAL LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church, Host Church Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. Dr. Katurah Cooper, Host Pastor MARCH 29-31, 2016 LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Mt. Ashton A.M.E. Church, Host Church Cape Palmas, Liberia The Rev. Tar-Kolo Miller, Host Pastor SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT BISHOP JOHN F. WHITE FEBRUARY 10-14, 2016 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE A.M.E. Impacto de Vida Church, Host Church La Romana, Dominican Republic The Rev. Abraham Rodriquez Jones, Host Pastor and Host P.E. Phone: (089) 538-240-6619 FEBRUARY 17-21, 2016 FEBRUARY 1, 2016 St. Peter's A.M.E. Church, Host Church Georgetown, Guyana The Rev. Troy Parris, Host Pastor Phone: (579) 601-0060 The Rev. Andrew C. Morris-Grant, Host P.E. Phone: (592) 646-2726 FEBRUARY 25-28, 2016 WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bethesda A.M.E. Church, Host Church The Rev. Elton Bobb, Host Pastor Phone: (868) 680-9772 The Rev. Jonathan Wayne Anthony, Host P.E. Phone: (868) 750-8062 MARCH 2-6, 2016 VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bethel A.M.E. Church, Host Church St. Croix, Virgin Islands The Rev. Uklyn Hendricks, Host Pastor and Host P.E. Phone: (340) 718-0495 MARCH 8-13, 2016 JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Greater Selby's A.M.E. Church, Host Church Jamaica The Rev. Michael Blake, Host Pastor The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, Host P.E. Phone: (876) 462-5116 APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2016 EUROPEAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE Richard Allen A.M.E. Church, Host Church London, England The Rev. Rudolph Aaron, Host Pastor and Host P.E. Phone: (442) 088905381 MAY 31-JUNE 3, 2016 PLANNING MEETING The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, P.E. The Rev. Clarence Turpin, P.E. Kingston, Jamaica Mother Bethel, Host The Rev. Forrest Dickey, Host Pastor The Rev. Bertram Smith, Host P.E. CONFERENCE GUYANA/SURINAME ANNUAL RIO, TEXAS (UMC) BISHOP RESIGNS AFTER ADMITTING WRONGDOING , By Kathy L. Gilbert ies METHODIST BISHOP JAMES E. DORFF admitted to violating his marriage and ordination vows and has voluntarily resigned as episcopal leader of the Rio Texas Conference, effective Jan. 1, 2016. Dorff resigned after a complaint was filed, Bishop Michael McKee, President of the South Central Jurisdictional College of Bishops, said in announcing the resignation on Dec. 4. Dorff, who also surrendered his creden- tials effective Jan. 1, expressed his regret in a letter to the College of Bishops. “Tt is so difficult to admit and share, but I must inform you that I did not uphold the sacred vows I made to God at my wedding, at my consecration as Bishop, and at my ordination as Elder. I crossed what were the clear expecta- tions of relational boundaries. “For this transgression, I am pro- foundly sorry. I offer my sincerest apologies to all concerned. My actions have caused pain to many, including my family, the person involved, each | of you, members of the annual confer- ence, and the greater church. I am so, ” Dorff wrote. Interim bishop to be named McKee said that an interim bishop will be appointed to serve. Until the interim bishop is appointed, he will provide episcopal oversight. During the South Central Jurisdictional Conference in July 2016, a new Rio Texas bishop will be appointed to a term beginning on September 1, 2016. The conference serves South Texas with nearly 400 churches. “This is a difficult situation for every- one involved, but we are confident that the ongoing ministries of the conference will continue under the capable leader- ship of the experienced, faithful confer- ence staff and laity,” said McKee, who | will work with the leaders of the Rio Texas Conference to ensure a smooth transition. Dorff is resigning eight months before | his planned retirement. Prayers and sadness He was elected Bishop in 2008, after serving as a pastor in the North Texas Conference for 36 years. As episcopal leader, he oversaw the merger of the Southwest Texas and Rio Grande conferences. He also dealt with the controversy that surrounded the clergy candidacy of M. Barclay, who identified as lesbian. The Book of Discipline forbids the ordination of self-avowed practicing homosexuals. Byrd L. Bonner, who co-chaired the unification steering team during the merger, said he was “profoundly sad” to hear the news. “T am praying for Bishop and Mrs. Dorff and all affected. That includes | our new Rio Texas Annual Conference. | Thankfully our new conference is strong and is born of a resilient spirit. It is that spirit that will serve her well in persevering this and any chal- lenges,” said Bonner, who is also President of the United Methodist Church Foundation, “In this season of Advent, we must focus on the future and the promise that God holds for us all, including and especially the Dorffs,” Bonner said. Complaints against bishops are han- dled within that bishop’s regional College of Bishops under the denomi- nation’s law book, the Book of Discipline. Churchwide leadership Beyond his episcopal area, he has provided churchwide leadership through the Connectional Table, which coordinates the mission and ministry of the general church. He has been President of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry and a member of Africa University’s board. He has been a leader in the Global Health Initiative and the World Methodist Council. As a member of the Global Health Initiative Executive Committee, he led the former Southwest Texas Annual Conference in becoming the pilot project for the Imagine No Malaria campaign. The campaign to raise $75 million formally launched with a celebration and free concert event at the state capitol in Austin, Texas, on World Malaria Day, April 25, 2010. “Our entire annual conference embraced the opportunity to lead the way by supporting Imagine No Malaria,” Dorff said at the time. “We are excited to showcase this initiative to the Austin community and to the entire denomination.” ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04315.JPG ===== ..From Rio, Texasp10 The campaign was launched simultane- ously in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Dorff was part of a delegation of United Methodist leaders who were on hand to help distribute anti-malaria bed nets there. Higher education impact A highlight of Dorff’s tenure as President of the United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry included attending the International Association of United Methodist Schools, Colleges and Universities’ 2014 Conference in Hiroshima, Japan, where scholars and students from five continents focused on peace, reconciliation and human rights. During the conference, Dorff emphasized the role that Methodist-related institutions have played for centuries in developing leaders for the church and world. “As we look to develop principled Christian leaders as one of our four areas of focus, it is extremely important that we engage our United Methodist schools, colleges and universities — that we support them, encourage them and challenge them to continue to provide and develop the leaders that we need so much.” In Texas, Dorff also has served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Methodist Mission Home of San Antonio, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas and the Texas Methodist Foundation. He married Barbara Langley Dorff in 1975, and they have two sons and three grandchildren. Gilbert is a multimedia news reporter for United Methodist News Service. Contact her at (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@ umcom.org. Heather Hahn contributed to this story. *Used with permission of the United Methodist News Service. ..From The Macon p9 A.M.E. Church, Macon, Georgia; he spoke to us from Luke 2:4-7 - “No Room for Love.” Overall, the District Conference was an experience with teaching and preaching. We are grateful to God for our Presiding Elder Benjamin and Sister Dorothy Ellis Ridley, Area Consultant, as our leadership team for the Macon North District. ..From Albany State p7 of HBCUs,” Haywood said. “The Rams in the Roses campaign was a testament to what we as a commu- nity are capable of doing for our students and the university. | anticipate an even higher level of enthusiasm and support for this institution through the ‘Tom Joyner Foundation School of the Month designation.’ ” The university also received $47,000 in pledges, which are not included in the fundraising total. Those funds, when received, will support student scholarships. Donors can start donating to ASU through the Tom Joyner Foundation today by going to http://igfn.us/vf/Albanyrams. The Albany State University Marching Band appeared as number 25 of 93 participants in the New Year’s Day, two- hour live special that aired at 8 a.m. PST (11 a.m., EST). Broadcast outlets included: * ABC ¢ Univision ¢ Hallmark Channel ° RFDTV * HGTV * FamilyNet ¢ KTLAS * Rural Radio Channel 147 * NBC SiriusXM Satellite Radio See About ASU ... Albany State University, in Southwest Georgia, has been a catalyst for change in the region from its inception as the Albany Bible and Manual Training Institute to its designation as a university. Founded in 1903 to educate African American youth, the university continues to fulfill its historic mission while also serving the educational needs of an increasingly diverse stu- dent population. For more information see http://www.asurams.edu.SFGAGA. ..From History Made p7 plans to address this.” | While Johnson said “With the changing demographics in | at-large, nonpartisan Fayette, it’s a successful accomplishment,” | races in Fayetteville Jones said. In an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Johnson talked about his win and his goals for Fayetteville. He wants to get more citizens involved in the city’s decision-making process and continue to bring in more businesses. | | “can produce fair and equitable elections,” he stopped short of saying whether it was the best method for selecting county-level candidates. “I don’t know that. I think people vote their conscience. In a small- | city election, they look at the quality of the candidate,” he said. «From How | Wrote p3 with publication, In June 2004, I received the first 100 copies | God for the fact that over twenty years of Prince Hall Freemasonry in the Lone | of research finally bore fruit! Star State: From Cuney to Curtis, 1875- 2003 just in time for the Grand ..From Statement p1 powerful vehicle of prayer as a collective expression of hope and faith that God’s presence will be felt even in the midst of trial, tribulation, injustice, oppression, natural disaster and chaos created by human depravity. We are blessed to be able to make our commit- ments to these issues real and to assist in the relief of persons affected directly and indirectly by them, not only through prayer, but also by provid- ing donations that resource the relief work and ongoing efforts to alleviate social ill and distress. To that end, we want the Church to know that: (1) In response to recent weather events, includ- ing tornados and floods, disaster relief checks have been distributed to the: ¢ 4th Episcopal District, North Mississippi Region $1500 ¢ 8th Episcopal District Churches in Texas -Mims Chapel, North Park, Mt. Pleasant CME Churches $250 each ¢ 9th Episcopal District, Oklahoma Region $1500 ¢ American Red Cross $250 * To be given to the Carolinas’ Region $8000 (2) In covenant and commitment to advocacy for justice and ecumenical collaboration, other contributions and dues payments made include: ¢ Bread for the World $2500 e American Bible Society $2500 ™ © Churches United in Christ $5,500 e Pan-Methodist Commission on Cooperation and Union $4,250 ¢ Urban League $1,000 ¢ National Civil Rights Museum $25,000 (3) Last year, in response to the Ebola Crises, we made donations of $6,000 to the Western West Africa Methodist Collaborative: Plan for Working Together as the Methodist Family to Enhance Human, Economic, Evangelistic and Healthy Living and $6,000 to the 10th Episcopal District. The general funds that the regions of the Church submit on behalf of the local churches enables the Connectional Church to make these expres- sions of care to those in need and to those caring for them. We are grateful for your faithfulness in stewardship and giving to make this possible. (4) We further want the Church to know that we continue to be engaged with cooperative efforts with the other Black Methodist denomi- nations (A.MLE. and A.MLE. Zion), with the Black Lives Matter movement, with the Freedom Sunday Initiative for Voter Empowerment and many other avenues to speak truth to power and to speak on behalf of the least and the lost. Specifically, in response to the ever-increasing number of incidents of police violence against _ member district voting. AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM Fayetteville is currently in District 5, a mostly black district.created in 2013 when US. District Judge Timothy C. Batten ordered the county to establish single- The county appealed and an appeals panel sent the case back to Batten for trial, | which was postponed from its scheduled Communication in Fort Worth. I thank *Dr. R. L. Uzzel is the Pastor of Wayman Chapel A.M.E. Church in Ennis, Texas, unarmed black people and of gun violence in general: We have signed the Conference of National Black Churches’ Statement to the United Nations on Police Violence, condemning recent acts that appear to target black people and other people of color; We stand in support of President Barack Obama’s Executive Order regarding gun control; and We adopt the following policy on guns/weapons on CME Church property: “No weapons or firearms allowed upon the premises of this facility except by authorized personnel as directed by authorized church officials for security purposes.” Local churches are asked to post this notice on all houses of worship and other church-owned facilities that are open to the public, following any local and state ordinances or laws pertaining to the notice and posting regarding weapons. (5) In keeping with our theme: “The Investment Factor” and with our historic commitment to education and the schools founded by our CME forefathers and mothers, we are declaring the month of February 2016 as “Love Paine College” month. We ask every local church to take a special offering for the school during the month of February. Offerings should be made payable to the Department of Finance and submitted to your Presiding Bishop by the end of February. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $100,000 for the school this year. In conclusion, we urge every local church and every pastor to be engaged in these kinds of ministries in their own community, town, city, county and state as we recall and bring life to the words of the prophet Amos (5:24) to “let justice roll down like a river and righteousness like a mighty stream.” In the Lord’s Service, The College of Bishops of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church Bishop Lawrence L. Reddick, Senior Bishop Bishop Bobby R. Best, Chair Bishop Teresa E. Snorton, Secretary Bishop Henry M. Williamson Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr. Bishop Kenneth W. Carter Bishop James B. Walker Bishop Sylvester Williams Bishop Godwin Umoette Bishop Marvin Thomas Bishop C. James King Bishop Paul A. G. Stewart, retired Bishop E. Lynn Brown, retired Bishop Ron Cunningham, retired Bishop Othal Lakey, retired Bishop William Graves, retired Bishop Marshall Gilmore, retired Nov. 16 start date. As for which voting system would work best for Fayette County? “T prefer not to answer that,” Johnson said. “It’s still in litigation.” ——_——_ =e SS *Used with permission of The Atlanta Journal Constitution. ===== DSC04316.JPG ===== The Reverend Dr. Stafford J.N. Wicker believes the strength of the church can be found in it’s economic development initiatives. The ministry of Antioch AME Church is a testament of how the reach and scope of the church is further broadened by its ability to grow the church outside of the four walls of the sanctuary to impact lives for positive change. In the year 2000, Antioch purchased 32.5 acres on S. Hairston near Covington Highway, now housing all phases of Antioch Manor Estates, a senior housing development for active seniors consisting of Antioch Manor Estates, Antioch Gardens, and the planned Antioch Summits. Antioch Manor Estates is 120 units completed in 2005 at a development cost of $13,500,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 2, Antioch Gardens is 106 units of villas and garden apartment s completed in 2005 at a development cost of $14,700,000. Presently 100 percent occupied. Phase 3 Antioch Summits is planned at 123 units at projection of $15,000,000 with over 500 persons on the waiting list. A total economic development project of $43,200,000. 765 SOUTH HAIRSTON ROAD 1790 EBENEZER ROAD STONE MOUNTAIN, GA CONYERS, GA 7:00AM, 8:30AM, & 11:00AM WORSHIP SERVICES, SUNDAYS 10:00AM WORSHIP SERVICE, SUNDAYS 404.299.3388 404-299-0398-FAX WWW.ANTIOCH—AME.ORG 770-761-0006 ANTIOCH CHILD CARE CENTER ANTIOCH MANOR ESTATES 4730 ELAM ROAD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 4711 BISHOP MING BLVD; STONE MOUNTAIN, GA 404.299.5521 CENTER HOURS—6AM—6PM, MONDAY—FRIDAY 770-322-8839 770-322-8234-FAX WWW.ANTIOCHMANORLIVING.COM
• January 18, 2016
  ===== DSC04292.JPG ===== THE THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG VOLUME 165, NO. 8 wart Editorial: | Am Confused, ls Anyone Else Confused? «cen DZ The AMEC Connectional Day of Prayer Will Be Wednesday, Pn 2018 ceca Deo) Couples’ Ministry Established at Jones Chapel AMEC ...... D5) Pastor Who Wanted to Be a Nun Elevated as A.M.E. Presiding > Do) Meditation Based on lh = po The 2016 Candidates’ Guidelines for Submitting News Items The Truth Is the Light .......... (D0) Richard Allen, A.M.E. Church Founder, on New Black Heritage Stamp and This Year's Founder's Day...... px Ninety-Six Year Old Life-Long A.M.E. and Trainer of the Tuskegee Airmen Presiding Elder James 0. Williams A NEW COMMITMENT TO SERVE - A FRESH FIRE oh ean is a season of change. Change takes place when something ends and something new begins. In the fall, the leaves change and move to make way for winter. Fall is a season of excitement as we take the les- sons of the past and move to a future of greater service. The Eleventh Episcopal District West Coast Conference Women’s Missionary Society under a new administration led by newly elected President, Laurastine Dunston Lemon, atc 2AGites 2a are eeeen Connectional Lay Organization President's Message pe AD: Elect Green in 2016: President/Publisher........... DSO, The 2° Episcopal District Invites You to the Celebration... [Do2) The Spirit of the Law Versus Preachers encourage church members to walk by faith. Parishioners try to the Letter of the Law......... [o) comply with the request until Peaciial Conference ' the unsanctioned community lt —— RIO) svoups make a request to use Information About the GDC Executive the-facility ‘to furtier/thetr Board Meeting on... palo) agendas. Members have little faith that non-church groups have respectable goals. Not only are they suspicious about the groups’ public mission, they just do not want other people destroying the building and costing members’ unneces- sary money to repair the dam- age. Therefore, to discourage outside groups from making congregations A.M.E. Church Connectional Lay Organization to Host Benefit oe palo A.MLE. Presiding Elder Sworn in Newest Member of Chicago Public Building Commission Board of COoMMISSIONETS. ........-.0000++ AD: Robes of Faith AD: Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Sr., Candidate for Executive Director of Church Growth and . [DUZ Development 2016............. NEW EBOLA DEATH SHOCKS SIERRA LEONE | By Phileas Jusu Phileas Jusu APPREHENSION AND | SA OC. CONFUSION gripped : lthe city of Aejeataea in northern Sierra Le- lone when a 22-year-old resident’s positive ‘Ebola test result was made public nearly ‘three days after she died and was given nor- ‘mal burial, including washing of the corpse. | The news came less than 24 hours after ithe World Health Organization requests, continued on p12 WALKING BY FAITH HAS LIMITS By Dr. Wayman B. Shiver, Jr. appoint building oversight committees and devise strin- gent guidelines governing the use of the facility. In many cases, the guidelines are justified because of the tendency for outsiders to be unreliable and have insuf- ficient funds. Long-time members of churches who can recall the hardships and the trials they had to endure for many years have a vested interest in preserving their cherished place of worship. They often do indeed understand that the church belongs to God; however, they also remember how their facility ..continued on p. THE A.M.E. CHURCH, CHICAGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE 2015 THEME: “THE POWER OF DISCIPLESHIP” was held from Wednesday, October 14 to Sunday, October 18, 2015 at the Pheasant Run Resort in St. Charles, Illinois under the leadership of Bishop John R. Bryant, Presiding Prelate of the 4th Episcopal District and Senior Bishop of the A.M.E. Church, and the Reverend Dr. Cecelia Bryant, WMS ..continued on p3 THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARMCAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH + REGORDER “GOD OUR FATHER = CHRIST OUR REDEEMER = THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER = HUMANKIND OUR FAMILY” JANUARY 18, 2016 is energized and setting the bar hig The Annual Commitment Service was just the beginning. The Worship Leader, Presiding Elder Joyce Moore, “struck the match” and lit the Holy Ghost fire-filled service. The gathering was very reminiscent of the attendance at the Annual Women’s Missionary Society Day at Annual Conference. There was one very important difference - the composi- tion of the participants. President Lemon sought to create and cultivate a spirit of inclusive- ness. She shared, “I invited all the leaders and components of our conference to worship with us in our Annual Commitment Service. I already know the “Best is in the West,’ however; it is my | prayer as we come together as a | conference in true worship and fellowship that our best will become so much better. Therefore, |I welcome with open-arms our | presiding elders, pastors, Lay | Organization members, Sons of |Allen, Debutante Masters |Commission, . continued on p 00€ SLS MN LS HLI} Vell 91€r-L0002 0G NOLONIHSWM YS XNVSAAG ‘d WVITIIM dOHSI& NavepoxfUUf UU lott UUef fC fof fof fog UU PUL eff ef Its Not Worth Thirty Pieces of Silver By the Rev. Darryl R. Williams* l fr SILVER IS THE | AMOUNT FOR CH CHRIST WAS SOLD BY JUDAS ISCARIOT. It is commonly symbolic for the shortsighted things we will do to satisfy our cravings for power and things, even at the expense of something or someone far more precious and noble. : The African American prophetic tradition was born out of the crucible of slavery and oppression, Because of the inhumane treatment of slaves, brave and coura- geous voices saw it necessary to speak truth to power, to rail against the brutalities of a system that dehumanized an entire race of people. So we would be correct to assert that there would be no Black Church if it were not for the prophetic tradition. This tradition stayed robust and strong during the Jim Crow years, bolstered by a theology that said, “Any theology that is not related to the liberation of the poor in a society is not Christ’s message” — Dr. James Cone. veaetrual ered GARRETT-EVANGELICAL ANNOUNCES NEW CENTER FOR MUSIC AND WORSHIP IN THE BLACK CHURCH ARRETT-EVANGELICAL THEOLOGICAL TSEMINARY is pleased to announce the founding of The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience (CMWBCE), a one-of-a- -kind in North America. The mission of the center is to provide training in the sacred music of the Black Church and beyond to musicians and worship leaders for the enrichment of ..continued on p9 “dWOD AG MANSY ON! Far INNN7Z 1IODIO-C...O 1 Oo cc cv wenuuuw*o=* ===== DSC04294.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR Ill The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder am confused about a lot of things, but of course | am not confused about everything. For instance, | am not confused about my faith! | am a Christian and | know why | ama Christian and | believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior! | believe that he arose from the dead. | am not confused about my being a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. | love the A.M.E. Church and | love Methodism. | love and can biblically defend infant baptism and the Open Table Communion, | also love that we have three modes of baptism, sprinkling (aspersion), pouring (affusion) and immersion and | can biblically defend the three modes of water baptism. | love the episcopacy and | am not confused about our process of making pastoral appointments. | love the organization of the A.M.E. Church and | love A.M.E. worship — | love the structure and the emotional- ism of worship. In other words, | love structure, but | love the way many pastors can integrate free worship styles of worship within the A.M.E. worship structure. | love the connectionalism of the A.M.E. Church and the fellowship when A.M.E.s get together at connectional meetings. A.M.E.s get work done, but A.M.E.s also know how to fellowship and enjoy each other. | cannot see myself being anything other than being an A.M.E. because | love the A.M.E. Church and | am not confused about the A.M.E. Church. There are some things we, A.M.E.s need to work on, to include - not being so critical of our Zion and we probably need to cut down on gossip and rumors, but often close friends and family systems seem to be about rumors and gossip. And, we, the members of the A.M.E. Church, are family, and, as | think about it, | would not tolerate non-A.M.E.s criticizing the A.M.E. Church, our bishops or our general officers. Those are some of the things | am not confused about, but for the life of me there are a lot of things that just perplex me and sometimes | wonder if | am the only one who is confused. For instance... How can the armed anti-government activists who took over a federal wildlife refuge in Oregon be treated with such respect and without hardly a word of con- demnation and no retaliation by law enforcement while unarmed young black men and women are “taken to the ground,” shot and killed? The armed militiamen who took over the federal buildings inside a wildlife refuge in Oregon publically stated that they were “willing to kill and be killed if necessary.” | am confused! Am | the only person who wonders what would have happened if a group of African Americans or Muslims had taken over the federal wildlife refuge in Oregon? My gut tells me that there would have been a significant law enforcement response that would have resulted in significant deaths. Of course | am confused by the disparity of treatment given to minorities. Am | the only one who has noticed that the “birthers” are quiet about Canadian-born Ted Cruz, the Texas senator who was born in Calgary, Alberta to an American mother and a Cuban-born father but have been “off the chart vocal” about President Barack Obama, who was born in the United States in Hawaii to an American mother and a Kenyan father? And, am | the only person who is offended because Ted Cruz, a “birther” himself, had the gall to report- edly say several years ago, “Obama’s mother’s citizen- ship is irrelevant since his father wasn’t American and he wasn’t born in America. He can’t be President.” | am confused by Cruz’s thinking and the fact that Cruz was not even born in the United States. He should The Christian Recorder was established in 1852. THE CHRISTLAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. | AM CONFUSED, IS ANYONE ELSE CONFUSED? JANUARY 18, 2016 » 4 have just kept his mouth shut! Has anyone noticed his flip-flop logic? Cruz’s mother was an American citizen living in Canada, but his father wasn’t born in the United States. Not only that, but has anyone noticed, if we follow Cruz’s earlier logic, Cruz, himself, Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum would all be unqualified to run for President of the United States. And even Mitt Romney should not have been allowed to run for President if Cruz’s logic was followed. Has anyone else noticed that the only person whose qualifications for President have been questioned was Mr. Barack Obama? And those qualifications were questioned even after his being elected President of the United States and are still being questioned. Whatever you might think about Donald Trump, at least he is a “consistent birther” in that he exposed Ted Cruz’s birth, which would have been “swept under the rug,” and we would not be having a discussion about Cruz’s birth. The issue of Rubio, Jindal, Santorum and Romney never really surfaced. | am confused as to why the “birthers” were and still are so “hot to trot” on President Obama who was born in the United States, but totally ignored or downplayed the non-U.S. birthplaces of Marco Rubio, Bobby Jindal, Rick Santorum and Mitt Romney. lam even more confused | am confused because | hear Republican politicians speaking negatively about President Barack Obama and how incompetent he is and | hear GOP candidates running on the platform of “getting America back.” My question: Back to what? Is their statement a euphemism for something to which | am not privy? Unless the media is falsely reporting the various economic statistics, it seems to me the United States is in better economic shape under President Obama’s presidency than it was under his predecessor. Yes, | am confused that the Republican candidates and a large segment of the U.S. population are not aware of President Obama’s ..continued on p3 SUBSCRIBE | to The Christian Recorder Keep yourself informed about your church for $36.00 Per Year |] Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates are available on request. Subscription rate- $36.00 per annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers checks payable to The Christian Recorder. ie ADQUAL *5 BURN M ett Fe DANIEL PAYNE | BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chair of Publications Commission DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Publisher | DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III, The 20" Editor Office: 615-714-0986 / chsydnor@bellsouth.net / Fax: 615-658-5552 www.the-christian-recorder.org The Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its. readers on matters of general interest. Letters must be exclusive to The Christian Recorder and must be signed, including the writer's home address and business telephone number. No defamatory, libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed; and The Christian Recorder reserves the right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform to good taste, style, and space |\= 4] requirements. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot pub- lish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be addressed to /he |i Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 512 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN aS Nace 37203-4181. : , All photograph submissions are the property of The Christian Recorder and will not | be returned. Send Check or* Money Order Payable to: The Christian Recorder 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please PRINT. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. Address Postmaster, please send address corrections to SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 City/ State/ Zip Order online at amecpublishinghouse.com ===== DSC04295.JPG ===== THE AMEC CONNECTIONAL DAY OF PRAYER WILL BE WEDNESDAY, APRIL 13, 2016 By Dr. Val Eloby-Slade, Evangelist EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It! The time is quickly approaching when all of God's children will be gathering for the 2016 AMEC Connectional Day of Prayer. The glorious day of prayer and praise will be taking place on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. There are “Save the Date” flyers and note-cards being distributed to all Episcopal districts. Hopefully you have seen them. This year’s Connectional Day of Prayer will be a date that you will not want to miss, so mark your calendars, update your note book, and send out invites on FaceBook, Twitter and feel ..From / Am Confused p2. accomplishments. Anyone who reads newspapers, looks at television news or checks the Internet can see the accomplishments of President Obama. President Obama ended the war in Iraq and began the drawdown of war in Afghanistan, killed Osama bin Laden, turned around U.S. auto industry, repealed “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” which ended 1990s-era restric- tion and allows gays and lesbians to serve openly in the military, toppled Muammar Gaddafi, kicked banks out of the federal student loan program and expanded Pell Grant spending. And if these few examples are not enough, gasoline today is under $2 from a high of $4 and on top of that boosted fuel efficiency standards. The unemployment rate is the lowest since 2007 and is about 5 percent, which when | took Economics 101 in the early sixties was an ideal unemployment rate and it never counted the people who had stopped [a The New York Times reports that “U.S. employers added 292,000 workers in December, an impressive sprint capping off a year of solid job growth” and went on to add, “The nation’s labor market capped off a year of steady growth with an impressive sprint as employers added 292,000 workers to their payrolls in December...The unemployment rate stayed at 5 percent last month.” (The New York Times Breaking News Report, January 8, 2016) President Obama has done so much for America and yet he is being criticized more than any President | can remember, and | am not a “spring chicken.” And, added to all of the things President Obama has done, The Washington Post reported that President Obama has served longer than any President in decades without a scandal, as measured by the appearance of the word “scandal” (or lack thereof) on the front page of The Washington Post. Now, that’s an accomplishment! lam not confused when someone tells me 2 plus 2 equals 4, but when someone tries to argue that 2 plus 2 equals 3, | immediately know that their thinking is bogus. The inequitable treatment of minorities by the legal system and by law enforcement and the biased criti- cism of our President, and the illogical and untruthful statements of many of our politicians about the economy and the state of-the nation tells me that we have bogus politicians who are not open and honest about the state of affairs of our nation; they are only concerned about partisan politics. And, in their think- ing 2 plus 2 never equals 4 because the correct answer does not fit their agenda. Yes, |am confused, but | know that 2 plus 2 equals 4. | also know when the answers do not fit their agendas, they are never concerned about the correct answers. 000 free to text the event and date now! The Jubilee Prayer Team 2016 under the lead- ership of Bishop McKinley Young, Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. and the Rev. Dorisalene Hughes have been fasting and praying since last year for the special anointing of the Holy Spirit to in- fuse the 2016 Connectional Day of Prayer events with a magnification of our Lord and Savior Je- sus Christ throughout Episcopal districts 1 - 20. Get ready! Get ready, and get ready! You will surely be blessed by reserving the date -Wednes- day, April 13, 2016, the African Methodist Episco- pal Church Connectional Day of Prayer, which has been endorsed by the Council of Bishops. If you would like to be a part of the prayer warriors and intercessors team, email your contact informa- tion to Jubileeprayerteam2016@gmail.com. In March, the Jubilee Prayer Team will distrib- ute the “dial-in conference numbers” to all the Episcopal districts. Bishop McKinley Young, Chair | The Rev. Dorisalene Hughes, Director Submitted by Evg. Dr. Val Eloby-Slader ..From Walking p1 was acquired and paid for. Often members endured personal hardships. Some of them sold fish and chicken sandwiches to support rallies for the building fund. In such instances, they refuse to allow their facility to be destroyed by questionable individuals and groups who have limited fiscal resources and often problematic visions for the improvement of the human condition. Older church leaders ask, “Why are we responsible for groups with no tangible resources, including human resources?” They also emphasize the fact that many multimillion dollar church facilities built 20 years ago were not consciously designed to accom- modate community-based activities. Not only that, a high percentage of church congregations never had in mind opening their doors to people outside of their social circles. The church building often represents the core of religion rather than God. As such, it is a symbol of the exclusive society that frowns on diversity in terms of social and economic status. Members choose to maintain their identity even if they discourage those seeking to become saved. Apparently, members keep forgetting that the church is more than the beautiful facility. God’s Church is an accepting spirit that embraces all segments of the community regardless of social, economic and educational levels. Potential members may not look and act like us. Lately, the church hierarchy has been extremely vocal about the lack of growth in membership. However, congregations continue to be resistant to the notion of opening their doors to the vast number of uncharted people who might consider joining their churches if they were enticed by more welcoming attitudes. Snooty attitudes deter growth in membership. Thus.the decision to allow outside groups to conduct activities in church facilities must be-based on building supervision, liability insurance coverage and available staff to oversee usage, not faith. OOO ..From The A.M.E.p1 Supervisor. The Conference theme was “The Power of Discipleship,” Luke 9:1-2. The theme is a reminder of three aspects of the Lord’s power: The Lord is empowered to call the dis- ciples together, empowered to give the disciples power and to send the disciples out to preach. These three aspects of the Lord were on display under the leadership of Bishop Bryant. The Power to Call the Disciples Together Just as the Lord was empowered to call the disciples together (Luke 9:1), Bishop Bryant called the Chicago Annual Conference together to do the Conference work of wor- ship, assigning pastors, reporting on ministry work, committees, etc. As the Conference came together Wednesday, October 14th, 1 was mindful of the fact that we stand in solidarity with the families of the Mother Emanuel Nine shooting vic- tims. The sinful act of killing nine members of our sister Church will not stop the success and advancement of the Church. If anything it has strengthened and made many more determined to follow Jesus Christ. The tragedy has united us more and caused us to be more faithful. The Reverend Thomas Hughes was the Host Presiding Elder in this, AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM the last year as an active bishop of the Right Reverend John R. Bryant. The Conference organization started with the pastors and delegates answering the roll with a Bible verse. Pastor Sylvester Beaman from Bethel AMEC in Wilmington, Delaware greeted the Conference as a candidate for Episcopal service, comparing himself with Richard Allen who at age 56 addressed the yellow fever epidemic. Pastor Beaman stated that, he, at age 56 addressed the HIV issue of his time. Bishop Bryant called for General Officer James Wade to greet the Conference, as well as acknowledging the Rey. Anthony Vinson - MCAM. The Bishop called on Dr. Jimmie Miller to highlight the 4th Episcopal District “Generosity Generation Summit” on Stewardship, which was held on Dec. 7-9, 2015. The Reverend J.C. Brown was the Hour of Power preacher. His sermon text was Romans 12:2; his subject: “A Square Peg in a Round World” and his sermon set the Conference on fire. The Rey. Brown also sang, “Thank You, Lord.” Presiding elders reported on the South, St. Paul-Minneapolis, Milwaukee and North districts. The Bishop called for Dr. James Arthur Rumph from Grant AMEC-Los Angeles, a candidate for Episcopal service to address the Conference. Pastoral reports were then given for the St. Paul-Minneapolis District under the leadership of Presiding Elder Alphonse Reff. The Wednesday Evening Worship Service preacher was the Reverend Sharon Staples. Her sermon text was Acts 9:10-15, her subject; “Go When the Lord Sends You.” The sermon highlighted Ananias’ call to go and put his hand on Saul, even though Ananias was reluctant. The Power to Give As the Lord Jesus gave the dis- ciples power over Satan and to heal the sick, Bishop Bryant empowered the Thursday, October 15 session to start with 8 a.m. Christian Education classes and Conference Institute fol- lowed by the morning business ses- sion that included pastoral reports. The Hour of Power was conducted by the Women In Ministry; the preach- er was the Reverend Margaret Elaine M. Flake. Her sermon text was Daniel 3:1-9. Her subject: “I’m Fireproof.” Her dynamic sermon led the worship- pers to fill the altar in response to her sermon. After lunch, the pastoral reports continued during the afternoon busi- ness session with the North District reporting under the leadership of Presiding Elder ...continued on p11 ===== DSC04296.JPG ===== ee THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER JANUARY 18, 2016 THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG ===== DSC04297.JPG ===== COUPLES’ MINISTRY ESTABLISHED AT JONES CHAPEL AMEC By Wayman B. Shiver, Jr., Ph.D. A new couples’ ministry was instituted by the Rev. Richard Carter who provided the initial instruction on the sanctity of marriage during the month of January in 2016. As the recently appointed Pastor of Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church, he discovered that the rela- tionships within some marriages need rejuvenation and encouragement in order to remain vibrant and loving. Metaphorically, Pastor Carter likened love in marriage to God’s enduring love—limitless, forgiving and expressed continually regardless of circumstances. From the Pastor’s point of view, marriages frequently begin to fail when partners do not forgive and place blame and limits on their expressions of love, especially when they refuse intimacy. Rey. Carter stressed that for the most part, the art of personal communication needs to be revitalized. At each session various aspects of marriage were examined- love, devotion, com- a Beginning with the book of Genesis, the instruction dealt with the influence of com- munication on couples’ ongoing loving relation- ships. Often, over the years, couples sometime fail to nurture love by consistent reminders about their vows as they relate to their personal expressions of devotion ordained by God and consummated in their spoken vows made at the beginning of their marriage. Husbands, in particular, often, take for granted the beauty of their brides and the forgiving nature of true love without boundar- ies. Thus, respect and openness suffers without consistent confirmation of understanding and devotion. A central tenant of the instruction related to the concept of forgiveness. Often transgressions and misunderstandings occur in a variety of ways. The resolution of these PASTOR WHO WANTED TO BE A NUN ELEVATED AS A.M.E. PRESIDING munication, trust, forgiveness and expression of intimacy. issues results from forgiveness which is a divine trait that couples need to practice as loving human beings. God is a loving and forgiving entity; therefore, to be in harmony with God, couples need to possess a forgiving spirit continually. During the January 24, 2016 Sunday morn- ing service, eight Jones Chapel couples chose to publicly renew their vows. Years of marriage ranged from one to forty-three. Most of these couples attended Sunday school during the month of January when various elements of marriage were examined. Prominent among these elements were love, communication, trust, respect and commitment. The title of Rev. Carter's recommitment message was, “A Valley of Trouble for a Door of Hope.” In this message, Rev. Carter refer- enced the book of Hosea. The messenger vividly pointed out a number of pitfalls, obsta- cles, temptations, insolvencies and other chal- lenges that cause marriages to go bad unless addressed appropriately. He urged the couples to put God first, to stay focused on their per- sonal relationships and to be led by their belief and faith in God. Additionally, the Pastor emphasized communication with each other and with God. Pastor underscored the fact that Jesus is indeed the door to salvation. After a lively presentation of the recommit- ted couples to the congregation, the stewards hosted a beautiful reception in the lower level of the church replete with wedding cakes and punch. Ina light moment a steward was over- heard to comment that apparently the water had been transformed into a tasty drink resem- at the magnitude of the wedding decorations. The lower level was transformed into a beauti- ful reception hall that could have been used for a couple’s first time wedding. The Pastor was complimented for conducting a fine ceremony. The following couples renewed their vows during this special service: The Rev. and Mrs. Richard Carter, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Brewster, the Rev. and Mrs. Steven Walker, Mr. and Mrs. Mikal Leonard, Mr. and Mrs. Derrick Burney, Mr. and Mrs. Johnathan Dickson, Mr. and Mr. Larry Hampton and Mr. and Mrs. James Ray. QoQ ELDER By the Rev. Salatheia BRYANT-HONORS When pastor John R. Bryant. She traded life in a convent for pastoral ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and this past November at the Tenth District’s Planning the Reverend Brenda Payne was a high school student fj she announced to her parents that she was interested in becoming a nun, but, the trajectory of her spiritual journey changed drastically when this former Episcopalian girl eventually joined St. Paul }f A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts under the leadership of then |f again.” up the stairs. I had to kneel down again and sur- |} render my life to God || 1% With that appointment from Bishop McKenzie, Pastor Payne became Presiding Elder Payne. The dis- trict celebrated her appointment has nearly 2,300 members and has a combined yearly income of more than $2.9 million. “When people call me Elder I just break out into a laugh. I’m like Sarai,” she said. Elder Payne’s pastoral experience includes: Founding Clear Lake A.M.E. Church, Reedy Chapel in Galveston, Payne Meeting, Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie named her the Presiding Elder of the South Houston District. She follows former South Houston District Elder Johnny E. Jennings who retired after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75. “I loved church,” Elder Brenda Payne said recently, recalling her early interest in joining a convent as a student in the eleventh grade. “I knew God wanted me to do something. I had dedicated my life to God. I was very serious.” “When Bishop (McKenzie) called my | will for my life. I had made myself available name (for the appointment) and I started | to whatever God wanted me to do, even up the steps, I really was seeking God’s | though I wanted to say no. | couldn't go AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM with thunderous applause. Elder Payne was greeted by numerous well- wishers following the service. Payne, 64, became one of the eight presiding elders in the Tenth District. The South Houston District is made up of 24 churches — nine in the Houston area, two in Galveston and 13 around greater Houston. The district Chapel in Houston and most recently South Wesley. She came to Houston in 1989 when her husband’s job relocated him here. She recalled arriving in Houston on a Monday and the Texas Annual Conference started that Wednesday at Payne, a church she would later serve as pastor. Payne answered her call sereanel ve ===== DSC04298.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER JANUARY 18, 2016 MEDITATION BASED ON PSALM 61 ey me Rov. Dr. Joseph A. Darby* 1 mM writing this meditation a few days after a “residential nightmare.” Just before bedtime recently, I heard the sound of the master bathroom shower running - even though no one was taking a shower. A minute or so later, the wall behind the shower split in three places and water came gushing through - mostly into the bathtub, thankfully! Our usual “handyman” was kind enough to get out of bed, come over, turn off the water to the house and install a temporary shut-off valve the next morning when the hardware store opened - leaving us without water for only one interest- ing and innovative night. When he then inspected the split in the water pipe behind the wall, he called a contractor, who checked it out and then called a master plumber, who did a fairly complex job of replacing the entire pipe the next day before the contractor repaired the wall. wise enough to realize that the problem was complex and both of them said essentially the same thing - “Rather than mess with this, we need to call someone with experience who knows what he’s doing.” Beyond the obvious reminder of how we take little things - like running water - for granted, the words of both our handyman and the con- tractor spoke to a “life lesson” that goes beyond a water leak. The best of us sometimes run into situations - great and small - that are beyond our ability to handle them. When we do try to handle them on our own, we sometimes make those situations worse and end up frustrated, panicked and confused about what to do or where to turn. That’s why it’s good to have a relationship to the God who created this world, created us, knows | what we need and can handle life’s tough and | or our power to fix. When we know the Lord, we can, in the words of our handyman and contractor, “call on someone who knows what he’s doing” - someone who can fix our broken and troubled situa- tions and bless us beyond measure. Don’t try to handle life’s complicated situations on your own. Trust in and turn them over to the God of our salvation - the God who has answers and solutions where life only offers problems and obstacles - the God who led my ancestors in the faith to say, “Whenever you pray let him have his way, Jesus will fix it for you.” Get ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship! “The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Both our handyman and the contractor were challenging situations that are beyond our control THE 2016 CANDIDATES’ GUIDELINES will publish news received from the 2016 candidates for election FOR SUBMITTING NEWS ITEMS To TCR | to be purchased for publication in the “print edition of ‘The Christian Recorder.” Se venth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. FER | there is the phrase or any semblance of the phrase, “Candidate for election/reelec- | tion...,” the article becomes an advertisement. Advertisements are still available | Word format or imbedded (pasted) in an email message. THE TRUTH ISTHE LIGHT By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* BIBLICAL TEXT: “But | would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.” — 1 THESSALONIANS 4:13 KJV -T : has gone by so 1 mM e rapidly this year that we now find ourselves moving quickly towards the month when we as a people reflect upon our accomplishments, celebrate our successes, mourn our losses and as a proud people render an account for just how far we have come recognizing just how far we have yet to go. “Black History Month” is a time when we are both thankful for what God has allowed us to accomplish and sorrowful for the tragedies that have befallen us. Over the course of the month we will celebrate the heroes of our past. We will highlight the lives and accomplishments of the greats like Richard Allen, Harriett Tubman, Booker T. Washington, Frederick Douglass, Jackie Robinson, Satchel Paige, Langston Hughes, Thurgood Marshall, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcom X and Congressman James Clyburn. All listed are certainly the names of men and women who have con- tributed to shape our future. There is no doubt that it is due to the sacrifices these and many other African American heroes have made that we have witnessed the advancements and lived the improved life as citizens of this great nation. Many will agree that it was on the backs of many brave African American freedom and equality fighters that Barack Hussein Obama was elected our first African American President. We are a proud people and we are so very thankful for the heroes whose work opened doors and cre- ated opportunities many never thought possible. We will celebrate and reminisce; however, we are also forced to include in our remem- brance the tragedies that have also shaped our lives. We must remem- ber the heroes whose names won't be called as readily but nevertheless sacrificed to create a new aware- ness and new opportunities. The names of the Emanuel Nine are indelibly etched on our mind and in our hearts. We knew them personally. The memories of times spent together, of sharing in mis- sion and ministry are as vivid as if we spoke on yesterday. Yet the thought of how they suffered and the senseless and callous manner in which their lives were taken is a constant reminder for us that there is much work left to do. Clearly, until every heart is filled with the love of God we must stay on the battlefield preaching and teaching, “Love God with all of your heart, all of your mind and all of your soul, and love your neighbor as yourself” until every member of God’s creation yields and is brought into loving submission. We will remember the many others who unfortunately met with an untimely demise at the hands of a heartless perpetrator. We rec- ognize those instances as a time of great sorrow; a time of great tragedy. However, we recognize that we did not face those times as though we had no hope! Rather we exhibited an audacity to hope. We hope for a kinder people, a people with a more loving heart. We hope that we would look beyond the differences and divi- sions and see more clearly what we have in common. Through it all we recognize that the audacity to hope comes through our faith. There are many hurtful occasions in our history that have marked turning points in our lives. From September 11, 2001 until now we have witnessed tragedy that has changed the world as we knew it forever. We have’ found that our confidence has been shattered, our trust has been compromised and our security has been breached. The tragedies that have rocked our lives have rearranged how we look at everything as well as how we do everything. Conversations I have had with others who are working to process our accomplishments in light of our struggles uncover many new realities. One glaring reality is how we have come to react so differ- ently to our emergency notification systems. Think about it, there was a time when the telephone num- bers of “411” were synonymous with gathering information and at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. If | Candidates’ news items should be submitted in accordance with “The Guidelines | for Submitting Articles to The Christian Recorder.” All submissions will be in | the numbers “911” were what we called when trou- 77a ble cropped up. We knew to call “911” in case of an emergency. However, the emergencies we came to expect were things like car accidents, fires, break-ins, fights and worst sometimes, a lost child. Lamentably, we have more recently come to know “911” as marking some of the greatest emer- gencies in the history of our nation. “911” will forever be etched in our minds as a day that America was attacked on her own soil. On June 17, 2015 “911,” the call for emer- gency will forever be etched in our minds as a day when nine of our friends and relatives lost their lives at Bible study. Interestingly, with each tragedy we remember exactly where we were. The fact of the matter is, we remember the absolute terror as well as the absolute fear. In each tragedy we feared the worst and it was indeed worse than we could ever imagine. This begs the question, what did we think about our own immortal- ity? What about our own eternity? I wonder, did we think at that point about our soul salvation? What was on our minds as we thought about the lives lost in each senseless, unexpected tragedy? As we looked around at our own family and friends that had been spared on the awful occasions of national tragedies, I wonder if we considered just how many of us were really saved. ..continued on p11 ===== DSC04299.JPG ===== RICHARD ALLEN, A.M.E CHURCH FOUNDER, ON NEW BLACK HERITAGE STAMP AND THIS YEAR'S FOUNDER'S DAY _ Every A.M_E. should purchase a block of Richard Allen postage stamps. Join Ms. Carol Croskey and St. Paul A.M_E. — Ocala, Florida (the Rev. Patrick J. Sasnett, Pastor) and organize a “Richard Allen Stamp WALK IN.” Take a group to your local post office; buy stamps (for the year, monthly supply to mail your bills, gifts for special people in your life). If your group exhausts the supply, ask your local postmaster to order more. NINETY-SIX YEAR OLD LIFE-LONG A.M.E. AND TRAINER OF THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN SHARES HIS WORST TIME AS A PILOT Roscoe Draper is a life-long A.M.E. who belongs to Bethel A.M.E. Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. He was educated and learned to fly at Hampton Institute, now Hampton University. He was hired and trained the Tuskegee Airmen. Mr. Roscoe Draper is a legend. Here is his story: Thanks, Dave. I think the worst time | ever had in an airplane was blessed with divine providence! I had five other people with me in a Cherokee Six, N 1283Z. I was a part-owner of the airplane, but I have since sold my share of it, but I really love it, even yet! I will tell you of an event that makes me feel this way. | passing up the refueling stop. With I can’t recall the date, but it was many years ago. I was flying with one of my part- ners, and we flew them to an event in Florida. On the return trip, I considered the possibility of saving time by skipping a refueling stop. I calculated the fuel consumption, the _ distance, the groundspeed and the weath- _ er. Everything confirmed the wisdom of saving approximately an hour by Northeast Philadelphia Airport, PNE, our final destination, and a recheck of distance and groundspeed, I rechecked everything | as we passed Wilmington, Delaware. Voila, everything said “go for it!” When we got to PNE there was weather that required an instrument approach, and | when I got down to minimums, I declared a missed approach and “poured on the coal!” Just then I saw the runway number, but my discipline would not permit me to change my mind. I went over to Trenton, and found it below minimums also. Approach Control told me that PHL was | clear and I elected to land there, fuel per- mitting! That was the most terrifying flight of my whole flying career! I thought of the irony of a crash caused by the stupidity of a seasoned pilot who ran out of fuel! I advised Approach of my fuel concerns, and they cleared me to land on runway 17. I landed and taxied in and parked the airplane. The next morning I went back to refuel the airplane, and the 94 gallon tanks took 97 gallons of fuel! I will always lhis year’s Founder’s Day should be one of signifi- cance at every A.M.E. Church! Richard Allen, A.M.E. church founder’s image, is on new Black Heritage stamp. love the airplane because it took me to parking without dying for lack of fuel! In my old age I have come to admit that I have been lucky, not to have exceed- ed the limitations of equipment or person! Also, when I was assigned to the Philly FSDO, I was given the package someone had turned down, having changed his mind as regarded his option. That pack- age included multi-engine refresher flying, | instrument flying refresher and a heli- copter instructor rating, when I was 60 | years old! Some say there is no luck in aviation, but I beg to differ! I haven’t flown an airplane, or driven an automobile, in a few years, but | think I could get by in both areas if I had an oppor- tunity to do so. I have no need to, so lam happy to allow the younger pilots to handle that responsibility for safety. 400 CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE To: The Bishops of the Church, Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux, Sr., ‘Lay Commissioner, General Officers, Connectional Officers, Executive ‘Board, Clergy and Fellow Laypersons: Greetings in the precious and outstand- ing name above all others, Jesus the Christ! ' Momentum is building as eyes and ‘thoughts begin to focus on Philadelphia and the Bicentennial of our denomination, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It speaks of our sacred history and heritage and how Richard Allen, Absalom Jones and others walked out of St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church into an unchartered future. They walked by faith and not by sight into a day filled with promises and opportunities. Two hundred years later we look back and according to that gospel song, “My soul looks back and wonders how I got over.” No one but Jesus could have delivered those freed slaves to be pre- cursors to one of the greatest movements in the history of African Americans in forging this great nation, a movement which has spread to five continents and several islands of the world. Two hundred years of contributing to progress in education, medicine, sports and space exploration are among our ..From Its Not Worth p1 The voices of the prophetic many contributions. We produced the first African American newspaper and a system of governance in the Black Church which is often imitated by others. We have and are making a significant impact on the entertainment field with talent such as Leontine Price, Halle Berry, Byron Cage and the list goes on. Why reflect on the past 200 years? It tells of a journey of a people who have withstood the challenges and atrocities of overcoming and bringing us to this day. At the turn of the century the num- ber of A.M.E.s were over twenty-five percent of the population of African Americans. Today, we face perhaps one of the greatest challenges, the eroding of our excellence in membership, gov- ernance, making judicious decisions and the ‘am I my brothers and sisters keep- ers?” This is being demonstrated in our insensitivity to the cries of our brothers and sisters at the grass roots (local churches), hurting and struggling to be heard as they fight to survive. For many years we have implicitly stated that in order to endure for the next who was beaten at one of his events, “Deserved it.” 200 years more changes will be needed to insure this survival. Like Job, who became caught up in his own righteous- ness and began to see himself equal to God. God reminded Job; I made you and all that is. I love you but I am your cre- ator. Job had to repent and he saw who he was. He sought forgiveness and God forgave and restored to him even more than what he had lost. We must see ourselves as Job did and seek God’s forgiveness. He wants our latter days to be better than our beginnings. This address was written because I love our Church, heritage, history and gover- nance. Here are some recommendations I would suggest in looking at ourselves to return to the excellence we proudly have demonstrated in our past. A call for a connectional church wide revival to increase dependence on God. A heuristic evaluation of our structure and governance, making both more rel- evant for current times. Connectional, Episcopal and Presiding Elder District budgets being more accu- rate and transparent in reflecting real membership of the Church. Equalize Episcopal districts. This may mean as many Episcopal districts have consolidated conferences (downsized), that bishops of smaller districts preside over two Episcopal districts. This would reduce the need to elect so many Bishops. Is it time to consolidate general church officers? A code of ethics (conduct) for all clergy with consequences to be included in The_ Book of Doctrine and Discipline AMEC. A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) elected to oversee the administration of the Church with all the rights associated with a CEO including empowerment to enforce the code of ethics (conduct). Fostering globalization in the con- nectional church. To accomplish this thrust, a set aside program be established so that 14 — 20 Episcopal districts can be better represented on the bench of bishops. My hope is that when we leave Philadelphia we will have set a strong, viable, assured foundation for the next 200 years in fulfilling the Great Commission. My prayer continues to be that God continue to bless the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the Connectional Lay Organization. Servant Leader, Willie C. Glover, Ph.D., Global President, the Connectional Lay Organization. 948 rise to some of Paul’s letters, a heresy also crept into the tradition, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and others, put pressure on the American way in the name of integrity, decency, fairness and righteousness. One of the outcomes of this was the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We are proud inheritors of what the African American prophetic tradition has wrought, and we ought to be proud and active participants. A few months ago, some African American pastors met with presidential candidate Donald Trump, I believe for the purpose of endorsing him, though later some denied it. They met with Donald Trump- a man whose views and actions are not unlike those who kept slaves and enforced Jim Crow laws; who said that an African American protester Lee Mr. Trump said he would never meet with the leaders of the “Black Lives Matter” movement and who irrespon- sibly “retweeted” some inaccurate numbers that claimed African Americans are the primary killers of whites and that “‘a higher number of whites die at the hands of police than blacks.” These pastors met with Mr. Trump (and by the way, it wasn’t the first time!), and contrary to some of their claims, left Mr. Trump’s presence with all of his egregious behavior toward the African American com- munity, Muslims and Hispanics unchallenged! The prophetic tradition, and the Black Church, which is its offspring, once were theologically aligned. But as her- esies crept into the New Testament Church, which gave AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM African American Church- it’s called the Prosperity Gospel. You know, “God wants everyone to be rich!” The Prosperity Gospel co-opts the prophetic tradition because you can’t preach against a system that mar- ginalizes the poor and oppressed people of color and at the same time play “footsie” with those who keep it in place. The promise of power, the “sood life” and the allure of having “bigger barns” is too intoxicating to deny, so instead we deny our responsibility to be a voice to the masses. But Malcolm X reminded us years ago, it is the masses to whom we are called. “As long as the masses are not respected, you can show indivi ‘ want, , me all the individual respect you wa aatinedaon be ===== DSC04300.JPG ===== kn kM o Am j / HENRY & GREEN re 4 Pres, ide. oe fi * ye Publis she; eid ae: Scho hg 0! Unjgiry gee 7 \¥ Hig <6 AE de 21st Century Publishing MINISTISY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Founder of the Richard Allen Gardens, FL in completing a $6.2 Leadership Academy (First million Worship Center and all-Boys Charter School in the Community Center in 2007 State of Florida in 2007) Purchased 4 acres of land for Grant Purchased 3 acres of land for New Memorial AMEC, Jacksonville, FL - Bethel AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Purchased 5 acres of land for Increased Membership and Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Stewardship at every Gardens, FL congregation and District served PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER of the AMEC sunday School Union ===== DSC04301.JPG ===== From Pastor p5 into ministry at St. Paul in Cambridge under the pastorate of the Reverend LeRoy Attles. Presiding Elder Brenda Payne follows Elder Johnny Edison Jennings who requested retirement at the 149th Session of the Texas Annual Conference held in October. Payne had served as a pastor under Elder Jennings. She applauded Jennings for his service to the church. “Those are big shoes to follow,” said Payne of Reverend Jennings. “Everybody loves Reverend Jennings. | will try to extend his legacy.” Jennings served 21 years as a pastor and 24 years as a presiding elder. He was known for his kind, gentle demeanor. He was celebrated last year during a well- attended retirement banquet attended by his family, friends, pastors, lay and mem- bers of the Presiding Elder Council. Bishop McKenzie was the keynote speaker. Reedy Chapel member and Steward Cornelia Harris Banks appreciated the work that Payne did when she served as the Pastor of the church. Banks high- lighted Payne’s ecumenical spirit and her efforts to promote the historical relevance of Reedy. Banks said the con- gregation felt especially proud when Payne was named Elder. “She made the larger community throughout the state aware of the mother church,” said Banks. “When she was named Elder, everybody at Reedy was ecstatic. We felt very proud since she had been our pastor. We had always prayed for her success in ministry. If we had to say good-bye to Elder Jennings then we couldn’t think of anybody better to follow him than Reverend Payne. Both of them are sincere in their mission to serve others,” Both Payne and Jennings became presiding elders from South Wesley A.M.E. Church. One of Reverend Payne’s last official acts as pastor of South Wesley was to oversee the naming of the fellow- ship hall in honor of Jennings. It was during the pastorate of Jennings that the facility for South Wesley was built. Jennings, who took his first charge at the age of 30, said the thing he most liked about his time in ministry was the people. He was appointed a presiding elder under Bishop John Bryant. “T loved the people,” he said. “I enjoyed sharing the plans for what God wanted us to do. It’s a joy that’s sort of unspeak- able. It humbles me when I think that not everybody gets a chance to make it to the end.” Jennings believes that Elder Payne will do well in her new position. “] think very highly of her,” he said. “J’m sure she is going to be successful. I think the Bishop made a real good choice.” 490 THE 2° EPISCOPAL DISTRICT »From It's Not Worth p7 but | know that it is empty.” Those who cross the line that separates the prophetic from the self-interest that’s espoused in the Prosperity Gospel have traded their calling, credibility and respect for fifteen minutes of fame and the promise of crumbs from the master’s table, As long as there was something in it for them- the pastors who met with Trump- his disrespect for them, their community and the people who sit in their pews didn’t matter, Judas believed that one day Christ would be the political Messiah that would free him and his people from Roman bondage. Judas fantasized that he would hold a prominent place in Jesus’ new kingdom. Over time it became more and more apparent to Judas that Jesus would not be inaugurating this new kingdom- at least not the kind he wanted. So out of anger, he sold him out for thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 27 tells us what became of Judas, “When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood’” (Matthew 27:3, 4 NIV). Then “he went away and hanged himself” (Matthew 27:5 NIV). Judas Iscariot lost all his credibility, his call and his life because he failed to be faithful and true to the calling given to him to be a disciple of Jesus. It wasn’t worth thirty pieces of silver! Losing the call from God, our credibility in the eyes of the people we have been called to serve, is not worth thirty pieces of silver! *The Rev. Darryl R. Williams is the Pastor of St. Mark A.M.E. Church in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. THE SPIRIT OF THE LAW VERSUS THE LETTER OF THE LAW By the Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith* I con eSs ONE OF MY FAVORITE TELEVISION SHOWS IS “THE e ANDY GRIFFITH SHOW.” This may be because | was raised in two smdfl Ohio towns and have spent considerable time in rural Alabama. It may be because my faith tells me that | must always imagine more neighborhoods in the U.S.A. that have caring police. The show’s charming stories of life lessons address- ing parenting, community building, faith and friendship, sprinkled with laughter and sentimental moments, remind me that this is possible. The show also provides relief from graphic violence so often depicted in the media today and tragically normalized in too many real experiences of people of African descent historically and today. In the popular new film, “Chi-Raq,” for example, viewers learn that the death toll by murder in Chicago over the past decade is higher than the number of American forces who have died in Afghanistan since the beginning of “Operation Enduring Freedom,” according to a police analysis. Many of these murder victims are of African descent. INVITES YOU TO THE CELEBRATION The seeking, serving, Spirit-filled Second Episcopal District will host their annual Founder’s Day Celebration February 18-20, 2016 at Reid Temple A.M.E. Church, 11400 Glenn Dale Blvd., Glenn Dale, MD 20769. We are celebrating the retirement of our dynamic leadership of Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux, Sr. and Episcopal Supervisor Patricia Ann Morris DeVeaux. You are invited to join the Second Episcopal District in the festivities and to offer your words of commendation and congratulations on our online guestbook. Visit: www.wac-guestbook.org for more information and/or to submit your message. For more information, please visit: www.2ndamec.org or contact the Rev. Dr. Valdes Snipes-Bennett at (202) 842-3788. Congratulatory correspondences may be sent to the Second Episcopal District’s office at 1134 11th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. Important Times & Dates: Opening Worship Service - Thursday, February 18th at 7:30 p.m. Plenary Session - Friday, February 19th at 10:30 a.m. SED Lay Luncheon - Friday, February 19th at 128 noon Retirement Celebration - Friday, February 19th at 7:30 p.m. Closing Business Session - Saturday, February 20th at 9:00 a.m. Retirement Celebration Coordinators: The Rev. Evelyn G. Dunn, Presiding Elder - Southern District, North Carolina Conference The Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Presiding Elder - Potomac District, Washington Conference. 444 ..From Garrett p1 congregational worship in diverse contexts. Courses will be specific to the following objectives: the re-creation and revitalization of the distinctive musical and liturgical heritage found in Black Church contexts; strengthening the spiritual formation and leadership skills of full-time and volunteer worship staff in black church- es, as well as other faith communities; and musical and liturgical heritage found in Black Church worship contexts. Many programs have closed that have historically stood as the vanguard for the training of musicians (vocal and instrumen- tal), worship leaders, choral directors, pas- tors, audio/visual personnel and others for the Black Church. With these closures, black churches have lost primary places of spiritual formation and transformation for their Arecently repeated “Andy Griffith Show” episode illustrated the difference between policing by “the book” and policing with “the heart.” This approach was also com- municated to Christians in Rome, who were taught to embrace the spirit of the law versus the letter of the law (Romans 2:29). Another recent episode illustrated hospi- tality to those in the Mayberry jail. The sheriff and deputy sheriff were missing two former inmates who were now serving time in the state prison. They decided to visit the former inmates in prison to see how they were doing and let them know they were missed in Mayberry. Contrary to the caring setting of Andy Griffith’s Mayberry in the 1960's, the viewer does not see what was happening at that time for many people of African descent in the south and north of the U.S. Racial hatred and violence often resulted in the horrors of lynching and other types of fatalities and miscarriages of justice by police and others. For people of African descent, the thought of hospitality and friendly visits from those who were official or unofficial authorities would have been communities of faith, and the unique wor- ship celebration in this context has begun to lose its liberating, transformational edge. Currently, there are no significant training programs in the nation dedicated to the particularities of this rich tradition. The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience seeks to fill that void. Additionally, the center will partner with organizations and individuals to the recovery and preservation of the rich AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM unthinkable. Sadly, this painful period of American history still haunts us. Today, people of African descent make up the highest percentage of those who are impris- oned and many African Americans are still convinced that racial hatred and violence toward them is “still routine” in the U.S. The juxtaposition of Mayberry and these painful realities raises important questions today. How shall we pray and hope for the transformation of the hearts of those who promote racial bias and violence? Can law- ful reforms at both the local and federal levels make a real and positive difference in this historic American challenge? Bread for the World works with people of faith who see the connections between hunger and these issues and who say yes to legislative change. Please join this move- ment to help end hunger by supporting legislative changes that can help make more of our neighborhoods hunger-free and safe. Learn more at www.bread.org/ library/hunger-and-mass-incarceration. ———— *The Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith is the National Senior Associate for Pan-African church engagement at Bread for the World. create an archive or repository of music and scholarship that will preserve and promote the rich history of Black Church music. “I speak as a musician but also as a historian who knows how the passage of time often erases or permanently deletes the familiar things of the present,” said Garrett-Evangelical professor Dr. Charles Cosgrove, who serves on the Advisory Board for the center. ...continued on p11 ===== DSC04302.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM MARCH 1-6, 2016 DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 2, 2016 WMS DAY Delaware Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 8-13, 2016 BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 9, 2016 WMS DAY Bermuda Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 28-APRIL 3, 2016 NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 29, 2016 WMS DAY Atlantic City District, Host APRIL 12-17, 2016 NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 13, 2016 WMS DAY Bethel, Bloomfield, Host APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2016 NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 26, 2016 WMS DAY Bridge Street, Host MAY 10-14, 2016 WESTERN NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 11, 2016 WMS DAY St. John, Niagara Falls, Host ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES MAY 16-22, 2016 PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 17, 2016 WMS DAY Mother Bethel, Host Accommodations: A.M.E. CHURCH CONNECTIONAL LAY ORGANIZATION TO HO Scholarship and Disaster Relief Funds. During the 2012 General Conference, the CLO reached its goal of raising $50,000 and was able to award three $5,000 scholarships in lieu of the $1,000 previously awarded to individual schol- arship recipients. The Connectional | Lay Organization also was able to give substantial contributions for disaster relief in Haiti, the Dominican Republic | and to several African countries thanks The the site of the 50th Quadrennial of the A.M.E. Church General Conference | on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at 7:00 a.m. The | event will take place at the Philadelphia | Convention Center in Philadelphia, | Pennsylvania. The breakfast is a fundraiser for the Connectional Lay Organization’s A.M.E. PRESIDING E PUBLIC BUILDI Rev. Albert D. Tyson | III, the Chicago pastor, | who is the Presiding Elder, North District, Chicago Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, brings years The re err: prs GDC Executive Board Meeting February 22-24, 2016 Hilton Hotel Trinidad Port of Spain, Trinidad TEL: +1-868-624-3211 FAX: +1-868-624-4485 Connectional Organization (CLO), | under the leadership of Dr. Willie C. Glover, President, will host a benefit breakfast at SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP PRESTON WARREN WILLIAMS II MARCH 1-4, 2016 SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE FEBRUARY 29, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint Mark A.M.E. Church 700 Lester Street Thomasville, GA 31792 Church Phone: (229) 226-4614 The Rev. Timothy Sands, Host Pastor The Rev. Patrick Brinson, Host P.E. MARCH 8-11, 2016 SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 7, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Live Oak A.M.E. Church 402 Baldwin Street Donaldsonville, GA 39845 Church Phone: (229) 524-2395 The Rev. Millie Rambeau, Host Pastor and Host P.E. MARCH 29-APRIL 1, 2016 GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 28, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Saint James A.M.E. Church 632 E. Broad Street Savannah, GA 31401 Church Phone: (912) 236-2051 The Reverend J. C. Roberts, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Dan Stevenson, Host P.E. APRIL 26-29, 2016 Stone Springfield A.M.E. Church 7476 Georgia Highway 296 Stapleton, GA 30823 The Rev. Forrest Dickey, Host Pastor The Rev. Bertram Smith, Host P.E. AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 3-6, 2016 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 2, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church 269 Pursley Street Macon, GA 31201 Church Phone: (478) 745-4646 The Rev. Johnnie Cook, Sr., Host Pastor The Rev. Benjamin Ridley, Host P.E. MAY 17-20, 2016 ATLANTA NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 16, 2016 WMS ANNUAL CONVENTION Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church 492 North Marietta Parkway NE Marietta, GA 30060 Church Phone: (770) 422-6791 The Rev. Dr. Kenneth E. Marcus, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. David Rhone, Host P.E. JUNE 8-10, 2016 PLANNING MEETING Macon Marriott Centreplex 240 Coliseum Drive Macon, GA 31217 Site Phone: (478) 621-5300 FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH FEBRUARY 27, 2016 COTE D'IVOIRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Augustine’s A.M.E. Church, Host Church Abidjan, Cate d'Ivoire The Rev. Desus S. Darkoh, Host Pastor MARCH 4-6, 2016 SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bishop Campbell A.M.E. Church, Host Church Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. Joseph P. A. Wilhelm, Host Pastor MARCH 11, 2016 NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Christ Love A.M.E. Church, Host Church lle Ife, Nigeria The Rev. Margaret Fadehan, Host Pastor MARCH 15, 2016 TOGO/BENIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. John A.M.E. Church, Host Church Lome, Togo The Rev. John Afawoubo, Host Pastor MARCH 18-20, 2016 GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Host Church Takoradi (Sekondi), Ghana The Rev. Stephen Ainu, Host Pastor MARCH 23-25, 2016 CENTRAL LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church, Host Church Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. Dr. Katurah Cooper, Host Pastor MARCH 29-31, 2016 LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Mt. Ashton A.M.E. Church, Host Church Cape Palmas, Liberia The Rev. Tar-Kolo Miller, Host Pastor SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH 2 BISHOP JOHN F. WHITE JANUARY 28-31, 2016 HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE Saint-Paul A.M.E. Church, Host Church Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Francois Albert Murat, Host Pastor Phone: (509) 3750-3433 The Rev. Jean Joel Maurice, Host P.E. Phone: (509) 3134-7124 FEBRUARY 10-14, 2016 DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE Standard king room single/double occupancy - USD129/139 plus taxes daily Lay , Session neighborhoods. z METHODIST LDER SW' NG COMMISSION B of experience and involvement with civic and community-based organizations that | have played a significant role in shaping issues of importance in Chicago’s INFORMATION ABOUT THE GDC EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING Standard double rooms, double occupancy - USD $149 plus taxes daily - Includes complimentary breakfast and guest room internet. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me, Bishop John F. White: bishopwhite130@aol.com or the Rev. Wayne Anthony: elder.anthony@yahoo.com. ST BENEFIT BREAKFAST dynamic program has been planned with outstanding talent from the Host (1st) District and Connectional partici- pation during the breakfast. Tickets are available now. Your $85 dona- tion will help us realize our financial goal. Please contact your Episcopal District Lay Organization President or his/her designee for tickets to support this worthy cause. —— ee *Submitted by Brother William Ayers, Jr. AES SORBED THE-CHRISTIAN-RE to a successful fundraiser and the guests | who attended. This major CLO event is co-chaired by William “Bill” Ayers and Cheryl Hammond Hopewell. A primary goal is to raise $60,000 at this breakfast fundraiser to continue the Organization’s support of our scholarship and disaster relief funds. Another goal is to have 100 youth/young adults in attendance | | to share in this major occasion. A ORN IN AS NEWEST MEM OARD OF COMM Appointed by Mayor Rahm Emanuel in September and approved by the Chicago City Council on October 28, the Rev. Tyson | served as a former member of the Board | istees of C Bishop David R. Daniels, Chair Bishop John F. White, Host The Rev. Wayne Anthony, Host Presiding Elder (elder.anthony@yahoo.com) JANUARY 18, 2016 A.M.E. Impacto de Vida Church, Host Church La Romana, Dominican Republic The Rev. Abraham Rodriquez Jones, Host Pastor and Host P.E, Phone: (089) 538-240-6619 FEBRUARY 17-21, 2016 GUYANA/SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Peter's A.M.E. Church Georgetown, Guyana The Rev. Troy Parris, Host Pastor Phone: (579) 601-0060 The Rev. Andrew C. Morris-Grant, Host P.E. Phone: (592) 646-2726 FEBRUARY 25-28, 2016 WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bethesda A.M.E. Church, Host Church The Rev. Elton Bobb, Host Pastor Phone: (868) 680-9772 The Rev. Jonathan Wayne Anthony, Host P.E. Phone: (868) 750-8062 MARCH 2-6, 2016 VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bethel A.M.E. Church, Host Church St. Croix, Virgin Islands The Rev. Uklyn Hendricks, Host Pastor and Host P.E. Phone: (340) 718-0495 MARCH 8-13, 2016 JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Greater Selby’s A.M.E. Church, Host Church Jamaica The Rev. Michael Blake, Host Pastor The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, Host P.E. Phone: (876) 462-5116 APRIL 28-MAY 1, 2016 EUROPEAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE Richard Allen A.M.E. Church London, England The Rev. Rudolph Aaron, Host Pastor and Host P.E. Phone: (442) 088905381 MAY 31-JUNE 3, 2016 PLANNING MEETING The Rev. L. A. Dawkins, P.E. The Rev. Clarence Turpin, P.E. | | | | | | | Colleges of Chicago | a oe BER OF CHICAGO ISSIONERS from 2000-2011 and remains active with a number of community and faith-based organizations and boards. “T am honored to have the opportunity to serve the city of ...continued on p11 ===== DSC04303.JPG ===== «From The A.M.E. p3 Albert D, Tyson III. The evening worship service was conducted by the Lay Organization. Highlights included the Brother Bryan Gray, the Lay speaker and a member of Woodlawn-Chicago. Brother Bryan Gray spoke a spirited and fiery word. Pastoral and committee reports continued Friday, October 16 during the morning and afternoon sessions. The Hour of Power speaker was the Rey. Dr. James C. Wade. His sermon text was Phil. 4:6; his subject: “More Souls Are Won in Our Prayer Closet Than in Any Other Way.” The sermon highlighted the power the Lord has given us through prayer and the congregation was encour- aged to think about those for whom we should pray. that next year the 134th session of the Annual Conference will be hosted by the “Mighty The Lord gave Bishop Bryant, clergy and laity from northern Illinois, Minnesota, Wisconsin, lowa, Dakota the power to assemble again and put aside, forgive and be healed of whatever hurts may have occurred during the Conference year, The Power to Send Out to Preach Finally, the Lord was empowered to “Send the Disciples” out to preach. The Bishop concluded the Conference on Sunday, October 18 with the closing service that was held at 10 a.m. in which he sent the preachers to their various pastoral appointments. The ministers were dressed in black robes. Bishop John R. Bryant preached a dynamic, | spirit-filled sermon as he prepared to send the The afternoon session ended with agreement | preachers out to do spiritual battle, reminding the Conference of the importance of prayer in their “war rooms.” «From A.M.E. Presiding p10 Chicago in this capacity. | am grateful to Mayor Emanuel and the City Council for the confidence they have in me,” the Rey. Tyson said. “I will do my best to represent the highest standards of civic service.” ; In welcoming the Rey, Tyson, Felicia S. Davis, Executive Director of the Public Building Commission, said, “I am grate- ful that Rev. Tyson has agreed to serve on the PBC’s Board of Commissioners and share his considerable experience and knowledge with us, His commitment to community will help us as we continue to build and strengthen relationships with our clients and the communities we serve,” Davis said. The Rey. Tyson’s term will run through September 2019. Also, Commissioner Martin Cabrera, Jr. was sworn in for another term that runs through September 2020. Also, Commissioner Jose Maldonado, Jr. was appointed as Chairman of the Board’s Administrative Operations Committee, and Commissioner Tyson was appointed to serve as a member of the Committee as well. Additionally, Commissioner Mariyana T. Spyropoulos was appointed as Treasurer of the Board of Milwaukee District” on Oct. 5-9, 2016. | The scheduled preacher for the ordination | service held Saturday morning, October 17 was | Bishop David R. Daniels, Sr. | The Lord had given us the power not only to “give,” but also to “forgive.” The families of the Mother Emanuel Nine shooting victims were able to say to Dylann Storm Roof, “You hurt me but I forgive you.” Reviewer. ..From The Truth p6 How many of us really knew the Lord? How many of us had a relationship with the Lord? How many of us had really accepted Jesus and knew Jesus as Lord and Savior? Did we consider at those moments of great tragedy in our history whether or not we had con- fessed Christ as our personal Savior? Then, of course, there is the obvious question. If we had confessed Christ as our Savior, “Why are we mourning as though we have no hope?” My point is - the audacity to hope comes through our faith. Faith in the word of God that says, “God is with us, and in his promise to never leave us nor forsake us.” We learned, the hard way, how difficult it is to feel hope in the presence of death. Death certainly brings with it a weight that we find difficult to carry in our own strength. We have found death to cause in us the involuntary release of emotions moving us many times to the point of fainting, forgetting and even forsaking. We have fainted under the extreme pressure of unbear- able grief, ofttimes forgetting to “look from whence cometh our help” and even unwittingly forsaking the warning to wait for the strength that will sustain us. The Bible reminds us, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.” With each of the tragedies we have been faced with we have come to realize how extremely difficult it is to feel hope in the valley of the shadow of death. And yet our faith helps us understand that hope is exactly what we are offered as our supreme encouragement during calamitous times. Faith offers hope that God is still with us, still loving us, still protecting us, and still blessing us. The truth of the matter is that God is still healing, still reviving, still redeeming and still saving. Faith reminds us, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you, Lord, are with me” - Lord, it is your rod, it is your staff that will comfort me. Hope does not come from anything we can do on our own. Hope does not come in our own might or in our own understand- ing. The audacity to hope comes through our faith in God. Hope is timeless, having no expiration date, in fact staying with us from birth to death and beyond. We cannot afford to lose hope because when we lose hope we lose everything. Hope is a way of life that ensures the continuation of our forward movement and undergirds our quest for revival and resolution. Hope embraces hard work, generosity, freedom and democ- acy. Hope embraces freedom of worship and freedom of expression. ——— *The Reverend Robert Andrews, Conference Reporter *The Reverend Karla Garcia, Conference Reporter and Commissioners. Most pastors returned to their churches and | clergy and laity left the Conference inspired. A few pastoral appointments will be given at | the Fourth District Planning Meeting. The Ministry of Discipleship was on display during the Conference. QQ0 About the PBC: The Public Building Commission of Chicago manages construction and renovation projects for the city of Chicago and its sister agencies. Mayor Rahm Emanuel serves as the PBC’s Chairman. Felicia S. Davis serves as the Executive Director of the PBC. Additional information about the PBC and its projects can be found at www.pbcchicago.com. You can also follow the Public Building Commission of Chicago on Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, Pinterest and LinkedIn. G00 ..From Garrett p9 “Here at Garrett-Evangelical, this center is our devotion to preserving and keeping vibrant the precious gifts and practices of music and worship of the Black Church and beyond, as a living legacy for future generations.” The Rey. Dr. Cynthia A. Wilson, Assistant ‘Vice President of Student Life, Dean of Students and Ph.D. alumna of Garrett-Evangelical, will serve as Director of the center. “While the pri- mary focal point will be music and worship practices that reflect the ethos and pathos of Africana church music and worship, the course offerings and performance opportunities, the center will stand as a place of preparation and learning for all peoples,” said Wilson. Wilson, an ordained deacon in The United Methodist Church, brings a wealth of experience and gifts in sacred music. She is a popular lec- turer, preacher, teacher, conductor and concert artist and has provided benefit concerts across the United States, including Carnegie Hall (New York) and abroad (Africa, Asia, South America and Europe). Wilson served as Co-Director for the 1996 General Conference of The United Methodist Church and was selected as the first female and first person of color to serve as Director of Music for The United Methodist Church’s 2000 General Conference. She was also a member of the national task force that produced the Songs of Zion, and in 2005 she co-chaired with Dr. William McClain, Professor Emeritus of Wesley Theological Seminary, the task force that produced its sequel, Zion Still Sings! For Every Generation. summon. sinking sand.” 000 AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM McClain, who is serving as Board Chair for the center, enthusiastically said, “The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience continues my effort of Songs of Zion and the church’s commitment to the importance of African American sacred music to the whole tion to become worshippers again as church musicians become theologically trained as wor- ship partners and leaders, and pastors are a part of the experience, too. This is a new and exciting future for our church to gather in worship!” The Center for Music and Worship in the Black Church Experience will partner with The Center for the Church and the Black Experience, an academic initiative at Garrett-Evangelical focusing on church life as experienced by black people, as well as United Methodist Discipleship Resources: Strengthening the Black Church for the Twenty-First Century (SBC-21). More infor- mation on the center and its programs will be available in late spring 2016. Garrett-Evangelical, a graduate school of theology related to The United Methodist Church, was founded in 1853. Located on the campus of Northwestern University, the seminary serves more than 500 students from various denomina- tions and cultural backgrounds, fostering an atmosphere of ecumenical interaction. Garrett- Evangelical creates bold leaders through Master of Divinity, Master of Arts, Master of Theological Studies, Doctor of Philosophy and Doctor of Ministry degrees. Its 4,500 living alumni serve church and society around the world. 999 Hope is fueled by, ignited by, held up by and strengthened by faith. Hope is brought on by faith in a power far greater than we could ever My hope! My hope! “My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name! On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is NE eke eee ee es ae *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.ME. Church in Charleston, SC. ===== DSC04304.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER JANUARY 18, 2016 Dr. Terence L. Mayes, Sr. Presiding Elder, East Tennessee 13th Episcopal District DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM tmayes511é@aol.com Our clients peports ax. the best robes in the sio77 _ os Peco uri DIRECTOR« OF e CHURCH snare OFFICIAL DESIGNER FOR A.M.E. CLERGY ROBES, APPAREL AND PARAMENTS Serving the Needs of the Church, Clergy and Laity. Satisfied clients include WMS, YPD, LAY, SOA, DOS, DMC and more! THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER.ORG
• January 4, 2016
  ===== DSC04280.JPG ===== THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE shah eo METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH " “y NECOROER VOLUME 165,NO.7 = “GOD OUR FATHER = CHRIST OUR REDEEMER = THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR COMFORTER = HUMANKIND OUR FAMILY” JANUARY 4, 2016 THE-CHRISTIAN-RECORDER-ORG Williams’ deep spirit of love and faith. All came to pay tribute to this exemplary bishop whose greatness flows from his profound humility, open-heartedness, loving- kindness, anointed spirit and the divine grace given to Meditation Based on Isaiah 40:18... noose D6) =Ssi2@27it . ee 6 e e =— pon § > . . . = HDT 4 * onthisl SSULE BISHOP & MOTHER WILLIAMS Honored by Sixth Districtand =32°2 : eee . . . : =-Ors7} eeeess Connectional A.M.E. Church at Their Retirement Celebration = =047 0; Editorial: A New Year's Challenge ‘hursday, October 22, 2015, as part of the Sixth | years of ministerial service to the A.M.E. Church. = 4 z z Og Se Ovaachers .................. DZ, Episcopal District’s Midyear festivities, approximately In his welcome letter found at the beginning of the = % + y 00 . 1,500 people gathered from across the globe to pay tribute | evening’s printed program, Bishop Williams stated, “| pray = 8 m mH s The AMEC Connectional Day of to one of the most prolific bishops in recent A.M.E. Church | that Mother Dear and | were able to convey a spirit of ree ng 3 ii 5 ane meeoresday. 3} F Ed Lf. > love and faith during our visitations across each Episcopal = a 2 p ' emamssascarin‘inis [Doe 7 ‘ shes district in which we served.” Many of the attendeeswho = 2) 3 Reader ResponseS...ccesacsses Das : traveled from far and near knew firsthand of Bishop = a x The 2016 Candidates’ Guidelines for Submitting News Items a po The Truth Is the Light........... pO The Watch Meeting Night Services in Black AMEFICA.........-esese po mg Richard Allen, A.M.E. Church Founder, on New Black Heritage Stamp and This Year's Founder's Day....... pea “Ad: Green if 20t6——— Elect Henry E. Green, Jr. ... Do), A Unique MLK Day CG)SU 1G Des) Retired Bishop Robert Webster congratulating Bishop Williams. 4 | him directly by God. In attendance were: Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram, Bishop Reginald T. Jackson and Supervisor Jackson, Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe, Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr., Bishop McKinley Young, retired Bishop Frank C. Cummings, retired Bishop ; Zedekiah Grady and Supervisor Grady, retired Bishop Information About the GDC Executive ie Cornal Henning, Sr., retired Bishop Robert Webster, retired Board Meeting 0... [DellO) Bishop Preston W, Williams I ¥ Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry, General Officer Rev. Dr. and Dr. Wilma D. Webb Williams, ; i Host of Friends Attends Homegoing Presiding Prelate & Episcopal gS Teresa Fry Brown and Episcopal Committee continued on p4 Service for E. Catherine Shepherd Supervisor, 6th District AMEC "#” in Philadelphia ........ce.e palo Annual Conference Set Ce pO history. Colleagues, friends and family convened Allegheny-Scranton District's 7™ at The Classic Center in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A., Annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. to honor the Right Rev. Dr. Preston W. Williams Cabiieth olll, ll and Supervisor Wilma D. Webb Williams as oe : they celebrated their impending retirement The 2"° Episcopal District Invites from Episcopal and pastoral service in the You to The Celebration... Pell African Methodist Episcopal Church. As an Episcopal team, this momentous occa- The NCC Denounces Donald Trump's sion marked the end of 16 years of superb Demagoguery That Muslims Be Banned From Entering Episcopal service as leaders of the 17th District SWIRL CGV orccesceccevsessarseveee Dell) (2000-2004), 7th District (2004-2012) and 6th ‘ District (2012-2016). For Bishop Williams, this x ; Ad: Here We Grow Again! elegant event served as a fitting salute to 57 | Ms Brenda Comelius, presents Bishop Williams with a proclamation from the United States House of Represen- ank" Johnson, U.S. Representative for Georgia's 4th Congressional District. Dr. Terence L. Mays, Sr... ysl) MT. NEBO A.M.E. CHURCH A SHAREPARTNER By Lenny Williams, Eugene Williams and Vickie Williams tatives from the office of Henry “H GREATER MT. NEBO (GMN) A.M.E. CHURCH in Bowie, Maryland, led by Pastor Rev. Dr. Jonathan L. }p Weaver, has been a SHARE participant for nearly 23 years. The founders were Daisy Stith, Eric Williams, Theresa Grant Hamilton, Laura Miller, Gerri Lynch, Elizabeth Coates and Robert Coates. The SHARE team at GMN has enlisted a _.continued on p12 ===== DSC04281.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER f. It’s that time of the year again — the end of the old year and the beginning of a new year. It’s the time of the year when a lot of people think about their New Year’s resolu- tions, especially resolutions that they hope will help them to achieve goals that might enhance their lifestyles. A lot of people set goals like losing weight, getting in better physical shape, spend- ing more quality time with family, laughing more, enjoying life, getting out of debt, saving and investing and managing income better, modifying behaviors they want to change, ridding themselves of bad habits or changing the way they live and view life and some even vow to have a more disciplined prayer life and to be more disciplined DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR Ill The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder in reading the Bible. There are others who ignore New Year’s resolutions. They ignore New Year’s resolutions because they don’t have the discipline or desire to attempt changes in their lives, so they just bypass the process. New Year’s resolutions New Year’s resolutions can add “spice and challenge” to a person’s life. The making of New Year’s resolutions challenges individuals to change their “normal” behavior or routine. Resolutions can challenge us to do things differently, which might improve or broaden our lives. The Babylonians, Hebrews, Romans and the early Christians all had rituals that affirmed life-style changes. Fasting during the Advent and Lenten seasons is just one example. In Judaism, Bar Mitzvahs, Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement), Passover, Rosh Hashanah and Chanukah were opportunities for individuals to change the direction of their lives. In Methodism and other Christian denominations, baptism and even the Watch Night Service gave parishioners the opportunity, not only to share the past year’s struggles, but also to prepare for the year ahead by praying and making resolutions. New Year’s resolutions We all need to improve our physical health. Probably most of us need to eat healthier, lose weight, abstain from bad and destructive habits, rid ourselves of negativism, think more positively, gossip less, laugh “more; enjoy tife; rest; relax more, rid ourselves of debt, inflexible and sometimes unforgiving. Many clergy do not know how to relax and “let their hair down” and have fun. Some preachers most often seem to be “looking and acting like something is always wrong.” We-change our-voicesand:speectr patterns tosound OF | en « pay our bills on time, stop procrastinating, become more committed Christians and commit to being better persons. Some resolutions that might be helpful for clergy lam clergy myself, and in my opinion, we clergy are among the most uptight persons on the planet. Generally, clergy tend to be opinionated, sometimes more holy, especially when we pray in worship services. Ever notice how some preachers walk with a stiff neck, appearing as if they are looking for something or looking beyond the people to whom they are speak- ing? Some pastors spend so much time looking and acting holy to the point that they are unapproachable. Some preachers don’t act human and the result is that parishioners don’t treat them as human. THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER | The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is | published bi-weekly by the AMEC Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Periodicals postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates are available on request. Subscription rate- $36.00 per annum. Please make all money orders and cashiers checks payable to The Christian | Recorder. $36.00 Per Year | BISHOP T. LARRY KIRKLAND, Chair of Publications Commission DR. JOHNNY BARBOUR, JR., Publisher | DR. CALVIN H. SYDNOR III, The 20™ Editor Office: 615-714-0986 / chsydnor@bellsouth.net / Fax: 615-658-5552 www.the-christian-recorder.org The Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. Letters must be exclusive to The Christian Recorder and must be signed, including the writer's home address and business telephone number. No defamatory, libelous, or slanderous letters will be printed; and The Christian Recorder reserves the right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform to good taste, style, and space ||} i] requirements. Although we are unable to acknowledge those letters we cannot pub- lish, we appreciate the interest and value the views of those who take the time to send us their comments. Letters intended for publication should be addressed to The Send Check or Money Order Payable to: The Christian Recorder 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 JANUARY 4, 2016 2 A NEW YEAR'S CHALLENGE FOR PREACHERS. Here is what | am saying Preachers - bishops, general officers, connectional officers, presiding elders and pastors - would benefit by making New Year’s resolutions, one of which is to act like a human being, smile more and be “down to earth” and enjoy ministry. Share a joke and act as if you are enjoying life. | have met so many preachers who don’t have a hobby or any meaningful physical activities. They don’t go to the gym or the “Y,.” They don’t have a mechanism that allows for release of their frustrations. They don’t play a musical instrument or participate in any activity other than the church, They don’t go to the movies or to plays and sadly, sometimes they don’t spend enough time with their families; they only go to church! | was talking to a clergy friend recently and he shared with me that his father, a pastor, dressed in a suit and tie every day, even if he wasn’t going out of the house. He also shared that even when his dad, who loved to fish, went fishing; he wore a suit and tie. | have seen pastors who go to picnics in a suit and tie. | have seen pastors at amusement parks in a suit and tie. If a pastor doesn’t have a hobby or diversions for relaxation, a New Year’s resolution might be a great place to start. Some church members need to learn to relax, too! | suspect if more clergy and church members learned to relax and enjoy life, there might be less conflict in many of our churches. If you have played a musical instrument in high school or college or always wanted to play a musical instrument, pick an instrument and learn to play it; schedute-tessons-and-set-aside that time, for YOu Sometimes | want to encourage pastors to sit, relax and do nothing! They would be amazed at how much better they would feel. Some people call it meditation. | have said it before and | will say it again, preachers need to read books other than the Bible. If a pastor wants to be informed, he or she needs to read news- papers, news magazines and the A.M.E. Church periodicals. ..continued on p3 SUBSCRIBE! to The Christian Recorder Keep yourself informed about your church for Please PRINT. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for delivery. Christian Recorder/Letters to the Editor, 512 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN aes 37203-4181. All photograph submissions are the property of The Christian Recorder and will not meee "|| be returned. tions to Postmaster, please send address correctio Clay State SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Order online at amecpublishinghouse.com ===== DSC04282.JPG ===== By Dr. Val Eloby-Slade, Evangelist THE AMEC CONNECTIONAL DAY OF PRAYER WILL BE WEDNESDAY APRIL 13, 2016 EXTRA! EXTRA! EXTRA! Read All About It! The time is quickly approaching when all of God's children will be gathering for the 2016 AMEC Connectional Day of Prayer. The glorious day of prayer and praise will be taking place on Wednesday, April 13, 2016. There are “Save the Date” flyers and note-cards being distributed to all Episcopal districts. Hopefully you have seen them. This year’s Connectional Day of Prayer will be a date that you will not want to miss, so mark your calendars, update your note book and send out invites on FaceBook, Twitter and feel ..From A New p2 are well-read. And, don’t fool yourself; parishioners In other words, successful pastors know if their pastor is well-read. If you haven't been a reader, a wonderful New Year’s resolution would be to subscribe to newspapers and other periodicals and read them! Have a cup of coffee, a cup of tea, a cup of hot chocolate or glass of milk and sit down and read for 20-30 minutes everyday! You don’t have time? Get up earlier and make time! Take time for a daily walk, run or swim. Everyone needs some physical exercise! Physical activity is important and it is evident that the clergy need to spend more time in physical activi- ties, such as walking, running, jogging or swimming; and the additional benefit is that it gives you time to commune with God. ~~ Playing organized sports is also a wonderful way to get in or stay in shape and the additional benefit is that it gives you an opportunity to share your faith with others. The place where pastors prepare sermons and have a desk is appropriately called a “study” and for good reason. It is not the “pastor’s office,” it’s the “oastor’s study.” Mental preparation in ministry is important and | suspect many pastors of every denomi- nation could benefit greatly with increased reading and studying. | think you get the point Effective pastors are well-rounded and balanced physically, mentally, psychologically, biblically, theologi- cally; and with a human bearing. A great starting point for all of us, clergy and laity, is to think seriously about New Year’s resolu- tions for 2016. You should think about it and prepare your hearts and minds for self-improvement and thinking about YOU and thinking about YOU is not being selfish! New Year’s resolutions are for everyone, but | hope every preacher will accept a “self, for YOU challenge” of a challenging New Year’s resolution; a resolution that will benefit YOU because a New Year’s resolution is for YOU and not necessarily for anyone else, but if YOU take care of YOU, your family, your church mem- bers, your friends and your acquaintances will be the beneficiaries of “YOU taking car of YOU!” free to text the event and date now! The Jubilee Prayer Team 2016 under the lead- ership of Bishop McKinley Young, Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Jr. and the Rev. Dorisalene Hughes have been fasting and praying since last year for the special anointing of the Holy Spirit to in- fuse the 2016 Connectional Day of Prayer events with a magnification of our Lord and Savior Je- sus Christ throughout Episcopal districts 1 - 20. In March, the Jubilee Prayer Team will distrib- ute the “dial-in conference numbers” to all the Episcopal districts. To the Editor RE: TCR Editorial — I Am Amazed: Iam immensely grateful to have my story, “A South Carolina Story About Hope,” published in The Chris- | tian Recorder, and that what I learned from Aesthetic | Realism, the education founded by the philosopher Eli Siegel, about the cause and answer to racism, is support other organizations that celebrate significant : Black History events. I’m amazed and disappointed! reaching such a diverse readership. To use a phrase that you care for and wrote about in a mighty way in that issue—I am amazed. Amazed at how swiftly it happened. Amazed to see what TCR includes--which I’ve begun reading | and learning from; for instance, the story about the Governor of Delaware issuing an 1 i ; j : gran, abo '0ey) teeny heen kept hidden from us due to miseducation and slavery! I spoke with a friend (Leamon Hood, an | 4p pressive racism, Iam afraid that we are not pro- unsung pioneer of civil rights) who lives i aot 2 uaa tease vil rights) who Tives in Dela : grammed to celebrate ourselves. ware, and told him that because of what I read in : The Christian Recorder, V'll be expressing thanks to the Governor for his important announcement. Amazed to learn more of the earliest history of the Watch Night Service, which I have written about without fully knowing this history. And amazed that one can read TCR in about 91 different languages! Amazed at, for instance, Yid- dish and Yoruba -- what a beautiful combination. It is also amazing how my story reached you. I thank Dr. Jayme Williams, who read it first in the Tennessee Tribune and called her friend Bishop | Frederick C. James (age 93) in South Carolina to congratulate him. Then Bishop James called me in New York to tell me about Dr. Williams and to sug- | gest that I call her in Atlanta. I did call, and our lively conversation led to her directing me to you this editorial because, like most of our Black History and The Christian Recorder. All of this brings to mind a line from a poem | by Eli Siegel which I love, “It’s a very connected : will? And I can’t think of a more expressive title for this editorial. What you have here says it all. world, Marianne.” Yes, indeed! Best regards from a new friend, Alice Bernstein a PS. I'm taking the liberty of emailing you a current update about my book, “The People of Clarendon County” -- A Play by Ossie Davis, and the Answer to Racism. Central to this impor- tant history, and a key character in the Ossie Davis play, is the A.M. Minister Joseph Armstrong DeLaine. Amazing, once more, how the world is connected. RE: TCR Editorial — I Am Amazed: narrative. Thanks!!! Richard H. Sinkfield, Attorney at Law AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM Get ready! Get ready, and get ready! You will surely be blessed by reserving the date, Wednes- day, April 13, 2016, the African Methodist Episco- pal Church Connectional Day of Prayer, which has been endorsed by the Council of Bishops. If you would like to be a part of the prayer warriors and intercessors team, email your contact informa- tion to Jubileeprayerteam2016@gmail.com. Bishop McKinley Young, Chair The Rev. Dorisalene Hughes, Director Submitted by Evg. Dr. Val Eloby-Slader ‘gt READER RESPONSES To the Editor RE: TCR Editorial — 1 Am Amazed: I am also truly amazed that either we don’t know or realize the significance of our history, specifically regarding the 13th Amendment. Churches should celebrate the significant events in our history and Judge William Marsh To the Editor RE: TCR Editorial — I Am Amazed: This is true. We have so much history that has Judge Loretta Moore To the Editor RE: TCR Editorial — I Am Amazed: This was such an impressive editorial! The con- tent, of course, is one thing - but I was totally im- |_pressed that you had me wondering about the source of the Editor’s amazement for the longest time. I found myself hankering to know: “What on earth is the Editor amazed about?” This made the answer even more of something to be scrutinized. I saw a photo of President Obama and others observing a moment of silence for the occasion of the ratification of the 13th Amendment. And I must say that I was “amazed” at that moment because I certainly had not realized the importance of that date. Thanks for events, it is another example of something we should be impressing upon our children. If we don’t, who Mrs. Jeanette T. Johns To the Editor LO Ue BO RE: TCR Editorial — 1 Am Amazed: Good evening. I was reading the TCR editorial and about to write you on how much I learned. You i are on target about Dec. 6 and Dec. 18. We should To the Editor : celebrate these significant events. I suspect we do i not because the whole idea of slavery is a loaded ' topic historically and loaded due to its aftermath : even now. Thanks for an enlightening piece! It is Thoughtful, provocative, informative and timely | | amazing that we do not know these dates. Dr. A. Oveta Fuller, Ph.D., Dept. of Microbiolo- gy and Immunology, University of Michigan O90 a ===== DSC04283.JPG ===== Dr. John’ FGreengPresident-Deap of Turner Theological Seminaty, presents a plaque'to Bishop Willams, “In grateful appreciation for your exceptional leaderstiip.and support,of theological educationvas:Chairman of the Board.of Trustees (201252016).” y 1 The Rev. Dr. Harold Mayberry, Senior Pastor, First A.M.E. Church, Oakland, California, and Chairman, Episcopal Committee, A.M.E. Church. The Rev. Dr. Juennarl Keith, Presiding Elder, Mount Pleasant District, 7th Episcopal District A.M.E. Church. "= wad esa LR: Attorney Renardo Hicks, General Counsel for thept Episcopal Distr and Morris Brown College, Bishop Williams & Ambassador Young. » Ambassador Andrew Young delivering the keynote address. Ms. Gloria Byrd, 1st\Vice President, Connectional Lay Organization, & Mr. Michael Brown, President, 6th Episcapal-District-kay-Organization. The Rev. Alan H. Wicker, President, 6th Episcopal District Presiding Elders’ Council. The Rev, Dr. Edward L. Wheeler, President of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), “| believe history will look back and Bishop Preston W. Williams || will be regarded as the Bishop of Church Growth and Expansion.” The Rev. Dr. Leah G. Fitchue, former President of Payne Theological Seminary, delivering the opening prayer. Bishop W. Darin Moore, Presiding Prelate, Western District, AN@RE. Zion Church delivering the sermon. The Honorable Nancy Denson, Mayor of the city of Athens, Georgia, presents Bishop Williams: with a proclamation and a key to the city. ===== DSC04284.JPG ===== Bishop Gregory G.M. Master of Ceremény, Mr Michael Thurmond, Esquire, and Mistress of Ceremony, pan sued Ms. Xernona Clayton, Président and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation, i iliams children: Prestingj Arnold, Prisci District . es Attorney Keith Wiener, “Bishop Williams has always been focused on the preeminent Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe, \ , question, which is: The Honorable Rev’ Karen Balt GeorgiasState-Refresentative of- District 94, presents Presiding Prelate, 19th ‘ (| ,, what is the right Bishop Williams witha Resolution from the Georgia House of ae Episcopal District. thing to do.” ty NC apne : { un Ct was A is % yy Motte S a ae ken: = " SEU 7a ; j —— — a 1 = semaine: PPT TI Ue Wa a a UMNNDF ce Mr. Jeremy Satterwhite, President, 6th Episcopal District YPD, and other 6th District officials, congratulating Bishop and Mother Williams = ===== DSC04285.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER JANUARY 4, 2016 MEDITATION BASED ON ISAIAH 40:1-8 By the Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby* Ive just returned from a Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, holiday weekend speaking engagement in Lexington, Kentucky - a quick trip that necessitated my flying rather than driving, as I've often done in the past. I enjoy flying, and the “kid” in me always leads me to choose a window seat so that I can enjoy the scenery My flight to Kentucky allowed me to see the flat terrain of America’s eastern coast give way to the Blue Ridge and Cumberland ranges of the Appalachian Mountains. Driving through those mountains means traversing winding - and mildly intimidating - roads carved into the mountain- side, marveling at the stunning beauty of massive peaks so high that they’re often shrouded in clouds and at cavernous valleys with deep rivers and crystal clear lakes far below. From five miles above the earth, however, those majestic mountains look like nothing more than small hills - fly- ing provides a totally different perspective. I offer that lesson in “perspective” to you as you traverse the roads of life, for all mountains and valleys are not physical in nature. Life in this world often presents us with massive moun- tains of confusion, challenge and disappointment. Life in this world often carries us through deep valleys of stress, strain and uncertainty. Life is filled with daunting obstacles that are sometimes hard to avoid, in spite of our best efforts to steer a clear path to well-being by the available means of this world. We'll all see our share of mountains and valleys in life, but when we let the Lord guide us, we can make the journey successfully. The God who cre- ated the mountains and valleys - the God who created us - has the power to put life’s obstacles THE 2016 CANDIDATES’ GUIDELINES FOR SUBMITTING NEWS ITEMS TO TCR in perspective and, as the prophet Isaiah said, to fill in life’s valleys and bring down life’s mountains so that we can safely find our way to new hope, new peace of mind, new strength and new victory. You'll face more than your share of mountains and valleys in life, but turn them over to the God who can give us safe passage, regardless of what stands in our way. You’ll walk on safe and smooth ground, find new clarity and meaning in life, and know why one hymn writer said, “All along this pilgrim journey, Savior, let me walk with thee.” Get ready for Sunday, and have a great day in your house of worship! “The Rev. Dr. Joseph A. Darby is the Presiding Elder of the Beaufort District of the South Carolina Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. will publish news received from the 2016 candidates for election at the 50th Quadrennial Session of the General Conference. If TCR | the phrase or any semblance of the phrase, “Candidate for election/reelection...,” | the article becomes an advertisement. Advertisements are still available to be purchased for publication in the “print edition of ‘The Christian Recorder.” De || Candidates’ news items should be submitted in accordance with ““The Guidelines for Submitting Articles to The Christian Recorder.” All submissions will be in Word format or imbedded (pasted) in an email message. THETRUTH ISTHE LIGHT BIBLICAL TEXT: “This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.” — JOHN 2:11 (KJV) , O text is from the Gospel account of the first miracle per- : Uu YT formed by Jesus Christ. The manifestation of this miracle set in motion the earthly ministry of our Lord. Jesus came to earth ona definite, pre-ordained mission. To accomplish his purpose, it was nec- essary that men recognize him and respond to him as the Son of God. Jesus was a patient, gifted teacher with the ability to intertwine the mundane activities of daily living with Heaven's most valuable lessons. His parabolic style of teaching confounded the scholars while reaching out to the hearts of the common man. And by the use of miracles, Jesus publicly revealed himself to be the Son of God. We need to understand that Jesus’ miracles were never selfish. In fact, his miracles were always executed for the benefit of someone in need and brought forth an essential revelation. The first of seven mir- acles recorded by John is where Jesus turned water into wine at a wedding. John was a true evange- list and this account of the wedding event in his New Testament Gospel, written from an evangelistic view- point, is an attempt to win new converts to Jesus. We can conclude that this wed- ding in Cana was a large one, or certainly larger than anticipated, because the wine soon ran out. Jesus acted both unexpectedly and generously when he came to the aid of the new bride and groom, filling their pots with new wine. By the Rev. Dr. CHARLES R. Watkins, Jr.* However, there is an even greater significance of this wedding gift. With his simple command to “fill the pots,” Jesus reveals his super- natural power over nature. After all, ‘all things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” Jesus exer- cised his Divinity and certified his blessing with this wedding gift. But that’s not all. With the command to “fill the pots,” Jesus reveals his ability to make the last better than the first. The wine he creates is better than the wine served by the hostess. At the Cana wedding, Jesus begins his ministry with the cre- ation of new wine. And the Bible shows us that three years later, at the Feast of the Passover, Jesus closed out his earthly ministry with the Last Supper wine as a testament of his blood, which was shed for the remission of sin. Jesus is inviting us today to come to his feast! The table is set and the invitations have Oe ——"— gone out. No gift is necessary; the greatest gift has already been given. We are invited to come and fill our vessels with his new wine. This new wine Jesus offers us will set us free from our agonies and afflictions; free from our burdens and battles; free from our conflicts and crises. We are invited to come and fill our vessels with Jesus’ new wine that will free us from discourage- ment and danger, heaviness and hardships, pressures and problems, trials and tribulations! Jesus is inviting us today to come to his feast! The table is set. All things are ready. We just have to come to the feast! *The Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr. is the Pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC. THE WATCH MEETING NIGHT SERVICES IN BLACK AMERICA Dr, Calvin H. Sydnor III, The 20th Editor of The Christian Recorder Wi are in the New Year and pastors and local church leaders, hopefully (4 planned for Watch Meeting Night services. The Watch Night worship service has been a strong African Methodist tradition from the very beginnings of the A.M.E. Church. I mention that because there has been a revisionist account that originally stated that the genesis of Watch Night services in black communities are traced back to gatherings on December 31, 1862, also known as “Freedom’s Eve” when blacks came together in churches and private homes to await the news that the Emancipation Proclamation was going to become law. The revisionist account of the Watch Night Service says, “Black folks have gathered in churches annually on New Year’s Eve ever since, praising God for bringing us safely through another year.” The story is heartwarming, but there is more to the story. Today, the Watch Night Service is held in a lot of black and white churches; and the Emancipation Proclamation story has relevance and I am certain that the night of December 31, 1862 had a special meaning for the slaves. However, President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation did not free all of the slaves, only the slaves in the slave-holding states, but I am also certain, for those who took advantage of the emancipation order, December 31st remained a significant day in their lives as long as they lived. But, the Watch Night Service didn’t begin in 1862; it began many years prior to that date. The Watch Night Service reportedly began with the Moravians in Germany and was picked up by John Wesley who incorporated the service in Methodism. In England, Europe and in America, the early Methodists and other religious groups also observed Watch Night services; the Moravians _ ., continued on p7 ===== DSC04286.JPG ===== i ..From The Watch p6 certainly did. The noted homiletician, Charles H, Spurgeon, a Baptist preacher, preached a Watch Night Sermon on December 31, 1855 and took his text from Lamentations 2:19. In America, among the earliest Watch Night services was probably held at St. George Church in Philadelphia where Richard Allen and other blacks were members. To say that the Watch Meeting services began in the mid-1800’s is a myth. It is certain that Richard Allen celebrated Watch Meeting Night services at St. George Church and it would follow that Watch Meeting Night services were held at Mother Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Originally, Watch Night services were held to deepen the spiritual life of the Methodists and Wesley himself explained in his journal that Watch Night services in England were generally held between 8:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. on the Friday nearest the full moon “so that participants walked safely home «From Bishop p4 Georgia; Rev. Dr. John Green, President/Dean of Turner Theological Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia; Rev. Dr. Stanley Pritchett, President of Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia; Bishop W. Darin Moore, Presiding Prelate, Western District, A.M.E. Zion Church; and the Honorable Nancy Denton, Mayor of the city of Athens, Georgia. The affair began at 7:00 p.m. as the distinguished guests processed into the ballroom announced by the Master of Ceremony, Mr. Michael Thurmond, Esquire, and the Mistress of Ceremony, Ms. Xernona Clayton, President and CEO of the Trumpet Awards Foundation. With natural chemistry, the two MC’s ushered the evening along with bright smiles and warm laughter which added to the joyful atmosphere. The opening prayer was a powerful invocation delivered by Dr. Leah G. Fitchue, President of Payne Seminary, whose spirited message was reflective of her great admiration and respect for Bishop Williams. For more than a decade Bishop Williams and Dr. Fitchue have developed an extraordinary working relationship often teaming up to educate, elevate and inspire the hearts, minds and souls of thousands of clergy and laity. Together, they have presented numerous theological institutes in various Episcopal districts, bringing the brightest theolo- gians out of the classrooms of academia and directly to the people of the A.M.E. Church. Through the divinely inspired work of these two extraordinary A.M.E. leaders, thousands of clergy and laity were able to access seminary level train- ing in the comfort of their own local church communities. Similarly, numerous A.M.E. clergy were awarded scholarships to attend Payne Seminary, which made possible their pursuit of their formal educations in the form of Master of Divinity degrees. On this special evening, Dr. Fitchue’s presence and prayers were a testament to the great things that she and Bishop Williams accomplished togeth- er. The fertile seeds that these two excep- tional servant-leaders sowed will form their historical legacy of education, eleva- ion and empowerment which will live on long after they both have gone from here to eternity. Bishop Williams’ four children, Arnold, Stella, Priscilla and Prestina, made their way to the dais to offer insight about their father from a family perspective. Lovingly they shared stories from their childhood and sang gospel songs as tribute to their father and praise to God. Following the Occasion delivered by the Rev. Dr. John Foster, Senior Pastor of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Georgia, Bishop Williams was presented with a proclamation from the United States House of Representatives from the office of Henry “Hank” Johnson, U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 4th Congressional District, which in part read: “Whereas, Bishop Preston Warren Williams Il has provided stellar leadership to his church on an international level... Whereas, with the support of his wife Dr. Wilma Delores Webb Williams, and under the guidance of God, has pioneered and sustained the 6th Episcopal District, as an instrument in our nation that uplifts the physical, spiritual and mental welfare of our citizens; and Whereas, this remark- able and tenacious man of God has given hope to the hopeless, fed the hungry and is a beacon of light to those in need; and Whereas, Bishop Williams is a spiritual warrior, a man of compassion, a fearless leader and a servant to all, but most of all a visionary who has shared his passion to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ; and Whereas, the U.S. Representative of the Ath District of Georgia has set aside this day to honor and recognize Bishop Preston Warren Williams II, as he celebrates service in ministry and to salute him as he retires from pastoral leadership; A true man of excellence. Now, therefore, |, Henry C. ‘Hank’ Johnson, Jr. do hereby proclaim October 22, 2015 as Bishop Preston Warren Williams II Day in the 4th Congressional District.” Similarly, the Honorable Rev. Karen Bennett, Georgia State Representative of District 94, presented Bishop Williams with a resolution from the Georgia House of Representatives which in part read: “Whereas, during his illustrious career, RUCHARD ALLE, MLE CHURCH FUNDER, OW NEW BLACK HERITAGE STA Every A.M_E. should purchase a block of Richard Allen postage stamps. Join Ms. Carol Croskey and St Paul A.M_E. - Ocala, Florida (the Rev. Patrick J. Sasnett, Pastor) and organize a “Richard Allen Stamp WALK IN.” Take a group to your local post office; buy stamps (for the year, monthly supply to mail your bills, gifts for special people in your life). If your group exhausts the supply, ask your local postmaster to order more. lhis year’s Founder's Day should be one of signifi- cance at every A.M.E, Church! through moonlit streets.” *Richard Allen, the A.M.E. church founder image is on a new Black Heritage stamp. In 19th Century Philadelphia, the Methodists continued the practice of Watch Night services on New Year’s Eve. The newly-formed A.M.E. Church members, wherever A.M.E. churches were located, celebrated Watch Meeting Night services. Watch Meeting Night Service is a tradition that I hope will continue because we have a lot for which to be thankful. All of us have a testimony to give, a song to sing and a prayer to be prayed. In the black community, the Watch Meeting Night began with us, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and with the Right Reverend Richard Allen, the first consecrated and elected bishop. Though other denominations have Watch Night services, Watch Meeting Night worship is a Methodist tradition and we should never, ever, forget it. Atlanta’s Board of Education, serving 19 years in various capacities as President, Vice President, Chairman of the Superintendent Search Committee and Chairman of the Finance Committee; and Whereas, he has served as the pastor of numerous A.M.E. Church congregations throughout the state of Georgia, includ- ing Bethel A.M.E. Church in Augusta, Georgia, Paradise A.M.E. Church in Jefferson, Georgia, Saint Mark A.M.E. church in Athens, Georgia, and Allen Temple, Saint Paul and Trinity A.M.E. churches in Atlanta, Georgia; and Whereas, he has been instrumental in saving Morris Brown College for the A.M.E. Church, the state of Georgia and the nation, as an historic institution of higher learning with a long and proud history that is dedicated to uplifting the minds, spirits and souls of our country’s youth; and Whereas, it is abundantly fitting and proper that the outstanding accomplishments of this remarkable Georgian be appropriately recognized. Now, therefore, be it resolved that Reverend Dr. Preston Warren Williams II is recognized and honored for the immea- surable contributions he has made throughout the state of Georgia and the world and extended best wishes for suc- cess in his future endeavors.” The Honorable Nancy Denson, Mayor of the city of Athens, Georgia, where the evening’s affair was held, presented Bishop Williams with both a proclamation and a key to the city. In part the procla- mation read: “Whereas, Bishop Williams was instrumental in bringing several of the A.M.E. Church’s annual meetings to Athens, Georgia which has had a pro- foundly positive impact on the Athens economy and bolstered the business and civic community relationships with the A.M.E. Church; and Whereas, Athens is home to numerous colleges and universi- ties, we salute Bishop Williams for his successful efforts in saving Morris Brown College for the A.M.E. Church, the state of Georgia and the nation, so that future generations will be able to attend this historic institution of higher learning; and Whereas, the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia commends AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM Bishop Williams for the significant eco- nomic, social, political and theological contributions he has made to communi- ties throughout the state of Georgia, the nation and the world. Now, therefore, |, Nancy B. Denson, Mayor of the Unified Government of Athens-Clarke County, Georgia extend congratulations to Bishop Preston Warren Williams Il and wish him success and happiness in his future endeavors as he prepares to retire from 57 years of ministerial service in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.” Mayor Denson further stated that although the awarding of the key to the city of Athens is extremely rare, she was compelled to present the key to Bishop Williams as a token of gratitude for his lifetime spent in service to others. One of the evening’s keynote addresses was delivered by Ambassador Andrew Jackson Young, American politician, dip- lomat, activist and pastor from Georgia who served as a Congressman from Georgia’s 5th Congressional District, the United States Ambassador to the United Nations and Mayor of Atlanta. He served as President of the National Council of Churches U.S.A., was a member of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) during the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement and was a supporter and friend of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Ambassador Young was greeted with a standing ovation and rousing applause as he spoke pas- sionately about the excellent work accom- plished by the Atlanta City School Board during Bishop Williams’ tenure as President of the Board. He commented on the often divisive dynamics and contentious issues that plague contemporary governmental leadership and reflected that, “We did not have those types of problems when Preston Williams was President of the Board. Under his leadership we had a spirit-led Board that was about doing the greatest good for our citizens and communities.” Ambassador Young asserted that, “This nation is fractured, polarized and we will continue to need your relation- ship with God to intercede on our behalf... One of our proudest moments was when Emanuel ..continued on p9 y Bishop Williams was actively involved in ===== DSC04287.JPG ===== } Sete. EMS , q Preside nt) Publishe or pp MEG Sundayrscns >) Unisn aC; ontinding a Ly OF i Bshing PPP A ruvisting —— kkk ~~ MINISTRY ACCOMPLISHMENTS Led Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Founder of the Richard Allen Gardens, FL in completing a $6.2 Leadership Academy (First million Worship Center and all-Boys Charter School in the Community Center in 2007 State of Florida in 2007) Purchased 4 acres of land for Grant Purchased 3 acres of land for Ne Memorial AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Bethel AMEC, Jacksonville, FL Purchased 5 acres of land for Increased Membership and Mount Hermon AMEC, Miami Stewardship at every Gardens, FL congregation and District serve PRESIDENT/PUBLISHER of the AMEC Sunday School Union ===== DSC04288.JPG ===== ..From Bishop p7 A.M.E. Church in Charleston, South Carolina stood together as Christians in the face of tragedy and showed the nation and world what God's grace can do... Bishop Williams has been a blessing in the U.S. and Africa having accom- plished extraordinary things there.” Picking up where Ambassador Young left off, the Rev. Dr. Edward L. Wheeler, President of the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), came to the podium and made one of the evening’s most memorable statements. Dr. Wheeler said, “Bishop Richard Allen is known as the founding father of our Zion. Bishop Daniel Payne is known as the Bishop of Education. But | believe history will look back and Bishop Preston W. Williams || will be regarded as the Bishop of Church Growth and Expansion.” As Ambassador Young had earlier stated that Bishop Williams was, “A blessing to Africa,” Dr. Wheeler also referenced the extraordinary work accomplished by Bishop Williams during his tenure as the Presiding Prelate of the 17th Episcopal District, which at that time encompassed eight (8) countries in Central Africa. During four years under Bishop Williams’ leadership (2000-2004), the 17th District grew ata stunning rate, adding tens of thousands of members to its roles, expand- ing the District’s membership to 1,040 churches. The District grew from seven (7) annual conferences to sixteen (16), and from twenty-four (24) presiding elder districts to eighty-six (86). This astronomical increase in membership required that the 17th District be split into two separate parts forming a new 20th Episcopal District at the 47th session of the General Conference. This historic feat was accom- plished with the guidance of the Holy Spirit and the blessing of God, and according to Dr. Wheeler will cement Bishop Williams’ legacy as one of the most prolific bishops, in regard to church growth and expansion, in the entire history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Next, Bishop Williams’ life-long attorney and friend, Mr. Keith Wiener, Esquire, spoke about the character of the man he had known for more than 40 years. Mr. Weiner stated, “As Bishop Williams’ attorney my job has been to advise Bishop Williams as to what he can do according to the law. However, Bishop Williams has always been more interested in, not what he can do legally, but what he should do morally. Bishop Williams has always been focused on the preeminent question, which is: What is the right thing to do?” Following Attorney Weiner, numerous individuals and organizations made heartfelt presentations filled with appreciation and gratitude to Bishop and Mother Williams, including: retired Bishop Frank C. Cummings; retired Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry; retired Bishop Cornal G. Henning, Sr.; Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe; the Rev. Dr. Harold Mayberry, Senior Pastor, First A.M.E. Church, Oakland, California, and Chairman, Episcopal Committee, A.M.E. Church; the Rev. Alan H. Wicker, President, 6th District Presiding Elders’ Council; the Rev. Dr. Juennarl Keith, Presiding Elder, Mount Pleasant District, 7th District A.M.E. Church; Mrs. Barbara Clayton Hudson, President, 6th District WMS; Mr. Michael Brown, President, 6th District Lay Organization; Ms. Kabrina Bass, Episcopal Director, 6th District Christian Education, Ms. Sandie Brown, Episcopal Commissioner, 6th District DMC; Mrs. Dorothy Ridley, Episcopal President, 6th District MSWWO Plus PK’s; the Rev. Vandy Simmons, Episcopal President, 6th District Sons of Allen; the Rev. Velma Grant, Episcopal President, 6th District Women In Ministry; Mrs. Monica Bryant, Episcopal Director, 6th District YPD; Ms. Victoria Jenkins, mem- ber of the Morris Brown College Board of Trustees; the Rev. Dr. William Watley, Senior Pastor, Saint Philip A.M.E. Church, Atlanta, GA; Attorney Renardo Hicks, General Counsel, 6th District A.M.E. Church; and Dr. Sheila Cook and the Rev. Veronica Lewis, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. After a sumptuous meal and a well-preached word delivered by Bishop W. Darin Moore, Presiding Prelate of the Western District of the A.M.E. Zion Church, the grand moment had finally arrived as the two honorees, arm-in-arm, approached the micro- phone to say a word together. As is the way they led each church and Episcopal district to which they were assigned, they stood together, side-by-side, as one; a team of two sent to teach and preach, guide, inspire and love. In a soft and sweet tone, Mother Williams opened by saying, “1 will bless the Lord at all times; his praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the Lord; let the humble hear and be glad. O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt his name together... Thank you for helping us celebrate our retirement. We have given our time, wisdom and knowledge in trying to help our Zion grow in the ways of God. We have tried to teach through example, always using the Bible as our guide to show how God would have us to love each other and pray for one another... Think on those things which you have been taught to do for Christ and work on them. Give God your heart, read and study your Bible. Allow God to speak to you... Let us make good use and not squander the time he has given to us. | would like to close with one of our favorite hymns which says, ‘Let Jesus lead you. Let Jesus lead you. He’s a mighty good leader. He led my father. He led my mother. All the way from earth to heaven. Let Jesus lead you all the way.” The final words of the evening were reserved for the chief-preacher, the master-pastor who was born in a tiny southern town in rural Georgia; who at a young age answered the call from Christ to lead his people to salvation, who through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and the grace of God rose to the apex of ecclesiastical leadership as a bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. A UNIQUE MLK DAY CELEBRATION By Mrs, Jeanette T. Johns* Hollywood Full Gospel Baptist Cathedral, Long Island, NY has been sponsoring a Martin Luther King, Jr, breakfast for 10 years and I’ve attended almost all of them. They had as their MC last year Alisha Laventure, a favorite black news anchor on the local TV station, After last year’s program they got a big splash in the paper and | was sorry I’d missed it. So imagine my surprise when I arrived at the breakfast this year and saw Alisha Laventure first thing. She must have done a good job last year because they had her back to do the job again. And yes, she was excellent. Her words were well chosen and she was brief. This year they had her introduce each of the Leadership Award honorees and I could hardly believe that she took a full- page bio and condensed it into about 2-3 paragraphs and it seemed that she gave each one his/her due, That was just an excellent way to handle this large program of 14 honorees. My granddaughter, Jeanne Marve, had been an honoree 4 years ago, She was selected because she had decided to use her masquerade ball birthday party to raise money for the Marfan Syndrome Association (her dad’s ailment). Aside from having this excellent, beautiful woman as MC, the other part of the program that I need to tell you about is that in addition to paying tribute to MLK they decided on a theme, “Remembering the Beautiful Nine.” The journal cover was designed with a picture of MLK, photos of each of the Charleston 9 across his shoulder area near the bottom of the page, and Emanuel A.M.E. Church in the background. That was a pleasant surprise for me, too. But we’re not “there” yet.” They utilized a huge screen at each end of the room and started the program with the words of “Lift Every Voice and Sing” - all 3 verses - beautifully shown there. Bishop Andy C. Lewter, Jr., Pastor, became pastor of the church when his father, the Rev. Andy C. Lewter, Sr. retired a few years ago. I remember that the Rev. Sr. was friends with MLK and once had him speak at that church during the height of MLK’s popularity with the Civil Rights Movement. The Rev. King, Sr. (Daddy King) had also spoken there. Saving the best for last! Bishop Lewter had interviewed the Rev. Norvel Goff, currently serving as Interim Pastor of Mother Emanuel, and this interview was presented on that huge screen for all to see. Bishop Lewter posed short, succinct questions and the Rev. Goff then proceeded to speak at will. His answers were lengthy and full of information and inspiration. It was the most unique and appropri- ate presentation that I could have imagined happening for this occasion. Also, included in the journal was a letter from the Rev. Goff thanking Bishop Lewter for this program honoring the memory of the “Mother Emanuel Nine.” It was explained that many years after the assassination of MLK, there came the assassination of these 9 members of Mother Emanuel as they sat in a Wednesday night Bible study. The perpetrator said later that his intention was to start a race war. This is far from what happened. As Rev. Goff told us, in the days following this horrible event great diversity has been represented as people from various races now attend both the Wednesday night Bible study and the Sunday morning worship services. This is the exact opposite of what was intended by the shooter. The person who was in charge of the breakfast for the first 8 years ironed out the kinks each year, producing a better and better program each time. I know that must have been difficult, but it is always good to see progress in any of our major events. I can’t speak for last year, but this year the Committee has taken all of what the first Chairperson did and moved this occasion right on up to a much higher level. I’m sure the change of venue had something to do with it because there was much more space, making things more comfortable. Also, let me just tell you one more thing that really impressed me. The breakfast menu was just SO good! They had CHEESE GRITS! At our local diners, for cheese grits they just slap a slice of cheese on top of the grits, so the cheese does not actually melt into the grits. This place actually served yellow grits, the yellow being caused by the cheddar cheese having been melted into the grits. That got immediate extra “Brownie Points” from me. And here’s my last thing. They served nice, crispy bacon that was laid out in a pan that was lined at the bottom with slices of bread which absorbed the excess fat. I immediately thought of cruise ships - and maybe you’ve had this experience, too - that serve bacon that is SO greasy that you can just see the grease all over the bacon. There were potatoes, eggs and other breakfast items, different kinds of breads and lots of sliced fruit. Just wanted to share with you an excellent MLK day celebration! Leaning into the microphone with his booming baritone voice, Bishop Preston Warren Williams II brought a lifetime of experience to his closing remarks, which were, “Thank you. Thank you to everyone who came tonight to support Mother Dear and I. We are overjoyed with your presence at this occasion which is so special to us. Thank you for all of your support over the years and we ask for your continued prayers as Mother and | prepare to close this chapter of Episcopal service and open a new chapter full of exciting possibilities. As always, we will continue working for the Lord and we encourage you to include Christ in all that you do. We love you, go in peace, do well and God bless you.” AMECPUBLISHINGHOUSE.COM ===== DSC04289.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER .-From Mia Wortham p1 As a child, Judge Mia Wortham Spells became infatu ated with the legal process. She listened carefully when her father absorbed instruction on recorded tapes of legal courses he took by correspondence. The late Rev. William Hopson was a presiding elder in the Pittsburgh District of the | A.M. Church. He was blind, but was | she then pursued and received her law never handicapped in his faith or his | degree from the University of Dayton in knowledge of the Word and he instilled | 1986. Initially joining the 3rd Episcopal his passion for God and the A.M.E. | District's Wayman A.M.E. Chapel, Mia Church in his daughter. She later com- | was a member of Greater Allen A.M.E, missioned those same values in her law | She found a strong adviser in the Rey. practice and as a prosecutor. “Often | Dr. Floyd Alexander, whom she knew as because of life’s circumstances, people | a friend of her father. Through his con- don’t follow the Golden Rule, either | firmation, she became legal counsel for because of drugs, alcohol, lack of family | the Church’s 3rd District and became a involvement, lack of love or self love,” | spiritual daughter of Bishop McKinley says the newly elected Dayton (Ohio) | Young. Her support was further strength- Municipal Court Judge. Wortham Spells | ened by another spiritual father, Presiding has had much practice advocating this | Elder Rev. Earl G. Harris, who pastored biblical principle. She has 28 years | in Pittsburgh and also knew her father experience as a practicing attorney in | well. All three were in attendance when Dayton and has sat on the judicial bench | she took the oath of office on January as an acting judge before winning her | 3rd at the historic Old Courthouse in six-year term on November 3rd. downtown Dayton. The active community advocate first Wortham Spells says she will combine entertained becoming an administrator | her love for church and the law to create of justice 12 years ago. Her belief that | equal justice in her decision making. a comprehensive drug program can be | “You take an oath to follow the law an instrument to reduce crime fuels her | whether you agree or not, you have to faith in servant leadership. “I saw people | follow the law, but even the law has its who made huge mistakes and didn’t | limits. Your conscience has to guide have the ability to overcome those mis- | you.” She acknowledges for the most takes and will live the rest of their lives | part, the Judeo-Christian ethics upon suffering as a result. I have seen devas- | which laws are based are in step with tation to their families and to their com- | biblical precepts. So she will always be munities,” she says. “I wanted to work | guided by her faith, her moral censor in the legal field to do what I believe is | and her legal understanding. Tenets that, necessary in terms of programs, proba- | at an early age, she learned to develop tion, community service and anything | as the building blocks of her life. else that can assist people who come | through the legal system.” Growing up as the daughter of an | itinerant preacher, Dayton’s newest judge | calls Pennsylvania her home state, After ) high school, she made her way to Ohio | to attend Wilberforce University, her father’s alma mater, Graduating in 1977, | FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL A.M.E, CHURCH DISTRICT A.M.E, CHURCH BISHOP CLEMENT W. FUGH ; FEBRUARY 27, 2016 COTE D'IVOIRE ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Augustine's A.M.E. Church, Host Church Abidjan, Cote d'Ivoire The Rev. Desus S. Darkoh, Host Pastor BISHOP GREGORY G. M. INGRAM MARCH 1-6, 2016 DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 2, 2016 WMS DAY Delaware Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 8-13, 2016 BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 9, 2016 WMS DAY Bermuda Ministerial Alliance, Host MARCH 4-6, 2016 SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE Bishop Campbell A.M.E. Church, Host Church Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. Joseph P. A. Wilhelm, Host Pastor MARCH 28-APRIL 3, 2016 NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE MARCH 29, 2016 WMS DAY Atlantic City District, Host MARCH 11, 2016 NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Christ Love A.M.E. Church, Host Church lle Ife, Nigeria The Rev. Margaret Fadehan, Host Pastor APRIL 12-17, 2016 NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 13, 2016 WMS DAY Bethel, Bloomfield, Host MARCH 15, 2016 TOGO/BENIN ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. John A.M.E. Church, Host Church Lome, Togo The Rev. John Afawoubo, Host Pastor APRIL 25-MAY 1, 2016 NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE APRIL 26, 2016 WMS DAY Bridge Street, Host MARCH 18-20, 2016 GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Host Church Takoradi (Sekondi), Ghana The Rev. Stephen Ainu, Host Pastor MARCH 23-25, 2016 CENTRAL LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE Empowerment Temple A.M.E. Church, Host Church Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. Dr. Katurah Cooper, Host Pastor MAY 10-14, 2016 WESTERN NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 11, 2016 WMS DAY St. John, Niagara Falls, Host ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULES ae MAY 16-22, 2016 MARCH 29-31, 2016. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE MAY 17, 2016 Mt. Ashton A.M.E. Church, Host Church WMS DAY Cape Palmas, Liberia Mother Bethel, Host The Rev. Tar-Kolo Miller, Host Pastor GDC Executive Board Meeting February 22-24, 2016 Hilton Hotel Trinidad Port of Spain, Trinidad TEL: +1-868-624-3211 FAX: +1-868-624-4485 METHODIST Accommodations: Standard king room single/double occupancy - USD129/139 plus taxes daily INFORMATION ABOUT THE GDC EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING | bishopwhite130@aol.com or the Rev. Wayne Anthony; elder.anthony@yahoo.com. Standard double rooms, double occupancy - USD149 plus taxes daily - includes complimentary breakfast and guest room internet. Bishop David R. Daniels, Chair Bishop John F. White, Host The Rev. Wayne Anthony, Host Presiding Elder If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me, Bishop John F. White: HOST OF FRIENDS ATTENDS HOMEGOING SERVICE FOR E. CATHERINE SHEPHERD IN PHILADELPHIA By Sister Angelena Spears* came from all over the Philadelphia Annual Conference to Th cy say goodbye to a very special friend, E. Catherine Shepherd, who lived to be 88 years old and made many friends across the years. Sister Shepherd died on December 23. Those who came to her funeral service which was held on New Year’s Eve included three presiding elders and two bishops. The two bishops were Sister Shepherd’s own bishop, the Right Rev. Gregory G.M. Ingram of the First Episcopal District; and Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath of the 13th Episcopal District. Sister Mary L. Motoo, the president of | the First Episcopal District Lay Organization, traveled from New York to be | at the service. In anticipation of the large turnout, the service was held at St. Matthew A.MLE. | Church, Philadelphia, instead of Sister Shepherd’s home church, Metropolitan A.ME., Lansdowne - where she had been a member for over six decades. Sister Shepherd had served on the Steward Board, as President of the Trustee Board, was a member of the Finance Committee and had held several leadership positions in the Philadelphia Conference Lay Organization. Sister Shepherd had also played a pivotal role when Metropolitan moved in 2011 from its location in North Philadelphia to suburban Lansdowne. The Rev, Teressa Fuller, of Metropolitan’s ministerial staff, was the offici- ant for the service, and Metropolitan’s Pastor, the Rev. Jeffrey Johnson, gave the eulogy. Every person who spoke during the ceremony painted the same picture: _ Sister Shepherd was loving, she would give to anyone in need, she knew The Discipline, she loved God and loved her church, and she was a mentor. Those who spoke also offered words of comfort and appreciation to Sister Deborah Stancil, the widow of the late Rev. Bealie Stancil, a former pastor of Metropolitan. Sister Stancil had been Sister Shepherd’s friend and devoted caretaker. The Rev. Clarence A. Martin, who served as the Pastor of Metropolitan from 2004 to 2015, remembered Sister Shepherd as a friend. ., continued on p11 ===== DSC04290.JPG ===== ALLEGHENY-SCRANTON DISTRICT'S 7 DR. MARTIN Submitted by: Shelly Brown - Allegheny Scranton District Administrative Assistant ANNUAL LUTHER KING, JR. CELEBRATION Clairton, Pennsylvania h e BLISTERING BITTER COLD WEATHER did not stop clergy, laity, friends and family from convening at First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Clairton, Pennsylvania to attend the 7th Annual Dr. Martin Luther, Jr. Celebration “Keep the Dream Alive” on Monday, January 18, 2016. The Worship Leader was the Reverend Rodrecus Johnson, Jr., Pastor of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, | Was done by the Reverend Melva Hartzog, Pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Tarentum, Pennsylvania. A very special “Happy Birthday” was sung by the congregation to Mrs. Juanita Arterberry, member of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The combined choirs of Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Brighton, Pennsylvania and St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bridgewater, Pennsylvania rendered the | | Celebration Award for their dedi- cation and commitment to service inside and outside of the church | were: Deaconess Florence Cuspard Lott, Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Brighton, Pennsylvania, Mrs. Lowell Owens, First African Pennsylvania. Praise and Worship ushered in the Spirit of the Lord by Evangelist Elizabeth Henderson, Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Following the ascrip- tion of praise, the Call to Worship and the singing of “The Battle Hymn of the Republic,” the invocation was rendered by the Reverend Melvin D. Wilson, Jr., Pastor of Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Duquesne, Pennsylvania and the welcome by Host Pastor, the Reverend Linda Moore, First African Methodist Episcopal Church, Clairton, Pennsylvania. First A.M.E. Church Choir rendered two selections, “Goin’ Up Yonder” and “Order My Steps.” The Reverend Dr. Judith C. Moore, Pastor of Greater Allen African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania gave the Occasion. The Reverend Ragin Dykes, Pastor of New Life African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania read Psalm 9:1-10 and the Reverend Dr. James Harris, Pastor of Park Place African Methodist Episcopal Church, Homestead, Pennsylvania read Romans 8:28-32. The Presentation of the Presiding Elder selections “How to Reach the Masses” and “Still Away.” The Reverend Dr. Eric L. Brown, Presiding Elder, Allegheny District, Third Episcopal District, presented the guest preacher, the Reverend Tawan Bailey, Pastor of Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Brighton and St. John African Methodist Episcopal Church, Bridgewater, PA. The Reverend Tawan Bailey’s theme was “I’m on the Midnight Shift.” The scripture, Mark 14:32-42, Exodus 14:16-22. Jesus specifically asked James, THE 2” EPISCOPAL DISTRICT INVITES YOU TO THE CELEBRATION The seeking, serving, Spirit-filled Second Episcopal — | District will host their annual — Founder’s Day Celebration February 18-20, 2016 at Reid Temple A.M.H. Church, 11400 Glenn Dale Blvd., Glenn Dale, MD 20769. We are celebrating the retirement of the dynamic leadership of Bishop William Phillips DeVeaux, Sr. and Episcopal Supervisor Patricia Ann Morris DeVeaux. You are invited to join the Second Episcopal District in the festivities and to offer your words of commendation and congratulations on our online guestbook. Visit: www.wac-guestbook. | org for more information | and/or to submit your message. For more information, please visit: www.endamec. org or contact the Rev. Dr. Valdes Snipes-Bennett at (208) 8428-3788. Congratulatory correspon- dences may be sent to the Second Episcopal District’s office at 1134 11th Street, NW, Third Floor, Washington, DC 20001. Important Times and Dates: Opening Worship Service - Thursday, February 18th at 7:30 p.m. Plenary Session - Friday, February 19th at 10:30 a.m. SED Lay Luncheon - Friday, February 19th at 12 noon Retirement Celebration - Friday, February 19th at 7:30 p.m. Closing Business Session - Saturday, February 20th at 9:00 a.m. Retirement Celebration Coordinators: The Rev. Evelyn G. Dunn, Presiding Elder- Southern District, North Carolina Conference The Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Presiding Elder -Potomac District, Washington Conference. 400 THE NCC DENOUNCES DONALD TRUMPS DEMAGOGUERY THAT MUSLIMS BE BANNED FROM ENTERING THE COUNTRY Washington: It is gratifying that many faith leaders, media figures and politicians have denounced the demand by Republican presi- dential candidate Donald Trump that Muslims be banned from entering the country. The National Council of Churches joins our voice to those who have expressed outrage at his comments. At the recent meeting of the Governing Board of the NCC, a statement on hateful rhetoric was adopted which “calls on all can- didates for office to refrain from utilizing speech that reflects hatred of others and results in the division of society as a way to promote their candidacies.” This statement speaks to the address Mr. Trump’s most recent comments. The New York Times has car- ried out a careful examination of Mr. Trump’s rhetoric and has concluded it bears disturbing demagogic tendencies similar to “Goldwater, George Wallace, Joseph McCarthy, Huey Long and Pat Buchanan, who used fiery language to try to win favor with struggling or scared Americans.” Demagogic rhetoric, while sometimes popular, is dam- aging to the body politic and we reiterate our request that political candidates not employ it. Finally, we not only express our solidarity with our Muslim sisters and brothers, we pledge to protect and shelter them physically and deeds. It is a certainty that many Christians will give active aid and assistance to Muslims if efforts are made to ban them, register them or harm them. We urge Christians across the nation to respond to hate with love, and to the stranger with hospitality and generosity, taking the Great Commandment to heart: “Teacher, which commandment in the law is the greatest?” He said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” - Methodist Episcopal Church, Clairton, Pennsylvania, Reverend Maureen Cross Bolden, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Peter and John to watch and | pray; but as we all know they fell asleep. Martin Luther King, Jr. called upon the church to take action and accountability for the injustices that were hap- and the Reverend Mark Alexander, | Pastor of Bethel African Methodist pening. To be on the night shift, | “™ you MUST tarry, watch and Episcopal Church, New Castle, | Pennsylvania. Each recipient pray! The Invitation to | was presented a plaque by Discipleship as well as Altar Call was rendered by the | Presiding Elder Reverend Dr. Eric L. Brown. Reverend Rodrecus Johnson, At the conclusion of the cel- Jr.; everyone joined in signing | “All to Jesus, I Surrender All,” | ebration, a circle was formed The recipients of the 7th Annual | and everyone joined in the sing- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. | ing of “We Shall Overcome.” From Host of Friends p10 He said she was a quiet, unassum- ing person who never spoke above a whisper and was a help to every pastor. “Every church should have a spirit of Catherine Shepherd,” said the Rev. Martin. “She would lead any testimony with Psalm 34; I will bless the Lord at all times...Oh taste and see that the Lord is good,” said Rev. Martin, who now is the Pastor of Waters Memorial A.M.E. in Philadelphia. The Rev. Leroy Ladson, another former pastor of Metropolitan, recalled when he was sent to the church in the late 1990’s. “When I got to Metropolitan I found a lady like none other I have ever met in my entire min- istry,” he said. “She was a jewel, a princess ... she had a way with people,” said Rev. Ladson, who traveled from New England to be at the service. Three presiding elders from the Philadelphia Annual Conference participated in the service and shared fond memories of Sister Shepherd. Presiding Elder Jocelyn Hart of the Philadelphia District referenced her dedica- tion and Presiding Elder Charles Lett, of the West Mainline District, spoke of her wisdom and faithfulness and called her a “model layman.” Sister Shepherd’s presiding elder, the Rev. Dr. Janet J. Sturdivant, of the South Philadelphia District, spoke about how Sister Shepherd “enjoyed life and tried to help others enjoy theirs.” Presiding Elder Sturdivant also shared a poignant memory of a recent visit she had with Sister Shepherd just days before she passed away. Loving memories were shared by Sister Cheryl Hammond Hopewell, the President of the Philadelphia Conference Lay Organization, who said Sister Shepherd had taken her under her wings when she joined the Lay Organization as a young adult. Brother Walter C. Jeffers, the Director of Public Relations for the Connectional Lay Organization, expressed similar sentiments ..continued on p12 larger matter but does not spiritually with our words and our _ Matthew 22:36-40 (NRSV) Nee e ee ee ===== DSC04291.JPG ===== THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER ..From Mt Nebop1 remarkable group of people in support of the mission of providing fresh, healthy food to those in the community who need it. There are more than a dozen devoted members who pick up, bag, drive, and help coordinate all of the activities that make the SHARE Ministry a great success. Founder Daisy Stith, 88 years old, is still working, making cour- tesy calls to all the participants the night before delivery and by bring- ing a delicious breakfast to all SHARE team members. Lenny Williams is up before dawn to direct the 4:30 am transportation committee with dedicated drivers and baggers Robert Adair and Anthony Payne. They are | assisted by Mare Rogers and Vernon Owens who are | also members of the pickup crew. Eugene Williams and Lenny Williams are SHARE ministry advisors. The food is handed off to GMN’s faithful 6:00 a.m. baggers who include Lorraine Willis, Florie Purnell, Rachael Purnell, Linda Jones, Wendy Jenkins and Eugene Williams. They also deliver curbside service with a | warm and Godly smile to their customers. SHARE volunteers are rewarded by the warm feelings that come from serving others with nutritious food. In fact, the GMN SHARE team often prays with recipients when they bring their food. ..From Host of Friends p11 of being nurtured by Sister Shepherd. Bishop Leath, who happened to be in the Philadelphia area during the week of the service, said he “couldn’t be in Philadelphia and not come to Sister Shepherd’s service.” Bishop Leath, who was elected to the episcopacy while serving as the Pastor of Mother Bethel, Philadelphia, shared several attributes he had noticed about Sister Shepherd over the years. In addition to the traditional SHARE activities at Greater Mt. Nebo, new Coordinator, Vickie E. Williams, and her husband Eugene Williams extended the program through a sponsorship program. They have enlisted several organizations, including the GMN church fam- ily, noon day Bible study family and Rev. Jackson, who | all donate funds to help seniors and families who need | assistance in purchasing their value packages. This effort providing them with greatly needed food supplies. Vickie says, “I have a tremendous feeling of accom- plishment when I’m working with our awesome GMN | SHARE team members to feed seniors and families who can’t always put food on their tables.” Each month, she works extra hard to expand the sponsorship program by emailing and making per- sonal calls to friends, conducting visits to companies in the community and, especially, talking with the church family who are strongly supportive of the program. The GMN SHARE ministry also provides community service hours to school students. And it provides assistance to the heads < “Pye never known E. Catherine Shepherd to be disrespectful,” | said Bishop Leath. “She knew how to wield power and she was j never bitter when she didn’t get her way.” He also summoned others to follow Sister Shepherd’s wisdom of “making friends with people several generations behind you.” He said passing along wisdom to people several generations below you is a key element in succession. Bishop Leath further added that the Lay Organization should have a workshop that studies Sister Shepherd's leadership skills. Bishop Gregory Ingram summed up the sentiments of how much } Sister Shepherd’s life had impacted others when he said: “Every man or woman must ask themselves - is this world a better place because you passed through?” Bishop Ingram then affirmed, “We are here today — not because she [Sister Shepherd] died - but because she lived!” i HERE JANUARY 4, 2016 of households by helping them to become more self- sufficient and connecting them to government agen- cies for support. The GMN team is seeking to enlist other churches and organizations as partners to grow the SHARE program. For example, they have a partnership with Alzenia Hamlin and others at her senior resident’s | building and with Evelyn Wallace, President of the helps to support more than 20 seniors and families by | Missionary Society. The GMN SHARE ministry is also indebted to the office staff at the church. Tabitha Washington promotes the ministry to the church membership through the Revelation Weekly newsletter. Vida Lawson and Alfonso Jones provide the SHARE ministry video announce- ments. Additionally, thanks go to Vida Lawson for managing the books. Audrey Hamilton, Patrick Lynch, Deidre Singleton, John Simms and Antwan Griffin help the program by opening the doors of the church on delivery days between 5:45 am - 6:00 am. Sandy Scott is the team member who makes sure the SHARE flyers are printed. As Vickie Williams says, “We thank God for leading this great ministry and thank Pastor Jonathan L. Weaver for his support. We’ve come this far by faith and we are depending on God to guide our future endeavors.” \ Presiding Elder, East Tennessee 13th Episcopal District DIRECTOR OF EVANGELISM tmayes5116@aol.com for a wet _ EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF CHURCH GROWTH: it ps “AND DEVELOPMENT 2046 f
• November 27, 1989
  ===== DSC05942.JPG ===== Vol. 139, No. § The AME Christian Recorder November 27, 1989 W.M.S. Holds Convention at South Ohio Conference in 3rd District The Richard Allen Hildebrand Ministerial Scholarship Initiated Bishop R. A. Hildebrand Cincinnati, OH—The 38th Annual Session of the Women’s Missionary Society convened at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, host to the South Ohio An- nual Conference of the 3rd Episcopal District. The Rev. Ralph Newell is pastor of the church. Mrs. Beatrice R. Shipes was host president of the W.M.S. meeting. The opening session of the Conven- tion was called to order by Con- ference Branch President Odessa Brown and Mrs. Harriet Graham pre- sided at the Noon worship, where a dynamic Missionary Sermon was de- livered by the Rev. Marla Coulter of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lockland. Two past district presidents, Mrs. Coeany Drummer and Mrs. Edith Hodge, were honored at the An- nual Luncheon. Mrs. Hodge gave $1,000 for education in memory of her late husband, Presiding Elder Please turn to page 6 Editor Reid is Communion Sunday Guest at Lee Chapel Dr. Donald E. Newberry, Sr. Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr. Cincinnati, OH—Dr. Donald E. New- berry, Dean of the South Ohio Con- ference, has begun his 34th year as pastor of Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church. During his thirty-four years, Dr. Newberry has performed a mira- cle on the corner of Cinnamon and Pogue Streets, where the New Lee Chapel Church and educational mul- tiplex facility are located. It was Bishop Alexander Joseph Allen who first appointed Dr. Newberry to this church in 1955. Upon the arrival of Christian Re- corder Editor Robert H. Reid, Jr., at Lee Chapel Church for the 10:30 a.m. communion worship service, he saw many busy people making ready for the Sunday’s activities. When he stood up to preach, the church was filled to its capacity. The heavenly singing of the Mass Choir and the Children’s Choir set the stage for the sermon. Please turn to page 6 PRICE: 50 CENTS Dr. J. Arthur Holmes Honored for Forty Years Columbia, SC—God’s servants in the African Methodist Episcopal Church have an ‘‘Itinerant’’ Ministry. Ministers are assigned to hopefully take advantage of their particular strengths and to match them with congregations that need those strengths. It is, then, not only a rec- ord but a tribute to Pastor and people when an A.M.E. Minister serves as Pastor of the same congregation for forty years. This landmark achievement was reached by Dr. J. Arthur Holmes, Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Columbia, as he completed his for- tieth year of service to the people of Bethel. A native of Georgetown, South Carolina, Dr. Holmes holds degrees from Allen University, Wil- berforce University, and Monrovia College and Industrial Institute. Since coming to Bethel in 1949, Dr. Holmes’ service to Bethel and the ac- complishments of Bethel have been exemplary. The physical plant has been renovated, an elevator and organ have been installed, a $2,000,000 j Dr. J. Arthur Holmes, Pastor housing project has been established, and the main church building has been placed on the National Register of Historic Places. Most recently, the church has purchased a half million dollar building adjacent to the church and has converted it into the J. Arthur Holmes Activity Center. Dr. Holmes’ Ministry and involve- ment have extended beyond the walls of Bethel. He was one of the founders of South Carolina’s first biracial Ministers’ association, served on the Please turn to page 10 Bishop Vernon R. Byrd Responds to Hugo Disaster Bishop V. R. Byrd Presiding Bishop, 13th District Nashville, TN—Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, presiding prelate of the 13th Episcopal District, having heard of the HUGO DISASTER in South Ca- rolina and the Caribbean and St. Croix area of the 16th Episcopal District, called his presiding elders, led on by Rev. W. F. Scruggs, saying, “We must do something NOW.”’ In spite of the series of annual confer- ences in session, he asked the church- es of the district to respond; and from every nook and corner of the 13th Episcopal District the pastors heard the cry, ‘“‘Come over to Macedonia and help us.”’ The committee, led on in the Nash- ville area by Rev. and Mrs. S. M. Davis, Rev. and Mrs. W. F. Scruggs, Mr. Gilbert Beasley, Rev. and Mrs. C. E. Jenkins, Sr., Rev. and Mrs. Kenneth Robinson and Rev. Howard Clark, went to Sam’s Wholesaler and Metro Supermarket and bought need- ed commodities, filling an eighteen- wheeler truck almost to capacity, leaving room for pick-ups in Fayet- teville and Chattanooga, TN. Please turn to page 6 ee nd ee OE eee 300 Years of African American Heritage in Florida Gainesville, FL—From settling the first free Black colony in North America to organizing the famous 1963 March on Washington, at which Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his “I have a Dream’’ speech, Blacks in Florida have played major roles in the nation’s history, says a University of Florida researcher. “Only in the last generation has there been an awakening of the im- portance of the African American heritage in Florida, largely because Blacks are considered second class citizens,’’ said Robert Zieger, a UF history professor. Florida’s prominent Blacks include A. Philip Randolph, a national labor and civil rights leader who founded the March on Washington movement and helped to direct the 1963 march, James Weldon Johnson, the first Black executive director of the Na- tional Association for the Advance- ment of Colored People; and Zora Neale Hurston, one of the pioneer Black women writers of the early 20th century. The contributions of Florida’s Blacks was the subject of the public lecture series in Gainesville by nation- al scholars, titled ‘‘the African Ame- rican heritage in Florida 1690-1990.” Sponsored by UF’s history depart- ment with a grant from the Florida Endowment for the Humanities, the three part lecture series began Octo- ber 18 with a speech on Randolph by his biographer, William H. Harris, president of Texas Southern Universi- ty in Houston. Besides his leadership in the civil rights movement, Randolph was pre- sident of one of the nation’s great labor organization, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, from 1925 until 1968. He was active in labor and civil rights causes until his death in 1979. “This year marks the 100th anni- versary of A. Philip Randolph’s birth in Crescent City and yet there has been little public recognition or even awareness of a man of such stature who was also a native of Florida,” Zieger said. The Black experience in Florida and the Caribbean is the subject of the second lecture by Julius Scott of Duke University at the Senior Recrea- tion Center in Gainesville. It is scheduled for February 8, 1990, to coincide with Black History Month Please turn to page 7 ne PHILADI ===== DSC05943.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder In just thirty-four short days, the decade of the 1980s will end and, come January First, the decade of the 1990s will begin. As we begin the last decade of the 20th century, our minds begin to anticipate the turn of this century into the 21st century, the year 2000. What an occasion to anticipate: moving out of one century into an- other century. I am truly excited! Let me, however, pause here and give thanks for the Decade of the Eighties, now ending. I am, indeed, truly thankful to have served as Edi- tor of The Christian Recorder during these ten years of the 1980s and, also, those preceding years since the day of ROBERT H. REID, JR. my first election in Atlanta, Georgia. My long-time friend, Russell S. Brown, Jr., wrote me a congratulatory let- ter in 1988. He said, ‘‘Congratulations on being re-elected Editor of The Christian Recorder; you deserve to be!”’ Most African Methodists knew the father of Russell S. Brown, Jr. His father, the Rev. Russell S. Brown, was the thirteenth child born to his fami- ly. He pastored in the fourth and Fifth Districts and served as the General Secretary of the A.M.E. Church until his retirement. Russell Brown, Jr., in his congratulatory letter to me, went on to say, | wish for you a happy and successful administration. With so many general officers enjoying success in the quest for Bishop, no doubt you are having some restless moments.’’ Of course, all of the good men of African Methodism cannot be bishops. I am thankful to have the privilege of serving my denomination as a successful and fruitful general officer, the Editor of The Christian Recorder is almost one century and five decades old. I am thankful for Mother Reid and Father Reid, Stalwart African Methodists, both of whom left us during this decade. I am also thankful for those bishops, general officers, and other church leaders who were elected in the 1980, 1984, and 1988 General Conferences, during his decade that is now almost history. We have seen a multiplicity of changes take place in our world over the last ten years. I am thankful for the privilege to have celebrated the Thanks- giving Day past; it is the last one of the eighties. As we are all busy getting ready to celebrate the last Christmas of the 1980s, I am really very emo- Penne ive A Gif RRRRRRRRRRD $ ¥ ¥ : $ Give A Gift To Your Christian Friend Give A Subscription To The Recorder MEVVBVVVUV VV VVy WVU VU UV V9 Vy gow THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the AME.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eightt Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 185< SEGCVVUEBVVVVVY | T Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville. Ter nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders ano ¢ ashier’s checks payable to A Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churche!l Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, tl, The Roving Editor, Dr. Jimmy James Jr, Music Editor, Dr Jacquelyn Grant, Women s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, 9° cia Actior Editor, Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr Public Relations Editor, Mrs Thelma A. Wills, 4 tributing Editor, Or. Jamye Colemar Williams, General Features Edit Mr Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs. Ruth Hill Jc a sulting Editor, Rev Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor Rev. E. L. Blankenship Regional Editor, Rev. W. J Jackson Regional Editor, Mrs. Vorheese D B Jamison Laymen's Editor, Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot jr, Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basi Law Editor; Or. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas \ respondent, Dr Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministre Editor, Rev. Fre veri k ( Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor, Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South Africa Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter Rev O Ur e fill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Or Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor, Dr William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor, Dr. Dennis Clark Dickers Contributing Editor, Rev. Ceci! Murray, Contributing Editor, Dr Marjorie Jones Contributing Editor, Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr, Contributing Editor Rev Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor Ine A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letter ; from its reader natters of general interest All letters must be signed and contair the addre f tr aw ter The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name A Writer \ signed letter, if here !s a valid reason given. No defamatory belous ale ines Ss letters will be printed and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the "g ject or edit any letter or article |t nform with g i taste, style and space fe quirements Postmaster please send address yrrection to AME. Sunday t \ 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville TN 37203-4181 Giving Thanks at the End-of-the-Decade of the Eighties November 27, 1989 tional about what follows; and that is not just the beginning of a new year, but the beginning of the last ten years of an old century. Do I take a slow step forward? Or, do I take a giant leap forward? I am so thankful for the many wonderful new friends that I have been able to make, and, particularly, for those who became very special new friends. That, truly, has given, and yet gives me much to live on and live for, as I anticipate 1990 and the year 2000. During these past ten years, God has opened the floodgates of his mercy clouds and poured out blessings without measure. Because God promised, unconditionally, to bless His world, He has opened the sluices of the heavens. God is truly my shepherd and I need not want. I am very thankful that I remain a child of God, as I anxiously project to the certain, yet uncertain, future of a new decade and a brand new century. This is a most significant consideration. Let me, before I begin an editorial prayer, express my thanksgiving for the continuing support of my Office Manager of the Christian Recorder, whose contributions have made my tenure and this last decade less burden- some here in this office. God has revealed Himself in many ways, and yet He remains the greatest of all mysteries to humankind. I pray that He will internalize in each of us the attributes of faith, hope and charity. Almighty God, Father of heaven and earth, who crowneth the years, the decades and the centuries with Thy goodness. I praise Thee that Thou has ever fulfilled your promise to the family of humanity that while earth re- maineth, seed-time and harvest shall not cease. I thank Thee for the order and consistency of nature; for the beauty of earth and sky and sea; and for your providence that, day by day and century by century, supplies my needs. I choose now to draw from the ‘‘Now I lay me down to sleep’’ prayer, taught to me by my parents, and from the theology taught me by my pro- fessors in seminary, to conclude this ‘‘Giving Thanks’’ editorial as I clamor for the privilege of a new century: When all physical efforts have been ex- pended, all labor exhausted, and all requirements against me discharged, may I enter into the fullness of life, graduating from lesser things to have, at last, that final beginning in the presence of God forever. I pray this Prayer of Thanksgiving for the leadership and followship of this historic African Methodist Episcopal Church, built on sociological and theological needs. I am thankful for its departments, including the Publica- tion Department. Thankful are we for the God-endowed wisdom of Richard Allen that resulted in a great religious institution. May all of the adherents be truly blessed, in their venture from the past into the new and vast area of the eventful future, with gratitude. May the pragmatic good prove its worth in the making of a better tomorrow in the new decade and new century. Time really passes fast. ‘Purpose Is A Meaning”’ SUBSCRIBE! to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payaitie (0: A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept, SB $00 Bighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 i / 7 ae »/ > t. Payment must accompany order Allow four (4) weeks for first delivery What Gives Life ee 8 SSS SST SST STATE ee SO SS SSF SSS SS SSS SS TT TTT TT ===== DSC05944.JPG ===== November 27, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Over 500 attended the 4th Annual Commemoration Ceremony of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Training Center Urban League Honors Leaders New York, NY—Over 500 friends of the National Urban League came to- gether to honor the outstanding con- tribution of four pioneers who pro- moted racial understanding and co- Operation in American society. The fourth annual commemoration cere- mony of the Whitney M. Young Training Center was held at the Na- tional Urban League headquarters in New York City. Honoring more than twenty years of dedicated service, the medallion was presented to Enid C. Baird, former Executive Assistant to Lester Granger, Whitney M. Young, Jr., and Vernon E. Jordan, all former chief executive officers of the Na- tional Urban League; Dr. Daniel A. Collins, San Francisco dentist and former Board Member of both the Bay Area Urban League and the Na- tional Urban League; Dennis Dowdell, Syracuse, New York talk show host and former Executive Di- rector of the Urban League of Onon- daga County; and Wesley L. Scott, former Executive Director of the Mil- waukee Urban League. John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Ur- ban League, congratulated the hon- orees and proclaimed: ‘*These indi- viduals have given unselfishly of their time and talent. Collectively they have given over one hundred-forty-two years of loyal and effective service to the Urban League Movement. They have truly made a difference.’’ The honorees also received acco- lades from Margaret Young, widow of Whitney M. Young, Jr.; Vernon E. Jordan; and other leaders of the Urban League Movement. The medallion is named in honor of Whitney M.Young, Jr., the fourth Ex- ecutive Director of the National Ur- ban League. The ceremony also marked the first presentation of the Mollie Moon Dis- tinguished Volunteer Service Award. Mollie Moon is the President and founder of the National Urban League Guild. The Guild is a service support arm to the National Urban League. Its Beaux Arts Ball has been an important annual event since 1942 and has raised over one million dol- lars. The first Mollie Moon Award was presented to Helen E. Harden, a long time volunteer for the League who worked side by side with Mollie Moon. The ceremony memorialized five outstanding Urban Leaguers who, during their lifetime, made significant contributions to the Urban League movement: John C. Dancy, Detroit Urban League Executive Director; James W. Daughtry, Jr., National Urban League staff member; Travis W. Vauls, Baltimore Urban League Executive Director; Furman L. Tem- pleton, Jr., Baltimore Urban League Executive Director; and Thomas A. Webster, Executive Director of the Kansas City Urban League. The National Urban League is a nonprofit, community-based service organization dedicated to securing equal opportunity for African Ameri- cans and other minorities. Presiding Elder and Mrs. Nichols Visit New Bethel A.M.E. Church, Bonifay, FL Presiding Elder and Mrs. C. E. Ni- chols made their first visit for the Conference Year 1989-1990, on Sun- day, October 1, 1989. Everyone seem- ed ready for services beginning with Sunday School and _ lasting throughout the day. 0 everything there is a season and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to break Gown and time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance Ecclesiastes :3 Take time to consider ou and your family’s future. Join ey Pension Fund ecuss your plans pm th a member of the AME Pension Fund. = take the Tension out of Pension AME Pension Department 600 Eighth Avenue The Presiding Elder brought the 11:00 a.m. message which was taken from Jeremiah, 18:4, ‘‘Thou Art the Potter—I Am the Clay.”’’ Elder Nichols kept the audience spellbound as he explained the Word of God in an articulate manner. Sunday, October 1, was also Communion Sunday Presiding Elder C, E, Nichols, Pastor Rev. Robert Tanner, and Rev. David Green communed fifty-one people Immediately after the 11:00 a.m service the Elder held his Quarterly Conference. Officers for the con ference were elected. Also elected were a delegate and an alternate delegate to the District and Annual Conference for 1989-1990. One Brother Timothy Brunson, passed away since the last Quarterly member, Conference. All auxiliaries gave splendid reports asking for the pray ers of the Quarterly Conference for a successful year The pastor, officers, and members were complimented by the Presiding Elder for the succes year and wished for all a good year in s made in the past the future Mayola S. Gearing, Reporter Children Need Role Models, And Not Critics Pon § ne ORONO OMI” (UF photo by Walter Coker) Corporate Representative Discusses Job Opportunities with Student Gainesville—Victor Barge, a budget analyst for United Telephone of Florida, talks with University of Florida graudate student Jody Miller during the fall semester’s Career Ex- po. Barge, a 1986 graduate of UF, represents one of the companies that come to the university regularly to in- form students about employment op- portunities. Richard Allen FOUNDER of the AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH Enhance Founder’s Month and Founder’s Day with the beautiful colored Founder’s Day Bulletin. A beautiful process color picture of Richard Allen. Price $4.25 per 100 plus postage and handling. Order now from: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203. Space available for church name, address, Bishop’s name, Pastor’s name, city/state, tele- phone, etc CALL (615) 256-5882 FOR QUALIT ATERIAL A company with only one product line can give you tunnel vision. With AMEC Publishing House you will get quality up to-date material. We have literature written for and by AMEs. We give you fast service and reasonable prices for instant full color printing Complete capabilities, camera automated dark room and commercial press. Mailmerge & Word Processing. Logo Designed and we will help you choose the right materials while Keeping an eye on your budget For complete printing service with quality that’s guaranteed to please you! gy SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION © 500 Eighth Avenue South « Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 « 615-256-5882 ===== DSC05945.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder November 27, 1989 Reverend Thomas B. Brown Represents New Orleans Cler at the African American Summit | oe Sidney J. Barthelemy, Mayor, City of New Orleans, Ron Brown, Chairman, Democratic National Committee, Thomas B. Brown, Jr., Pastor, Union Bethel A.M.E. Church, New Orleans. New Orleans, LA—The Reverend Thomas B. Brown, Jr., pastor of Union Bethel African Methodist Epis- copal Church, received a personal in- vitation from Mayor Sidney J. Bar- thelemy to attend and participate in the African-American Summit ’89 as the only ministerial representative in a twenty member delegation. Pastor Brown was honored and graciously accepted the invitation. The African-American Summit ’89 convened April 21-23, 1989, at the New Orleans Convention Center. Ac- cording to former Mayor Richard Hatcher, Gary, Indiana, ‘*This sum- mit would not be possible were it not for the landmark meetings of the past, those gatherings were fixed, the African-American cause advanced Since the watershed NEGRO CON- VENTION of 1830, organized by RICHARD ALLEN in Philadelphia, and even before, those gatherings have each made the next step possible.”’ The Summit was open to all African-Americans of every political persuasion, religious organization, all economic levels, ages, philoso phies and walks of life. The Summit met in unity, seeking progressive solu FORA A RR A ROR AAC AC FE AC IE I A AE AC AO A Be Properly Informed! BECOMING A MINISTER in the African Methodist Episcopal Church JOHN HURST ADAMS, Presiding Bishop Second Episcopal District Board of Examiners Walter Hildebrand, Chairman All persons entering our ministry need to know what clergy persone standards, expectations, process Church relates to and works with the Se ER KK ERE ony $4.50 100 8th Avenue, South PLEASE SEND eee eee eee eee eee ee Z > 2 ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP AHR R ERE K AE drmount enclosed * they should do, Assumptions have left large gaps im the training, support, and development of aspiring young This book addresses the concerns by making clear the mutual responsibility and resources on becoming an Ordained Minister in the African Methodist Episcopal ¢ hurch; it also deals with the concern of how the African Methodist Episcopal candidates for or jained ministry, as well as evaluating the candidates Rush your order to {M.E.G. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION Please ad wk / we & H r “Me shea ake oko oR aR ake OIC aR RC RCo as i is a ofa a oa aks a a a ea tions to the conditions faced by Afri- can-Americans in this country and abroad. Seeking solutions to the crisis faced by African-Americans in a spirit of unity and freedom, the following issues were addressed: the African- American Family, Housing Policy, Employment, Develop- ment, Political Empowerment, Global Commitment, Drugs and Criminal Justice and legislative Agen- da. As a delegate, Pastor Brown mingl- ed with many distinguished national Black leaders of the Western World He was afforded the opportunity to attend workshops regarding drugs crime, political empowerment, educa Economic tion/cultural integrity, civil rights, family and community-based or- These workshops were conducted by moderators and panelists of experts and specialists within their particular field Some of the participants in the Summit included Jesse L. Jackson, Coretta Scott King, Willie Brown, Dr. Ramona H. Edelin, David P Richardson, Ron Dellums, John Con yers, Walter Fauntroy, and many ganizing/housing Maurice Wilson, Editor eI I Nashville, TN S3T203-4181 Fe Ae Re A I a A hk RK * Pastor Brown confers with Dr. Dorothy Height, president, National Council of Negro Women. others. Keynote speakers were Wil- liam T. Merritt, Alice Huffman, Charles Williams, Valerie Thomas, Oscar J. Moore, Robert Ridley, III, Gus Savage, Maxine Waters, Marion Barry, Ira Hall, Sonny Bakewell, Joyce M. Johnson, Joshua I. Smith, Angela Davis, Curtis Symonds, Wil- liam Lucy, Lenora Fulani, Frank E Staggers, Damu Smith and Barbara Lee Pastor Brown not only enjoyed the Summit, but returned to the Union Bethel Church community with a fer- vent and renewed commitment to ac- cept the challenge of addressing the present existing needs, It takes a pro- gressive pastor to be cognizant of the fact that one of the greatest lessons in life is to learn not to miss the root of a problem by accepting status quo. For so long, we of African-American heritage have reamined divided by re- gion, religion, socio-economic class, and tribes. Divided intentionally to ensure Our continued powerlessness There is so much more that unites us than the few superficial titles that »\ \ a Dr. Brown shares a moment of humor with Mrs, Coretta Scott King. ing. ’* “Laughter Is The Sensation of Feeling Good All Over and Show It Principally In One Place.”’ divide us. Pastor Brown states that the chal- lenge before us is to recommit our- selves to the cause of Christ, so that we might be empowered to lift our sisters and brothers, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters from bondage to liberty; to rediscover the legacy of Richard Allen so that we will have faith to persevere. Mrs. Florea Harvey, Reporter | 4n Optimist Goes | to the Window Every Morning and Says, “‘Good , Morning God.” | The Pessimist \ Goes to the | Window and Says, | “Good God, | Morning!” | — eee aaa | “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, | and lean not unto your own understand- | | | | Proverbs 3:5 ===== DSC05946.JPG ===== November 27, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Concert Featuring Gloria A. Williams Hailed as Great Success Mrs. Gloria A. Williams NOTE: Gloria A. Williams, member of McMichael A.M.E. Church, Amite, LA, was featured in a musical concert in La- fayette, LA. She is the widow of the late presiding elder, Rev. R. L. Williams, who was Presiding Elder of the Greensburg District at the time of his death. Mrs. Wil- liams finds the time to work in her church, pastored by the Rey. Carrie B. Hitchens. Following is the article that appeared in several of the local newspapers. Mrs. Williams also serves as historiographer in the Women’s Missionary Society of the Eighth Episcopal District. She is inspired by her episcopal leaders, Bishop and Mrs. Donald George Kenneth Ming. Lafayette, LA—It happened at Trini- ty C.M.E. Church! On a recent Sun- day afternoon, an appreciative audi- ence witnessed a highly unusual mu- sical concert. Gloria A. Williams was featured in a strikingly impressive performance, with a touch of Africa. Her sister, Rosella A. Morrison, was her accompanist. A prelude to the concert included a congregational hymn, ‘‘Blessed As- surance,’’ and the invocation by the Reverend Manuel Henderson, pastor of Trinity. Birdell A. Mouton, another sister of Gloria and one of the event’s sponsors, brought greet- ings and presented the soloist. Gloria, having attended the World Methodist Conference in Nairobi, Kenya, on the Continent of Africa, in 1986, brought reflections of that ex- perience by using African music for her processional; Part I of the concert included African songs, Attired in a beautiful African costume, she sang “Kum Ba Ya,”’ ‘‘O’Msindisi,’’ ‘Ride On Moses,’’ Jesus Walked Dis Lone- some Valley,’’ and ‘‘A Prayer for Af- rica.’’ Before these songs were sung, her theme song, ‘‘If | Can Help some- body,’’ was rendered, Part II of the program was a reflec- tion on slavery times in America, as Gloria sang ‘‘I’ve Been ‘Buked,”’ “Nobody Knows de Trouble I’ve Seen,’’ Steal Away,’’ and ‘‘My Lord, What a Morning.’’ for these selec- tions, she chose a denim skirt, red shell top with a colorful, long shirt, red scarf and straw hat on her head. Old tennis shoes were used to comlete this costume. Gloria warmed the WIZZ ZINTA TS aT Iai PO NOTICE- | J] hearts of her audience as she sang out of her soul. A special added attraction featured Chardell M. Mouton during the inter- mission. Chardell, daughter of Birdell and Charley Mouton, rendered two beautiful and familiar songs: ‘‘Even Me”’ and ‘‘Peace Be Still.’’ For Parts III and IV, Gloria chose ““A Charge to Keep I Have,’’ ‘‘Use Me Lord,’’ ‘‘There Is A Balm in Gi- lead,’’ ‘‘If God Is Dead,’’ ‘‘He’s Coming Back,’’ ‘‘One Day At A Time,’”’ ‘‘Because He Lives’’ and “Goin’ Up Yonder.’’ Gloria’s attire for these selections included a black shell with matching jacket, elegantly trimmed, a long white fitted skirt and black shoes. Trinity C.M.E. Church, where Gloria was reared, can say, ‘‘With the proper teachings and guidance of her parents, Davis and Rebecca Andrews, who have gone to be with the Lord, and with the religious education and fellowship with God that she received after giving her life to Christ under the leadership of the late Reverend D. M. Montgomery, former pastor; and with the added experiences she receiv- ed from the A.M.E. Church as a result of working with her husband as a team in the A.M.E. Church, until his death, it is a joy to see how Gloria Andrews Williams is still on the bat- tlefield for her Lord!’’ Door prizes, compliments of Rosel- la Morrison, Lonny’s Flower Shop and Mouton’s Jet Fill Grocery, were given as an added treat. Mrs. Ethel Mae Dorsey presented Gloria and Rosella with flowers and gifts from the two groups sponsoring the concert. Chardell received flowers from her mother and, in turn, pre- sented flowers to the two sponsors, Birdell Mouton and Henry Bell Chat- man. Rosella was also presented a plaque from her daughter, Arnette, who was unable to attend the func- tion. Finally, Gloria presented flow- ers to Rosella, her accompanist. As an added touch, Gloria had a display of some African relies, includ- ing hand-made spears, a drum, jewel- ry, and a photo album of a collection of pictures taken in Nairobi. What a wonderful concert! What a wonderful fellowship! Thanks are due all who helped to make the concert a reality The entire program was videoed by Mr. James Wright. To God be the Glory! ee Anger Is One Letter Short of Danger! NO CUEVery minister and layperson % shouldsendablackand white Y N glossy photo and a resume lo: 4 N DR. A. LEE HENDERSON 7} 4 AMEC Sunday School Union \ IN §00 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203 y ARN ANIA RAIN TN ee The Conscious Mind Can Make Choices The Conscious Mind With God’s Help Can Make MIRACLES! Black Crime Replac On Black Cr rime elidel Black On Black On Black Crime Replace Black Black On Black Crime Replace Bla Black On Black Crime Replace Blac Crime Replace Black On Black C Black Crime .Repla “ok Crime Repla lack Crime Black Crime R lack Crime Rey /) Black Crime On Black Crime 1 Black Crime Rg On Black Black On Black G Rlack C-4 ack On Black Black On Bla > Black On Black On By ace Black On Crime R ack Crime Black Crime Black Crime ))n Black Crime «On Black ack On Black > Black On Black On ace Black On Crime Rep! lack Crime So, You Want To Be A Christian! by Edith Hol- land Bryant. We are living in a period of revolution where there is a broad feeling of rejection to some of our most cherished ideals. Among these the teachings of the Church have not escaped and this points to the real necessity of emphasizing conver- sion through the means of the ministry of evangel- ism for our young people. MA L-DOOTE oir oe ce ee ee Please add 13% postage and handling. PASTOR'S MANUAL A.M.E. CHURCH VOLUME | TOWARD DEACONATE ORDERS The Pastor’s Manual, Volume I & IT by G. | Champion provides helpful, methods and techniques to be employed in the pastorate of a *“*how-to”’ church, large or small $3.50 $3.50 RA1-46880 (Vol. 1) RA1-46881 (Vol. ID Please add 13% postage and handling Black Methodism Basic Beliefs, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. The book, in catechismic form, serves as an instructional instrument for all youth, ehurch probationaries, laypersons and clergy of the es of Black Methodism and Methodist everywhere 487-12347 $4.00 Please add 13% postage and handling Replace Black On Black Crime Replace Black On Black Crime lack On Black Crime Replace Black O srime Replace Black Crime kOn Black Crime *e Black On Black 3 se Black On Black rime Replace Black On 1 Black C. lace Black On ack Crime n Black Crime AN INTERMEDIATE RELIGIOUS READER AND STUDY GUIDE BLACK METHODISM BASIC BELIEFS By G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. copm as one” With feature Articke—“The Future: A Congress OF Basck Mocrostien oem —A, Lee Henderson ===== DSC05947.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder November 27, 1989 L-R: Bishop Vernon Randolph Byrd, Presiding Bishop, 13th Episcopal District, and the Honorable Ned McWherter, Governor of the State of Tennessee. —Photo by C. E. Jenkins BISHOP VERNON R. BYRD SUMMONED TO TENNESSEE SEATEYCAPITOI © °° by Rev. Charles E. Jenkins, Sr. Director, 13th District Public Relations Nashville, TN—The Rt. Rev. Vernon R. Byrd, who has been knighted by the Queen of England, and who has walked with presidents and poten- tates, has come to the 13th Episcopal District where he yet attracts the at- tention of Heads of State. Recently, Bishop Byrd had an audi- ence with Governor Ned McWherter at the Governor’s office on Capitol Hill. Governor McWherter welcomed Bishop Byrd to the ‘’ Volunteer State’’ of Tennessee. These two leaders dis- cussed matters of mutual interest re- garding their roles and responsibilities for the people of Tennessee. The Governor assured Bishop Byrd that he was pleased to welcome him to a great state. Poverty Rates Among Working Families Higher in Rural than Urban Areas—and Highest Among Rural Blacks, Study Finds Laboring for Less in U.S.A. Washington, DC—Most of the rural poor who are not elderly, disabled, or sick are people who work but earn too little to escape from poverty, accord- ing to a 1989 report from the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Based on data from the Census Bureau and the Labor Department, the report found that for Black and White workers alike and for both full- time and part-time workers, poverty rates are generally twice as high in rural as in urban areas. There were especially high rates of poverty among rural Black working families. Some twenty-eight percent —or more than one of every four—of the Black rural families in which the family head worked were poor in 1987, the report said. By comparison, 15.5 percent of Black working families in urban areas were poor in 1987. Among Whites, 8.5 percent of the working families in rural areas and 4.5 percent of the working families in urban areas lived below the poverty line, the report said. The report also found that in six of every ten poor rural Black families in which the head of the family was not ill, disabled, or retired, the family head worked—but earned too little to escape poverty. In many of the re- maining poor rural Black families, the family head either looked for work and could not find it or was a mother caring for young children, the report found. Work No Assurance That Rural Family Won’t Be Poor “It is common to picture’ the poor as people who should work but do not,’”’? said Isaac Shapiro, author of the report and a senior research analyst at the Center. ‘“‘Yet large numbers of poor people—especially in rural America—do not fit this de- scription. To the contrary, in rural America to an even greater degree than in urban America, work provides no assurance that a family will be lifted out of poverty, especially among rural Blacks. Please turn to page 7 JE ee ee ae Continued from page 1 Editor Reid is Communion Sunday Guest at Lee Chapel Editor Reid preached from the sub- ject ‘‘The Miracle of Communion,”’ drawing his authority from Ist Corin- thians, 10:16-17, of the King James version of the Bible. Pastor Newberry told the preaching editor that he was always welcome and at home at the Lee Chapel Church, “‘even though you were elected to our post from St. Paul A.M.E. Church of this city.’’ It is interesting to note that Dr. Newberry’s present presiding elder, the Rev. William Gazaway, was li- censed to preach under Pastor New- berry at Lee Chapel; in fact, more than a dozen young ministers have be- gun their ministry at Lee Chapel dur- ing his tenure there. They are serving the connection from many pulpits a- cross the nation. In addition, both of Dr. Newberry’s sons are in the pas- torate. The Rev. Donald E. Newber- ry, Jr. of the 13th Episcopal District, is pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church, Covington, Kentucky. The Rev. Andrew Newberry of the 3rd Episcopal District is pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Akron, Ohio. To better appreciate and under- stand the ‘‘Newberry Miracle’’ at Lee Chapel, one needs only to make one visit, take a complete guided tour, and enjoy one good worship service ex- perience... which happens every Sunday at Cincinnati’s Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church. Continued from page | Bishop Vernon R. Byrd Responds to Hugo Disaster The following persons drove the truck from Nashville to Charleston, SC: Rev, W, F. Scruggs, Rev. S. M. Davis, Rev. Howard Clark and Bro. Gilbert Beasley. Also included in the shipment was a truckload of commo- dities which was sent from the Louis ville, Kentucky area to the Nashville pickup center, Bishop Byrd did not stop there; he sent a substantial donation (o the 16th Episcopal District, led on by Bishop Henry A. Belin, Jr. Yes, the 13th Episcopal District strives toward ‘tA DREAM CHURCH" and is moving on and looking upward under the dy namic leadership of Bishop and Mrs, Vernon R,. Byrd, ae CHAIRPERSONS FOR THE 13TH DISTRICT HUGO DISASTER Presiding Elder S. M. Davis, Presiding Elder W. F. Scruggs, Kenneth Robinson. f Leasing THE COMMITTEE AND 18-WHEELER TRUCK—DESTINATION: CHARLESTON, SC L to R: Lula Jenkins, Jessie Scruggs, Evangeline Davis, Sam Davis, W. F. Scruggs, Ken- neth Robinson, Gilbert Beasley (not shown, Howard Clark). Continued from page 1 The Richard Allen Hildebrand Ministerial Scholarship Initiated William Hodge. Election of officers was conducted by the Episcopal President, Mrs. Bes- sie Bradford, and Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand, presiding prelate of the 3rd Episcopal District. First Vice President Ann Phillips presided for the Witness Night ser- vice. A drama of dance and music was featured, depicting the African influ- ence in today’s Black religious wor- ship. The West Africa “Collection Dance’’ was performed by Mr. Terry Payne. A parade of women from all of the societies participating joined in the ‘‘Grand March.’’ The event prov- ed to be a festive time for all. The drama was coordinated by Dis- trict Y.P.D. Director Adrienne Mor- ris and Conference Branch Y.P.D. Director Sharon Talbert. Music was furnished by the 30-voice choir of Be- thel A.M.E. Church, Middletown. Mrs. Mary Nesbit, 2nd Vice Presi- dent, presented trophies to societies in their respective categories. Recipients were Anderson Chapel, Madisonville; Payne Chapel, Hamilton; and Allen Temple, Cincinnati. A number of distinguished visitors from other conferences and districts were in attendance, including the president of Church Women United. A highlight of the convention was the initiating of the Richard Allen Hildebrand Ministerial Education Scholarship by the South Ohio Con- ference Branch Women’s Missionary Society. Three thousand ten dollars ($3,010.00) was presented to Dr. Louis Charles Harvey, President of Payne Theological Seminary, to initi- ate the scholarship, which will be made larger with regular contribu- tions. The Conference Branch goal is $10,000 for the scholarship. In addi- tion, the Conference Branch present- ed $600 for Ministerial Education, $1,000 for Wilberforce University, and $1,000 for Church Expansion. Odessa Brown, Reporter A Man Is Known By The company He Does Not Keep ee ===== DSC05948.JPG ===== November 27, 1989 the AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 6 LABORING FOR LESS IN U.S.A. “There is no group more severely affected by this problem than Black working families in rural areas,’’ Sha- piro concluded, based on a com- parison of White and Black workers in rural and urban areas. The report notes that even among Black rural families where the head of the family works full time year round, 14.1 percent—or one in every seven of the families—were poor in 1987. By contrast, 5.1 percent of the urban Black families with a full-time, year- round worker were poor that year. The report concluded that because so many of the rural poor, both Black and White, are members of working families, changes the government po- licies to assist the working poor would have a large impact in rural areas. A series of policy proposals to help the working poor—including an in- crease in the minimum wage, an ex- pansion of the earned income tax credit for working poor families with children, extension of Medicaid coverage to all children in working poor families, and increased child care support—are now pending be- fore Congress. President Bush’s veto earlier this year of an increase in the minimum wage was highly detrimental to rural Black working families, Shapiro noted. However, he said it is still possible that a smaller minimum wage increase could be enacted later this year. Factors Influencing Poverty Rates Among Rural Working Families The report, Laboring for Less: Working but Poor in Rural America also examined factors responsible for these high poverty rates among rural workers. It found that rural areas have experienced slower economic growth and higher unemployment than urban areas in the 1980s and that wage levels in rural areas are much lower than in urban locations. While the rural unemployment rate was lower than the urban rate throughout the 1970s, it has been higher than the urban rate in every year in the 1980s, the report noted. In addition, the report said, most of the nation’s high unemployment pockets are in rural areas. Less than three percent of the urban labor force resided in counties with double-digit unemployment in 1988, compared with 13 percent of the rural labor force. For many of those who do work in rural areas, wages are low, the report said, citing a study recently conducted by researchers from the Massachu- setts Institute of Technology. the MIT study found that in 1979, some 32 percent of rural workers earned a wage too low to lift a family of four out of poverty even with full-time year-round work. by 1987, some 42 percent of rural workers earned too little to raise a family of four out of poverty with full-time work. The comparable figure among urban workers was 29 percent, the study said. One cause of the major wage ero- sion in rural areas is the failure to raise the federal minimum wage in nearly nine years, the report found. This is the longest stretch without an increase since the minimum wage was established in 1938. Since January 1981, when the minimum wage was last increased, consumer prices have risen 43 percent. Nearly one in three—or 32 percent—of all rural workers paid by the hour earned at or near the minimum wage in 1987. Some 22 percent of urban workers earned wages this low, the Center said, In addition, the federal budget cuts of the early 1980s focused more heavily on working poor families than any other population group and also contributed to increases in poverty among rural working families, the report found. Poverty Increases in the 1980s The report found that poverty rates among both White and Black rural working families were considerably higher in 1987 than in the late 1970s, even though 1987 was the fifth year of an economic recovery. Although the national unemloyment rate was at about the same level in 1987 as in 1978, the poverty rate among rural working families was nearly one-third higher in 1987 than in 1978. Concluded Shapiro: ‘‘Rural workers were more likely to experi- ence poverty in 1987 than in the late 1970s because of the weakness of the economic recovery in rural areas, where job growth lagged behind that in urban areas and wages fell. The lack of minimum wage increase and government cutbacks compounded the problem of rural workers.’’ Other findings of the report in- clude: Of the 9.1 million rural poor in 1987, an estimated 5.8 million liv- ed in a household where at least one member worked during the year, and many of the remaining households were headed by elder- ly, disabled, or sick people. eNearly two-thirds of all rural poor families—including elderly and disabled families—had at least one worker, and about one- fourth had two or more workers. eSome 86 percent of those who headed poor two-parent families in rural areas—and who were not ill, disabled, or retired—were people who worked. eMore than half of those who headed poor single-parent fami- lies in rural areas—and who were not ill, disabled, or retired— were people who worked. eSharp reductions in the Aid to Families with Dependent Chil- dren program have affected working poor families in rural areas. By 1988, a mother of two with wages equal to 75 percent of the poverty line qualified for AFDC benefits in only 13 states, few of them rural. In 1976, sucha family qualified for benefits in 47 states. ¢Contraction in unemployment in- surance coverage also reduced the incomes of poor rural workers, many of whom are employed for much of the year but are without a job for part of the year. In the 10 most rural states, only 29 per- cent of unemployed workers re- ceived unemployment insurance benefits in an average month of 1988. By comparison, in the 10 most urban states, 40 percent of unemployed workers received benefits. In urban and rural areas both, unemployment insurance coverage contracted sharply dur- ing the 1980s, partly in response to program cutbacks at federal and state levels. Nationally, the proportion of unemployed workers receiving unemployment insurance benefits has set or tied a record low for each of the past five years. *In 1987, the average income of rural working poor families whose income came entirely from earnings was $6,094. This was nearly $3,000 below poverty line for a family of three and was $5,500 below the poverty line for a family of four. ¢While rural poverty is sometimes throught of primarily as farm poverty, this stereotype is inac- curate. Only about one in five of the rural working poor are em- ployed in farm, forestry, or fish- ing occupations. Nevertheless, some 19 percent of those on farms were poor in 1987, a high poverty rate. ¢ During the 1960s and 1970s, full- time year-round work at the minimum wage lifted a family of three out of poverty. Today, it leaves a family of three some $2,900 below the poverty line. The report noted that various federal and state government policy reforms—most of them outside the welfare system—could significantly raise the standard of living of the working poor. Policy reforms to reduce poverty among rural working families will be discussed in detail ina Center report later this year. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities is an independent research Organization specializing in the analysis of data and policy issues af- fecting low and moderate income Americans. The Center conducted its study of the rural working poor under a grant from the Ford Foundation’s Rural Poverty and Resources Pro- gram. Continued from page 1 300 Years of African American Heritage in Florida and a major exhibit on Fort Mose planned at the Florida Museum of Natural History on the UF campus, Zieger said. The first free Black community to survive on the North American conti- nent, Fort Mose was a destination for runaway slaves during the 18th and early 19th centuries. Black political enpowerment during the Reconstruction period after the Civil War will be the topic of the third lecture on April 4 at Gainesville’s Senior Recreation Center by Thomas Holt, of the University of Chicago, a leading expert on the subject. “Few people realize that Blacks in Florida played political roles during Reconstruction, he said. “By and large, historians paid little attention to African American history until the Civil Rights movement in the 1950s and 60s forced them to recog- nize that Blacks are active parti- cipants in American life,’ Zieger said. Other prominent Blacks in Florida’s history include: Mary McLeod Bethune, an educator and civil rights advocate of the early 20th century for whom Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach is partly named; and Gwendolyn Cherry of Miami, the states first Black legisla- tive representative after Reconstruc- tion. For further information on the free lectures, call Zieger at (904) 378-0793 or 392-0271. The Smallest Deed Is Greater Than The Largest Intentions besides being one of the greatest communication packages ever developed. . . it can «be given to friends ebe divided up ecarried from room to room °clipped eread at leisure and after it has been given to a friend, divided, carried, clipped and read, it can still be used to line garbage can or bird cage, start a fire, pack a box, as a drop cloth, and sometimes even as an umbrella it also can ¢bring inspiration ekeep you informed econnect you with others espeak for you because tomorrow a newer, more modern, improved edition will be available The newspaper for the Connectional Church To subscribe, clip insert and mail to- day: AME Christian Recorder A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 The A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER Makes Excellent CHRISTMAS GIFTS IF FOLK DID NOT CARRY GOSSIP IT WOULD GO SO FAR SSS ===== DSC05949.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder Four Urban League Veterans to Receive Whitney M Young, Jr. Medallion 1989 HONOREES GIVEN PRESTIGIOUS AWARD The National Urban League will present its prestigious Whitney. M. Young, Jr. Medallion at the League’s headquarters in New York City. The fourth annual commemoration recog- nizes the outstanding contributions of four ‘‘pioneers’’ who promoted racial understanding and cooperation in American society. The recipients of the 1989 Whitney M. Young, Jr. Medallion were an- nounced by John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Urban League. They are: Enid C. Baird, former Executive As- sistant to Lester Granger, Whitney M. Young, Jr., and Vernon E. Jor- dan, all former chief executive of- ficers of the National Urban League; Dr. Daniel Collins, San Francisco dentist and former Board Member of both the Bay Area Urban League and the National Urban League; Dennis Dowdell, Syracuse, New York talk show host and former Executive Director of the Urban League of Onondaga County; and Wesley L. Scott, former Executive Director of the Milwaukee Urban League. Executive Director of the National Urban League. The ceremony will also mark the first presentation of the Mollie Moon Distinguished Volunteer Service Award to Helen Harden, a longtime volunteer for the League. Mollie Moon is the President and founder of the National Urban League Guild, a service support arm to the National Urban League. Its Beaux Arts Ball has been an important annual event since 1942. The ceremony will also memori- alize four outstanding Urban Lea- guers who, during their lifetime, made significant contributions to the Urban League movement: John Dan- cy, Detroit Urban League Executive Director; James Daughtry, National Urban League staff member; Travis Vauls, Baltimore Urban League Ex- ecutive Director, and Thomas A. Webster, Executive Director of the Kansas City Urban League. The National Urban League is a nonprofit, community-based service organization dedicated to securing equal opportunity for African Ameri- NATIONAL COUNCIL OF NEGRO WOMEN SALUTES BLACK FAMILY REUNION SPONSORS National Council of Negro Women Salutes Black Family Reunion Sponsors Proctor & Gamble Given Mary McCloud Bethune Award November 27, 1989 Cincinnati, OH—National Council of Negro Women President, Dr. Dorothy I. Height, presents Proctor & Gamble Senior Vice President, Marketing Services, Robert Wehling, the Mary McCloud Bethune Award of Distinction for Proctor & Gamble’s Reunion Celebrations. With the help of corporations such as P&G, the Black Family Reunion has, for the fourth consecutive year, traveled to five cities across the coun- try. 1989 is the first year the reunion has been held in Cincinnati. The medallion is named in honor of Whitney M. Young, Jr., the fourth cans and other minorities. DEPARTMENT OF WORSHIP AND EVANGELISM Announces The Third Annual Seminar on Church Growth & Evangelism THEME: Evangelistic Explosion—Reaching/Teaching/Preaching JANUARY 15 - 19, 1990 Orlando Twin Towers ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32819 The Seminar will include the following: PREACHING TEACHING BIBLE STUDY SINGING AND OTHER TOOLS TO EVANGELIZE THE CHURCH yy Bishop Bishop Dr. H. Hartford Brookins Philip R. Cousin Y. Benjamin Bruce Chairman Host Bishop Director of Evangelism of Church Extension, Worship and Evangelism Commission Dr. Waymon Dixon Dr. Charles E. Cloy Dean of Evangelism and Coordinator of Evangelism Church Growth Seminar and Church Growth Seminar REGISTRATION FEES: After 12/1/89 $60.00 Seminar—Before 12/1/89 $50.00 HOTEL One Person $70.00 / Two Persons $70.00 / Triple $70.00 / Quad $70.00 FOR MORE INFORMATION: PHONE (407) 352-6515 Office (407) 352-1431 Home MAIL TO: DR. Y. BENJAMIN BRUCE, SR. Director of Evangelism 578 Major Boulevard, Suite 200 Post Office Box 690638 Orlando, Florida 32819 PSLLLLLLLLLLLLLHLSSD support of NCNW’s Black Family A Gift Subscription To The Christian Recorder Makes An Excellent Gift MIND, SPIRIT AND BODY? DO WE FAIL HIM WHEN WE SUFFER? WHAT REALLY HAPPENS TO US WHEN WE FALL VICTIM TO STRESS, BURNOUT, TENSION, AND WORRY? A remarkable new book not only gives us answers but shows us why and how to heal the pressures surrounding us daily. Author A. Lee Henderson restores our Psychological/Spiritual/Physical resources by probing the latest scientific ‘‘PSP!’’ sources that the Lord uses in your life when you are ready! ‘‘PSP’’ readies you. The book shows you simple ways to combat STRESS, PAIN, JOB & MONEY WORRIES, PERSONAL LOSSES and ANXIETY. Learn Simple New Techniques: How to ease relationship problems and marital o> vy owe: = SP = * How to reach your friends, neighbors, family, and young ? i, . e*"~ | children with examples of how you can really communicate. How to be a happier more joyful Christian in a Frightening World. * k WP tensions for you and your loved ones. S <n anor, - en Be J * How to live with and turn your teenagers from a world of dope-and-no-hope to a new working reality. Page after page A. Lee Henderson’s tough, yet heart-tugging book spares no punches. You will want to share it day after day with your family and friends for fascinating guidelines of what-to-do and how-to-do it! Henderson's professional wisdom and his remarkable recipes for daily liv- ing can change the way you look, feel and act... for the better! NTRS |e ee io IES MPR mao od 8 secs Only $6.95 Send me __ copies of Psycho-Spiritual Power ONLY 6.95 Each — Plus 13% Postage and Handling Amount enclosed! f= sess eee PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP Send Check or Money Order Payable to: A. Lee Henderson PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Address ===== DSC05950.JPG ===== November 27, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder The A.I.D.S. D by Reverend Arthur 8. Jones = East Orange, NJ—Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (A.1.D.S.) is fast becoming the scourge of the Black community. Whatever the origin of this dreaded malady—and there are contradictory scientific theories as to how and where A.1.D.S. started—there is no doubt that it represents, for us, a present and future danger of incalculable pro- portions. No longer a disease primarily of White homosexual men, A.1.D.S. is cutting a distructive path through our communities, attacking, despoiling and killing homosexuals and hetero- sexuals, men, women and children. Responsible Black church bodies, in- cluding our own, must, sooner or la- ter, confront’ the moral, religious, ethical and social issues posed by the A.1.D.S. crisis. There are crucial questions our church should address: 1. What is our position, as African Methodists, toward A.I.D.S.? Do we regard it as a curse, a plague, or just the most virulent of a class of ‘‘sexually-transmitted diseas- esr? ile 2. How do we, as pastors, counsel Our members and families of our members who are afflicted by A.1.D.S.? Must every pastor look to his own resources for help and guidance? 3. Where do we stand in the raging A.1.D.S. debate on such subjects as testing? Quarantine? ‘Safe sex?’ Free clean needles for drug addicts? A.J.D.S. education for children in elementary schools? 4. Since A.I.D.S. is caused by be- havior our church has tradition- ally deemed sinful, what is the right and wrong, and how do we address it?—or refrain from ad- dressing it? 5. What guidelines, if any, should be applied by bishops who are faced with A.I.D.S. problems, such as afflicted pastors in the pulpits of their districts? Should every bishop be free to devise his own policy? These and other questions cry out for answers. I pray that our bishops, the spiritual leaders and general su- perintendents of our church, will soon give urgent attention to the A.I.D.S. crisis. The clock is ticking. His Day Is Done eae OBITUARY Lawrence Hayes Irvin Lawrence Hayes Irving, the son of the late William and Louise Hayes Ir- ving, was born in Nashville, Tennes- see, on November 9, 1922. His mother died when he was seven years of age, and he was reared by his lov- ing grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Gene (Esther) Johnson. Larry, as he called himself in later years, was educated in the public schools of Nashville, Da- vidson County, Tennessee. Upon graduation from Pearl High School, he entered the Navy. He later re-en- listed into the Army, after which he attended and graduated from the Uni- versity of Southern California. He was self-employed and operated his Irving Mechanical Contractor busi- ness until undergoing open-heart sur- gery in 1981. Lawrence and Billie Dixon Irving were united in holy matrimony on November 6, 1985. He first expressed hope in Christ at an early age, and was reared in Bethel A.M.E. Church. Having lived away from Nashville most of his life, he reunited his membership at Greater Bethel in late 1975 After having been reborn and ordajned with the Holy Spirit on No- vember 10, 1985, he acknowledged his call‘to the ministry and was licensed in 1986. In June, 1989, he united with Trinity A.M.E. Church, where he has worshiped and served God faithfully until his hospitalization on August 14, 1989. Having departed this life on Friday, September 22, 1989, he leaves to cherish his loving memory, a devoted wife, Mrs. Billie Dixon Irving; son, Antonio D. Dixon; aunt, Mrs. Lena K. Sharpe; mother-in-law, Mrs. Mat- tie L. Jordan; brothers-in-law, Mr. Clark D. Dixon, Mr. Jimmy Jordan and Mr. James Campbell; sisters-in- law, Mrs. Janet Campbell, Mrs. Dolores C. Dixon; aunt-in-law, Miss Georgia L. Dixon; cousins, Mrs. Em- ma Thorne, Mrs. Lula Gilbert, Pitts- burgh, PA, Mrs. Lera Jackson, Bos- ton, MA; dear friend, Mr. James Haynes; and other relatives and friends. The End of the Road Ts Just A Bend in the Road; Walk On By Faith. LELLLLLELSLLE LE LLLLEHLELLLHS He Followed His Star A Pen Portrait of the Life, Personality and Chief Exploits of 7} FOLLOCIED DIS STAIR WILLIAM ALFRED FOUNTAIN, SR. By CHARLES LEANDER HILL Send me _______ copies of HE FOLLOWED HIS STAR BY CHARETS EANDER HITE Name Address City State 7h yoy! b 500 8th Avenue, South Send to: A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please add 13% for postage and handling For the late Sister Ora Lee Ryans Brantley SERVICE OF TRIUMPH AND THANKSGIVING Greater Powell A.M. E, Church Rey, Ernest Hargrove, Pastor Grenada, Mississippi—Ora Lee Ryans Brantley was born December 18, 1904, in Colfax, Louisiana, to the union of the late Katie Smith Ryans and Walter Ryans. She was the youngest of six children. She departed this life on a Monday, While yet a child, she moved with her parents to New Orleans, and the family united with Payne Memorial A.M.E, Church in the city, where she was baptized and became active in the Sunday School and Christian Endea- vor League. At the age of twelve, she moved to Mississippi, her grandparents’ origi- nal home. Two years later, she re- located to Florence, Alabama, with her older sister, Rice Ann Thomas, where they worked as cooks to save funds to purchase a house in Mississippi and to educate their brothers, sisters, and themselves. While working in Florence, she met Carrol Benjamin Brantley, a thirty- one-year-old railroad worker from Mississippi, temporarily working in Florence. They were married at the parsonage of St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Florence. A few years later, ‘‘C. B.’’ as he was called, returned to his home in Mississippi and entered the Christian ministry. They enjoyed a warm and loving rela- tionship for more than fifty years un- til his demise in April, 1971. Sister Brantley was educated in the public schools of New Orleans and Meridian, Mississippi, as well as Campbell College in Jackson, Mis- sissippi, along with her husband, who earned degrees at both the college’s normal and theological departments. She was a loyal help-mate through- out her husband’s fifty years in the ministry—fifteen years as a pastor and thirty-five years as a presiding elder, She brought many blessings and goodwill to the churches her hus band served as pastor, which include Bethel, Rosedale; Bryant Chapel, In- dianola; New Bethel, Jackson; and St. John’s, West Point, as well as to the districts her husband served, in- cluding the West Point District, the Coldwater District, the Columbus District, and the Grenada-Columbus District, all located in the Northeast Mississippi Conference, Although Ora Lee was not a na- tural parent, she was extremely de- voted to all children, In her commu- nity, she was warmly referred to as ‘Brat’? by everyone, She will always be fondly remembered by them. She leaves to mourn her passing seven nieces and six nephews: Ms. Linnie Foster, Dunbar, CA; Mrs. Myetta Turner, Chicago, IL; Mrs. Ora L. Thompson, Swanton, OH; Mrs. Heresis Pinkney, Mrs. Juanita Edward, Ms. Jeanette Ryans, all of Colfax, LA; Ms. Jewell Davis, Alex- andria, LA; Mr. Duffey Ryans, Mr. Chester Ryans, and Mr. Julius Ryans of Detroit, MI; Mr. Jasper Ryans of El Paso, TX; Mr. O’Neal Ryans and Mr. Cuba Ryans of Alexandria, LA; her special God-children, the Wal- tons, Hardemans and Clarkes and many other relatives and friends. J.C. Clark, Reporter If Life Gives You A Lemon Pray Hard And Squeeze It And Make Lemonade 4 ILEL LL LE LE LLL LL LL ELL LLL The Romance of AFRICAN METHODISM : p Ey Ry Ey by Ey Ey Ea ey Ee Ey EE Ee Ea 0 eb 0 epeepcopooge Paperback — $8.50 Please include 13% postage and handling. RA1340172 A STUDY OF THE African Methodist Episcopal Church ; GEORGE A. SINGLETON ceVoe Vee Veo VooVooVooV eo VooVooV er V 00 Vee Veo Veo Vee VooVooVooVcoWVcceVcoWVcoVceWcoWocWee D) z 3 ===== DSC05951.JPG ===== 10 The AME. Christian Recorder Continued from page | November 27, 1989 DR. J. AR’ THU R HOLMES HONORED FOR FORTY YEARS OF SERVICE Mayor of Columbia’s first Communi- ty Relations Council, and served as Vice-Chairman of the 1987 South Carolina Billy Graham Crusade. Dr. Holmes is presently a member of the Board of Trustees of Allen Univer- sity, the Board of Directors of both the Richland County Department of Social Services and Columbia Urban League, is president of the Greater Columbia Interdenominational Min- isterial Alliance, and is a member of the General Board of the A.M.E. Church. Dr. Holmes was honored for his service to church and community at a Banquet in his honor and in honor of his wife, Mrs. Edith Reynolds Holmes, at Columbia’s Radisson Hotel on Friday, August 25, 1989. The theme of the banquet was: ‘Reflections: Four Decades of Chris- tian Service.’’ Distinguished citizens, clergy, family and friends from across the nation came to help Rev. and Mrs. Holmes celebrate this landmark achievement. Master of Ceremonies for the evening was Willis R. Brown, Esquire, a practicing Attorney who is also a member of Bethel and who was recently admitted to the Columbia Annual Conference as a licentiate. Those on the dais included: Bishop Frederick C. James and Dr. Theressa Gregg James, Presiding Bishop and Missionary Supervisor of the Seventh Episcopal District; Dr. Alonzo W. Holman, Director of the A.M.E. Church’s Department of Salary Sup- plement; Presiding Elder Clarke R. Hawthorne of the Columbia District and Mrs. Theresa M. Hawthorne; Dr. Collie L. Coleman, President of Allen University and Mrs. Coleman; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Presiding Elder of the Charleston District; Rev. M. W. Singleton, Presiding Elder of the Ma- rion District and Mrs. Singleton; Rev. J. R. Glover, Pastor of Reid Chapel A.M.E. Church; Rev. W. J. Nelson, Pastor of Chappelle Memorial A.M.E. Church and Mrs. Nelson; Rey. Allen W. Parrott, Pastor of Wil- liams Chapel A.M.E. Church; and Dr. William McKinley Bowman, Pastor of Second Nazareth Baptist Church. Those on the dais also included the Honorable Nick A. Theodore, Lieu- tenant governor of the State of South Carolina and Mrs. Theodore; the Honorable Kay Patterson, member of the South Carolina Senate from Richland County; the Honorable T. Patton Adams, Mayor of the City of Columbia and Mrs. Adams; the Honorable E. W. Cromartie I, member of the Columbia City Coun- cil and Mrs. Cromartie; and Mr. Charles D. Beaman, Jr., President of Baptist Medical Center and Mrs. Bea- man. Also present on the dais were the Holmeses’ son and daughter, Mr. J. Arthur Holmes, II and Mrs. Edith A. Holmes-Anderson; and Attorney and Mrs. Willis R. Brown, Ms. Gina Lamar, Mrs. Parisina Shiver, and Dr. Edward E. Taylor, and all members of Bethel A.M.E. Church. 4 Chairpersons for the Banquet were Mrs. Mary Heyward and Mrs. Arzelle Pressley. Music for the event, includ- ing one selection composed and ar- ranged as a tribute to Dr. and Mrs. Holmes, was directed by Mrs. Margaret A. Thornton. The evening’s activities included the presentation of a sixty-four page Souvenir book, the presentation of a special fortieth an- niversary gift, the unveiling of a por- trait of Dr. Holmes, and a special in- troduction of Dr. and Mrs. Holmes by their son and daughter. We were privileged to have Dr. Joseph C. McKinney, Connectional Treasurer of the A.M.E. Church as the Banquet Speaker. Dr. McKinney proved himself to be an orator of note as, in his inimitable style, he hailed Dr. Holmes’ accomplishments and service to the church. While the banquet was a glorious Lt. ‘Governor Nick Theodore and Representative Frank ‘McBride presenting to Dr. Dr. J. Ar- thur Holmes the original Resolutions read in the joint session of the General Assembly congratulating him for forty years of service to Bethel A.M.E. Church, the community and State. ef Nei REFLECTIONS. Four Dec ades (f Christian Se Mayor Patton Adams ‘presents key to the day Pastor Holmes Day. Dr. Joseph C. McKinney, Treasurer of the A.M.E. Church addressing the banquet au- dience. Daughter and son, salute father and mother Mrs. Edith A. Holmes Anderson and Mr. J. Arthur Holmes, Jr. occasion, the celebration was not complete until we gave thanks to God for Dr. Holmes’ service in the place where he had labored for forty years. Bethel A.M.E. Church was, there- fore, the scene of a special service of honor, thanksgiving, and celebration on Sunday, August 27, 1989 at 11:00 a.m. We were blessed with the pre- sence of another A.M.E. giant, our own Presiding Bishop Frederick C. James, who preached the Gospel and at the same time paid tribute to Dr. Holmes for his many accomplish- REPLECTIONS four Dec ments. The members of the Bethel A.M.E. Church family give thanks to God for forty years of caring, compassion, and commitment by Dr. and Mrs. J. Arthur Holmes, and pray that they will continue to build upon that heri- tage of service as we go forward to- gether. The Department of Public Relations Bethel A.M.E. Church Mrs. Frazier Davis, Editor ies OF Christian Service Dr. A. W. Holman, General Officer of the A.M.E. Church brings greetings. ===== DSC05952.JPG ===== November 27, 1989 (Report from “The Pee Dee Times” Newspaper The AME Christian Recorder ~ July 28-August, 1989) **Black Church Gets First Golden The “‘Key to the City’’ is the highest honor that a municipality can bestow upon those whose contribu tions are to the extent that they deem that kind of recognition, and the town of Nichols, South Carolina, saw fit to bestow its very first one to Williams Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in honor of its Centennial Celebration and its many contribu- tions to the growth and well-being of the community. ““We've never done this before,”’ said Mayor Pro-Tem Jim Devers. ‘‘It is only fitting that you receive this first ‘‘Key to the City,’’ stated De- vers, ‘‘because you were here before the city was established.”’ Rev. James Gause, pastor of Wil- liams Chapel, accepted the distin- guished key from Devers for the en- tire membership, both past and pre- sent. The Founders Day celebration began on July 16, including on Sun- day, July 23, an appearance by the Right Reverend Frederick Calhoun James, Presiding Bishop of the Se- venth Episcopal District of the Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church in the State of South Carolina and his wife Mrs. Theressa G. James, joining in the celebration to give God praises. All during the week, activities were sponsored in communication of the 100th birthday, with Rev. Charles Graves addressing the Sunday, July 16, service. Rev. F. K. Richardson, a former pastor at Williams Chapel speaking for the Monday night ses- sion; Rev. Harold Moody on Tues- day, Rev. R. B. Cooper on Wednes- day, Rev. Willie Lockhart on Thurs- day, and Rev. R. H. Williams speak ing on Friday night “Look Where He Brought Us From"’ was the official theme for the Centennial Celebration as the various speakers responded to that theme. The Centennial Banquet was held on Saturday night, with Marion Dis- trict host Presiding Elder Mingo Sin gleton and his wife Mrs. Francis Singleton serving as Master of Cere- mony and presenter of the speaker, Mrs. Irene Page, respectively. Rev. Gause served as Co-M.C., and Dr. Truman Tart, Toastmaster. Recognized for their many contri- butions, including the building of the new and beautiful Fellowship Hall were brothers Henry Davis, Freddie Page, Jr., Clinton Murray, Waddell Pumpey, Albert Paige, Lee Grant Page, and Cleveland Page. Joining former Pastor F. K. Rich- ardson was Rev. James Washington, another former pastor and present pastor of Weston Chapel A.M.E. in Latta. Mayor Gary Strickland sent a letter congratulating the church for one hundred years of service, and Rep. Robert Brown sent a message also. Rev. Levern Murray, pastor of St. Paul and Mt. Zion Churches conclud- ed a very festive, spiritual, grateful, and blessed Centennial Celebration. “Every one congratulates you,”’ said Rev. Murray, and you can truly say, “Look Where He’s Brought You From.”’ Special recognition goes to the Cen- tennial Committee; Mrs. Dot Page, Church Clerk; Mrs. Florine Page, Education Is The Key, Preparation Is The Answer For the Future The Genesis of African ony $4.95 WWW WW AWWA WA Ass y and aspirations today. Send to: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Ui OO SSRIS SS SSS as a a Z Y a Flying Sparks tells of the ris- Y) ing tide of misunderstanding on Z the part of some existing mis- sion bodies, distrust and mili- sparks Methodism in South Africa ASW WWNVN NNN African Reduced Methodist Reduced Epi al Only $5.00 oe Only $5.00 BOOK : OF WORSHIP | The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God’s word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs BOW-815...-.---- PLEASE INCLUDE 13% POSTAGE AND HANDLING $5.00 inion, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 tant antagonism from gov- ernment sources; and sheds rays of light on the vision, faith and courageous adventures of the pioneers in planting the Christian gospel through African Methodism among the mixed inhabitants of Southern Africa. —by Josephus Roosevelt Coan MMW AWWW AMA AAVAA AAA Aki AdkdAPd AG WS KCK KKK NEI IIH HH III I HHI IH NH THIS SH THIN HIN INS Every True A.M.E. should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hymnal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly Rey. James Gause holds the first Golden ‘Key to the City’ of Nichols, SC. Presiding Elder Mingo Singleton (L) his wife Francis, and Guest Speaker Irene Page share the moment, Missionary President, and Banquet Hostesses: Mrs. Gladys Evans, Gearldine Johnson, Golder Page, Eva Lee, Marilyn Bennett, Irene Cole- man, Gloria Fullard, Ann Pompey, Polly Carmichael, Gwen Smith, and Mrs. Doris Page, Joan Fullard, Joyce Page, and Kirby Page. Mrs. Donnie N, Floyd and Rebecca Ford were in charge of catering, and Davis Florist of Mullins provided decorations. The Marion District Northeast South Carolina Annual Conference Cereser T. Smith, Writer of Article from ‘‘The Pee Dee Times’’ Newspaper A.M.E.C. Software AMEC offers an ele- gant solution to the church's burdened- down Pastor and Secretary. We've created AMEC which guides novices through it all as if they were selecting dinner from a restaurant menu. Effective utilization of AMEC can increase the productivity of church administration, providing additional time for church leaders to manage current min- istries and expand the church's outreach. AMEC is designed for individuals with little or no experience in using computer sys- tems and addresses the area of concern found in all church organizations: ; Membership, Contri- butions, Accounting, Planning, Ministers Personal Manage- ment, Word Proces- sing, Education, Assets Management and Administration. Church software selection doesn't have to be a harrowing ex- perience. AMEC is the Church Management Information System that will leave you free to fight the real alliga- tors in your pond. Call us for your dem- onstration kit or your complete set (615) 256-5882. Get AMEC today. We'll put you in control. ===== DSC05953.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder WILBERFORCE INSTITUTE EVATON, TRANSVAAL SOUTH AFRICA A Brief Historical Statement by Daniel S. Modisapodi South Africa—The African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded in Ameri- ca in 1787, established work in West Africa in 1830 and firmly laid the foundation for its missionary work in South Africa in 1897 during the visit of Bishop Henry M. Turner, through whose visit and negotiations the A.M.E. Church was recognized by the S/A Government. Bishop Levi J. Coppin was the first resident bishop in 1900-1904. It was during this period that Wilberforce Institute was found- ed in 1904 (not 1908, as generally be- lieved) and named after Wilberforce University in Ohio, USA. The purpose was clearly defined by the motto: ‘‘We train the Head, the Heart, the Hand.’’ Hence, Wilber- force Institute was among the earliest leading Missionary Colleges in South Africa, whose influence spread like wildfire throughout the Southern re- gion, drawing students from countries such as Zimbabwe (formerly Rhode- sia), Zambia, Malawi, Botswana, Swaziland, Mozambique (in East Af- rica) and Namibia (SWA). Most of the African leaders of the countries mentioned, including South Africa, received their education from Wilber- force Institute. The present leader of Malawi, Dr. Hastings K. Banda, is the product of this institution. The A.M.E. Church, since her in- ception, has been the champion of Christian education and this service dates from 1904. In 1953, the SA Government closed all Missionary Colleges in the country in order to control education. But the A.M.E. Church continued its long history of Christian education programme until this day and never lost trend of mind and vision to educate Black masses. For this reason, Wilberforce Insti- tute has made a significant contribu- tion to Black education. The institu- tion is more than the name it bears. It is an economic, social, cultural and spiritual advancement for our denom- ination. In addition, the institution has assets to the value of $10 million dollars invested in land and property. The present campus, plus a farm of more than one hundred-fifty acres, one other small farm and plot both measuring more than sixty acres and building, includes Eliza Gregg dormi- tories, Fanny Coppin, Louise Gow, Lydia Wright Classrooms, Jubilee Dining Hall, Boys and Girls Indus- trial buildings, Jordan High School, Teacher’s Training School, Bonner Hall, Artisha Jordan Library, Max- eke Practicing School, Crogman Community Clinic and Nurses’ Quar- ters. The clinic closed in 1959, but it is still the feeling of our membership that this vital service to the communi- ty should be restored. At the time when the clinic was in operation, it had enjoyed State subsidy—the gov- ernment paying salaries of doctors and nurses. The question is still being asked, why was the service discontinued? A positive answer would once more be of great significance in re-emphasiz- ing the mission of outreach in health care, education and other projects the church is called to embark upon to help dismantle apartheid in South Af- rica. The Rev. Jonathan L. Weaver of Upper Mariboro, MD, has recently traveled through Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Namibia (SWA) and South Africa under the auspices of ‘‘Service and Development Agency,”’ trying to identify projects in both 17th and 19th Episcopal Districts for funding When something is done through his efforts, a day shall have dawned for the Church of Allen in bringing about A book, Expansion of the A.M.E. Church in South Africa from 1900-1947,"’ by Dr. J. R. Coan, is worth reading on the subject. The book is obtainable from A.M.E, Publishing House, Nashville, TN. “awareness in missions,”’ ‘*Mission and THEOLOGICAL EDUCATION AND TRAINING: This department was founded in 1938 by Bishop Richard R. Wright, Jr. The school was named after him. The first Dean was the Rev. Dr. Jo- sephus R. Coan from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He served in that capacity from 1938 to 1947 (nine years), and has since been followed by others. During the World War II, when no bishop would super- vise the work in South Africa and the 17th Episcopal District, Dr. J. R. Coan supervised the work as Admin- istrative Assistant to the Bishops and also served as Superintendent of Wil- berforce Institute. He is still being loved and remembered for the sacri- fice and contribution he made for the work of the church in South Africa. After a period of fifty years, pre- sently the school has administrative dean and three qualified tutors and an enrollment of thirty students. For years now, the school has been train- ing ministers for the church and maintained its ecumenical character in serving other denominations as well. UPGRADING: During the administration of Bishop Harold B. Senatle, the church has embarked upon a full-scale up- grading programme—the physical plant, electrification, standard of training, including quality of food and other essential improvements; drastic changes have been made. GENERAL RENOVATIONS: During the riots in 1985, two build- ings were burnt down and restored at the cost of $150,000 and $200,000 re- spectively. BUDGET: The school to date is running on a budget of $59,000.00, which is very much inadequate to meet running costs. In order for the school to meet various needs and commitments, a budget of $150,000.00 per annum is required. Last year students who failed Ma- triculation Examination, which is en- trance into the university, the govern- ment legalized that they should not be re-admitted into government schools. The church is faced with the problem of accommodation and, therefore, decided to renovate two of our unused buildings, the cost of which will be $60,000.00 without furniture. The purpose is to organize these children into a private school for preparation into universities. While we are doing so, we kindly appeal for financial as- sistance! Wright School of Religion Wilberforce Institute P.O. Box 12 Residensia 1980, South Africa November 27, 1989 me Mrs, Eva Dozier Centenarian Celebrates Birthday Ypsilanti, MI—Eva Dozier, a member of Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church, celebrated her one hundredth birth- day surrounded by many friends, re- latives and descendants. Sister Dozier was a_ life-long member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Roanoke, Alabama, before moving to Ypsilanti to live with her daughter, Rosa Dozier Cartwright. The mother of six children, Sister Dozier has out- lived all but Sister Cartwright. Among the many persons who ga- thered to help celebrate her birthday were many neighbors, fellow church members, and relatives from New Jersey and California, as well as Michigan. There are eight grandchil- dren, twenty-six great-grandchildren and twenty-seven great-great-grand- children. Sister Dozier, reflecting the excel- lent care she receives from her daugh- ter, is quite aware of everything about her, can feed herself, and enjoys the company and conversation of the children with whom she spends a part of every day. Rev. Robert D. Hearn is Sis. Do- zier’s pastor in Ypsilanti, but several other ministers of the city are person- al friends and drop in often for prayer and conversation. Impatience Dries The Blood Sooner Than Age Or Sorrow. The Messenger Is Always Cursed If The Hearer Does Not Like The Message. In the process of mending our lives, our attitudes, our behavior, there is nothing more important than starting with the basic introduction to ourselves. —A. Lee Henderson ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FIFTEENTH DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP ROBERT THOMAS CAPE ANNUAL CONFERENCE December 6 - 10, 1989 Metropolitan Mitchell’s Plain 7785 15 Kruisduinen Close, P.O, Box 772 Westridge, 7802 Church Phone: (021) 32-2317 Pastor’s Phone: (021) 593-1224 or 593-1283 The Rey. Peter M. Mentoor, Host Pastor The Rev. H. A, Joubert, Host P.E. PLANNING MEETING December 19 - 20, 1989 Bonner Chapel 2 Ntshinga Street New Brighton 6200 Port Elizabeth Church Phone: (041) 44-2115 The Rev. W. Guwa, Host Pastor The Rev. E. A. Plaatjies, Host P.E. EIGHTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP R. A. CHAPPELLE, SR. BOTSWANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE December 8-10, 1986 W.M.S. CONFERENCE December 6-7, 1989 Gaborone A.M.E. Church Gabarone, Botswana The Rey. J. M. Mbulawa, Host Pastor The Rev. L. M. Mbulawa, Host P.E. SWAZILAND/MOZAMBIQUE ANNUAL CONFERENCE December 14-17, 1989 W.M.S. CONVENTION December 12-13, 1989 Collins Chapel A.M.E. Church P.O. Box 276 Mbabne, Swaziland The Rev. L. B. Dlamini, Host Pastor The Rev. I. S. Motsa, Host P.E. 18TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT POST PLANNING MEETING December 29-31, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church Maseru, Lesotho NINETEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE Fe) BISHOP HAROLD B. SENATLE EAST TRANSVAAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE December 6-10, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church Ermelo Church Phone: (0139) 2511 The Rev. J. W. Dlamini, Pastor P.O. Box 180 Ermelo 2350 WEST TRANSVAAL ANNUAL CONFERENCE December 13-17, 1989 Mmbatho, Mafikeng Church Phone: (0140) 2-1768 The Rev. E. R. Lechoti, Pastor P.O. Box 300 Mafikeng 8670 a Ee
• March 20, 1989
  ===== DSC05761.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder YECORDE OF Lit AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL THE OFFICIAL ORGAN CHURCH A 7 MAN OUR BROTHER March 20, 1989 THE FIRST ANNUAL CONFERENCE CONDUCTED BY BISHOP R. A. CHAPPELLE IN AFRICA The unfinished church chapel in Mansa, Zambia, speaks eloquently of unfinished business for the Missions, a cause that reaches all of us. Above the Church is Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle The Spirit of Central Africa and The A.M.E. Church Today by A. Lee Henderson Publisher’s Note: We de- dicate the article present- ed with special acknow- _ ledgement to all whose lifeblood and courage — - pour into and through our Depart- ment of Missions. Dr. Frederick Christian Harrison who serves us well as Secretary-Treasurer of our Mis- sions Department noted, ‘‘The mis- sionary spark was generated in the A.M.E. Church as early as 1821, when Daniel Coker lead the first group of persons to West Africa, fin- ally settling in Liberia. Officially the Baltimore Conference authorized the dispatch of Rev. Scipio Beane to Hai- ti. In 1840, the Rev. William Paul Quinn was commissioned as our first missionary.’’ Dr. Harrison notes that others help- ed Quinn’s early efforts. Names like J. W. Early and Reverend John Miff- lin Brown who was imprisoned so often for preaching the Gospel are the pioneering spirits in our continuing work. “In Africa, the throb of the future pulses for visionaries beyond the veils of dust stirred up, we are building a new foundation for the people of God out of the mire, the mud, and the morass. A report sent to us from Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr., on six conferences held between September and November, 1988, in the Seven- teenth Episcopal District on the activi- ties conducted in Lusaka, Zambia, Central Africa (N.E., N.W., S. Zam- bia; Malawi; N.E., and S.W. Zim- babwe) is distilled in the following. Please turn to page 4 Black Students Punished, Suspended at Twice the Rate of White Students in U. S. Public Schools Alarming Statistics About Blacks in Public Schools Black public school students suffer more than twice the corporal punish- ment and school suspensions as their White Counterparts, according to a report prepared by the National Coa- lition of Advocates for Students (NCAS). Black students account for 16% of the U.S. public school population, but receive 31% of corporal punishment and 30% of school suspensions. While White students make up 70% of the school population, they receive 60% of corporal punishment and 59% of school suspensions. Because male students account for 80% of corporal punishment incidents and 70% of school suspensions, Black male students are most at risk for dis- ciplinary action. Additionally, special education placements of Black students as Educable Mentally Re- tarded occur at a 35% rate, while their placement in Gifted and Talented classes are at 8%—half the level ex- pected, based on their 16% enrollment level. “Public school discipline falls dis- proportionately upon any child per- ceived as different—including ethnic and religious minorities, poor or handicapped children, or those who have limited English proficiency,’’ said NCAS Executive Director Joan First. “These very disturbing statis- tics—collected after implementation of most ‘school excellence’ re- forms—provide strong evidence that Black students, especially males, have not reaped a fair share of the benefits,’’ First said. ‘‘Certainly the 178,000 Black students labelled as mentally retarded—many inappropri- ately—don’t have much access to ex- cellence’. “When Black students are sus- pended for trivial offenses and have to endure the humiliation of corporal Please turn to page 7 PRICE; 50 CENTS The Liberia Annual Conference The 99th Session of the Liberia An- nual Conference African Methodist Episcopal Church commenced at the Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church in Mon- rovia with the Rt. Rev. John Richard Bryant presiding. The new Bishop ex- presses joy in being back in Liberia after twenty years. It can be recalled that Bishop John R. Bryant served as a peace corp volunteer in Liberia from 1965-1967 a period of two years. Bishop Bryant and his family arriv- ed in Liberia to take up duty in the 14th District in October of last year, 1988. Since then, they have been residing in Monrovia. Our new Episcopal leaders came at a time when the 14th District is in dying need of faithful, committed and annointed leaders; and even now Bishop and Mrs. Bryant are beginning to have im- pact on the church in West Africa. We in the 14th District know that God has sent us the right leaders at the right time for the right reasons. This session of the Liberia Annual Conference was packed with a lot of excitement, fellowship, good preach- ing and spirit. This conference was the first of its kind over a long period. On the day of the opening, the 8th of Feb- Bishop John R. Bryant ruary, Bishop Bryant presented the Annual Conference with a Bus and he told us to give thanks to several A.M.E. Churches in Baltimore, Maryland, the Rev. Frank M. Reid III, and others who made this gift pos- sible. On February 10, 1989, the Rev. Cecelia Williams-Bryant, the Episcopal Supervisor assigned to the 14th District, led the Conference In- stitute. Her subject for the day was “The Healing of the Nations.’’ One thing that we know is that God is go-. ing to heal our wounds in the months ahead. Please turn to page 3 U.S. BLACK POPULATION TO INCREASE BLACK POPULATION PROJECTED TO INCREASE 50 PERCENT BY YEAR 2030, CENSUS BUREAU REPORTS The nation’s Black population is projected to grow by 50 percent by the year 2030, according to a report by the Commerce Department’s Census Bu- reau. The Black population in 1987 total- ed 29.9 million, 7 million more than in 1970. Under the bureau’s middle range of projections, it may increase 7 million by 2005 and another 7 million by 2030. After 2030, however, the Black population would change rela- tively little. By 2080, it may number 47.6 million, about 18 million more than in 1987. The White population grew 26.6 million between 1970 and 1987. It is projected to grow an additional 29.2 million over the next 40 years, peak at 235.4 million in 2027, then decline steadily. By 2080, the White popu- lation may be only 6 million larger than in 1987. The growth of the ‘‘other races’’ population (primarily Asians, Pacific Islanders, and American Indians) may be the fastest of any of the racial groups. It has tripled in size in the past 17 years, increasing from 2.6 million in 1970 to 7.9 million in 1987. This group may be S50 percent larger by the year 2000, double its present size by 2015, and triple its size by the year 2040. By 2080, the ‘‘other races’’ pop- ulation may be almost 25 million lar- ger than in 1987. Here are other highlights from the middle range of projections: e Since 1970, the Black population has grown at about twice the White rate and is projected to maintain at least that difference through 2030. e The White population may com- prise an even smaller share of the U.S. population in future decades, falling from 82.6 percent in 2000 to 72.6 per- cent in 2080. © The ‘‘other races’’ share may rise substantially from 4.3 percent in 2000 to 7.8 percent in 2040, and to 11.1 per- cent in 2080. e For at least the next 50 years, the annual number of births to Black women will remain close to 600,000 or slightly below the current level. Births to White women, however, are expected to fall. ‘‘Other races’’ is the only racial group whose future num- ber of births is ever projected to be more than 5 percent above its current level. e In 1980, 27 percent of Black births, 14 percent of White births, and 11 percent of ‘‘other races’’ births were to teenagers. By 1990, however, these proportions may fall to 20 per- cent, 10 percent, and 8 percent. The proportions would stay near these levels after 1990 for every group but Blacks. The proportion of Black births to teenagers will drop for many years due to the decline in the pro- portion of women of childbearing age who are teenagers. The full report includes alternative Please turn to page 3 4530 E Echoes from the 99th Session of ° , RICHARD : Gp c BARRINE DF Mm ri ri * ~ ¢< Be a ===== DSC05762.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 Easter: The Ecclesiastical Festival Commemorating The Resurrection of Jesus Christ Easter is the most important fes- tival of the Christian year. It has been celebrated universally as the highest of Holy Days in Christendom. For a long time, Easter was a special occasion for baptism, for the reconciliation of penitents, the release of prisoners, for the distribution of alms, and for offerings to the clergy. For some churches, all of their members were expected to receive Holy Communion at Eastertime. Since the 8th century, in Western Christendom, Easter Day has been celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon, or after the 14th day of the moon following March 21. By this designation, Easter cannot fall before March 22, nor after April 25. In the year 1928, a bill was introduced in the British House of Commons providing that Easter Day shall be the first Sunday after the second Saturday in April. The dispute in the early church, as to the date of Easter, was between the Christians of Asia Minor—who were called Quartodecimans, because they kept the resurrection on the third day after the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan, on whatever day of the week it fell—and the Western Church, which maintained that Easter should always be held on the Lord’s Day following the 14th. The Nicean Council, in 325 A.D., fixed the Sunday for universal observance. The Easter celebration is the ‘‘Dies Dominica,’’ the Day of the Lord. This is the recurring season in which we reflect upon the mystery, power and meaning of the resurrection. Those who study Holy Scripture know why the women were at the gravesite early on the original Easter morning. It was not to celebrate Easter; Jesus’ resurrection was an exciting surprise to them. The excitement of discovering the stone rolled away was just the beginning of their euphoric experience on that day. It is interesting to note, the stone was not rolled back so that Jesus Christ could get out of the tomb, but that Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James, and the other women, could get in. So that John and Peter could get in, so that the Roman guards could testify to the miracle and phenomenon, so that all the world could, ultimately, know about the resurrection. The empty tomb has been—and continues to be—a provocative issue that changes lifestyles in every succeeding generation. His resurrection was the beginning of the Christian faith that yet makes disciples. Those who believe and accept the report of the resurrection must incarnate their faith, making it the witness of daily living in every generation. Nearly two thousand years ago, on a Friday, the crucifixion left those first disciples feeble, timid, fearful, despondent and defeated. The resurrection of Jesus Christ sent those same dejected people out to impact and conquer a world. They were no longer the weeping friends of a dead prophet, but heroic, energized, committed persons of the PRINCE OF PEACE! ROBERT H. REID, JR. THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr Jacquelyn Grant, Women's Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L, Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J, Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese D. B Jamison, Laymen’s Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S, Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev. Frederick C Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor; Dr William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr. Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space re- quirements. Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.E. Sunday Schoo! Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181, Because of His resurrection, Easter is more than a casual reflection ona passing thought. It is much more than an affirmation that is a creedal state- ment. Easter is the work of God and cause for perennial celebration. There is much excitement and great celebration with every victory. The people of light and love, each Easter Season, continue in the festival celebration of the historical spiritual victory that has not yet been successfully contradicted. The validation of the Christian Faith is in the fact of the resurrection. The crucifixion on the cross was the letdown and, if it alone were the basis for one’s belief, people who are non-believers would have little interest in, or sympathy with, the Christian religion. The empty grave was not only cause for celebration, but justification for proclamation of Jesus Christ’s continuing ministry. The celebration began with a few women whose mission that day was to anoint His body and give it a proper burial. Had that first Easter experience occurred twenty centuries later, there would have been worldwide television coverage. I can well imagine the newscaster reporting: ‘‘Sometime between sunset last night and dawn of this morning, it is alleged, Jesus’ tomb was discovered empty. That has created a great stir in the Roman empire. We have investigative reporters standing by in Jerusalem.’’ The women reporters who were first there in that first century did the reporting. They were com- missioned by the angel at the empty grave, and by the Risen Christ on the scene to officially announce the resurrection. That they did, and commen- tators have been discussing this issue ever since that first discovery. This is a news event that continues to be a headline story. The resurrection gave cause for new hope that truth and love would, like the rising sun, put people on the bright side of the issues of life. It was hate that put Jesus on the cross. It was love that took Him down and buried Him in a borrowed grave. It was a greater love that resurrected Him out of that temporary prision. It was God’s love that caused Him to give His Son. It was the Son’s love for humanity that caused Him to be sacrificed on the cross. It is His resurrection that makes one’s faith live. It was Peter, a doubtful but hopeful old man, and John, a disbelieving but hopeful young man, who went into the empty tomb and found, also, the empty grave clothes. It was Mary Magdalene, a weeping but expectant woman, who met the resurrected and victorious Jesus in Joseph’s garden of beauty and holiness. They all found cause for celebration. Lo, these many centuries since then, people are repeating the good news: He is risen. Easter is not merely an occasion to discuss values of eternal life. Easter also give value to life that is not eternal. Yes, to life that is this side of the grave. Easter is, indeed, the ecclesiastical festival that commemorates the resurrection of Jesus the Christ. HELSDSLSHSSSLS LS SSA SHS HS SHS SUBSCRIBE!? to the Christian Recorder cancer emee oo The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable (0. A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB $00 Bighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 1 ' ; H H 1 ; r ‘ = ' Please print. Payment must accompany order, Allow 4 weeks for first delivery 1 ; 1 ; 1 H 1 ' Name a 1 : H ' ' Address. — ~aanaeie 5 t City/Suate/Zip eeoreer i ; t { a . 1 + 1 1 1 1 1 t 1 1 ' 1 1 1 1 1 1 * 1 1 1 ' 1 1 1 t 1 J 1 1‘ iu 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 t ' 1 1 1 ' ' 1 1 t ' 1 ' ===== DSC05763.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 ¢ AME Christian Recorder r ““MINGS FOR MISSION — WOW!” ___ Bishop D. G. K. Ming Pleasant Grove A.M.E. Church, Sanford, Mississippi, pastored by Rev. Gertie L. Smiley was the reci- pient of a check in the amount of $1,317.00, from Bishop and Mrs. Donald Kenneth Ming to facilitate the much needed repairs to our Edifice. Pleasant Grove A.M.E. Church was organized in 1904. In its eighty- five years of existence, Bishop Ming is the first Bishop to ever visit this little Mission Church in the Valley by the wild woods. Upon arrival, he was cognizant of the potential growth of the church and Mrs. Edith Ming suggested a fundraiser with Bishop Ming, the Brookhaven-Hattiesburg District of the Mississippi Annual Conference of the Eighth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, and the local Church would participate. This idea came to fruition on January 15, 1989, when Bishop Ming, Rev. James Manley, presiding elder; pastor and members of the District raised a total of $4,634.00. We are deeply grateful to all, but especially to Bishop and Mrs. Ming. They helped us to do it and WOW! A.M.E. salutes Black History Month Blackness is a state of mind Reprint from Wingspan, Cheyenne, Wyoming by Jo Fisher For the first time a Black history seminar will be held at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, but the co-sponsor, Gloria Edwards, said she hopes ‘‘to sponsor another seminar at the church next year.’”’ The seminar will be held in Rhone Hall at 917 W. 21st Street from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 25. Lunch will be served to all partici- pants. The national theme of the seminar will be ‘‘Black Is Not Just A Color, But A State Of Mind.’’ A movie “Black History; Lost, Stolen, or Strayed,’’ narrated by Bill Cosby, will be shown, and activities relating to Black history will be offered. One of the activities will be re- searching any famous Black in history a person chooses. Another will be to choose an area of knowledge (math- writing-medicine) and discover which Black scholars contributed their knowledge to these areas. Young people will be helped to make a take-home-booklet with their research in it, along with material ex- plaining why it is important to study Black history and to incorporate Black history into schools and col- leges. Edwards and co-sponsor Aron Morrison believe the seminar will not only benefit the young people in the community but also adults who want to attend the seminar, Edwards, a teacher at Central High School, explained, ‘‘Young Blacks know very little about their Black heritage’ partly because it is not taught in schools or colleges and part- ly because it has not been passed through generations of Blacks. Edwards noted that Carter Good- win Woodson is considered the found- ing father of Black History Week, which later led to Black History Month. Black History Week was always held during the week of Abra- ham Lincoln’s birthday, until in the 1970’s it was extended to cover the whole month of February. Woodson started the ‘Association for the Study of Negro Life and History’’ on Sept. 19, 1915, in Chica- go, IL. The three purposes of the as- sociation are ‘‘to promote historical research on Black history; to publish books on Afro-American life and his- tory; to promote the study of Afro- American history through schools, colleges, churches, homes, fraternal organizations and clubs; and to collect and encourage the collection of his- torical manuscripts and materials re- lating to Black people. In the 1970’s, the study of ‘‘Negro Life and History’? was changed to “Afro-American Life and History,”’ and the word ‘‘Negro’’ was replaced by the word ‘‘Black.”’ For more information on the semi- nar, contact the Rev. Marguerite K. Tinney at 632-1489. Continued from page 1 U.S. Black Population to Increase Black Population Projected to Increase 50 Percent by Year 2030, Census Bureau Reports series with higher and lower growth rates that reflect varying assumptions about future levels of fertility, mor- tality, and net immigration, Copies of the report, Projections of the Popula- tion of the United States, by Age, Sex, and Race: 1988 to 2080, Series P-25, No. 1018, may be purchased from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washing- ton, DC 20402. Continued from page 1 Echoes from the 99th Session of The Liberia Annual Conference On Saturday, February 11th, the Ordination Sermon was delivered by Rev. David Daniels, who has been a pastor in the A.M.E. Church in South Carolina, U.S.A. After which, Bishop performed his first Ordination as Bishop; he ordained four persons as Elders and three persons as Deacons. This ceremony was performed by Bishop, Elders of the Church, and the Episcopal Supervisor, Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant. At this session, three new congregations were admit- ted to the conference, and three new schools were organized. On Sunday, Bishop, by using his Godly judgment, appointed pastors to their charges. There were changes in some key leadership positions in the Liberia Annual Conference (LAC). 1. Rev. Dr. James Benedict Mason was appointed as Superintendent for development of the Liberian Annual Conference among other responsibili- ties, all financial and material support to churches and individuals from the Bishop’s Office will be channeled through Dr. Mason. 2. Rev. Lewis D. Harris, Jr. was appointed as Presiding Elder of the Cape Palmas District and Pastor of Mount Ashton A.M.E. Church, in Harper City. Rev. Harris who is twen- ty-six years of age is the youngest elder to be appointed Presiding Elder in the history of the A.M.E. Church in West Africa. The Bishop said he’s cer- tain that Rev. Harris is the right man for Cape Palmas. Rev. Harris goes to Cape Palmas at a time when the work is spiritually dead and there is little hope for sur- vival. As we can recall twenty-one years back, the Bro. John Richard Bryant was ordained into the Gospel Ministry as elder in Mount Ashton A.M.E. Church. 3. Rev. David Daniels, a Liberian who was formerly a pastor in South Carolina was appointed the new pastor for our leading church, Eliza Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church. Rev. Daniels comes to Eliza Turner after being away for many years studying and pastoring in the United States. Rev. Daniels was a former member of the Church he is now pas- toring. Thanks to Bishop Bryant for getting one of our boys back to our mother land to serve. We hope that Bishop will be able to persuade the rest to come home some day. 4. Jordan Agricultural Institute has a new principal in person of Rev. Jeremiah Emmanuel January, former pastor of Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church. Rev. January will also be pastoring Morris Brown A.M.E. Church in Royesville where the school is located. He’s being sent by the Bishop to make Jordan Institution the pride of the A.M.E. Church in West Africa. At this session, the Bishop present- ed the conference with his financial re- port of all monies received and dis- bursed covering the period from July to January of this year. This makes history in the Liberia Annual Con- ference that a Bishop openly and will- fully presented an annual report of all finances received. This we believe is a sign of true accountability. On Sunday, February 12, 1989, the 99th session was closed with the Bishop delivering the closing sermon. Bishop’s theme for the day was ‘‘I am Trying.’’ This was a wonderful ser- mon filled with the Holy spirit. After the sermon, one person gave her life to Christ and joined the church. Brothers and Sisters, God is truly beginning to bless the 14th District mightily. Jeanette H. Wright Conference Reporter Expansion of Bus and Campus Ministry at Greater Bethel Nashville, Tennessee | picture rom left to right: Pastor Wilson, Brother William Howard, Jr., Brother Ernest esr et: Virginia E. Cooper, Brother Ted Washington, Sister Thalia Wilson, Sister Sharon Smith, Mrs. Cleverten Wilson, Reverend Marilyn Ramsey and Brother Dave Alex- ander. Not pictured: Sister Lenaye Garrett, Sister Debra Taylor, Sister Diane Mar- tin, Brother Frank Owsley, Sr., and Brother Henry A, Belin, IIL PUBLISHER’S NOTE: We apologize to the Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Nashville, Tennessee, and the pastor the Reverend Harry L. Wilson for publishing the wrong picture with their story which appeared in the March 6th issue of the A.M.E. Recorder. ee ===== DSC05764.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 Continued from Page | The Spirit of Central Africa and se The A.M.E. Church Today ment. THE N.E. ZAMBIA LAY ORGANIZATION GREETS US The fellowship of the N.E. Zambia people reaches out to touch us at a membership supper During the Lay Organization fellowship the Young People were deeply involved The major countries of Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe are under Bishop Chappelle’s aegis. On September 13, 1988, the skies above Central Africa welcomed the plane carrying Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr., from St. Louis, Mis- souri, many miles and cultures apart. At a spiritual site of oneness among the throngs of those gathering in Lusa- ka, Zambia for the N.E. Zambia An- nual Conference of the A.M.E. Church, the anticipation for greeting the new Bishop stirred the usual still- ness. All were anxious to greet the new Bishop whose journey from the air- port to the conference locale had only just begun. The laborious trip by motor car would take at least fourteen hours to reach them. There were no highways or all-night service stations with con- necting arteries as there were in the United States to speed his arrival. But the people were of good cheer. They had to negotiate great diffi- culties, themselves, to reach the con- ference. Many had to walk distances of at least twenty miles. Others tra- veled for days preceding to attend the event. Bishop Chappelle counted the hours. After fourteen hours travel time from New York to Lusaka, he was promised another fourteen long hours by car through the natural African terrain. Transposing his cultural perspec- tives by substituting the process of ob- serving for clock-watching, Bishop Chappelle drank in the vastness of the landscapes and its magnificent vistas. When he finally arrived to throngs of well wishers from the Episcopal District, the spirit of unity flooded through them, and the A.M.E. Church under the power of Jesus Christ enfolded them as family under the warm African skies. The site of St. Thomas Chapel, in its initial phases of construction with- out windows, or a permanent roof, welcomed the conference in the heat of summer to enjoy its open-air im- provisational benefits! The architectural openness coop- erated with the African heat. An improvised tarpaulin was stretched across the unfinished roof, however, to provide shelter for those who would have to sleep in the church. The cooking fires outside provided fuel for food preparations. A local Chief donated about one hundred acres of prime farm land to the conference. Plans were made to utilize the land after clearing for ac- tive food production. Bishop Chappelle, concerned that of fifty-eight church buildings, only A ee three had reached completion, set into motion the inspirational and practical assets needed to balance that equa- tion. Procedures of the conference from the beginning—Missionary Conven- tion Annual Conference, Opening Worship Service, Business Sessions, Ordinations and Appointments, and Closing services were repeated in six conferences, with a one week break, between October 10-17 in various episcopal sectors. Initially, in Lusaka, Zambia, eigh- ty-five congregations participated for a conference membership of five thousand eight hundred and thirty. The Second Annual Conference for N.W. Zambia was held at Mbala, Zambia, at the host church Jordan Chapel, then in the process of rebuild- ing to replace the mud and thatch- roofed structure preceding it. A rented facility was used for the Mbala meeting following the pre-con- ference council conducted by Bishop Chappelle and his presiding elders within the old church edifice. Seventy-seven congregations parti- cipated in the full Missionary conven- tion in Zambia at Mbala. The Presiding Prelate, Bishop Rich- ard Allen Chappelle’s group visited Matero-Lusaka at the largest A.M.E. Church facility marked for the South Zambia conference and found that the site had a dirt floor without windows or lights. However, at the conference date three weeks later, the floor was in place, temporary lights strung, and provisions made to accomodate the two major urban centers of the area. The conference took place with parti- cipants from the nation’s capital, Lu- saka and Kitwe/Ndola, an area known as the Copperbelt. Bishop Chappelle tells us that the contrast between rural and metropoli- tan areas of his constituency was of a physical terrain only. The distinguish- ing similarities are notable in the en- thusiasm and commitment to the work of the A.M.E. Church and a strong desire to participate in the Con- nection. Privations in rural areas pass unno- ticed in the larger cause of the confer- ence business with vigorous discus- sions and ‘“‘healthy dialogue on the na- ture, problems, and progress of the church in the world community.”’ Chappelle’s humanistic concerns bypassed time allotment limits on conference agenda encouraging indi- vidual pastor recounting, a relished public role before the long anticipated conference, provided a rare op portunity to share experiences, and met with added warmth. ‘The display of spirit, interest, and concern is evidence that we are on the threshold of a new era in the Seven- teenth Episcopal District,’’ states Bis- hop Chappelle. Such news is highly significant to all of us and should help to change us in the direction of re-forcing our ener- gies where they are most needed in the mission field as well as the home field. Success fuels our desire to accomplish even more if viewed as a modicum of motivation all of us need to bring to our constituencies. Bishop Chappelle’s understandable consternation at learning the disparity between numbers of schools and churches in the Kasungu, Malawi area challenges us severely. “The church in Malawi boasts of having an excess of twenty-three ele- mentary/secondary schools, but not one completed church facility’? Chap- pelle points out. The infusion of new leadership was directed by Bishop Chappelle to han- dle activities and funds for the future. The area within the Malawi Confer- ence which was held at Kasungu is fer- tile territory for the major fund rais- ing activities of World Vision Interna- tional and the Christian Council of Malawi. Malawi itself is the home of Dr. Hastings Kamazu Banda, a Wil- berforce University graduate known as President-for-Life Banda. Banda donated in excess of two million dol- lars to Wilberforce University in Ohio. Classroom churches fall short of a physical presence in Malawi, cautions Bishop Chappelle. The new episcopal objective issued calls for at least one church building to be completed in each conference each year. The South Zambia conference at Bright Temple, Matero-Lusako in- cluded one hundred twenty-eight con- gregations with a conference member- ship of nine thousand eight hundred and one contrasted with the Malawi Conference with conference member- ship totalling two thousand nine hun- dred and eighty-five. Numbers do not diminish, however, the historical importance of the ensu- ing N.E. Zimbabwe Annual Con- ference at Mutare with its thirty-seven congregations contributing nine hun- dred sixty-eight persons to the confer- ence. It was the first time the annual conference convened at this location. In the community of Mutare where the church is under construction, the people of the area were treated to their first encounter with a ‘‘Bishop,”’ acknowledging the experience with great interest. Among those who con- tributed their services beyond duty were Lay Organization President Mr. Samuel S. Saunyama and Brother and Mrs. Phillip Nhekairo. Saunyama took on the arduous responsibility of driving the distance from Harare to Mutare with the companionship of the Nhekairo’s adding informative details. “Harare is the capital city,’’ Chap- pelle notes, ‘‘and only two completed church buildings exist here among six- teen buildings in various forms of completion. Four general buildings are finished, however, for the city’s use but need renovation.”’ The strongest of the two confer- ences in Zimbabwe took place in the Southwest at Ball Tabernacle in the ci- ty of Bulawayo, reached by air travel from Harare. The issue of electing women to become ordained ministers, con- fronted by one perturbed dissident brother, was overcome with choir and congregation singing to drown out the disruption and ‘‘the young ladies... were ordained Itinerant Deacons and assigned to congregations on Sunday by our Bishop,’’ notes Ms. Hildah Membe, Episcopal Secretary to the Seventeenth Episcopal District. Bis- hop Chappelle referred the dissident to his pastor for counseling. The concluding conference involved thirty-one congregations and a confer- Please turn to page 15 } BISHOP AND PASTOR CONNECT Bishop R. A. Chappelle reaches out to the Pastor of Thomas Chapel, a unique leader pledged with his congregation to complete the church ee ee ===== DSC05765.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder un Bi-Racial MLK Committee Holds Citywide Celebration by Eloria Newell Laurel, MS—*“Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” (John 15:13) The late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., considered the world his friend and was willing to give his life that those who live in it might be free. Members of Laurel’s newly estab- lished bi-racial Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Day Committee organized a two-day celebration of events that would not let the people of Laurel and surrounding areas in Mississippi and the Eighth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church forget what Dr. King did. The Reverend Jerry James, pastor of First Allen A.M.E. Church of Laurel, MS, said he took part in plan- ning the first King celebration for this area because he believes Dr. King was a great help and an inspiration to many Blacks and his civil rights work has been instrumental in helping the A.M.E. Church prosper over the years. “We must not let our children for- get. We cannot forget. We must not let our neighbors forget. We cannot for- get,” Pinkie Jones, the committee’s program director, said. “We cannot forget. We must not forget the dream.” Many appointed and elected officials attended the list of events commemorating the slain Baptist preacher. Through the efforts of the committee, people—Black and White— from Jones, Jasper, Smith, Wayne and other counties in Missis- sippi came together in Laurel at First Allen A.M.E. Church to pay tribute to that 20th century prophet who gave his life that others might be free. Many of those in attendance at the various events conducted throughout the weekend recalled the great things that Dr. King fought for and accom- plished in his short life here on earth. From the many who participated in the group’s first annual Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., parade, and those who held hands during the group's dedication service on the steps of the Laurel City Hall and sang the Negro spiritual “We Shall Overcome,” to those who gave the tremendous and electrifying speeches and songs dur- ing the group’s gospel singing pro- gram, oratorical speaking and fashion/ talent show—they all remem- bered the man who became known as the Voice of the Negro People and ultimately led the fight for the equal- ity of all men. The more than 250 people who packed First Allen A.M.E. Church on the night of King’s national holiday paid tribute to the slain civil rights leader and challenged others to keep the dream alive. Dr. Hill Williams, the keynote speaker at Monday's tribute service, told those in attendance that although an assassin’s bullet sealed the lips of a great leader, husband, father and minister that sad April day in 1968, Dr. King’s dream still lives and must continue to live in his people. Williams said if Dr. King’s dream 1s to remain alive, people must learn to work closer together, to help and stick by their elected officials and try to help someone else, “Martin Luther King visioned the ultimate freedom, The freedom of justice, . the freedom of love,” he said “If Dr. King’s dream is to remain alive, it's up to us to proy ide transportation for the elderly, training for the y recreation for our children. . .” Williams said the youths of Laurel are the future of Laurel and young people have the responsibility to keep the dream alive. “We, as Blacks, have come from the back of the bus to the driver’s seat— from segregation to integration, ’Pam Bingham, the keynote speaker for King’s dedication service at the Laurel City Hall Monday morning, said. “We have made progress, but there are miles to go before we sleep.” Rev. James told the First Allen A.M.E. Church congregation and others, during his sermon on Sunday—that would have been Dr. King’s 60th birthday—that Blacks need to go to work. Recalling the hard struggle Blacks and the A.M.E. Church have had over the years in order to survive, Rev. James said people need to wake up and realize how God has blessed them and continue to work for a better to- morrow. “Our walls are torn down,” he said. “We have got to go to work.” Williams, a native of Laurel and a graduate of Oak Park High School and Jackson State University, said Dr. King not only helped the people of Memphis, TN, Montgomery, and Bir- mingham, AL, but he helped all people—Blacks and Whites, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics. Bingham, who attended several of the celebration events, reminded people during her keynote address that Dr. King saw no color, adding that he “was a man who did not see the world as black and white, but as a nation of people.” Members of the Dr. MLK, Jr., Day Committee said they plan to make the weekend celebration an annual event that will allow adults and youths of all races an opportunity to honor a man who played a great part in helping society progress over the years. Laurel City Councilwoman Lula Cooley, one of the only three Blacks on the Council, and one of the first women to be elected to the position, presented Thaddeus Edmonson, chairman of the committee, and Rev. James, who also served as program ad- visor for the committee, awards during a recent city council meeting for their work in organizing the first city cele- bration in honor of Dr. King. Members of Laurel’s 1989 MLK Committee are Edmonson, Jones, Rev. James, Committee Vice Chair- man Ann Clayton, Yoland Turner, Betty Miller, Nora Strickland, Jean Wheeler, Rev. Cecil Ashford, and Doneater Mack OOPS! WE GOOFED! In the March 6th issue we printed Dr. Floyd Alexander, Sr., as Pre- sident of the Y.P.D. Dr. Alexan- der, Sr. is Secretary-Treasurer of the Pension Department. Mr. Floyd Alexander, Jr. President, Y.P.D. Contemporary Author Demonstrates Skill of a Micro-Surgeon by Marcia Jackson Los Angeles, CA—During my “Wo- men of the Bible” course recent- ly, we received an invitation stat- ing that Rev. Renita J. Weems would be the Winnie Mandela Women’s Ministries guest speaker at Ward A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles at the 8 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. Sunday service. After a heart-warming, thought- provoking evening sermon, primarily focusing on her own “sisterly” rela- tionships, Rev. Weems concluded with a question-and-answer period. My eagerness to know and hear more from her was immediately satisfied. Copies of several of the articles that she has had published in Essence and other magazines were available that same night, as well as the cassettes from the morning services. During the question-and-answer period, which she handled with the skill of a pre- cision mirco-surgeon, Rev. Weems discussed in detail the steps for aspiring writers to take to help them get their work published. It was at this time that her book, Just a Sister Away, was introduced. This book takes a very unique, inspiring and refreshing approach to several familiar Bible stories. Each story highlights different females as the lead character. The storylines are presented from a more feminine point of view. The description of the rela- tionships between Hagar and Sarah or Jephthah’s daughter and the mourning women or Lot’s wife and her daughters are quite revealing, sensi- tive and heart-warming. Exceptional care and skill was used to convey these multi-faceted interactions. The interpretations of the illustra- tor, Nashormeh Wilkie, are them- selves worthy of careful inspection and praise. 1 whole-heartedly encourage ALL A NEW BEGINNING October, 1988, brought about changes for Hines Chapel A.M.E. Church. A new conference year is the beginning of many things, new dreams for the future and a new beginning for a giant step forward. With this ‘new’ came a new leader, in the person of Rev. W. D. Flowers. He came full of enthusiasm and ideas to help Hines Chapel understand the world in which Christ’s mission must be undertaken and the drive and power behind it. Wheels were put in motion, plans were formulated for the year and things began to happen, The fifth Sunday in October, the first quarterly conference was held and it was very successful, November with its fall-like atmosphere brought with it Harvest Day and Thanksgiv- ing, for which we at Hines Chapel have so much to be thankful for, In December came Memorial Day in which a tribute was given to the deceased members. January, once again there was the second quarterly conference. It was even better than the first. Each organization made reports and the presiding elder preached a very spiritual sermon entitled, ‘‘The Kid- napped Ransom.’” The second Sunday in February, was the observance of Founder’s Day, Family Day and Black History. The program centered around the family and Black History through Ages. The program included all segments of the family, the very Marcia Jackson to read this book; you will never again be able to look at biblical or personal relationships in a superficial manner. Rey. Renita J. Weems is an instruc- tor in Old Testament Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nash- ville, TN, and an ordained elder in the A.M.E. Church. This Book Is for You. . . If you are struggling with the feminist attitude If you are wondering how long these things will go on If you are looking for a “raceless” opportunity to reunite the women of the world If you have had a relationship with “anyone” and wondered how it could turn out this way If you have been looking for a “self- help” guide to female relationships If you are proud of the women of the A.M.E. Church and seeking more information about who and where they are If you are looking for excellent con- tent, layout, imagination, and con- tinuity in presentation If yoware looking fora worthwhile gift for a friend If you are looking for “fresh” interpre- tation of timeless Bible stories If you are just looking for something really good to read, try Just a Sister Away, by Renita J. Weems. young through senior citizens. Theme: ‘*God’s Family, Church Family, Our Family.’’ A large crowd was present for the occasion. A covered dish meal was served in the Fellowship Hall fol- lowing the service. In our newness the pastor has or is trying to instill in the members there is no clear-cut solution or answer to our problems. We can begin by trying to understand one another rather than tolerate each motive and habit. While men explore the heaven, seeking to uncover the mysteries of the universe, here on earth the search for the key to brotherhood and peace goes on; but if we are to live in an at- mosphere of brotherhood and peace, we must reach out to others and witness to them, the love of Jesus Christ, Our pastor is seeking to make our church a place where L-O-V-E is always in action, We are very appreciative to our Maker, to the Bishop, and the Pre- siding Elder for sending such a person- ality as Rev, W. D. Flowers, our way. With his magnificent leadership we shall step over into the future with a heart to love, a mind to work and a firm and a fixed resolution to serve our creator in all we say or do, Public-Relation, Committee Ruthie L. Cogman Jo Helen Bishop Dorothy Potter 9 ===== DSC05766.JPG ===== 6 Eternal Reward “His sun rose on June 14, 1894, and set on December 23, 1988’’ OBITUARY Cincinnati, Ohio Monroe County, Georgia, was the birthplace of Robert S. Drewery. His father and mother were the late Tom- my and Ella Drewery. Five sisters and brothers preceded Robert in death; they were Opheria Drewery, Mattie Butler, Lora Nelson, Phillip and Willie Drewery. Early in life, Robert married Mu- rant and they were blessed with one son, Thomas Drewery. Both preceded him in death. Religious Aspects Robert Drewery joined St. Paul in 1950 under the leadership of the late Rev. Ira J. Gamble. During his tenure of thirty-eight years of service, he served as Steward and was Steward Emeritus at the time of his death; Class Leader of Class No. 11; served as local Lay President for several years; and founded the Progressive Club of St. Paul during the mid-fifties under the leadership of Rev. H. L. Smith. This organization was respon- sible for erecting the church bulletin board at the Clark Street church site. Connectionally: He was elected three times a Delegate to the A.M.E. General Conference and twice as an Alternate Delegate to the A.M.E. General Conference. He served as Chaplain of the South Ohio Annual Conference for several years. Communitarian: He founded the Liberal Prayer Group, Inc., of Cin- cinnati. This organization was a group of Christian persons who, under his leadership, fed the hungry, and cloth- ed the children in several Hamilton County Children Homes. This Prayer Group also supported St. Paul’s members when the need arose. The LPG was started in 1952. Civic Endeavors: He was a member of the Democratic County Central Committee (an elective position). He was elected three times to this posi- tion—in 1976, 1980 and 1982. He was also a member of Senior Ci- tizen Planning Councils. Sports: For twelve years, Robert Drewery was a Senior Citizen Olym- pics competitor. His races were the 440 run, the 220 run, the 440 walk and the 100 yard dash. He competed local- The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 Robert S. Drewery Goes To His ly, statewide and nationally, with races held in Cincinnati, Akron and St. Louis, MO. He won nineteen medals; at least seven of those were first-place awards. He also received five first-place rib- bons and a third and fourth ribbon in other races. Beekeeper: Robert was perhaps one of a few, if not the only, Black regis- tered beekeeper in the U.S. He was af- fectionaly known by man as the “Honey Man’’ because of his belief in the healing and sustaining power of honey. His Departure: On December 23, he departed this life at the Lincoln-Craw- ford Nursing Home on Lincoln Ave- nue, Cincinnati. He is survived by three grandchildren: Thomas Drewery, Jr., and Teresa Drewery Ethington of Detroit, Michigan; and Terry Drewery of Indianapolis, In- diana; five great-grandchildren, La- Rhonda Newman, Donald Eugene Newman, III, Keycha Tonya Drewery, Christian Drewery and Devin Noah Drewery; several nieces and nephews, cousins and other relatives and friends. The goals that Robert S. Drewery set for himself were related to life because he knew that life unfolds one day at the time; he also knew that if he tried to go forward more quickly than needed, he would defeat his purpose and deter his progress. Humbly Submitted, The Family and Pastor Newell > Grateful Acknowledgement We, the family, thank you for all acts of kindness and care given our loved one during his long illness and death, We thank you for your condo- lences and courtesies. May God con- tinue to bless and keep you. Pall Bearers—The Men of St. Paul and men of the South Ohio Lay Or- ganization. Flower Bearers—Ladies of the Ste- ward Board, Stewardess Boards and the Lay Organization. Interment—The Vine Street Hill Cemetery, 3701 Vine Street (Clifton), Cincinnati, Ohio. The Final Tribute, A Service By: Hall-Jordan Funeral Service, 2625 Gilbert Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45206. Service of Triumph and Thanksgiving Sister Almer McCollins Crowder Life is a story in volumes three The past, the present, and the yet to be. The first is written and put away; The second we are writing day-by-day; The third in the story of volumes three Is known only by God, He holds the key. Almer McCollins Crowder was born in Oakland (Yalobusha County) MS, on December 25, 1914, to the parentage of the late David McCollins and Mattie Nelson McCollins. She was the first child born ina closely knit family of six brothers and five sisters. She became interested in religious and church affairs at a very early age, and began the pilgrimage of a long Christian tenure when she united with the Robinson Chapel A.M.E. Church in Oakland, MS. Upon moving to Grenada to complete her high school education, she became a member of the Greater Powell Chapel A.M.E. Church, under the pastorate of the late Reverend M. B. Buckingham. As an ardent, devout, and systematic church member of Powell Church, Sister Crowder attended all the “means of grace” and unstintingly gave of her time and talents to king- dom building. She served diligently and faithfully as an Usher, Class Leader, Announcing Clerk, Trustee, Financial Secretary of the Official (Administrative) Board, Superinten- dent of the Sunday School's Primary Department, officer of the Laymen’s Organization, and Board of Christian Education, and church Newspaper Reporter for the Quarterly Confer- ence. Her era of leadership and active service to God and African Methodism spanned more than fifty years. Sister Crowder also supported the higher educational asirations of the church’s young people, and assisted many of them in their educational pur- suits and endeavors. Moreover, for many years, she was one of the few church members who supported the “Evening Vesper” (worship) service on each Sunday night. For a brief period in her earlier career, Sis. Crowder moved to Omaha, NE, where she became a member of Big St. John’s A.M.E. Church in Omaha, under the pastor- ate of the late Dr. S. H. Lewis. While in Omaha, she attended Creighton Col- lege. She also became an affiliate member of the Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Detroit, MI, under the pas- torate of the late Dr. George W. Baber (later bishop). Wherever Sister Crowder went, she held high the banner of God and African Method- ism. She was known to be a Christian and charitable lady of sterling char- acter, unusual compassion and keen foresightedness: yet she was frank, open and honest. Not only was she a bulwark of the church that she loved so well, but of the community as well. Following a brief illness, Sister Crowder was translated and passed from her terrestrial labors to her celestial reward on October 19, 1988, in Memphis, TN. “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints” (Psalm 116:15). She leaves a great legacy, heritage, and example for many to follow. Among those who cherish her memory are her husband, who shared with her more than fifty years of marital bliss, Master Sgt. Joseph Crowder of Grenada; five brothers, Mr. Elmer McCollins, Mr. David McCollins, Jr., and Mr. Jessie McCollins, all of Detroit, MI; Mr. Lem McCollins of Oakland, MS; and Mr. Leroy McCollins of Memphis, TN; four sisters, Mrs. Macie Lee Carr of Detroit, MI; Mrs. Lucille Harring- ton of Wadesboro, NC; Mrs. Irene Foundren of Memphis, TN; and Mrs. Marjorie Cooper of Trenton, NJ; and godson, Rev. James C. Clarke of Texas; nieces and nephews, including Rev. (U.S. Congressman) and Mrs. Floyd Flake, pastor of Allen A.M.E. Church of Jamaica, NY; other relatives and friends. “And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead that die in the Lord from hence- forth: Yea, saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labours; and their works do follow them” (Rev. 14:13). The History and Transition of the St. James A.M.E. Church Choirs From Senior Choirs No. | and No. 2 to Chancel Choir Havre de Grace, MD—Forty years ago, the late Rev. Henry Thomas saw the need for a second senior choir at St. James A.M.E. Church, The exist- ing senior choir consisted of members from the ages of 45 to 80 years, and there was also a junior choir com- prised of members from 10 to 2! years of age. There was, however, another very talented group of young men and women who had been omitted from the music department of the church whose ages fell between these two groups. Rev. Thomas decided to con- centrate on them On March 2, 1948, in the home of Mr. and Mrs. John Leo Jones, two pillars of the church, Rev, Thomas organized a senior choir No. 2. At this first meeting officers were elected who were to serve for the next twenty years Sister Marvynne McNeil, president, Sister Catherine Whyte, secretary, and Sister Mary Jones, treasurer The Wednesday before the First Sunday, both choirs No, | and No, 2 rehearsed together and joined in hymns of praise on Communion Sunday, The No. 2 choir was in charge of the music two Sundays a month, These two choirs came together under the pastoral leadership of the late Rev. Willam Vernon Sewell in 1971, as both choirs had lost so many members either through death, for health reasons, or because of age. In 1976, Rev. Earle M, Brooks changed the name of the choir to Chancel Choir The Chancel Choir sings three Sun- days of amonth and has a membership of 20 persons. One of the choir's most enjoyed hymns is the “Awakening Chorus,” which seems to greatly stir the congregation, both emotionally and spiritually. God has richly blessed many of the choir members, some of whom have sung for 30 to 50 years, including Sister Bernardine McKinney, Brother Rufus Thomas, Sisters Marvynne MeNeil, Annie Preston and Catherine Whyte Over the years, organists for the Chancel Choir have been Sister Sarah (Sadie) Osborne, Rev. Arthur A, Mitchell and Sister Nina Laurie, who is the current church organist, and who is a faithful and dedicated mem- ber of the choir who can always be found at her post of duty. More re- cently, Sister Caledonia Henry has been active with the choir and serves as director A year ago, the choir celebrated 40 years of faithful service to St. James Sharing in the celebratory service was the Interdenominational Choir of Harford County, enhancing the occa- sion with their singing Choir members are President Shirley Collins, Vice President Ella Mae Patten, Secretary Zilpha Smith, Assistant Secretary Annie Preston, Treasurer Pattie Ford, and Chaplain Rufus Thomas, Other members are Sisters Catherine Whyte, Lois Jordan, Joan Calm, Jean Hockaday, Mary Cook, Florence Moore, Cynthia Laurie, Myrtle Johnson, Marvynne McNeil, Gail Huiett, Subrina Kelley, and Bro. Douglas Greene, and Direc- tor Caledonia Henry and organist Nina Laurie, The pastor of St. James is the Rev- erend Michael O, Thomas, Sis. Geraldine W. Cox, Reporter Death Notice Mrs. Rovilla Gantry, the mother of Bishop Hubert N. Robinson, died February I, 1989. Funeral services for Mrs. Ganty were held on February 6 at St. Paul A.M.E. Chureh, Akron, OH ————— Ee ===== DSC05767.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 1 Alarming Statistics About Blacks in Public Schools ____ punishment at rates far in excess of with help by their school dis- White students,’’ First noted, ‘‘these trict; experiences add up to send a clear (d) suspension data should be col- message to Black youth about how lit- lected by race, ethnicity, gen- tle they are valued by schools. der, and handicapping condi- Thoughtful parents and advocates tion, then disaggregated to of- should see a clear connection between fer a clear picture of what is these statistics and high dropout happening at individual school rates.’” sites; data should be readily The NCAS report is based on data available and publicized regu- collected by the U.S. Department of larly. Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR conducts a bi-annual survey of public secondary schools on school discipline and special education referrals. The report ranks the fifty states and the District of Columbia according to the largest differences between treat- ment of Black students and White stu- dents. Among the findings: Schools wishing to lower overall corporal punishment rates while low- ering racial disparity can try the fol- lowing: (a) the school principal, in the role of instructional leader, should share current research with teachers which concludes that corporal punishment is not an effective way to discipline stu- dents; the school principal should make it clear to teachers that all corporal punishment will be delivered in the presence of an- ‘other adult and will be report- ed to the school administrator; similar approaches are already required by law in many states where corporal punishment is allowed; (c) data should be collected at both district and school site levels by race, ethnicity, gen- der, and handicapping condi- tion; data should be disag- gregated to offer a clear pic- ture of the use of corporal pun- ishment at each school site; data should be publicized to parents and the community; incidents of corporal punish- ment should be noted in the records of both teachers and students; a review of this infor- mation should be part of a teachers evaluation; teachers should be provided with train- ing to strengthen their class- room management skills so that they will not have to resort to the raw use of authority. * Corporal punishment: the ‘Top 10’ states with the largest discrepancy between corporal punishment of (b) Black students and White students are: Arkansas (1), Tennessee (2), Texas (3), Florida (4), New Mexico (5), Ohio (6), Georgia (7), Indiana (8), Arizona (9), and Oklahoma (10); * Suspensions: the ‘Top 10’ states with the largest discrepancy bet- ween suspensions of Black students and White students are: Ohio (1), Minnesota (2), Pennsylvania (3), Missouri (4), Wisconsin (5), Ne- braska (6), Kansas (7), California (8), Iowa (9), Connecticut (10); * Educable Mentally Retarded: the ‘Top 10’ states with the largest dis- crepancy between EMR referrals of Black students and White stu- dents are: Alabama (1), Arkansas (2),. South Carolina _ (3),North ‘ Carolina (4), lowa (5), Nebraska (d) (6), Michigan (7), Indiana (8), Oklahoma (9), Mississippi (10); * Gifted and Talented: the ‘Top Ten’ states with the largest discrepancy between G & T referrals of Black students and White students are: South Carolina (1), District of Col- umbia (2), North Carolina (3), Virginia (4), Delaware (5), Hawaii (6), Mississippi (7), New Jersey (8), Utah (9), Georgia (10). NCAS suggests that school districts which are serious about lowering overall suspension rates while reduc- ing racial disparity can try the follow- (a) create school-based interdis- ing: ciplinary committees to screen (a) offenses which will result in a special education referrals disciplinary referral should be from teachers; clearly defined by the school (b) require teachers to attempt se- principal or a committee of veral different regular educa- teachers; trivial offenses tion options for children who should be defined as non-re- are experiencing learning diffi- ferable; these definitions culties before allowing a refer- should be made clear to stu- ral to special education; pro- dents; vide skilled consultation to disciplinary referrals should be teachers to help them develop recorded in writing by teachers regular education options for on a triplicate form; the of- their students; fense should be described in (c) involve parents early—prior to behavioral terms which relate the point when their involve- directly to the school code; ment is required as part of the (c) acopy of the disciplinary refer- special education placement ral form should go on both the and referral process; student’s record and the teach- (d) employ the least biased assess- er’s record; the files of teach- ment techniques, being sure to ers with multiple referrals emphasize the role of parents should be reviewed to examine and adaptive behavior assess- the kinds of students involved ments in the evaluation pro- (i.e. Black males, White males, cess; eee etc.); an examination of build- (e) establish clear exit criteria and ing-wide referrals should be regular conduct reevaluations part of evaluation of school of special education students principals; staff members who to determine if and when they need to expand their strategies should return to the regular for equitable classroom man- classroom. agement should be provided Schools wishing to reduce special education placement rates and racial disparity in placements can: (b — SS SS SSS SSS SSS SSS SSS ST SSS SSS SS SS SS SS SS SSS SPV SS Ss sees REASON FOR BEING AND OTHER MESSAGES OF FAITH From an AFRO-AMERICAN MINISTER by WILLIAM WEBSTER EASLEY, JR. 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They turn a common trip into a happy vacation.”’ “The travel agent can not only ar- range travel with the usual expeditions aplomb, but he or she can put toge- ther a vast array of experience and capabilities to save you time, money, and hassles, ‘‘says Delta Airlines in their special February supplement to U.S.A. Today. Allen Travel is owned and operated by the A.M.E. Church and the found- er, Dr. Frank C. Cummings, now Pre- siding Bishop of the First Episcopal District, had only one thing in mind. He wanted to render service to his fel- low Christians and his Church. He knew the value of ownership! He wanted the African Methodist Episco- Bishop Frank C. Cummings pal Church to own and operate a pro- fessional travel company. Try using Allen Travel because every staff member has a vast person- al knowledge of vacation places, cou- pled with the latest computer techno- logy. You will sell yourself short of what Allen Travel can do for you if you only ask them to book an airline reservation or hotel. Every loyal A.M.E. should use Allen Travel not just because it is a church owned agency, but because they are courteous and efficient. Their number one priority is ‘‘SERVICE With A Smile.’’ Allen Travel, Inc. of Washington, DC, renders first-class service. Have you thought about using your church travel agency? When selecting a travel agency look for the following: © Choose a full-service agency with a computerized reservation and ticket- ing system. © Choose an agency where all travel Allen Travel Agency is located in the A.M.E. Finance Department, Washing- ton, DC. 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Such items that should be on file are hotel choices, special diet requests, and pre- ferred plane seating. e Make sure that they will reserve your seat in advance and issue a boarding pass with ticket. With this, you bypass counter and go directly to the boarding area. © Choose where you, as a Christian, spend the Lord’s money. This is a part of your Christian witness and ste- wardship. It is very rare indeed in any profes- sion that advice is offered free, how- ever, Allen Travel gives free travel ad- vice. They do not charge for destina- tion related counsel. As a church- owned service business the profes- sionals at Allen Travel realize that ob- jective information is absolutely vital. Plan your trip anywhere in the world and let Allen Travel help you. As you plan your next trip, remember that Allen Travel, Inc., an A.M.E. Church owned and operated agency, has a single focus with dual visions: GIVING GOOD SERVICE AND SAVING YOU MONEY. ALLEN TRAVEL IS THE ANSWER TO A HAPPY TRIP Bishop Council and General Board Will Convene This Summer by Bobbye Henderson We are dreaming of the days when the snow in snow sections of the coun- try will go away. It will be a joy when the days get longer. There are no signs right now of seeing green grass, however, there are other signs the Spring will soon follow. Clothing and shoe stores display row after row of bright pastels and you can see a dreamy far away look in people’s eyes as they look for bargains is a good sign of change. Just the thought of change to warmer weather makes us dream of tanning sun, warm beaches and a southern California stint in pleasure paradise. A sun trip may not appeal to every- one, however, statistics reveal that more and more Americans are flying, floating or driving their way toward the sun belts. Allen Travel has a few suggestions. Heavenly Houston offers all of joy and happiness that we dream. We are dreaming of the days when the snow will go away. When the days will be getting longer! Well signs are appearing to let us know that spring is on the way. Clothing and shoe stores display row afterrow of bright pastels and you can see a dreamy far away look in people’s eyes as they window shop in the mall. Just the thought of change to warmer weather, we dream of tanning sun, warm beaches and a southern California stint in a pleasure paradise. A sun trip may not appeal to every- one, however, statistics reveal that more and more Americans are flying, floating or driving their way toward the sun belts. Heavenly Houston of- fers you all of this and more. The skies are blue deep down in Texas. The Bishop’s Council and the General Board will convene in Houston, Texas. Allen Travel suggest that you should make plans three months ahead. Give them a call today and let them save you money and make your trip a pleasure a person could expect. Texas has many famous historical places to visit. Texas is a BIG FRIEND STATE with BIG BLUE SKIES. Why not take it all in as you attend the General Board and Bishop Council meetings in Houston, Texas. Bishop J. Haskell Mayo will become Presi- dent of the Bishop’s Council. Bishop John Hurst Adams is President of the General Board. ===== DSC05769.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME. Christian Recorder re eensnnnsencnsnneesnnnnnnneen,, Black Organization Makes Special Appeal to President George Bush National Urban League calls on Presi- dent Bush to adopt the Parity 2000 theme during release of “The State of Black America 1989.” Washington, DC—“Today | am calling on President George Bush to adopt the Parity 2000 theme as a goal for his administration,” stated John E, Jacob, president and chief executive officer of the National Urban League, during the release of The State of Black America 1989, at the National Press Club in Washington, DC. The State of Black America, a pub- lication of the National Urban League, is the most authoritative annual docu- ment examining the current status and conditions of Blacks in America. In calling for the President to adopt Parity 2000, Jacob said, “Parity 2000 is a theme that can allow him to claim the higher ground—to give his admin- istration a unifying objective—tap into the idealism of an America fed up with greed and glitter—and help reshape the map of American politics for generations to come.” Explaining Parity 2000, Jacob said that the National Urban League’s priority goal is to secure Black-White parity by the year 2000. “Our Parity 2000 theme aims at Black-White parity in the key indicators of individual and family well-being—such as life expectancy, educational achieve- ment, employment and income.” Jacob added that, “A national Parity 2000 goal would include the pri- vate sector and the Black community, as well as government. Corporate and neighborhood-based initiatives to radically improve education, train- ing, hiring, health and housing will be essential.” Jacob said that he was encouraged by Bush’s handling of “the difficult period between Election Day and Inauguration Day. His Cabinet appointments have been wise. His statements encouraging selection of African Americans and other minori- ties for key sub-Cabinet positions are welcome. His meetings with Black leaders demonstrated sensitivity and concern.” Referring to The State of Black America 1989, Jacob said that, “In 1988, Blacks were three times as likely as Whites to be poor. Two-and-a-half times as likely to be jobless. Housing segregation increased and for the second straight year, Black life expec- tancy declined. “The gap has been made wider by government cuts in programs that help poor people survive, that create opportunities, that enable families to make it.” Jacob further noted that, “The tragic disturbances in Miami last week reflect the results of that gap, and the growing anger and bitterness it en- courages. Miami’s Black people were the only major ethnic group in the city whose unemployment rate rose during the 1980’s. As in other cities, Blacks did not share the prosperity and got more than their share of misery.” “Our task in 1989 is to focus na- tional attention on the growing Black-White gap, and to begin the process of closing the gap,” said Jacob. The State of Black America 1989 presents nine papers prepared by ex- perts in the fields of housing, educa- tion, politics, religion, economics and social welfare. The papers and their authors are: “Economic Status of Black Ameri- cans,” by Dr, David H. Swinton, Dean, School of Business, Jackson State University. “Critical Issues for Black Families By the Year 2000,” Dr. Robert B. Hill, Research Consultant, “Black Children In America,” by Marian Wright Edelman, Esq., President Children’s Defense Fund. “To Make Wrong Right: The Neces- sary and Proper Aspirations of Fair Housing,” by Dr. John O. Calmore, associate professor, Loyola Law School. “On Parity and Political Empower- ment,” by Dr. Charles V. Hamilton, Wallace S. Sayre Professor of Govern- ment, Columbia University. “Black Higher Education: Crisis and Promise,” by Dr. Reginald Wilson, Senior Scholar, American Council of Education. “Knowing the Black Church: What It Isand Why,” by Dr. C. Eric Lincoln, Professor of Religion and Culture, Duke University. “Valuing Diversity: The Myth and the Challenge,” by Dr. Price M. Cobbs, President, Pacific Manage- ment Systems. “Drugs In the African American Community: A Clear and Present Danger,” by Dr. Wade W. Nobles, Professor of Black Studies, San Fran- cisco State University, and Dr. Lawford L. Goddard, Associate Director of Education and Training, The Institute for the Advanced Study of Black Family Life and Culture, San Francisco State University. Historical Society Presents Plaques to 50-Year Members Newport News, VA—The Historical Society of St. Paul A.M.E. Church recently honored two of its members with 50 Year Award Plaques for 50 years of continuous service to St. Paul. The honorees on the historic occa- sion were Mrs. Martha L. Grant and Mrs. Marie Gillis. These ladies joined St. Paul in 1938 under the pastorate of the late Rev. J. Wayman Henry. Mrs. Grant and Mrs. Gillis join a cadre of 22 others who have been so honored by the Historical Society. The plaques were presented by the pastor, the Reverend Sidney W. Williams, Jr. Mrs. Buena W. Reese, president of the Society, presided at the ceremony. A reception was held in honor of the re- cipients. The award was established in 1979 as a means by which the church could express in a tangible way its gratitude to members who have exhibited faithfulness and service through the years. Buena W. Reese, Reporter Clara T. Perry, Reception Chair A Religious Reformation In the Eighties! Not quite, but there is “rebellion” in the ranks. They are the Committee to Restore Integrity to the Office of the Chief of Chaplains. Most of their fellow chaplains call them the dissi- dent twelve. The dissidents, in nailing their ninety-five thesis to the wall as Martin Luther once did, are in fact focusing their wrath upon his modern day namesakes, the Lutherans. Presently, all the Chiefs of chaplains in the mili- tary come from the Lutheran denomination. The Navy, Army, Air Force, Marines, and even the VA have Lutherans as their chiefs. One of the dissidents, Dr. Zane Alexander, a successful author, who retired after more than twenty years in the Army to open a family counseling practice in Atlanta, and is now in Williamsburg, VA, says, “I don’t think the Lutherans perpetrated any great takeover. They are just better looking after each other than other churches. They place their people in strategic spots which eventually put them in a position to be the Chief.” Alexander also blames the upper echelons of the military for letting it happen, “Let’s face it, nobody was minding the store.” The Committee, working hard for over a year, sees a restructuring of how the chaplaincy is administered. Jack Sutherland, a retired Lieutenant Colonel chaplain, veteran of the Korean and Vietnam wars, and now active in Florida politics, serves as chairman and is credited with providing the Committee with direction and strategy. “It does make a difference who is chief. I am a Southern Baptist; how I approach ministry is different than a Lutheran. All denominations deserve a fair chance at running the chaplaincy.” The Committee insists that their interest is not only in the Chief but the entire system. Initially, the Committee surveyed five hundred active duty and retired chaplains. The retired chaplain community re- sponded overwhelmingly positive in supporting the objectives of the Committee in volunteering time and money, notes Sutherland, “Up until now, chaplains both active and retired, have merely been disgruntled, but now we are a voice.” Active duty Army Chaplain Colonel Jerry Autry assigned to the Presidio of San Francisco, is a vocal proponent for change in the chaplaincy, Autry, not one to be taken lightly, is holder of eight individual awards for heroism in Vietnam, plus two purple hearts. He is a near legend among the chaplains and not new to controversy. Twenty years ago, in Vietnam, he infuriated the top chaplain brass by carrying weapons and having his picture appear in Time Magazine. Autry says that for as long as he has been in the Army, the chaplaincy has been an “old boy” net, but gets increasingly worse. “If you are not on the Chief’s team, then you're out.” The trio of Alexander, Sutherland, and Autry, representing the twelve, wrote an extensive and _ stinging critique of the army chaplaincy personnel system and submitted it to the Secretary of the Army. The report recommended general officer positions be eliminated from the mili- tary chaplaincy, personnel policies be decided by other than chaplains, and the civilian church be more involved in managing the chaplains. “The Army totally ignored us,” said Sutherland, “and now we are pressing our case to Congress, where our re- commendations would save several million dollars. overall. Eventually, we'll see change because all the objective facts are on our side. The present state of the chaplaincy is indefensible. With the change, the chaplaincy will once again be back to its original purpose of ministry. The Committee to Restore Integrity to the Office of the Chief of Chaplains Free Drug Abuse Information Disseminated St. Louis, MO—Participating mem- bers of the American Association of Orthodontists (AAO) are distributing free drug abuse information in their offices and by mail to their teenage patients and their parents. The program is a nationwide effort by the 10,500-member association to help teenagers and their parents gain a greater understanding of howto deal with potential drug abuse. “Since the majority of orthodontic patients are teenagers, we believe that we have an obligation to them and their parents,” said Dr. John Lind- quist, president of the American Asso- ciation of Orthodontists. “It’s esti- mated that AAO members are treating as many as three million teenagers, and one way we feel we can help is to make informative literature available in the office and, in many cases, mail it to patients’ homes.” Among the material being distributed are brochures titled: “Par- ents: What You Can Do About Drug Abuse,” published by U.S. Depart- ment of Health and Human Services, and “Just Say No” Clubs, published by the Just Say No Foundation. The American Association of Orthodontists’ program has been endorsed by Nancy Reagan, an active supporter of the Just Say No concept. In a letter from the White House to AAO members, Mrs. Reagan said, “By providing materials in your of- fices and encouraging your patients to become involved in “Just Say No” Clubs, either as members or teen lead- ers, you are sending a clear anti-drug message to young people and their pa- rents. Thank you for your support and concern about our nation’s most pre- cious resource, our children.” Who’s Who in Service to the African Methodist Episcopal Church? — COMING SOON — Be Sure To Return Your Biographical Data to the Publisher ===== DSC05770.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 we = TRAVELING WITH THE PRESIDING ELDER ~ **« | Second Quarterly Conference Held at Bethel A.M.E. Church The meeting was opened with an in- spirational period led by Pastor Mc- Nealy, followed with presentation of Presiding Elder Nichols for order of business. Presiding Elder Nichols gave praises to Almighty God for sparing him to once again preside over the sec- ond quarterly conference of such a prosperous membership. He en- couraged Pastor McNealy as well as the membership to continue look- ing forward, for God will reward for a job well done. Presiding Elder thanked Bethel for the financial sup- port given toward the building of the new Church in the district, and asked that we continue to be supportive both spiritually and financially. Remarks were given by Mrs. Ni- chols, who congratulated the reports given, and was particularly impressed with the report given from the Mis- sionary Department, over $1700.00 was given to the sick and shut-ins as well as needy families at Christmas time. She closed her remarks by say- ing ‘*Caring and helping is what Chris- tianity is all about. The meeting was then adjourned until services on Sunday, January 15th by Presiding Elder Nichols. Sunday morning 11:00 AM Wor- ship: Order of service was conducted by Pastor McNealy, who presented our Presiding Elder Nichols in a most reverent manner. that being the way of a question: ‘‘Do we have a voice?’’ Then he answered the question— Thanks be to God we have one; that being our own Presiding Elder Nichols for our morning message. Our church family will use his clos- ing thought, ‘‘God’s word will always stand,’’ as we make preparations for two annual days, Founder’s Day, in February, and Women’s Day in March. Sister I. M. Blackmon, Reporter Rev. W. E. McNealy, Pastor The Logtown Bethel A.M.E. Church THIRD QUARTERLY CONFERENCE The Third Quarterly Conference was held at Logtown Bethel A.M.E. Church. The business part of the Con- ference convened with Pastor Holt in charge leading the opening song, ‘‘A Charge to Keep I Have’’, and the Lord’s Prayer. Pastor Holt presented our Presiding Elder, Dr. H. E. Terrell who gave us encouraging words. Sister Patrica Ellerbee was appointed secre- tary, Sister Edith Williams was ap- pointed reporter. Dr. H. E. Terrell asked Pastor Holt had the discipline questions been asked, his reply was yes; then he asked did either item need dealing with and Rev. Holt answered no. Pastor Holt called for Jordan Grove, Sister Lucile Allen, reporter, Gray’s Chapel, Sister Edith Williams, reporter, reports received and adopted. Sister Diana Pennamon read re- ports from Logtown Bethel, they too were adopted. Sister Ada Davison read reports from the Charge Mis- sionary Society. Dr. Terrell gave thanks to the Charge for their good report. Pastor Holt received a love offering for our Elder. The business parts of the Third Quarterly Conference was closed with a prayer by Sister Clara Pennamon. Sunday morning, the Quarterly Conference convened with Rev. N. Holt in charge. The worship Hymn of Praise #182 Pass Me Not O’Gentle Savior. Brother Alton Taylor gave the invocation and scripture was given by Rev. Holt from Luke 12:13. The Log- town Bethel Young Adults and Y.P.D.’ers combined choirs to sing God is Worthy to be Praised. The announcement was given by Patricia Kendall. Pastor Holt presented the El- der and the choir sang, Call Jesus and Tell Him What You Want. Sister Patrica Ellerbee, Secretary Sister Edith Williams, Reporter First Episcopal Woman Bishop Says Religion First Boston, MA (AP)—The Reverend Barbara Harris, elected the first woman bishop in the 2,000-year tradi- tion of apostolic succession, said yes- terday she sees her mission as mainly religious and not political. “I do not intend to be an inter- national Anglican gadfly, moving around to promote ordination of women, but I will be as supportive as possible,” she said at a news conference the day after the Episcopal Church approved her election following a long and sometimes bitter debate. Harris was joined at the news con- ference by Bishop David Johnson of Boston, her new boss, who sounded a note of conciliation. “Jt is a time for reception, a time for inviting,” he said. Harris, who is Black, said she believed an element of prejudice lurked in some of the criticism of her background and qualifications to be a Third Quarterly Conference Held at Grant Chapel The third Quarterly Conference was held at New Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church in East Point, GA. After devotion, Pastor R. B. Fort- son presented Elder H. E. Terrell, Presiding Elder of the Griffin District of the Macon, GA, Conference. Elder Terrell made introductory re- marks before beginning his business session of the conference. Among his remarks, he reported that the Griffin District was one of the leading Dis- tricts in the conference making a 100 percent report. All organizations made their re- ports both written and financial. Elder Terrell delivered a soul stir- ring sermon at the Sunday morning worship service. His subject, ‘*Snoop- ing Around after Dark and Got Caught.’’ St. John 3:1. Why do you snoop? You don’t want to be seen and lack conviction—which makes you a coward. The so-called smart people are the snoopers. Quarterly Conference Held at St. James, Bartow, Florida The business session of the second Quarterly Conference of St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church convened with the Rev. LeRoy Ken- non, presiding elder of the Lake Dis- trict, Orlando Florida Conference and the Rev. Raymond G, Heastie, pas- tor, in charge. Pastor Heastie opened the session with appropriate devotions and pre- sented the Presiding Elder who pro- ceeded to organize the Conference as follows: Secretary, Mrs. Bert C. Holland Reporter, Mrs. Agnes E. Stephens Marshall, Mr. John F. McNair Disciplinary questions answered by the secretary and reports by the various Boards and Auxiliaries gave insight into the spiritual, financial and general welfare of the church. In other business, the Presiding Elder: 1. Conducted memorial services for deceased members; Bro. Leroy Johnson, Sis. Christine Jackson and Bro. Robert Alexander. 2. Renewed licenses to preach for Bro. Kenneth Graydon, Bro. Cla- rence Vickers and Bro. Clarence Williams. 3. Confirmed stewards and_ ste- wardesses for the conference year. 4. Held election of District steward and Annual Conference delegate. Mrs. Rose C. Broome was elected to represent the church in this dual capacity. Mrs. Vida Kennon, wife of the Pre- siding Elder accompanied her husband to this session and gave remarks. Mrs. Doris L. Heastie, wife of the Pastor, also gave remarks as this was the first Quarterly Conference since Pastor Heastie’s appointment to Saint James. The session closed on a high note of commendation to the Presiding Elder and pastor for the instructive, effici- ent and harmonious manner in which the District and the local church are being led. The preaching session of the Quar- terly Conference began at 11 A.M. with Pastor Heastie presiding and the Inspirational Choir providing music under the direction of Mrs. Ellyce Jenkins, Members of the Lakeland Alumni Chapter, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity worshiped with us in Observance of their Founder’s Day. Fraternity bro- thers served in various positions throughout the service. The Chapter’s Sweetheart and spouses were also in attendance. Prior to his sermon, the Presiding Elder challenged the congregation to be aware of the need to continue our struggle for freedom remembering that Blacks are not free until every one of us is free. His challenge was accentuated by his explanation of the colors in the stole he was wearing as part of his clerical attire: green, symbolizing freedom; red, symboliz- ing bloodshed in America and Africa in the struggle for freedom; black, symbolizing the African Continent and Black people everywhere. Mrs. Doris L. Heastie, First Lady of Saint James, introduced special guests: Mrs. Vida Kennon, wife of the Presiding Elder and First Lady of the District; their daughter, Alicia (Lisa); and Mrs. Mary W. Blow, wife of re- tired minister/teacher, Rev. P. L. Blow. Mesdames Kennon and Blow gave encouraging remarks. Thus ended a very successful Quar- terly Conference with words of appre- ciation from the pastor and presiding elder and a call for continued spiritual growth and development throughout this conference year! Sister Agnes Edwards Stephens, Reporter First Quarterly Conference Held at Mary Springhill The first Quarterly Conference was held at the Mary Springhill A.M.E. Church for the Conference year 1988-1989. Presiding Elder G. K. Tomkies was reappointed elder of the Shreveport District and was presented in the Sunday School to begin his first quarter of the year. The business session followed. All departments had full reports. Special praise for the growing Sunday School by the Presiding Elder. Praise God from whom all blessings flow was sung and a prayer of thanks that no member had been deceased. At the close of the meeting Elder Tomkies gave words of gratitude and that the pastor and church family would have a blessed Holy season and a prosperous Conference year. Rev. Jonathan Washington, Pastor Rev. G. K. Tomkies, Presiding Elder Sister Jessie S. Jenkins, Reporter Business of the Quarter Held at Mount Moriah __ The First Quarterly Conference was held at Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church with Rev. O. H. Houston pre- siding. He is also presiding elder of the Daytona Beach District and Rev. Leroy W. Sneed is the pastor. Presiding Elder Houston presented his wife Mrs. Arrie Houston the first lady of the Daytona Beach District. Mrs. Houston always give encourag- ing remarks. The choir sang out of their hearts—Glory, Glory to the New Born King. The scripture—Isaiah 9:1- 7 was read by Rev. Leroy W. Sneed. After the singing of ‘‘Oh For A Closer Walker With God,’’ and ‘‘He Touch- ed Me,” the presiding elder spoke from Luke 16:16 on the subject “Press on the Great Doctor. The spirit was high throughout the Quarterly Conference. Rev. Leroy W. Sneed, Pastor Louise Dupree, Reporter Fags ss we a Maa EIST GS fe e e + Bring A Friend To Church % e + This Sunday a ceaae Leppppeebeeb pee bhbbbeeeeehe heed ===== DSC05772.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder _ _ Memorial for Mrs. Valerie Crouch Dedicated Missionary Sister Valerie Knight Crouch Mrs. Valerie Knight Crouch, loyal missionary and church worker, passed to the Great Beyond January 11, 1988. During her illness she stated several times she would like for mis- sionaries of today to know of some of her experiences in the missionary field. Below are excerpts of her life as she talks to Mrs. Vera Granger, Lydia Catchings and others who frequently visited her during her illness: “IT was born Valerie Mosely to the Reverend Green Mosely and Hattie Spivey Mosely, March 2, 1893 in Ear- ly County, Georgia. I was taught reli- gious doctrines and principles by my parents. I attended Paine College, Augusta, and Albany State, Georgia, in preparation for teaching in the Ear- ly County School System. I first married the Reverend Robert Knight. Some years after his death I married Rev. C. C. Crouch, presiding elder who also preceded me in death. I believe I have touched all phases of religious, social, and civic life of all people. Transportation is no problem, now. I have walked miles, sometimes in mud, to care for fellow Christians. Oftentimes my transportation was by horse and buggy, taking two days to go where we travel now in a few hours, carrying food grown in my gar- den for the hungry, and worked by my hands. I have stayed up late at night, mend- ing and making clothes for children, and I expected no pay. I have cut and carried wood for heat and cooking for the needy. You see life is for service. I have helped build many churches, not just physically, but spiritually as well. I have set up workshops to help poor people pay utility bills. I have never refused a task because I was too tired or too busy. I feel I have been loyal to the Missionary cause. I have been elected to twelve General Conferences, many Quadren- nials, and I have worked on local, dis- trict, and state levels for many years. I know I have been loyal to the work of Christian mission. I have been a licensed beautician, a classroom teacher, and Life Insurance agent. For years I have owned and operated Knight’s Florist Shop. What- ever my occupation has been I have tried to help others. Mrs. Crouch was a fine, quiet, un- assuming person. Members and friends of Southwest Georgia Confer- ence will long remember her. The Me- morial is but a small indication of her devotion and service to and for her church. Just a few weeks preceding Mrs. Crouch’s illness, she had taken the lead in preparing for our Annual Feb- ruary Breakfast. She was never a shirker. Mrs. Mattie C. Thomas, Reporter S. W. Georgia Missionaries Mrs. Vera Granger, President St. Paul A.M.E. Church Wins 1988-89 Conference Year Trophy Pittsburgh Conference Lay Organization Presents Mattie Trent Trophy Pittsburgh, PA—Attorney Lee O. Cauley served as general chairperson of the Annual Mattie Trent Christian Talent Show which was held at St. James A.M.E. Church. The talent show is named for the late Mattie Trent who was an active member of St. James and Christian Editor for the New Pittsburgh Courier. She also served as Pittsburgh Conference Lay Activity Director. St. Paul A.M.E. Church, under the lay leadership of Mrs. RuthG. Dalton, and of Pastor Taylor T. Thompson, were named recipients of the Trophy for their financial contribution to the Conference Lay event through sales of tickets, patrons and ads. Talent contest winners were Renee Hyatt and Tedra (Ist), John C. Miott and Duane C. Moore (2nd), and Tashika Nekeda Cox (3rd) in the Chil- dren’s Division. Winners in the Teen Division were Dwan Dudley (Ist), James Moore (2nd), and Antonesia Williams (3rd). Winners in the Adult Division were Dawn Clisby (Ist), William Gease (2nd), and Harry Yager (3rd), with Ronald Payne receiving a special award for his piano recital Participants in the program included Mrs. Katie Everett Johnson, Conference Lay Director, Mrs. Mary C. Davis, Mrs. Anna K. Comer, Mistress of Ceremonies, Mrs. Beverly Shropshire, Mrs. Sara Thomas, Mrs Odessa Bryant, and Dr. Floyd W. Alexander, Sr. Other talent contestants were Antia Williams, Kevin Sims, Gary Hart, Daniel Robinson, Fred Ellison and the Trinity A.M.E. Chorus. Special guest performances were given by Miss Sherdina Harper, Ms. Emma L Williams, Ms. Carol Thurman, and the Friends in Christ Recognition of high school and col- lege graduates was given by the Con- ference Lay Organization, thus encouraging the attainment of an education, Among those recognized were Miss Sherdina Harper and Dr Barbara J. Hunter of Bethel, and Miss Dawn Clisby of Mt. Zion ET Oe a ee I Basic Sunday School Growth In Black Methodist Churches by ‘ A, LEE and BOBBYE J. HENDERSON i by A. LEE HENDERSON BOBBYE J HENDERSON Does your Sunday School have purpose and direction, well-trained teachers, and enthusi- astic students who are practicing the biblical principles they have been taught? In this latest book Dr. A. Lee Henderson and wife Bobbye tells how to achieve these characteristics of a growing, thriving Sunday School. This book contains topics that are on the heart of every Bishop, Superintendent, Christian Education Director, Pastor, and Teacher. Topics like Finding Prospects for Growth, Enlisting Workers for Growth, Training Workers for Growth, and Bible Teaching for Growth. This is a must for those who are administering or teaching today’s Sun- day School. a This Book is an excellent resource for teacher training. Send me copies of BASIC SUNDAY SCHOOL GROWTH Only $4.95 el It is j Practica: CHALLENGING! AUTHORITATIVE! > Name Address 5 City State Zip ! Send to: A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 i Please add 13% for postage and handling j So, You Want To Be A Christian! by Edith Hol- land Bryant. We are living in a period of revolution where there is a broad feeling of rejection to some of our most cherished ideals. Among these the teachings of the Church have not escaped and this points to the real necessity of emphasizing conver- sion through the means of the ministry of evangel- ism for our young people, RA1-200121 Please add 13% postage and handling AN INTERMEDIATE RELIGIOUS READER AND STUDY GUIDE & come noume ayant PASTOR'S MANUAL A.M.E. CHURCH vouuae | TOWARD DEACONATE ORDERS BLACK METHODISM BASIC BELIEFS a The Pastor's Manual, Volume 1 & Il by G. L. Champion provides helpful, “‘how-to”’ methods and techniques to be employed in the pastorate of a church, large or small By @. Lovelace Champion, Sr. RA1-46880 (Vol, 1) : ee $3.50 RA1-46881 (Vol. ID . sasvha. woe Please add 13% postage and handling Black Methodism Basic Beliefs, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. The book, in catechismic form, serves as an instructional instrument for all youth, probationaries, laypersons and clergy of the church: es of Black Methodism and Methodist everywhere 487-12347 ‘ $4.00 Please add 13% postage and handling ===== DSC05773.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 HOMEGOING CELEBRATION FOR Mrs. Rovilla Ontario Gantz July 8, 1889 - February 1, 1989 Mrs. Rovilla Ontario Gantz, ninety- nine years old, was laid to rest on February 6, 1989, in Akron, Ohio. Mrs. Gantz, mother of Bishop Hubert N. Robinson and sister of the late Dr. Charles Leander Hill, was a loyal, lifetime member of the African Meth- odist Episcopal Church. She died five months before her one hundredth birthday. One in a family of five daughters and one son, Mrs. Gantz received her education from the public schools and then entered the field of fashion de- signing and dressmaking. A resident of Akron for more than fifty years, she was a member of the Jolly Neigh- bors Club and of the Missionary Soci- ety of St. Paul A.M.E. Church. A self-employed seamstress, she used her extensive talents to design and fashion clothes for others, and, although she might have fashioned for herself, a career as a world-class cou- turier, her generous and giving nature never permitted her to engage in such an ambitious goal. Much of which she made was given away. Her daughter, Kathryn Roberts, of Akron, recalled, ‘‘She made her own patterns and did little things like cover buttons. Because of her talent, I was named the best-dressed girl at West High School. She even made my wed- ding dress. She would stay up sewing into the night—sewing for others. She sewed until she was into her eighties. Only arthritis slowed her.”” Mrs. Roberts also remembers the wonderful aromas that wafted from her mother’s kitchen: melt-in-the- mouth homemade rolls, her famous apple dumplings and shrimp creole. Granddaughter, Kathy Roberts Knight, also has fond memories of her grandmother and her generous spirit. “She sewed for all of my friends, and never charged a dime,’’ she recalls, As an ardent member of St. Paul Church, Mrs. Gantz gave of herself ROVILLA ONTARIO GANTZ unstintingly to help support its life and needs by presenting lavish fashion shows, which she designed and cho- reographed. Devout and faithful to the church, she totally supported each pastor, in turn, assigned to the charge, lending the same measure of support she would have wished for her bro- ther, Dr. Charles L. Hill, and her son, Hubert N. Robinson, in their respec- tive ministries. Her latter years were spent confined to home and in nursing facilities. After a long illness, she died on February 1, 1989, at Akron General Medical Center. Homegoing services were held at the church she served so faithfully and long, St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Akron, Ohio, where the Rev. Andrew New- berry, pastor, presided. Other partici- pants in the service for Mrs. Gantz in- cluded the Rev. Allan Walker, the In- vocation; the Rev. John Brown, the New Testament Scripture; Acknow- ledgments by Ms. Doris Roberts; Presiding Elder J. Allen Parker, re- presenting the ministers of the 4th Episcopal District; Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr., for the Council of Bis- hops; and a solo, ‘‘Great Is Thy Faith- fulness’’ by Ms. Patricia Popeete. The eulogy for Rovilla Ontario Gantz was delivered by Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand, presiding prelate of the Third Episcopal Dis- trict. Serving as pallbearers were grand- sons Kenneth Glenn Roberts, Norris Roberts, Jr., Dennis Hubert Robin- son, Walter Hampton and Antoine Knight, and Ernest Donnie, a friend. The Jolly Neighbors Club served as flowerbearers. Rovilla Ontario Gantz mothered two sons and one daughter, Hubert N. Robinson, retired Bishop in the A.M.E. Church, John Kenneth Robinson, chemist at Western Re- serve University, who predeceased her in May of last year; and Kathryn Ann Roberts, a home-maker of Akron. She also leaves two sisters, Vivian Roberts, Urbana, Ohio, and Alberta Jenton of Rochester, New York; three grandsons, Dennis Hubert Robinson, Atlanta, Kenneth Glenn Roberts, cap- tain of the U. S. Army, and Norris Roberts, Jr., Akron; and three grand- daughters, Denise Robinson, Cleve- land, Cassandra Hampton, Detroit, and Kathryn Knight, Akron; seven great-grandchildren and many, many friends acquired over the years who will treasure their memories of a gracious and loving spirit FAME Lays on Skates Margaret Goldman The Lay Organization of the First A.M.E. (FAME) of Los Angeles is perhaps the most mobile of the mov ing, literally and figuratively, The organization (and sister churches that shared the ride) has traveled extensive ly to Hong Cong, Brazil, Argentina and Cairo, Egypt, over several years A tour of West Africa, highlighting Abidjan, the Black Paris, and Senegal and Sierra Leone is planned for Sep- tember 16-27, 1989, Inquiries regard ing this tour should be addressed to Margaret Goldman, FAME Lay Pre- sident, 4162 Lockland Place, Los An geles, CA 90008, Phone (213) 292- 2468 The Lay Organization's annual day was March 19, 1989, and featured Les Brown, one of America’s most dynamic motivational speakers, The organization places special emphasis on positive mental attitudes, a part of the twenty point outreach program outlined by our pastor, Dr Cecil L Murray ALLEN A.M.E. CHURCH, TACOMA, WA Celebrates 100th Anniversary __ Dr. R. A. Washington and Dr. V. S. Burroughs The Allen A.M.E. Church of Tacoma, Washington, is celebrating its 100th Anniversary, February 12, 1989 through August 6, 1989. Allen is the oldest predominantly Black con- gregation in the city of Tacoma. Al- though the State of Washington is celebrating its centennial, Allen A.M.E. Church was organized in Feb- ruary 1889; whereas, the State of Washington entered the union in No- vember 1889. The theme for the celebration is “Songs, Sermons, and Saints: Pre- serving the Oral History, Religion, and Folklore of Afro-Americans.”’ The celebration began with a week of Spiritual Power, February 13th through 17th. Each night local church- es shared with Allen in the worship service by the delivering of the preach- ed word and songs of inspiration. Those present were from the Baptist, C.M.E. and C.O.G.I.C. de- nominations. Sunday, February 19th, marked a very special day for Allen in that one of its former pastors returned to deliver the Anniversary message. Rev. Dr. Richard Allen Washington, Presiding Elder of the California Con- ference and Chairman of the Episco- pal Committee served as pastor of Allen from 1946-1952. Dr. Washing- ton reminded Allen of its past, com- mended the congregation on present accomplishments and gave us hope for the future. A reception was held for Dr. and Mrs. Washington, at which time they were able to greet old and familiar acquaintances. One such per- son was Mrs. Worther Hamilton, a former resident of Tacoma, who join- ed Allen in 1899. She celebrated her 100th birthday in September, 1988. During worship service, proclama- tions were read by the assistant to the Governor of the State of Washington and Mayor of Tacoma. Each procla- mation praised Allen for leadership in the community. Also present were Tacoma’s only Black City Council- man and the Presidents of the Tacoma Urban League and the NAACP. On this day five hundred plus mem- bers and visitors were blessed to wit- ness such a spirit-filled celebration. Three new members united with Allen, during this service. Under the leadership of Rev. Dr. Vernon S. Burroughs, Allen A.M.E. Church of Tacoma has made a state- ment of HOPE to the community. Since being assigned to Allen, one- and-one-half years ago, Pastor Bur- roughs has performed the job with en- thusiasm, professionalism, zeal and the HOLY SPIRIT. Allen’s new church home and one hundred eighty new members let the children of GOD know that the LORD is still in the blessing business. North Orlando District Conference Held The North Orlando District Confer- ence was called by the Elder using Psalm 133:1, ‘‘Behold How Good and Pleasant it is for Brethren to Dwell Together in Unity.’’ They came ready to give an account of their steward- ship. Topics and presenters included: Preachers for Orders, Preachers for Annual Conference, Mission Church- es and Voter Registration, The Role of the Church in Social Justice, Rev, R. D. Daniels, Rev, Samuel L, Green, Sr., Rev, James T, Golden, were at their best in presenting and leading the discussions, Every night and noon-day was & time of rejoicing and praising God. Rev. Samuel L. Green, Sr., selected for his subject ‘Neutrality is Nausea ting’ —using a Sub-Topic “You Make Me Sick.” Rev. K, D, White, Sr., the energetic presiding elder, selected the subject ‘‘Human and Di vine Friendship.”” Rev, James O, Wil- liams brought a very inspiring message on “The Movement They Couldn't Stop."’ Rev, David Edmond rocked the audience by selecting for his sub- ject, ‘“‘Wash Me All Over.” Each speaker was trying to instill in the con- gregation that it is time to stop and listen to the Master's voice. Friday night, Senior Choirs came from all across the district. They didn’t come looking for the Holy Spirit, they brought it with them, We had a marvelous time, It is not enough to say that this con- ference was both an informative and spiritual experience, but it was a re- freshing and enjoyable delight for all who attended. We give thanks to Rev, Jack Wil- liams and his members for a job well done, Mary Alice Jenkins, Reporter ——— ===== DSC05774.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Session of the Chattanooga District Conference Though it was to be a session of the Chattanooga District Conference, February 10 and 11, 1989, the atmos- phere was that of an Annual con- ference most of the time. This session was held in the beautiful edifice of the Mary’s Chapel A.M.E. Church about five miles west of Fayetteville, Ten- nessee. The Bishop's spotlight, scrat- ches the surface of the beauty of the work of what I once called the master builder, Rev. Willie Leslie. There are but a very few A.M.E. Churches with- in the cities that have the grandeur of Mary’s Chapel. I am sorry that I can’t give you the cost of this work, but I was told that the balance owed is less than $15,000. This in itself speaks for the very fine leadership and fellowship of this con- gregation. Presiding Elder O. Mason, remind- ed me of the days when I was a teen- ager at a special home for boys. One summer we climbed a pear tree and after eating those green pears, the house mother had to give us the real cure for a stomach ache. As years went by, at Wilberforce, Ohio, near the home of the late Bishop R. C. Ransom, he permitted us to get some of the pears from his tree. I asked Bis- hop Ransom why did those pears taste better than those I had eaten at Bonny Oaks, he replied, ‘‘because they are much more seasoned,’’ I think that is what I now see in Presiding Elder Ma- son, the summer heat of life has sea- soned him. It was very gratifying to see how Presiding Elder Mason utilized most of the ministers of the District during the program of the Conference. Let us hear no more talk about a change. Another word from the country boys, we don’t need to break another one in. Our Theme Again This Year; ‘<Back to the Basics’’ On Friday morning, we had the fol- lowing classes. Ministerial Admin- istration, taught by Rev. E. W. Jack- son, and Church Administration taught by Rev. Robert Keesee the Dean of the Conference Board of Christian Education. The Ministers met in the complex of Mary’s Chapel while the Missionary Society met with Mrs. Willena Brown the Conference Branch Missionary President. Rev. A. C. Griffin, who recently completed a clinical and pas- toral care education course, taught the class of Pastoral Ethics. The instructor used the following outline: What do we owe our prede- cessor? How should a pastor leave the parsonage when transferred to an- other charge? Using care in receiving new members in the church, the con- troversy between members. Pastoral visitation at the Hospital, and the Pas- toral duty to a family when death comes. Afternoon church music was taught by Rev. David Strong and Rev. W. H. Smith. Rev. Edward Jackson request- ed some of the Lay members to serve as members in a Board meeting. He used a Lay person to serve as a Pre- siding Elder visiting the meeting. He had a pastor to act as the lead official in the church, and one Minister to act as Pastor. This dialogue was one that should be held at an Episcopal District Meeting. dialogue was one that should be held at an Episcopal District Meeting. The Conference was blessed to have the Presiding Elder of the Nashville District visit us. The Board of Examiners brought before the conference a young lady seeking to become part of our Zion, The Friday night Worship Service brought out the best in all of those who participated. The Rev. B. R. Booker presided and I believe that all pastors who were present were used to some fashion. The Mary’s Chapel Choir invited the Holy Spirit into the service when they took me back to the old time singing of ‘‘I’m so Glad I’m Here.’’ We don’t get to hear these kind of songs in the big cities, not un- til Rev. David Strong took a text from Genesis Chapter 49:1-2. The sermon was very Biblically and homiletically sound. This preacher of the Gospel must go up in the church. The Pre- siding Elder in his remarks stated that all charges were up in their reports. This was to let us know, that the Dis- trict is well. The following day, Saturday, we met on time, and the lay members met, while pastors reviewed the sub- ject of the day before. While we were wrapping up the Right Reverend C. E. Thomas, entered the church. Bishop Thomas shared a few words of wis- dom as well as made some requests from the conference. The Presiding Elder invited Bishop Thomas to meet with us in the District Sunday School Convention. June 8-10 at the Dubose Center on Mount Eagle in Tennessee. We are looking forward to another fine session of the Chattanooga Dis- trict of the East Tennessee Confer- ence. Come and see us in action. We are small (less than 30 churches) but we know our job, and we try to do it by the Grace of God. So, pray for us. Rev. O. Mason, Presiding Elder Rev. A. C. Griffin, Reporter North Men or Women te Oswald Chambers The Bible Promise Book — + =e er Graduate’s bition MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST Oswald Chambers A Timeless Classic Devotional ideal for gifts Wy Utmost For His Highest Classic Daily Devotional THE BIBLE PROMISE BOOK+e# “Another Good Man” Serves His God, Church and Country Iwakuni, Japan—The Reverend Jon Reginald Black became the newest A.M.E, Chaplain in the Navy recently On that day, the received Marine Corps another good man, for Chaplain Black had been assigned to the First Marine Aircraft Wing, Detachment “A,” Iwakuni, Japan Although a Naval Chaplain, LTJG Black wears Maine uniforms and serves side-by-side with the Marines. Military life is not new to Chaplain Black. In 1975, he enlisted in the Navy as a hospital corpsman, After eight years of active duty, he returned to the civilian world to attend seminary. In 1984, Chaplain Black was commis- sioned an Ensign in the Theological Student Program. In accordance with the highest tra- ditions of African Methodism, Chap- lain Black is well prepared for his new ministry. He graduated from Gross- mont Community College of San Diego, CA, in 1980. At Grossmont, he studied cardiopulmonary technology and was awarded an Associate of Science degree. He then matriculated at Southern IIinois University in Car- bondale, IL. There he studied Health Care Administration and received a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983. His theological training was received at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, IL, at Garrett, Chanary in Evanston, IL. At Garrett, Chaplain Black received several ac- colades,, including the Archibald Carey Fellowship 1985, the Thomas A. Stanford Greek Award 1986, and the Quintin P. Nolte Parrish Ministry Award 1986. In May 1986, he com- pleted his Master of Divinity degree. Chaplain Black, an ordained Itinerant Elder of the A.M.E. Church, has also prepared himself with a host of ministerial experiences. He has served as an associate minister of Eternal Flame A.M.E. Church of North Chicago, IL, 1982-1986. He has preached _Tevivals in California, Illinois and South Carolina. He com- pleted 400 contact hours of counseling SPECIAL GIFT BOOKS silver stamping and edging, ribbon marker. 1-55748-083-4 Pub. date February 14, 1989. Retail value $16.95 *$12.95 Available with genuine bonded leather © Elegant silver stamped cover © Silver Edges © Ribbon marker. 1-55748-0591 in Burgundy. Retail value $19.95 *$14.95 Quality Leatherette Edition Retail value $5.95 *$4.95 Genuine Leather White or Gray Retail value $12.95 *$10.95 Christian Library Edition ¢ Leatherette ¢ Burgundy Retail value $8.95 *$7.95 Bonded Leather Retail value $19.95 Here is a collection of Bible verse alphabetically arrang- ed by subject, for use as a handy reference when you feel the need for Biblical guidance. Over 1,000 promises from God’s Word. 0-916441-87-3: Burgundy Leatherette Retail value $4.95 *$3.95 1-55748-055-9: Burgundy bonded leather: Retail value $10.95 *$8 95 Chaplain J. R. Black at Bethany Hospital of Chicago. He was one of the youth speakers during the 1985 Chicago Annual Conference, and he was a presenter at the 1987 Northeast, South Carolina Annual Conference. He has served as the Sumter, SC, District Secretary and member of the District Board of Examiners. He has also served as the Northeast Conference Engrossing Secretary and member of the Presiding Elder Salary Committee. The apex of his ministerial experi- ences was his two-year pastorship at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church of Mayesville, SC. While at Ebenezer, a 400-member church in the historic birthplace of Mary McLeod Bethune, he lead the congregation in an exten- sive renovation plan. The membership also grew by 20% and several new programs were established. Under Chaplain Black’s administration, Ebenezer became a leading church of the district. Chaplain Black is married to the former Donna E. Howell. They have three daughters: Rebekah Ann, age 8; Grace Esther, age 6; and Tamar Elizabeth, age 4. The Blacks reside happily in Iwakuni, Japan. Chaplain Black has been assigned to Japan for three years. To communicate with Chaplain Black, write: Office of the Chaplain, MAG-12, FPO, San Francisco, CA 96603, Chaplain J. R. Black, LTJG U.S. Navy, Squadron Chaplain. — Also — Pocket Edition *14,95 ===== DSC05775.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rev. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor The Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 398-4437 The Rev. Joseph Brame, Host Pastor The Rey. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone: (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rev. Millard D. Birt, Host Pastor The Rev. W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone: (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rev. Ellis B. Louden, Host Pastor The Rey. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E. Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. W. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rev. Harry J. White, Host P.E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 545-3638 The Rey. H. A. Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rev. C. E. Martin, Host P.E. wr There Are Tears Of The Heart That Never Reach The Eye SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E, CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE ony My BISHOP H. H. BROOKINS BALTIMORE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 Payne Memorial Church 1716 Madison Avenue Baltimore, MD 21217 Church Phone: (301) 669-8739 Pastor’s Phone: (301) 486-2260 The Rev. Howard L. Camper, Pastor VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 19-23, 1989 St. Paul Church 2500 Chestnut Avenue Newport, News, VA 23607 Church Phone: (804) 245-6181 Pastor’s Phone: (804) 826-6221 The Rev. S. W. Williams, Jr., Pastor NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 Willow Oak and Allen Chapel P.O. Box 72 Rich Square, NC 27869 Church Phone: (919) 539-2931 Pastor’s Phone: (919) 539-4128 The Rev. C. K. Pridgen, Pastor WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17-21, 1989 St. Paul Church 402 West Edenton Street Raleigh, NC 27601 Church Phone: (919) 832-2709 Pastor’s Phone: (919) 834-8794 The Rev. G. L. Edmond, Pastor WASHINGTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 Brown Memorial Church 130 14th Street N.E. Washington, DC 20002. Church Phone: (202) 543-0473 Pastor’s Phone: (301) 588-6042 The Rev. Edgar L. James, Pastor SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT PLANNING CONFERENCE June 2-3, 1989 Richmond, VA SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT RETREAT July 11-14, 1989 Norfolk State University SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 27-31, 1989 Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church 316 West Central Avenue Moultrie, Georgia 31768 Church Telephone: (912) 985-2553 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 985-2553 The Rey. J. A. Alexander, Host Pastor SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 3-7, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 308 Rowe Street Dublin, GA 31021 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-9125 The Rev. J. E. Curry, Pastor GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 17-21, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E, Church 1526 Wolf Street Brunswick, Georgia 31520 Church Telephone; (912) 264-2734 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 264-0897 The Rev. Richard Q. Ward, Pastor AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 1-5, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 306 Third Avenue Vidalia, GA 30474 Church Telephone: (912) 537-4872 Pastor’s Telephone; (912) 537-0782 The Rev. C. O, Adams, Jr., Pastor MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 15-19, 1989 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church 887 Forsyth Street Macon, GA 31208 Church Telephone: (912) 742-4922 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-2351 The Rev. David H. Jackson, Pastor ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 29 - June 2, 1989 St. Phillips A.M.E. Church 242 Candler Road Atlanta, GA 30317 Church Telephone: (404) 371-0749 Pastor’s Telephone: (404) 349-5081 The Rev. George Moore, Sr., Pastor POST CONFERENCE PLANNING MEETING June 15 - 17, 1989 Sixth Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP V. R. BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rey. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rey. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rey. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27-30, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone: 1-809-773-6892 Pastor’s Phone: 1-809-778-9403 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Host Pastor The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rey. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-14, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. J. Green, Host Pastor & P.E. TRINIDAD—GRENADA— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nazareth A,.M.E. Church Sunshine Avenue San Juan, Trinidad The Rey, Anderson Burkett, Host Pastor The Rey. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 17-20, 1989 Mt, Zion A.M.E. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Host Pastor *Date and Place to be announced besides being one of the greatest communication packages ever developed. . . it can *be given to friends ebe divided up ecarried from room to room eclipped eread at leisure and after it has been given to a friend, divided, carried, clipped and read, it can still be used to line garbage can or bird cage, start a fire, pack a box, as a drop cloth, and sometimes even as an umbrella it also can bring inspiration ekeep you informed econnect you with others espeak for you because tomorrow a newer, more modern, improved edition will be available The newspaper for the Connectional Church To subscribe, clip insert and mail to- day: AME Christian Recorder A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ===== DSC05776.JPG ===== March 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 4 The Spirit of Central Africa and The A.M.E. Church Today Bishop John D. Bright ence membership of one thousand five hundred and forty-eight. Within this conference Bishop John D. Bright purchased a residence duridng the period when Africans were forbidden property ownership, notes our corre- spondent Ms. Hildah Membe. Before returning to the United States with his wife and daughter Kristen, Bishop Chappelle called for a Christian Education Congress and Planning Meeting for his Episcopal Bishop P. R. Cousin to be elevated : Bishop John Hurst Adams. : Senior Bishop General Board President . Bishop Vinton R. Anderson _ Publications Chairperson He had faith and worked for a home boy District. We wish to note the participation of Bishop Chappelle’s reporters Mrs. Rosemary Kaiser, Episcopal President WMS, Mrs. Suzanne Matale, Episco- pal YPD Director; Mrs. Joyce Mukupo, Episocpal Overseas Direc- tor WMS; Mr. Phillip Nhekairo, Episcopal President Lay Organiza- tion; Mrs. Hildah Membe, Episcopal District Secretary; Rev. Calleb Ngoma; Rev. Clement N. Mkanazi; and Rev. David K. Simfukwe. The untimely passing of Brother Philip Nhekairo in November, 1988, is that of a faithful servant whose ill health did not keep him from his last valiant journey to the United States as a delegate of the 43rd Session of the General Conference. His volunteer escort by automobile to Bishop Chap- pelle and his personal service proved invaluable. He leaves his devoted wife, Mrs. Eleanor Nhekairo and Presiding Bishop Bishop C. E. Thomas Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle President, Council of Bishops Bishop R. A. Hildebrand Statistics and Finance Chairperson Mrs. Barbara Chappelle Supervisor W.M.S. Bishop Robert Thomas Classmate Bishop John Bryant Overseas Bishop Bishop F. C. Cummings Lay Organization Chairperson family who will continue their work in the Seventeenth Episcopal District. “Soldier of Christ well done! Praise be thy new employ; ) aa ee And while eternal ages run . ANS Rest in thy Saviour’s joy’’ = P . .. Quote provided by Ms. Hildah he x Membe ‘‘A Christian Soldier’s Fare- y r Ei & See Bishop Frank M. Reid III Missions Chairperson Bishop Howard Thomas Primm Bishop Primm looked to the Father in heaven and was guided to stick with Dr. Chappelle when others doubted. We are humble in the light of our forerunners, for the inspiration they shared, and their walk with Christ which we would do well to emulate. Therefore, we would not have deigned to provide you with these mission ar- ticle particulars unless we paid homage and credit to one like Bishop Henry McNeal Turner for paving the Spirit paths whereon we walk today and wherein Bishop Chappelle is breaking new ground. Turner’s prominent political career with the Republican party in Georgia initiated a host of ‘‘firsts’’ through his election in 1880 as 12th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church. He was in the vanguard of those favoring colonization in Africa. Join us in tribute to MISSIONS, and the challenge that is before us. Africa holds the key for tremendous ¥, Dr. A. W. Holman Salary Supplement Director Bishop H. H. Brookins Former Bishop 17th Episcopal District Bishop Vernon R. Byrd Christian Education Chairperson Dr. Floyd Alexander, Sr. Director of Pensions Dr. J. C. McKinney General Church Treasurer growth for the A.M.E. Church. Bishop Frank M. Reid, III is Chair- Dr. Frederick C. Harrison Director of Missions A. Lee Henderson Publisher person for the Commission of MIS- SIONS. Bishop Richard Allen Chap- pelle is now walking in the footsteps of other Overseas Missionaries. ‘‘We must have a real sense of MISSIONS and develop our Overseas Work,’’ Bishop Chappelle stated. Today, we may yield to the wisdom shared by Barbara Lyles, professor of the Howard University School of Education when she says, ‘‘We did not ask to be Americans in the 1600’s. Now that it is clear that we will not re- turn en masse to Africa, we may as well be called Americans.’’ Our mission is no longer debatable as ‘‘Colonizers’’ for we are, at our zenith, ‘‘Spiritualizers.’’ Exemplifying our spirit in ‘‘mis- sions,’’ we chose to share the basic ex- periences of Bishop Chappelle as a re- minder and refresher of our sense of dedication and purpose in Missions and to all those who toil tirelessly for its selfless spiritual call. ‘‘Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. “But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evange- _ list, make full proof of thy ministry.” —Timothy IT 4:5 _————————— ===== DSC05777.JPG ===== lo The AME Christian Recorder March 20, 1989 Jackson Named General Counsel Consider a Call to the Chaplaincy at Meharry Medical College Richard E. Jackson Nashville, TN—Dr. David Satcher, president of Meharry Medical Col- lege, has announced that Richard E. Jackson, J.D., has been appointed general counsel for the college and its teaching hospital, Meharry/Hubbard Hospital. Jackson had served as a legal consultant to Meharry prior to his appointment. A graduate of Vanderbilt Univer- sity, Nashville, Jackson earned his juris doctorate from the University of Cincinnati (Ohio) in 1975, He was a partner in the law firm of Manson, Jackson and Associates and an ad- junct faculty member at the School of Social Work of the University of Ten- nessee, Tennessee State University and Fisk University prior to joining the Meharry administration, Jackson, a Nashville native, is a member of numerous committees and boards, active in the Nashville Urban League and the Tennessee Black Leadership Roundtable, legal advisor for the A.M.E. Church in Tennessee and Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., in Tennessee and Kentucky. He is a member of the Tennessee and Napier- Looby Bar Associations. LILLY ENDOWMENT GIVES $25,000 TO ITC FOR FACULTY DEVELOPMENT The Interdenominational Theologi- cal Center recently received a grant of $25,000 from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. for faculty development. The grant will increase the capability of fa- culty members through the use of technology related to publication, communication, teaching, and re- search. It will allow for the indexing of the Journal of the Interdenomina- tional Theological (ITC), a semi- annual publication of scholarly works focusing on the Black religious experi- ences. JITC is one of two journals na- tionally that focuses on Black theo- logical issues. By indexing the Journal, faculty members can facilitate better use of the materials for classroom in- struction and scholarly exchange. The grant will also enable ITC to become a part of a computer network designed specifically to disseminate and exchange research of ITC faculty as well as other scholars, pastors and lay persons. Instruction in Black reli- gious studies will also be provided to students through this network called BRSNET (Black Religious Studies Network). Faculty will also be aided in the preparation of manuscripts by ITC faculty for publication. ITC Announces Chairpersons/Distinguished Alumni for Up Coming Charter Day Co-chairpersons for the Charter Day celebration of the Interdenomi- national Theological Center are Mr. William Allison and Mr. Paul Man- ners. Mr. Allison is vice president, The Coca-Cola Company and Mr. Man- ners is president of Paul Manners and Associates. Both are members of the ITC Associates, a group of communi- ty leaders who lend their time, exper- tise, and experience to the support of the LEC. Each year during the Charter Day Banquet, a distinguished alumnus is honored by each of the six constitu- ents of the ITC. This year they are: Gammon Theological Seminary (United Methodist)—The Reverend Lewis L. Jackson, District Superin- tendent, Texas Annual Conference, Houston, Texas. Charles H. Mason Seminary (Church of God in Christ)—The Reverend Phyllis Byrd, Divisional Director, Brooklyn Division, World Council of Churches, Brooklyn, New York. Morehouse School of Religion (Baptist)—Dr. William Thomas Perkins, Associate Division Di- rector, Black Church Extension Division, Home Mission Board, Atlanta, Georgia. Phillips School of School of The- ology (Christian Methodist Episcopal)—The Reverend W. Na- thaniel Owens, pastor, St. Paul C.M.E. Church, Chicago, Illinois. Johnson C. Smith Seminary (Pres- byterian Church, USA)—Dr. James Lovelace Allen, pastor, Sargent Memorial Presbyterian Church, Washington, DC. Turner Theological Seminary (Af- rican Methodist Episcopal)—Dr. William D. Watley, pastor, St. James A.M.E. Church, Newark, New Jersey. Other Charter Day activities include: Wednesday— March 15—3:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. The Charles B. Copher Lecture Series Dr. Wayne Merritt, Lecturer Thursday— March 16—11:00 a.m. Alumni Chapter Services Tickets for the banquet are $35.00 per person and $350.00 per table of ten for non-profit organizations, churches, and schools. For corpora- tions, tickets/tables are $50.00 and $500.00 respectively. For reservations or other informa- tion, contact Dr. Billie J. Hooker or Ms. Cassandra R. Baker at 527-7719. Many Men Line It Up But They Must Also Line It Down in the Armed Forces Bishop F. H. Talbot Our denomination is charged with the responsibility of identifying and endorsing pastors to serve with the Armed Forces. This includes Active Duty, Reserve and National Guard. It is our desire that highly qualified and competent pastors represent the Af- rican Methodist Episcopal Church in the chaplaincy. Chaplaincy in the Armed Forces is a very special ministry. It requires all the talents, resources and stability of a parish ministry as well as a know-how and understanding of issues not al- ways found in the local congregational ministry. This is a way of saying, Chaplains have to be top notch minis- ters. To cite just two possibilities: Chap- lains’ are often in situations where there are no immediate support sys- tems available; they are literally on their own. A strong spiritual founda- tion is a sine qua non-indispensable. Secondly, chaplains are called upon to minister not only to personnel within their units regardless of denomina- tional differences but to provide ministry to a truly pluralistic society. Chaplains are called upon to facilitate the free exercise of religion for their forces and at the same time to main- tain church affiliations and required commitments. As you can see, this is no easy task. However, it is rewarding and exciting and most important of all it fulfills the demands placed upon us to be ser- vants of Christ, preachers of the Gos- pel, and ministers of our God. At this moment of writing, we have many opportunities for ministers who recognize and could respond to this very special ministry. If it happens that some of you have a desire to re- spond to this call, I would be most happy to discuss the particulars with you. You may use the address and phone number below to reach me. More particularly, there is presently a critical shortage of women and mi- nority Chaplains in the Active Army as well as the Army Reserve and the National Guard, There is also such a need in the National Guard and Army Reserve in the U.S., Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. The general requirements for ser- vice as chaplains in the Armed Forces are as follows: (Specific requirements are available for each service:) 1. Be a U.S. citizen. (The Army also accepts those who have lawfully entered the U.S. for permanent residence). 2. Be less than forty years of age. (For the Navy, less than thirty-six for active duty and less than thirty- eight for inactive duty.) 3. Complete a baccalaureate degree of not less than one hundred and twenty semester hours at an ac- credited college or university. 4. Complete a Master of Divinity de- gree or equivalent of ninety se- mester hours at an accredited semi- nary. 5. Be endorsed by an endorsing agen- cy recognized by the Armed Forces Chaplains Board. 6. Be physically qualified. 7. Be fully ordained/qualified clergy of a religious faith group. 8. Be able to receive a favorable Na- tional Agency check. Please contact me if you have ques- tions regarding the chaplaincy as a ministry. Frederick Hilborn Talbot, Bishop & Ecumenical Officer P.O. Box 684 Frederiksted, St. Croix, V.I. 00841-0684 Telephone: 809-772-0723 (Home) 809-772-4329 (Office) Daily Bread Program Names Rev. James T. Blount, New Director Reverend James T. Blount Director, Daily Bread Program Christian Service Center for Central Florida, Inc. The Christian Service Center for Central Florida, Inc., has named Rev- erend James T. Blount as Director of the Daily Bread Program. He suc- ceeds Charles G. ‘‘Parky’’ Parkhouse who retired last January after direc- ting the program for fifteen years. Reverend Blount will oversee all operations and administration of the Daily Bread Program which feeds a hot noon meal to approximately three hundred homeless individuals each day. Meals are provided by Host In- ternational, the food and beverage concession at the Orlando Internation- al Airport. Blount will also be respon- sible for maintaining the association with Host as well as coordinating the more than two hundred area churches who volunteer to serve each after- noon. In addition to his duties as Director of the Daily Bread Program, Rever- end Blount is presently pastoring Atlas African Methodist Episcopal Church in Gainesville, FL. He is a graduate of International Seminary. KEEP PRAYING GOD LISTENS MORE THAN MOST MEN SSS
• March 6, 1989
  ===== DSC05749.JPG ===== Bishop V. R. Byrd Presiding Bishop 16th Episcopal District Vol. 138, No. 12 Glasnost Increases Russian Letter Response The Soviet Union’s policy of glas- nost, or openness, has resulted in a sharp increase of letters from HCJB’s Russian-speaking listeners. Russian Language Service Director Wally Kulakoff says that before glasnost came into effect, HCJB was receiving between 30 and 40 letters a month from Russian listeners. “Last September we started seeing a significant increase in mail from the Soviet Union,” he explains. “In De- cember alone we received 178 letters from the U.S.S-R., and in January 244 letters arrived. This is up from just 20 letters in January 1988. “Some people say they have written because of the new government poli- cies. Others have written before, but never received a reply. One listener said he wrote us 80 times, but only three letters made it through to HCJB.” Glasnost has meant an end to jamming of foreign broadcasts, and Soviet citizens own an estimated 60 million shortwave sets. The policy of increased openness has made it easier Please turn to page 5 Bishop J. Haskell Mayo 10th Episcopal District fa Prelate Pastor March 6, 1989 Rev. Kenneth Hill St. Paul A.M.E. Church Dr, Hattle Bryant Greene President, A.M.E, Church Ministers’ Wives Council CH ~ PRICE: 50 CENTS U.S. Churches Launch Campaign on South Africa "'From Pentecost to Soweto Christian Education Planning Retreat A Huge Success Townsell-Wade Vows Exchange in Pine Bluff, AR Local Pastor Maintains African Methodist Tradition Cycles of the A.M.E. Church Ministry Expansion of Bus and Campus Ministry at Greater Bethel, Nashville, Tennessee Girls Smashing Classroom Barriers in the Third World Bishop H. Hartford Brookins is Honorary Co-Chairperson of Presidential Inaugural Event by Vashti M. McKenzie Washington, DC—Bishop H. Hart- ford Brookins continues to move for- ward upon the cutting edge of political activism and advocacy in the Second Episcopal District. Bishop Brookins was the Honorary Co-Chairperson of the American Bi- centennial Presidential Inaugural Afro-American Committee’s Martin Luther King Jr. Ecumenical Prayer Breakfast held January 16th at the Washington Hilton Hotel in the Dis- trict of Columbia. A distinguished assemblage of reli- gious, political, business and commu- nity leaders from across the country gathered for this historic occasion in a spirited program of brotherhood, prayer and joyous music. The prayer breakfast served to commemorate the 200th year of the peaceful transfer of power and leader- ship and the inauguration of President George Bush and Vice President Dan Quayle. It was also an event to recog- nize the tremendous contributions made to the world community by the life and legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. PRR IR RII III II II III I IH IIIS ISSA SADA SAS SASASDSASISISISSSSCSION POR TIT TIHRIKIIHITTIIKTOTITIKTROTTIIR AT ITT AIA IA AAT IK World Church Group Calls for Economic Pressure Against Apartheid New York—With repression in South Africa escalating, the Botha govern- ment showing no signs of dismantling apartheid and with even non-violent opposition to apartheid almost com- pletely outlawed, the last hope for peaceful change is strong and sus- tained economic pressure by the inter- national community against the South African regime. That urgent message was delivered to heads af state and foreign ministers of seven cf South Africa’s major trading partners by an Eminent Church Persons’ Group, sent by the Geneva, Switzerland-based world Council of Churches. From Jan, 15 to Feb. 4, the group visited Switzerland, France, Belgium, the United Kingdom, West Germany, Japan and (from Jan. 30 - Feb. 4) the United States to mobilize internation- al efforts toward the imposition of comprehensive economic sanctions against South Africa. The group also met with United Nations Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar and with churches and anti-apartheid groups in each country. Four Cana- dian church leaders flew to Washing- ton, DC, for a luncheon meeting with the group Feb. 2. It’s our considered view,’’ said the Rev. Canaan Banana, former Pre- sident of Zimbabwe who headed the Eminent Church Persons’ Group, “that economic assistance of any kind helps sustain the apartheid system and contributes to the suffering of the people there.”’ If the international community acts Please turn to page 7 President George Bush addresses distinguished political, business and religious leaders. Bishop H. Hartford Brookins was the Honorary Co-Chairperson. Photo by David Valdez—The White House The ecumenical experience whereby Jews and Gentiles, Catholic and Pro- testant, Blacks and Whites stood once again side by side to sing ‘‘We Shall Overcome,’’ was the first of four ma- jor events of the inauguration week- end designed to emphasize the contri- butions made by Afro-Americans to the nation’s progress and well-being. Bishop Brookins brought greetings and articulated the occasion for the early morning crowd. He noted that we have an opportunity and responsi- bility to keep the dream of Martin Lu- ther King Jr. alive for this generation. Please turn to page 7 Congressman Flake Delivers Homecoming 7 Rev. Floyd H. Flake Message at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Dr. William P. DeVeaux Washington, DC—The Reverend Floyd H. Flake, dynamic and progres- sive pastor of Allen A.M.E. Church, Jamaica, LI, NY, and Congressman from the 6th Congressional District of that city, served as guest preacher at the Third Annual Homecoming observance at “the National Church,” Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Wash- ington, DC. The celebration of “homecoming” Please turn to page 7 ————————————— ee 30 45 5 RICHARD BARRING! _ADELPH 'p) DR 11 PHI ) — » Nw oe i D « * “> < x r~ ===== DSC05750.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 6, 1989 The Black Church A Current Ekklesia It is most exiting to trace the history of the Black church. In its inception, it dealt with the harsh realities of the mundane life, and was never, as some tend to think, totally other-worldly. The Black church was a social center built around the Christian religion. Black churches were the spiritual force for Black people and, indeed, were the focal point of Black life. The church was the school, political forum, recreational center, theater and social welfare center. The Black church was the leading advocate for the liberation, empowerment and sur- vival of the Black community. It was the oasis of freedom in the midst of a segregated society. It preached a salvation that was social, spiritual, psychological and economical. It always encouraged individual, personal development. The first Black banks were started and supported through the church. The first insurance burial societies, credit unions, and many of the Black businesses, began with church people. The Black church, both visible and in- visible, was a support system in this segregated system of America. It gave positive attitudes and a positive self-image to an otherwise abandoned population in the New World. The mission and purpose of the Black church was to minister to the spiritual, intellectual, physical and emotional needs of all people in spreading Christ’s liberating gospel through word and deed. The American Black has spread its roots into Africa and other parts of the world, where it has established schools, medical clinics, churches and other missionary endeavors. The authenticity of the Black church and its relevancy for the Black socie- ty was made so because of the failure of the White church. The true ek- klesia—Black, White, or other—that becomes the hope of the world is postured in the theology and philosophy of Jesus’ concept of LOVE. Then, not only does God join the struggle to defeat the power of Evil, God’s power prevailing will also validate Evil’s defeat. The Black church, from its incep- tion, understood and believed that. The Black church, in its existence and struggle, is not in isolation, with tunnel vision for only Black issues, but, also, is a participant in the struggle for a transformed social order. The Black church recognized that God’s liberating activity entails not only the internal attributes of faith, but manifests itself, also, in the external ex- istence. To say the least, this independent socio-religious organism knew the difference between the ‘‘believer’’ and the ‘‘true believer’ in the God that was no respecter of persons. I, personally, belong to a Black Methodist denomination that had its in- ception in Philadelphia, PA, November 4, 1787. Whether one considers it an accident of history or the fortune of history, slave-born Richard Allen, the first consecrated Black bishop in America, stands in the annals of history equal to, if, indeed, he does not exceed, the great Protestant religious giants in their contributions. ROBERT H. REID, JR. LL LS The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor, Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor, Dr Jacquelyn Grant, Women's Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr, Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese D. B Jamison, Laymen's Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr,, Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev, Frederick C Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs, Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. O, Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr, Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor; Dr William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr, Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr, Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer ofa signed letter, if there is a valid reason given, No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space re- quirements. Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.£. Sunday Schoo! Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Martin Luther, the father of the Protestant reformation, who was trained in the best universities of Germany, advocated the theological and philosophical creed that ‘‘the just shall live by faith.’” John Wesley, the father of Methodism, who, himself, was an Oxford-trained man, came from a family of scholars. John Wesley’s heart was ‘‘strangely warmed’’ at Aldersgate, and he became an advocate of the Holy Ghost, under the banner of Methodism. Richard Allen, the founder of African Methodism, was not trained in a theological seminary, but, being God-directed, enunciated what we feel and consider to be the heart of Christianity, which is reflected in our motto- slogan: God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer and Man Our Brother. This is not only profound and essential in Christian theology, but necessary in its practical application for all believers who intend to be God-centered. The Black church, in general, holds that God has produced a new order of existence in Jesus Christ; Christians are spiritually freed inwardly from the bondage of sin and socially liberated outwardly from the ravages of oppres- sion. This is the ideal, but is not always reflected in this pluralistic society. Black churches, in addition to all else that they were—and are—certainly served as ‘MOTIVATION CENTERS.”’ es ee ee en een ee ee eee ee ee LETTER TO THE EDITOR NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY Washington, DC 20036 Television Division thousand. The Gullah people are being forced R. H. Reid, Jr. CHRISTIAN RECORDER 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203 January 30, 1989 Dear Mr. Reid, Jr.: As I’m sure you know, February marks ‘‘Black History Month,’’ With this in mind, I would like you to con- sider mentioning ‘‘Where Roots En- dure’’ in your publication. ‘‘Where Roots Endure’ is a half- hour documentary premiering in February on National Geographic’s EXPLORER series. This film focuses on the Gullah—men and women who are the direct descendants of slaves who have flourished for four hundred years on a string of islands off South Carolina. Brought from West Africa countries Liberia, Guinea, and Angola (from which the name Gullah is most likely derived), the Gullah are the purest form of African culture to survive in the United States, due to their isolation from the mainland. Now developers are fast encroach- ing in the Sea Islands with what developers call ‘‘plantations,’’ such as the popular Hilton Head resort. On the island of Daufuskie, with a native population of fifty-nine, construction will bring nine hundred new homes, as well as hotels and golf courses, raising the population almost overnight to ten SUBSCRIBE! | : to move off land that they’ve lived on for centuries because of housing costs they can ill afford. Communities that have sprung up around the family gravesites of their ancestors now re- quire relatives to be cleared at gate posts before entering land once con- sidered their own. Having been raised in the Gullah tradition, narrator and writer Ver- tamae Grosvenor, popular to millions of listeners as the host of National Public Radio’s series ‘‘Horizons,”’ offers us a personal look at the Gullah way of life and the threat of displace- ment. The film was produced and directed by St. Clair Bourne, one of this coun- try’s foremost documentary filmmak- ers. For twenty years Bourne has writ- ten and directed over thirty films deal- ing with subjects and audiences that White society tends to ignore. His work has examined the experiences of Afro-Americans since 1968, when he produced PBS’s highly praised series “Black Journal.’’ “Where Roots Endure”’ is a strong tribute to Black history. Sincerely, Melissa Montefiore Manager of Public Relations MM/ak It Is Not Enough To Aim, You Must Hit! to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year S S00 Bighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 rT Please print. Payment must accompany order, Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. Name Address. City/State/Zip enaei to ee a ===== DSC05751.JPG ===== March 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder The Voice of the Episcopacy POWER-GRAM A.M.E. Christian Education Chairman Attends Presidential Prayer Breakfast by Dr. Edgar L. Mack BISHOP VERNON R. BYRD ACCEPTS INVITATION TO NATIONAL PRAYER BREAKFAST Bishop Vernon R. Byrd took full advantage of the invitation from the White House to attend the annual In- ternational Presidential Prayer Break- fast. National leaders from our nation and from around the world joined in prayer and fellowship at the Washing- ton Hilton Hotel, Washington, DC. Along with the bishop were three thousand nine hundred and ninety- nine more persons, representing one hundred and four nations, including leaders from all branches of govern- ment, the Diplomatic Corps, and other national and international per- sons of distinction. President Bush spoke inspiringly of the road ahead for the people of this nation. Two Senators spoke on the need for prayer during these days. The greatest blessing for Bishop Byrd came when he noted four thousand people in prayer at one time. That vast number crowded into the Washington Hilton through metal detectors, were seated by 8:00 a.m., and all was over by 9:10 a.m. A related activity of the Prayer Breakfast was the National Leader- ship Seminar, which provided an op- portunity for meeting with people from many nations who are seeking ways to be a reconciling influence in the world. The seminar began on Wednesday evening, February 1, with dinner, and continued through Thurs- day, including luncheon and dinner. Bishop Byrd demonstrated national and international leadership by parti- cipating in this very meaningful event. The invitation was made possible by Mr. V. Sangster of ‘‘Young Life’’ of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Historically, the leadership of our First Woman Bishop Takes Her Place Among “*Apostles’’ Boston, MA (AP)—The Reverend Barbara Harris, with the voices of dis- sident overwhelmed by cheers from thousands of fellow Episcopalians, be- came the first woman elevated to bishop in a 2,000-year succession dating back to the apostles. Harris was greeted with a roar of approval from about 8,000 people when she walked down the aisle for a consecration that has drawn world attention because of her gender, back- ground and liberal views. She was faulted by a conservative church mem- ber who said in a brief speech that her elevation would be a sacrilege; but when the chief consecrator, the Most Reverend Edmond Browning, asked the congregation if it were their will that Harris be ordained, they thun- dered out; “That is our will.” “] will obey Christ and serve His name,” Harris said. “Men and women now stand together before God, in today’s world, a world that needs that,” First Bishop David Johnson of the Boston Bishop V. R. Byrd, Presiding Bishop 16th Episcopal District and Chairman Christian Education Department nation was turned to Almighty God for strength and guidance. In this spirit, the United States Senate and the House of Representatives Breakfast Groups, which meet to deepen friend- ships, to pray and counsel together, inaugurated the National Prayer Breakfast to specifically seek the Lord’s guidance and strength, as well as to re-affirm our faith and to renew the dedication of our nation and our- selves to God and His purposes. This event in the nation’s capital seeks to encourage men and women throughout the United States and the world to recognize their privilege and responsibilities before God. With the desire to deepen the spiritual life and moral fiber of the people through a leadership led by God, there have been, in all fifty states, similar break- fasts inaugurated by governors, may- ors and other responsible persons. As a natural outgrowth of such ga- therings, many people throughout the world are finding, through the Spirit of Jesus Christ, a fellowship that is helping to build true community in the family of nations. Episcopal Diocese said before the con- secration, held in a convention center to accommodate the crowd. Beginning with a solemn procession and culminating in the laying on of bishops’ hands and the placing of a pointed bishop’s miter on her head, Harris assumed the relatively minor position of suffragan, or assistant, bishop in the Boston Episcopal diocese. Harris, 58, said after her consecra- tion that it put “a tremendous amount of responsibility” on her shoulders. “That responsibility includes encouraging young people to press on and overcome barriers and to hang in there,” Harris said, adding that she intended to do just that. After the ceremony, she said she would try to reach out to her opponents and others to try to allay their fears. “We will be in contact. We will do that to the best of our abilities,” she said. “Just say I'm very proud and very happy. That's all,” said Harris’ Bishop Mayo Sprints Through The last hurdle of the Texas series of conferences was held at Wesley Chapel, Fort Worth. Rev. W. B. Langham was host pastor, Rev. Jon DeLeon Walker, host presiding elder, and the Reverends H. F. Dodson and F. D. Thomas associate presiding elders. Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr., Dallas native and Secretary-Treasurer of the A.M.E. Church Extension Depart- ment, St. Louis, spent the entire week at the conference seat. Gliding across the North Texas A.M.E. terrain, Bishop J. Haskell Mayo ‘‘wrapped it up,’’ took his laurels and finished his work with as much confidence as an Olympian who puts turf under his fleeting feet, cross- ing the goal post where wreaths of vic- tory await his gladiator achievements. For years, the personality of the North Texas Conference has been known to Old Texas A.M.E.s as ‘‘the Little Chicago’? of Texas. Know much about the personality of the Chicago Conference? If you do, then you understand what Texas Public Opinion means by the clientele of the Chicago Conference being similar to the Texas North Texas Conference. (You must recall that Bishop Mayo pastored in the Chicago Conference: Coppin Chapel). The Annual Sermon was preached by the Rev. Alphonzo Stephenson, pastor of Lee Chapel and Treasurer of the Tenth Episcopal District. A Texas favorite, in his sermon Rev. Stephen- son laid the foundation well for his pulpit delivery. Rev. Stephenson’s systemic the- ology was delightful, his hermeneutics respectable, and his homiletics con- vincing, from the beginning to his climax. At several points during his rendition, one could observe Bishop Mayo nodding his head with approval. The Missionary Society Meeting, supervised by Mrs. Theodora H. Mayo, had things at fingertips for their informative sessions. The North Texas women always perfect at seat- ing arrangement, which should be North Texas Like An Olympian mother, Beatrice Harris. The publisher of a liberal Episcopal publication is the first woman conse- crated a bishop in any of the three major branches of Christianity— Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy and Anglicanism, which includes the Episcopal Church—that consider bishops successors to Jesus’ apostles. Her selection touched off months-long debate within the church, Opponents included traditionalists who believe that because the apostles were men, the position of bishop must be reserved for them. Others objected to Harris because of her lack of a college degree and formal seminary training and because of her relative inexperience in parish ministerial work. Still others objected to her strongly liberal writings on gay rights, U.S. policy in Central America, and internal church matters. Bishop J. Haskell Mayo, Prelate Tenth Episcopal District copied by other Missionaries of other Texas conferences. The election was held without inci- dent. Seemingly, the women knew in advance whom they wanted to ‘‘seat’’ and whom they had ‘‘cahooted’’ to “‘unseat.’’? Several officers expressed their desire not to run for re-election, before the voting began. The ‘‘Night in White’’ pulled an overflow crowd. The women had put together a well-selected performance, which commanded full praise from Mrs. Mayo, Episcopal Supervisor. During the pastoral reporting period, the report of Rev. Drinkard Timms, volatile pastor of St. Paul, Dallas, was singled out and used as a good specimen for pastoral-member- ship relations. For a long time, Rev. Timms stood on the conference floor and pointed out items which he em- ploys for bringing in such a fruitful report. Here again, as at previous confer- ences, the Hour of Power consisted of five young ministers who volunteered to preach ‘‘five minute’’ sermons dur- ing this exciting Hour of Power. If the preacher went over five minutes, he or she would be rapped down. (No one exceeded five minutes, however). Rev. M. S. Hobbs was invited by Bishop Mayo to preach a guest Hour of Power sermon to the conference. It was well received by all in attendance. Bishop Mayo, a theological dyna- mo, rang down the North Texas Con- ference curtain with his ‘*block-bus- ter’? sermon, which he preached to the ordainees at the conference. This fiery, spiritual diadem—‘‘Give God The Glory’’—was preached in the conference ordination classes. Bishop Mayo is a great preacher; his relentless message virtually moved the entire audience. In his climax, seemingly, he reached up and pulled down the skies from heaven, causing strong men to fall, become spiritually asphyxiated, and wallow upon the floor, demonstrating their spiritual ecstacy. The final session was held at Baker Chapel on Friday night, where ap- pointments were read, and where the Rev. B. L. McCormick is pastor. Be- fore the Appointment Hours, the General Conference Choir, directed by Messrs. Carl Henry and James Bass, rendered the entire General Conference song repertoire. Bishop and Mrs. Mayo gave out honorariums to retired pastors, minis- ters’ wives, and other arduous work- ers who had retired from active church work. Se ===== DSC05752.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 6, 1989 U. S. Churches Launch Campaign on South Africa **From Pentecost to Soweto” __ New York—Persecution of the church in South Africa and the responsibility for the U. S, church community to act against apartheid will be the focus of a broad-based campaign this spring, The campaign—titled ‘‘From Pente- cost to Soweto’’—will take place from May 14 (Pentecost) to June 16-17 (Soweto Days). Through worship services, Bible studies, prayer groups, educational events and other activities in local churches and communities nation- wide, the campaign will seek to build support for the South African chur- ches in local religious communities in the United States, and to increase awareness about the nature of U. S. government and business support for South Africa’s apartheid regime. “From Pentecost to Soweto’’ also will include the drafting and signing of a covenant with the persecuted churches in South Africa; speaking tours and itineration of speakers in- cluding South African church leader Allan Boesak and Jim Wallis of the Sojourners community in Washing- ton, DC, and activities June 16 and 17 in Washington, DC. The campaign is being coordinated by a broadly ecumenical group of representatives of mainline, Roman Catholic and evangelical church bodies who have joined forces as the South Africa Crisis Coordinating Committee. The work of the commit- tee is being facilitated by the National Council of Churches Africa Office and the World Council of Churches U.S. Office. Planners are seeking to design a campaign ‘‘to bring more people in, to challenge them both from a faith per- spective and in relation to issues with which they deal in their everyday lives.’ One such issue raised up for special consideration was the rise of racially motivated violence in the United States. These and other U.S./ South Africa links need to be stressed, the group said. South African Churches Active in Anti-Apartheid Struggle Long active in the struggle against apartheid, South African churches’ work and protest intensified in Febru- ary 1988 after the South African gov- ernment banned operations of seven- teen people’s organizations. Pressure against churches also has intensified during recent months. Among events that have come to symbolize the increased persecution of the churches in South Africa were the August 31 bombing of Khotso House, the Johannesburg headquar- ters of the South African Council of Churches (SACC) and of several other church and civic organizations, and the October 12 arson fire which gutted two floors at the Pretoria offices of the Southern African Catholic Bis- hops’ Conference. South African Christians who op- pose apartheid fear that the South Af- rican government will soon begin to attack their top church leaders, an SACC official told the South Africa Crisis Coordinating Committee at its organizing meeting in New York Octo- ber 25. “This is a dangerous point,” said Dr. Jean-Francois Bill, the SACC’s general administrative secretary. He detailed the South African govern- ment’s steadily escalating campaign to discredit, disable and destroy churches and church leaders, emphasizing, “They're not only attacking build- ings.’* As the overarching theme for U.S, church efforts against apartheid, “*Stand for Truth: Free South Africa’’ echoes and affirms the ‘Standing for the Truth Campaign’’ recently taken up by the South African Council of Churches, said Willis Logan, NCC African Office director, It further “reflects the U.S. churches’ long- term commitment to sustain this ef- fort until South Africa is free,’’ he said. Spiritual Dimensions of Struggle Against Apartheid Are Highlighted At the South Africa Crisis Coordi- nating Committee’s second meeting Dec. 19, Jim Wallis of the Sojourners community in Washington, DC, noted that the crisis facing the church in South Africa presents a moment of conversion for the churches in the United States. Those present agreed that the chal- lenge to American Christians is a pro- foundly spiritual one. Christians are called on to provide physical support of their struggling brothers and sisters in South Africa, but more, as Dumisani Kumalo of the Africa Fund noted, to identify with the South Afri- can’s realization that ‘‘to choose Christ (in the South African context) is to choose death for the sake of jus- tice against evil.’’ The gathering prayed together that American Christians will reflect deep- ly on this commitment and prove themselves equal to the call to action it principalities’? here in the United States. Campaign to coordinate, Not Duplicate, Existing Work on South Africa Representatives of the South Af- rican Crisis Coordinating Committee emphasized that their efforts are not intended in any way to duplicate ex- isting work being done, either locally or by national church bodies, on South Africa issues. Rather, they will seek to affirm this on-going work wholeheartedly and to provide a the- matic umbrella within which church institutions and others can unite if they so choose. Along these same lines, the group agreed that any joint campaign which they decide to adopt would by necessi- ty rely primarily on existing institu- tions, programs and educational re- sources. Bishop Edmond Browning of the Episcopal Church has agreed to chair the committee. The Sunday School Union Can Supply All Of The Literature You Need ORDER TODAY A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203 op FEM EA AS a ae a a ae eof a ae oe af 2 ae of oc a eae akc ae oe ae ake afc ak ae ak Be Properly Informed! BECOMING A MINISTER in the African Methodist Episcopal Chureh JOHN HURST ADAMS, Presiding Bishop Second Episcopal District Board of Examiners Walter Hildebrand, Chairman — Maurice Wilson, Editor All persons entering our ministry need to know what they should do. 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The Book everyone reads over and over again! This book is a thought provoking plan that will help rid your life of unnecessary stress. fl “A wealth of entertaining stories plus visualization techniques for Self-renewal! Everyone must read it! ® 6 (Be Nennerson Eve Blake Screenplay writer and author Old Age Is Contagious BUT You Don't Have to Catch It! (Lee Publishing) “A thoughtful entry in the field of self-realization and self- actualization; inspired by A. Lee Henderson’s synthesis of personal experiences, secular research, and spiritual resources. He joins Peale, Benson, Cousin, Siegel, and many 12-step programs in charting a route toward overcoming stress, hopelessness, and defeat!” Kenneth Robinson, M.D. Vanderbilt University of Medicine Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP satisfies fabapbibiays ec > the heart yearning for an antidote to anxiety. A. Lee Henderson has combined spiritual, biblical and psycho-social insight with a rare gift for direct soul communication. PSP is designed to fill the hole in your soul with substance of spirit. At last preachers and psychologists join hands to snatch the faint- ing psyche back from the edge of abyss of pain and worry, and to restore it to the joy of God’s salvation. Cecil L. Murray, Ph.D., Th.D. Senior Pastor First African Methodist Episcopal Church Los Angeles, California Bést®Seller fr ee Only $6. 95 PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP Send Check or Money Order Payable to: A. Lee Henderson PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER!= PSP 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 rs Cee Nenderson NAME ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP ===== DSC05753.JPG ===== March 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Christian Education Planning Retreat A Huge Success Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, Chairman Christian Education Commission Nashville, TN—The PRESENTERS were fresh, imaginative and creative, namely: Dr. Renita J. Weems, Van- derbilt Divinity School, Nashville, TN; Dr. Kenneth L. Hill, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI; Rev. Verley Sangster, National Urban Young Life Denver, CO; Rev. James Wade, Wayman A.M.E. Church, Ra- cine, WI, Mr Clifford E. Simmons, National Boy Scouts of America, Ir- ving, TX; and Mrs. Gwendolyn Nor- man, Veterans Administration Hospi- tal, Ft. Thomas, KY. SOARING ON THE WINGS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT TO HIGHER HEIGHTS . . . The sermons were de- livered with power and the divine unc- tion of the Holy Spirit! Rev. Dr. Renita J. Weems, an ordained elder in the A.M.E. Church, Nashville, TN, was the noonday Inspirational Hour speaker. Also, she is author of Just A Sister Away. Rev. J. Langston Boyd, pastor, Shorter A.M.E. Church, Den- ver, CO, delivered the opening sermon at Bethel A.M.E. Church, Nashville, TN. His subject was ‘‘In The Fire, Yet Saved!’’ based on the text Isaiah 33:5-6, 14-15, and 22. The General Of- ficers of the A.M.E. Church partici- pated in this service of worship. Dr. Cyrus S. Keller, Sr. Editor Religious Literature On YOUTH FOR CHRIST NIGHT the Rev. Allen W. Parrott, pastor, Williams Chapel A.M.E. Church, Orangeburg, SC, spoke on the subject “Don’t Worry, Be Happy!’’ He chal- lenged youth to positive Christian liv- ing and witness. The Rev. Samuel Green, pastor, St. Mark A.M.E. Church, Orlando, FL, closed the innovative and forward- looking, visionary Christian Educa- tion Planning Retreat with a powerful Time really passes fast. and soul-stirring sermon entitled ‘“‘When God Is Trying To Tell You Something.’’ His text was Numbers 2:28. tw Bishop C. E. Thomas Host Bishop Mr. Floyd Alexander, Jr., President Richard Allen Youth Council Dr. Edgar L. Mack Executive Secretary CHRISTIAN EDUCATION DEPT. Dr. Rosa Baxter HERE’S TO YOU! Dr. and Mrs. Edgar L. Mack, Executive Secretary of the Department of Christian Education, A.M.E. Church, were ‘‘at home’”’ to the conferees and partici- pants who attended the retreat for a Kwanzaa Feast. This cultural heritage event was one of the many highlights of the retreat. Dr. Rosa McCloud Bax- ter and her whole family, Rev. Wilbur Lowe and all of the Lowe family, were present to enjoy the occasion. “Purpose Is What Gives Life A Meaning’’ FOUNDING MEMBER OF NAACP, H. CLAUDE HUDSON, 102, DIES Los Angeles, CA—H. Claude Hudson, 102, one of the founders of the National Association for the Ad- vancement of Colored People, died recently Mr. Hudson was a charter member of the Niagara Movement in Niagara Falls, NY, the forerunner of the NAACP. While a student at Howard University in Washington, DC, in 1905, he met Blacks and Whites who were trying to improve conditions for Black people. The students met off campus occa- sionally, and once tried to meet in Niagara Falls Hotel. They were denied a meeting place. They journeyed to the Canadian side of Niagara Falls and began calling themselves the Niagara Movement Born in rural Louisiana, Mr Hudson returned to the state after graduation from Howard University to practice denistry, He was the pres- ident of the NAACP in Shreveport. He moved to Los Angeles in 1923, where he later served as branch pres- ident of the NAACP for many years, = eee Vernon Sewell Ensemble Anniversary The ‘‘Vernon Sewell Ensemble’ celebrated their Anniversary on Sun- day, June 17, 1988, at St. James A.M.E. Church, 617 Greene Street in Havre De Grace, MD, at 4 p.m. Rev. Robert M. Pritchett, former pastor of St. James presided. The St. James Men’s Chorus was guest of the Continued from page 1 Glasnost Increases Russian Letter Response to (send) Bibles into the Soviet Union. Donn Ziebell, executive vice presi- dent of Slavic Gospel Association, said in a recent visit to HCJB that his mission sent 250,000 Bibles and Christian literature into the country via cargo planes late last year. “Our contacts show that the Bibles are reaching their destinations—often to pastors (who) don’t have a Bible.” However, Ziebell is concerned that glasnost may soon end. “Christians within the. Soviet Union think this openness will only last two to three years, and various secular sources in the U.S. report the same thing.” Even if the policy is discontinued, the Bibles will remain, and Christian shortwave broadcasts will continue to fill the air. “There is an Iron Curtain, but there is no iron roof, and short- wave radio will always make it through,” Ziebell maintains. Kulakoff adds that shortwave gospel broadcasts are vital to growth of the Christian Church in the U.S.S.R. “There are an estimated 39,700 ‘radio churches’ scattered across the Soviet Union. These are churches where people gather in homes to fellowship and listen to Christian broadcasts—the radio is their preacher!” Ironically, it was the Russians them- selves who helped pioneer radio tech- nology on May 7, 1895—a date which is still celebrated as “Radio Day” in Soviet Union. HCJB World Radio is an evangeli- cal, interdenominational organiza- tion involved primarily in broadcast- ing. From its international shortwave transmitting site near Quito, HCJB is Heralding Christ Jesus’ Blessings worldwide in fourteen major lan- guages. The mission also operates two hospitals in Educador and helps serve the rural areas through community development ministries, including mobile medical clinics. HCJB is also becoming increasingly involved in television program production. Another growing ministry centers on training Ecuadorians for leadership positions in medicine, music, radio and TV broadcasting and evangelism. HCJB World Radio now has offices in 23 countries. Vernon Sewell Ensemble. The Open- ing Hymn was ‘‘What a Fellowship.”’ Brother Bruce Barrett took us to the throne of grace, and Brother Alexan- der Francis read Psalm 125. The men’s choir sang as their se- lections, ‘‘Praise Him;’’ ‘‘May The Work I’ve Done Speak For Me;’’ “Any Way You Bless Me Lord;’’ and “Y’m Yours Lord.’’ The Vernon Sewell Ensemble came back with ‘‘Hallelujah, Salvation, Glory, Honor and Power’’ and ‘‘God Will Make a Way For You,”’ ‘‘Ride On King Jesus;’’ and ‘‘Jesus Will Work It Out. The invitational hymn was ‘‘God Cares.’’ The service was spiritually fulfilling. Sister Geraldine Cox, Church Reporter Rey. Reginald Boston, Pastor In the process of mending our lives, our attitudes, our behavior, there is nothing more important than starting with the basic introduction to ourselves. —A. Lee Henderson ANALYSIS OF BAPTISM By Edward W. Lampton, D.D. Analysis Of Baptism, by Ed- ward W. Lampton. Although profound and long discussions have been maintained concerning the nature of baptism, Lampton, in this expo- sition, attempts to give an analysis of baptism from Moses to John. FAL-880L $3.50 PLEASE ADD 13% FOR POSTAGE & HANDLING ===== DSC05754.JPG ===== the AME Christian Recorder Mareh 6, 1989 Townsell- Wade vows s Exchange i in Pine Bluff. AR Stephanie Diamon Townsell and the Reverend Cornelius David Wade were married at Sandusky, OH, with the Reverend Earl Hudson, pastor of Portes Memorial C.M.E. Church officiating. The bride is a native of Aliquippa, PA, and the groom is a native of Pine Bluff, AR. Parents of the bride are Mr. and Mrs. Robert (Gladys) Townsell, Sr., Aliquippa, PA. Grandparents of the bride are Mrs. Marie Fisher, Aliquip- pa, and Mr. Samuel! Hunter. Parents of the groom are the Rev- erend Samuel Wade, Lincoln, NE, and Mrs. Freddie Mae Sims, Pine Bluff, AR. Grandparents are Mrs. Leola Sheperd and Mrs. Octavia Morrison (Wade), Pine Bluff, AR. Mrs. Annette Hubbard, Rochester, PA, sister of the bride, was the bride's honor attendant. The Reverend Taylor T. Thompson, Jr., Pittsburgh, PA, was the best man. Nephew of the bride, Terry Hubbard, Jr., was ring bearer, and a niece, Tiffany Marie Hubbard, was the flower girl. Both are from Rochester, PA. Mr. Christopher Townsell gave the bride in marriage. Following the marriage at the parsonage, the reception was held at the St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, Sandusky. Colors for the festive occa- sion included egg shell white, rose and peacock blue. The bride wore a tradi- tional white gown with fitted bodice, flared skirt and train. A cut rose pattern was embroidered throughout the taffeta gown, accentuated with seed and teardrop pearls at the collar, bustline and cuffs. The headdress, reminiscent of the Orient, encircled the bride’s head with ropes of pearls, a cluster of teardrop pearls falling gently at the middle of the bride’s forehead. She also wore teardrop earrings and carried a bouquet of peacock blue silk roses, rose-colored posies and baby’s q NEW PASTOR AND HIS BRIDE—Stephanie Diamon Townsell and Rev. Cornelius David Wade were united in marriage by Rev. Earl Hudson, pastor of Porters Memorial C.M.E. Church. The couple was married in the parsonage and had their reception in St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, Sandusky, OH, where the groom was appointed to pastor in June 1988. breath. The groom wore a white double- breasted suit accentuated by a pea- cock blue bow tie and peacock blue cummerbund. Out-of-town guests included Mrs. Gladys Townsell, Mrs. Marie Fisher (grandmother of the bride), Ms. Gertis Hunter (aunt of the bride), Mrs. Helen Belle Gist and Mr. Christopher Town- sell, all of Aliquippa, PA; Mr. and Mrs. Terry (Annette) Hubbard, Sr., and their children, Tiffany and Terry, Jr., and Ms. Louise Farmer, all of Rochester, PA; Reverend Taylor T. Thompson, Jr., and Ms. Ruth Dalton, Pittsburgh, PA; Mrs. Laverne Townsell Smith (aunt of the bride), Salt Lake City, UT; and Mrs. Freddie Mae Sims, Pine Bluff, AR. The exchanging of wedding vows and the reception were photographed by Mr. Eric Kaiser, photographer for the Sandusky Register. The couple and their son, James Christopher, will make their home in Sandusky, OH. Mrs. Iris Phillips, Church Clerk A.M.E. Clergyman Earns Doctor of Philosophy Degree Rey. Kenneth Hill, Ph.D. Port Huron, MI—Recently, the de- gree of Doctor of Philosophy in Po- litical Science was conferred upon Rev. Kenneth Hill by the University of Michigan in a stirring ceremony held at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Detroit, MI. Rev. Hill, the newly-appointed pas- tor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Port Huron, attributes his educational, ministerial and professional accom- plishments to his early recognition and acceptance of God as the head of his life. Growing up in Detroit during the sixties, as a member of a closely-knit, religiously-oriented family, it was not an unexpected outcome that he experi- enced a call to the ministry. While a student at Wayne State Uni- versity, a professor encouraged him to apply to Harvard Divinity School, and, while at Harvard, Rev. Hill found his theological horizons being broad- ened. He says of those years, “My heart was warmed. I experienced a conversion similar to John Wesley’s.” He found himself drawn to the Methodists, and he joined the Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Detroit. Still feeling a yearning for higher learning, he returned home to pursue a Ph.D. in political science at the Uni- versity of Michigan. While at Ebenezer, Detroit, he was groomed by Rev. Robert Thomas, Jr., who would become the 107th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church. During this time, Rev. Hill was also appointed to develop a joint Master of Divinity Program between the. Ecumenical Theological Center and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Sem- inary. God continued to enrich his life when, at the 1988 Michigan Annual Conference, he was appointed the pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Port Huron, MI. Immediately setting church goals of economic self-reliance, church growth, and spiritual revival, Rev. Hill began an inspirational music ministry, home prayer-Bible study group, a stewardship emphasis, which has resulted in the church being able to meet its church and conference obligations on its own for the first time in recent years. When asked about the key to this success in such a short time, Rev. Hill responded, “The congregation was challenged to step out on faith and open their hearts and homes to Jesus and others.” The results of these efforts have enhanced spiritual growth. Thus, the church has become known as “God’s Miracle on 25th Street.” Whatever the future holds, he realizes that he could not have come this far without the blessings of God. To God be the glory! Who’s Who in Service to the African Methodist Episcopal Church? — COMING SOON — Be Sure To Return Your Biographical Data A.M.E. Youth Serves as U. S. Senate Page Havre de Grace, MD Johnson, Miss Roberta daughter of Robert and Maggie Johnson, and a member of St James A.M.E. Church, is privileged to serve as a page in the United States Senate in Washington, DC, Miss Johnson is a 1987 graduate of the Aberdeen High School and studied for one year at Harford Community College. Last summer she had the opportunity to work for NBC at the Republican National Convention in New Orleans, LA, as a runner. She was recommended for the position in the Senate by Miss Wendy Ford, a mem- ber of the NBC team and, also, a member of St, James. Roberta is very active in her church and Sunday Schooi. No doubt, when her stint with the Senate is over, she will return to complete her education at Harford Community College. Surely, this will be an experience she will have to tell both her children and grandchildren in years ahead. Sister Geraldine W. Cox, Reporter Rev. Dr. Reginald Boston, Pastor “Never let yesterday use up too much of today”’ Birmingham Ministers’ Wives Council Holds Election Dr. Hattie Bryant Greene Birmingham, AL—The African Meth- odist Episcopal Church Ministers’ Wives Council of the Greater Metro- politan Area held their Biennial Elec- tion in January and the following offi- cers were installed, along with those of the A.M.E. Minister’s Alliance, re- cently, at the Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church, where the Reverend Albert Hych is pastor. Dr. Hattie Bryant Greene (Mrs. E. P.), president; Mrs. Brenda Humley (R. J.), vice president; Mrs. Palmer Reed (A. D.), recording secretary; Mrs. Adrian Johnson (R. A.), assist- ing recording secretary; Mrs. Gertrude Glover (F. M.), financial secretary; Mrs. Irma Croswell (M.), correspond- ing secretary; Mrs. Floy Hawkins (M.), treasurer; Mrs. Ida Tyree Hyche (Albert), business manager; Mrs. Nettie Bonner (J. C.), parlia- mentarian; Mrs. Thelma Miller (W. J.), chaplain; and Mrs. Clara E. O’Neal (H. M.), reporter. Mrs. Lou Esther Ard, a member of Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, was a charming hostess to the Council, the hospitality being at its height. Mrs. Frank Madison Reid, Jr., and Mrs. C. E. Thomas are members-at- large of the Council, which meets each fourth Wednesday of the month. ===== DSC05755.JPG ===== March 6, 1989 Continued from page 1 The AME Christian Recorder ese ee LL World Church Group calls for Economic Pressure Against Aparthed decisively now, it can bring South Af- rica to the negotiating table, the group asserted, emphasizing that the ultimate goal is establishment of a free and democratic South Africa, but it said that if the world continues to drag its feet, a bloodbath appears in- evitable. “*So long as the South African gov- ernment feels that it is strong, it will not entertain any possibility of mean- ingful change,’’ President Banana said. “It’s evil, it’s immoral’’ that the world looks away as Black South Af- ricans are brutalized day after day, said the Rev. Frank Chikane, General Secretary of the South African Coun- cil of Churches, who participated in the group as a special resource person. “‘We are agonizing as churches that unless we go to the streets and get kill- ed in big numbers, the world is going to continue to ignore us.’” Meeting Held With U.S. Secretary of State In Washington, DC, the group met with House and Senate leaders and— for forty-five minutes—with U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker III. Archbishop Desmond Tutu of Cape Town, South Africa, holder of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize, joined the group for its appointment with Baker, as did the Rev. Arie R. Brouwer, Gen- eral Secretary of the National Council of Churches, which hosted the Emi- nent Church Persons’ Group in the United States. The group reported that it found Baker ‘‘in a reflective mood’’ as the Bush Administration formulates its South Africa Policy. Although Baker in his confirmation hearings had ex- pressed opposition to sanctions, he did not dismiss the group’s positions but in fact ‘‘actually sometimes inter- rupted because he was interested in specific points,’’ Tutu commented. Tutu said that in addition to advo- cating comprehensive sanctions, the delegation stressed various specific economic initiatives that the U.S. gov- ernment might take, including pres- suring U.S. banks not to reschedule South Africa’s debt when it comes due next year. The process of renegotia- tion will begin this April. “More than anything else was the call of the delegation that the United States ought to take a moral leader- ship in what is a moral issue facing the world,’’ Tutu said. Government leaders told the Emi- nent Church Persons’ Group that they abhor apartheid, agree that the system cannot be reformed but rather must be abolished, and recognized that ac- tion is needed—but that they look to the United States to lead. (Sir Geof- frey Howe told the group in London that he looks to a process of gradual change in South Africa that could ex- tend over three or four decades.) Elaine Hesse Greif of New Zea- land, General Secretary of the World YWCA, based in Geneva, Switzer- land, said the Eminent Church Per- sons’ group further challenged govern- ments on the issue of sanctions bust- ing and pressed for monitoring of compliance. ‘‘We sensed worldwide that governments feel they have to take some accountability for their businesses,’’ she said, reporting that Chancellor Helmut Kohl of West Ger- many said there was ‘‘no way Ger- many would continue to allow sanc- tions busting.”’ Increasing Repression in South Africa is Described Increasingly stringent restriction and censorship of media coverge in South Africa has taken the repression out of the public eye. “If you don't see pictures of us dy- ing you think we’re not dying,’ Chikane commented, Even so, he add- ed, ‘‘it’s the immortal nature of the system people should be acting on without seeing pictures.”’ Much international news coverage has focused in recent months on the ‘*handshakes’’ as South Africa agreed to pull its troops out of Angola and to grant independence to Namibia, but as South Africa, Cuba and Angola worked out the details of their accord, the brutalization of Black South Afri- cans actually increased, Chikane said. Increasingly, children are the target of the South African regime’s violence, he said. Chikane described how parents must leave their children in the Black townships to go to work in the cities. While they are gone, the army comes in to brutalize the children. When the parents come back home and don’t find their children, they ‘‘go looking for them in the hospitals, in the police stations, in the morgues. Sometimes they don’t find their children at all. “For these parents, going to work loses its meaning,’’ he said. In 1988, thirty-four non-violent anti-apartheid organizations were banned and some fifty-five anti-apart- heid leaders were restricted to what amounts to house arrest. In addition, an anti-apartheid conference—whose purpose was to bring people together to explore non-violent options for ending apartheid—was banned. More and more people are being de- tained as others are released—and as they are released they get restricted, the group reported. People are held in detention often two or three years without being brought to court. “‘The message that came through to the churches is that the regime is not prepared to allow any non-violent change,’’ Chikane said. That has cre- ated a serious crisis for the South African Churches, who no longer debate whether they should act against apartheid, but how. “We would like to avoid a blood- bath,”’ he said. ‘‘The only way to do it is to end apartheid, to go to the nego- tiating table.”’ A turning point in the churches’ participation in the struggle against apartheid came last year after the South African government, on Febru- ary 24, acted to effectively ban seven- teen leading anti-apartheid organiza- tions and to restrict the country’s largest labor federation from political activity. Carrying a petition demanding the restoration of the right of peaceful protest, twenty-five church leaders along with five hundred clergy and lai- ty marched to the South African Par- liament in Cape Town. Marchers— including Chikane, Tutu and the Rev. Allan Boesak—were met with water cannons and arrests. The South African Council of Churches, which includes mainline Protestant churches as members and the Roman Catholic Church as an observer member and full participant, has launched a ‘‘Standing for the Truth’? campaign against apartheid and has decided to ignore the State of Emergency regulations (refusing, for example, to submit its publications for government approval). “For us, obedience to God super- Please turn to page 9 Continued from page 1 7 Bishop H. H. Brookins ls Honorary Co-Chairperson of Presidential Inaugural Event “He was a man who sought to make a difference on the issues of justice and race in this nation,’’ he said, ‘‘We must reflect upon his con- tribution and legacy and protest in the midst of the Black church experi- ence,”’ The dream, noted Bishop Brookins, for which King lived and died is far from being a reality. He issued a chal- lenge to move beyond the sins of the past and carry forward the dream. President George Bush, just five days before he took the oath of office, addressed the diverse gathering. ‘Bigotry to the disadvantage must not find a safe place on our shores, homes and neighborhoods,’’ said Pre- sident Bush. ‘‘What becomes of the dream is up to us. We must not fail him, the nation or ourselves. This is our mission together,"’ The A.M.E, delegation at the affair included General Officer, Dr. Joseph McKinney, District Lay President, Dr. Paulette Coleman, Presiding El- ders, the Reverends Walter Hilde- brand, and Edward C. Wilson as well as the Reverends William DeVeaux, Goodwin Douglass, Frank M. Reid, Howard Camper, William Porter, James Robinson, Willie K. Woods, Leon G. Lipscombe, Edgar James, J. R. Williams, Grainger Browning, Henry White, and Carroll R, Cham- bliss, Mary E. Frizzell, and Annette C. Jones. Among the exceptional musical ta- lent on the morning program was Bon- nie Burnett singing the Lord’s Prayer. Continued from page 1 Congressman Flake Delivers Homecoming Message at Metropolitan A.M.E. began at Metropolitan three years ago when the congregation returned to “the Cathedral of African Methodism” after being forced from it during Advent in 1985 because of damage inflicted by builders next door. On that occasion, and again in 1988, the mood was defiant as the congregation pressed its suit against the American Chemical Society. With Flake as guest preacher, Metropolitan celebrated victory in this legal battle, according to the pastor, the Reverend William P. DeVeaux, who said, “We have reaffirmed our determination to worship and work in downtown Washington—in the sight of the White House and of the Houses of Congress.” The Reverend Floyd H. Flake is representative of a new breed among clergymen, who combine memorable preaching with effective social action, community leadership, and economic development. In the 12 years since he has been pastor of Allen A.M.E. Church, Jamaica, LI, NY, for exam- ple, his congregation has grown from 1,400 to over 5,000 active members; and under his leadership, Allen is engaged in programs of social and eco- nomic improvement ranging from care for the aged and the counseling of teenagers to property ownership, reha- bilitation, and management. Already one of the most recognized leaders in New York City, according to the New York Times, Flake was elected to Congress in 1986, becoming the first full-term Black to represent New York’s 6th Congressional District. Under Rev. Flake’s dynamic and progressive leadership, Allen A.M.E. Church has not only experienced internal revitalization, but also has seen its influence spread throughout the community. An $11 millon senior citizens complex has been completed under Flake’s ministry. The Allen Housing Corporation has purchased and rehabilitated 10 stores and has won grants to rehabilitate 50 homes. Flake is sponsor and past chairman of the Board of Allen Federal Credit Union, which services the church, affiliate operations, and the commu- nity. He founded and built the $3.8 million Allen Christian School and Multi-Purpose Center which has an enrollment of 480 students from pre-K through 8th grade. The Allen Home Care agency services 380 elderly, handicapped, and sick individuals; and Rev. Flake himself sponsors and manages the South Jamaica Multi- Service Center which provides medical services, teen pregnancy counseling, postnatal care, and other services. A graduate of Wilberforce Univer- sity and of the Payne Theological Seminary, Rev. Flake has held various positions in both education and the corporate world, having been on the staffs of Boston University, Lincoln University (PA), the Xerox Corporation, and the Reynolds Tobacco Company. He was born in Los Angeles, CA, and received his early education in the public schools of Houston, TX. Rev. Flake received Ebony Magazine's Black American Achieve- ment Award in Religion (1986); won the Alfred Sloan Fellowship for Studies in Business Administration at Northwestern University and the Dan- forth Fellowship for Liberal Arts Studies at Colorado College. His is listed in Who’s Who Among Blacks. In Congress, Rep. Flake serves on three committees: Banking, Finance, and Urban Affairs; Small Business; and the Select Committee on Hunger; and on various sub-committees. He and his wife, Elaine, have two sons and two daughters. Sa ii ls! | Take A Friend i te To Church i ls Sunday THE NEW CATECHISM FOR YOUTH PROBATIONARIES MEMBERS AFRICAN METHODISH® The New. Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to youth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLC-991C a SSS 0m ===== DSC05756.JPG ===== The AME. Christian Recorder Mareh 6, 1989 Youngs Chapel A. M. E., Louisville, Kentucky Mortgage Burning Pastor James C. Arnell, Rev. W. T. Owens, Robert Metcalf and Alfred Davis share in mortgage burning ceremony conducted by Bishop C. E. Thomas, Presiding Bishop of the Thirteenth Episcopal District. Youngs Chapel Church, pastored by the dynamic, young ‘“‘Giant’’, The Rev- ~ erend James E. Arnell, has just cause for rejoicing on Sunday, December 4, 1988. This day was the occasion of the second mortgage burning in less than four years under Pastor Arnell’s lead- ership. A great sense of excitement per- meated the air as worshipers filed into the sanctuary for the long anticipated morning service, which was presided over by the Reverend E. S. Martin, re- cently appointed Presiding Elder of the Louisville-Paducah District. Bishop. Cornelius E. Thomas, Pre- late of the Thirteenth Episcopal District, delivered a memorable mes- sage to a record number of worship- ers. Music was furnished by the mass choir, Following the ‘‘Invitation to Chris- tian Discipleship,’ the ‘Mortgage Burning Ceremony’’ took place, with Bishop Thomas, Presiding Elder Mar- tin, Pastor Arnell, the lending institu- tion representative, officer and congregation participating. The Holy Communion followed. Among visitors were Reverend W. F, Owens of the A.M.E, Zion Church, Mrs. Susie Jamar Thomas, wife of Bishop Thomas and Thirteenth Epis- copal District. Supervisor—W.M.S., Mrs. Linda Martin, wife of Presiding Elder Martin, and West Kentucky Conference Branch President — W.M.S., Mr. and Mrs, William Ber- nard and Stanley, Pastor Arnell’s family, other relatives, and the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Youngs Chapel is proud and thank- ful for its accomplishments over such a short time span, Within five and one half months after Pastor Arnell’s ar- rival, a $35,000 mortgage was liqui- dated. Additional improvements the first two years included: new carpet throughout the sanctuary, restoration An Optimist Goes | An Optimist Goes to the Window Every Morning and Says, ‘““Good Morning God.” The Pessimist Goes to the Window and Says, ‘Good God, Morning!”’ eae ae ae as ss —_— a oe ae a a ao ee es es aes ae ae eae a = —— of stained glass windows, plexiglass installed on exterior windows, and completion of payments on the church van, During the second two years, the Sunday School purchased a computer system, a Xerox machine was pur- chased, exterior areas were painted, the kitchen, under the auspices of the W.M.S. and Economic Development Club, received a ‘‘new look,’’ and Butler Hall (lower level) was com- pletely transformed, including carpet, at a total cost of $35,800. During the last four years, more than $100,000 was paid on mortgages and other im- provements. Realizing it must be a visible and participating entity in Church and Community develop.nent, Youngs Chapel ministers to the sick and shut- ins, the needy, and tne bereaved. It sponsors a Vacation Bible School, with an attendance of over three hun- dred, lock-ins, recreational activities, and bus ministry. The guiding forces behind these activities are: Sunday School, Mr. B. G. Ransaw, Superin- tendent, Christian Education Depart- ment—Mrs. Anna S. Reed, Director, Women’s Missionary Society—Mrs. Arnetta Arnell, President and Y.P.D. —Miss Kimberly Bailey, President. We have been blessed by the visits of seven Bishops, a General Officer, and two outstanding Missionaries. As we look toward the future, we are concentrating on numerical and physical expansion, and a major thrust in “Brotherly Love’’ through- out the Church Family and Commu- nity, Under Pastor and Mrs. Arnell’s leadership, and God’s guidance, Youngs Chapel will continue to move forward, “To God Be the Glory!”’ Written by: Ruth Greene ‘‘A Friend Is Someone Who Understands Your Past, Believes In Your Future, And Accepts You Today Just The Way You Are.”’ Local Pastor Maintains African Methodist Tradition Rev. Winton M. Hill, I The late Bishop Henry McNeal Turner made history during the American Civil War (1860-1865) by becoming the first Black chaplain in Every True A.M.E. should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hymnal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly African Methodist Episcopal Church Reduced Only $5.00 BOOK OF | WORSHIE The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it willservea ¥ We are clever individuals, practiced at the > art of self-deception when it is too painful to face or own inner truths. the U.S. Army, There have been many outstanding A.M.E, clergy who have served, and others who stillserve, with distinction in the armed forces as chaplains The Reverend Winton M,. Hill, TI, pastor of Mt, Teman A.M.E, Chureh, Elizabeth, NJ. became the first U.S Army Reserve officer to receive an award from the United States Army Chaplain School and Center, Ft, Monmouth, NJ Rev. Hill reeeived the Army Achievement Medal for exceptional and meritorious service while serving as class leader for the reserve officers advance course C-23 class. —A. Lee Henderson Reduced Only $5.00 Wy 7 7 7 7 4} 7 4} / / 7 a / / 7 74) / 7) 7 4 7 7} % 7 7) %y uA 7 / 7 7; 7: 7 \\ 7 vB ‘f new age in our church, The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those % who may become Christians to hear God’s word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs ¥ 4 and aspirations today. REASON FOR BEING AND OTHER MESSAGES OF FAITH From an AFRO-AMERICAN MINISTER WILLIAM WEBSTER EASLEY, JR. PASTOR Historic ST. JOSEPH’S African Methodist Episcopal Church Durham, North Carolina (A participant in the struggles for human dignity during the 60’s, now speaks at age 42 through messages delivered in pulpits across the nation after 25 years of experience as an ordained clergyman). Please Add 13% Postage & Handling § ’ ’ ‘ : ( ig ( ’ ‘ ‘ e ‘ ? ‘ ? : ‘ ( ’ ’ ¢ ( : ( ’ é Address State. Zip. City No, REASON FOR BEING AMEC PUBLISHING HOUSE, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203 888 8 88 8 8 ===== DSC05757.JPG ===== a a ee Minn March 6, 1989 Chaplain William Holt Liptrot, Jr. (Cpt.) USA In the US Army, soldiers live a life that is out of syne with the civilian population. The Cottonbaler Unit Ministry Team is no exception. Upon my promotion to captain, a lieutenant colonel confronted me and said that he was willing to bet I had experienced more ministry during my six months on active duty than I would have ex- perienced in six years in the parish. He was correct, for even beyond the swift pace of ministry, the intensity of events is shocking. This article is designed to give you a brief look into my world. I hope that you use it to realize the gifts that any good chaplain or, in most cases, AME minister can offer to you and your families, and to glimpse the work environment of an AME chaplain in an infantry bat- talion. 0500 The alarm clock goes off, and we thank God for another day 0610 Physical Training, HHC. Push- ups, sit-ups, and a 3-mile run 0715 Jordan Gym, shower and prepare for the day 0750 Breakfast at Winn Army Com- munity Hospital 0815 Hit the wards _ Ward 4F Winn Hospital, Janice Holt, wife of PVT Sam Holt, D Co. delivered a baby boy, good condition. Congratulated family. They can ex- pect a baby letter from LTC Linke. Room 410, PVT Jerry Croft and Angela Croft forced to make a deci- sion concerning premature baby. Life supports are the only thing keeping the baby alive. The doctor wants to pull the plug. Chaplain is asked for recom- mendation. I counsel. Ward 3B/C, SFC Juan Gallegos recovering well from appendix rup- ture. Stable/ fair. SP4 Tom Williams recovering well after auto accident/DUI. Leg should be out of cast next month, Sewing his tongue back in his mouth today. Ward 3A, Psyche Ward, ILT John Cook, HHC, improving from nervous breakdown. Parents will fly in tomor- row. Reservations have been made at Post Guest Housing, 1000 Area visitation $3, S1, hospital report to LTC Carl BE. Linke, Update on Battalion Prayer Breakfast. 1030 Visit Motor Pool 1100 Check in at office 1130 Contact S3, Transportation to field 1145 Off to Red Clud Alpha 1230 Field Service: Call to Worship Invocation Song Scripture Sermon Hymn Benediction 1300 Counsel troop in field on mar- The AME Christian Recorder EEE CHAPLAIN “OUT OF SYNC”’ riage problem. His wife is seeing another man. He thinks it’s revenge because he saw another woman three years ago. Via the fact that they both desire to save their marriage through counseling, I establish an initial ap- pointment for counseling for the week following. 1345 Return to Garrison 1400 PVT Point waiting for me in the office concerning compassionate discharge from the Army. His mother is ill and he is the only person that is able to take care of her. I explain to PVT Point that whether it is a com- passionate reassignment or a compas- sionate discharge, it is only good for twelve months before he would have to return to Ft. Stewart and assume his duties. He understood the army Regulations, yet still wanted to pursue the process. We contacted SI and began the packet and I promised him a letter supporting his packet by COB the next day. 1500 Received a call from Division Chaplains Office on duty roster to perform funeral for Retired CSM at the National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC, the day after tomorrow. 1505 While still talking with Division Chaplains Office, PFC Box and his fiance enter office for their fourth and last counseling session under the Prepare and Enrich program. They will be married two weeks from this Saturday. 1513 While still counseling Box and fiance, Company Commander calls. Soldier needs $200 to stay out of jail due to bad checks. He wants to avoid passing the hat throughout the com- pany. Is there an agency that can help? I inform the Commander, ‘‘No, there is not for the purpose of staying out of jail or bail,’’ and resume counseling Box and fiance. 1705 Box and fiance leave. Chaplain Assistant and I review the day’s ac- tivities and I relieve him for the day. 1730 Swing by Batallion, and check with LTC Linke, CSM Robles, and MAJ Moore for anything hot. 1800 Arrive home; message on answering machine, spouse in distress, contemplating suicide. Leaves her phone number. Immediately, I con- tact the spouse. She was just informed that her mother has died, and she doesn’t feel that life is worth living without her. Her husband is in the field and her children are misbehav- ing. She wants to end it all, I counsel and take actions. 2020 Meditation, dinner, and a good comedy 2200 Read 2230 Lights out 0500 The alarm clock goes off and we thank God for another day This is a literal account of my daily ministry, give or take an incident. It’s a world full of extremes; joy and sadness, pain and pleasure, life and death. You grow to love it or hate it I’ve grown to love it, | am strengthen ed by God, a Battalion Commander who cares, the best Chaplain Assistant in the US Army, and the fact that ‘Everyone who is called by my name, whom I have created for my glory, | have formed him, yes, | have made him.’* Isaiah 43:7) William Holt Liptrot, Jr. Chaplain (CPT) USA Battalion Chaplain tHE tt Mules Cannot Pull 2% #% AndKickAt #% F @ 3 The Same Time # SERELERERERERE EEE LT When we feel we have nothing left to give. When days seem over and the shadows fall and the darkness of night has descended but the road goes on its smoother, and he tells us its a bend in the road. Reverend Cleveland Dixon was born the twenty-fourth day of June, eighteen ninety-five in Linder, Alabama. He was the only child of Nicy and York Dixon. He attended Linder Academy in Alabama, Campbell Col- Continued from page 7 World Church Group calls for Economic Pressure Against Apartheid cedes Obedience to human beings,’’ Chikane said. World Church Action Needed ‘“‘Churches in countries that strengthen apartheid have a responsi- bility to let that truth be known in those countries, and to help pressure their governments to change their South Africa policy. This has to be brought to the mind of every congre- gation and church member,’’ Chikane said. The group said it was not a ‘‘change of heart’’ on South Africa’s part but economic pressures—including the in- creasing cost in terms of money and human lives in the war in Angola- —pushed South Africa to the negotiating table and to reach an agreement on independence for Nami- bia. **We have called for sanctions as South Africans because we believe they do work,’’ Chikane said. “‘If they didn’t, it wouldn’t be illegal to campaign for them. “Sanctions applied so far have been analyzed,’’ he continued. Results have included a measurable ‘‘flight of capital from South Africa. We believe that if extra efforts, especially finan- cial, are applied, it will weaken the country so it won’t be able to main- tain the terrorism against the people.”’ ‘*For us there is no time to wait for decades,’’ Chikane said. ‘*The racists are not going to change their minds. Our people, the young people, say that if it doesn’t change now they are going to fight the system. We as churches won't be able to stop that.’’ The Eminent Church Persons’ Group urged countries to act unila- terally to try to end apartheid and at the same time work for multilateral economic pressure against the apart- heid regime. Besides Banana, Tutu, Chikane and Greif, Eminent Church Persons’ Group members included Lysaneas Maciel, a lawyer and member of the National Constitutent Assembly of Brazil; Metropolitan Dr, Paulos Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan of Delhi and the North for the Orthodox Church of the East; Dr, Lucille Mair, Jamaica, former undersecretary general of the United Nations now Women and De- velopment Studies Regional Coordi- nator, University of the West Indies; the Rev, Dr, Carl Mau, U.S.A., for mer General Secretary of the Lu theran World Federation, and the Rev. Beyers Naude, former General Secretary of the South African Coun- ell of Churches, (Not all members made the entire trip) Serving as special resource persons to the group were Dr, James Mutam- birwa of Zimbabwe and the Rev, Bob Seott of New Zealand, both executive secretaries of the Programme to Com bat Racism, World Council of Churches. OBITUARY lege in Mississippi, and graduated from the United Theological Seminary in Monroe, Louisiana in 1954. kev. Cleveland Dixon confessed to Christ at an early age in Alabama and became an A.M.E. minister and pastored churches in Lake Providence and Monroe Districts. Later he moved to Oak Grove, Louisiana. In 1954, he married Florence G. Dixon and no children were born. He won many souls to Christ and helped build up the rural churches. He was loved by many and will be deeply missed by many who knew him per- sonally. He leaves to cherish his memory, his wife, Florence G. Dixon, Houston, Texas; a daughter, Vara Willis, three grandsons, Derrick, Roy, and Reginald all of Kansas City, Mis- souri; stepson, Abraham L. Gar- rell of Houston, Texas; son-in-law, Levell Willis; daughter-in-law, Gladis Price, Houston, Texas; three grand- daughters, Mashall Nicol, and Charke; a favorite cousin-in-law, Warden, Louisiana; and a cousin, Hattie B. Spencer. Brother Abraham L. Garrett reported for the Monroe-Lake Pro- vidence District North Louisiana An- nual Conference. I have finished my work; I am going home to take my rest. If anybody asks, tell them I am at home—don’t cry, dry the tears. Cycles of the A.M.E. Church Ministry by Rev. G. C. Boroum Evansville, IN I THE CALL (a) Regeneration (b) Decision (c) Dedication Il THE PREPARATION (a) Study (b) Selection of Source Materials (c) Proper Theological Instruc- tion (d) Adaptability to Cope Ill PRACTICABILITY (a) Belief in One’s Self (b) The Use of One’s Own MIND IV MATURITY (a) Growth in Prayer (b) Belief in One’s Own Preaching (c) Visitation-Concern For Others Vv SAGACITY (a) Observe One’s Peers (b) Making Godly Decisions VI WISDOM (a) Absolute Unselfishness (b) Absolution To God (c) Readiness To Live for God and H:; Church Vatican Denounces Apartheid As ‘Sin’ The Vatican condemned all forms of racism yesterday in a major docu- ment touching on apartheid, anti- Semitism, tribal conflicts, the rights of aboriginal peoples and the diserimi- nation encountered by migrants, The cight-thousand-word document, drawn up at the request of Pope John Paul Il by the Pontifical Commission for Peace and Justice, declared, **Harboring racist thoughts and enter- taining racist attitudes is a sin.” ===== DSC05758.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 6, 1989 Black History Celebration Offers the Challenge of the Future Family Day Observance Held at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church __ by Horace G. Dawson, Jr. Washington, DC—Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, located in the nation’s capital, consistently engages in a variety of activities. Although Metropolitan has borne the title “Na- tional Cathedral of African Method- ism,” it has never lost the family tra- dition that has also been its hallmark. FAMILY DAY SCENE: Historic Metropolitan A.M.E. Church of Washington, DC, observed Family Day recently and the pastor, Dr. William P. DeVeaux (left) sought to greet each family personally. He is shown above with Senior Steward Mrs. Lillie M. Ferguson and her son and daughter-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Rogers L. Ferguson, Jr., and grandchil- dren Rogers, III, and Christina. The Reverend Everett P. Williams of Tucson, AZ, was Fa- mily Day preacher. It is our happy privilege to share with the connectional church, through the columns of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder, some of the recent activity The Reverend Dr. William P DeVeaux, Metropolitan’s pastor, con- tinues to carry high the banner of our historic National Cathedral, we Principals in the Family Day Sunday observance at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, DC, recently included the Reverend Everett P. Williams, Sr., pastor of Prince Chapel A.M.E. Church, Tucson, AZ (second from left), who was main speaker; his son, Everett, Jr., left, guest organist; Ms. Lois Brent, member of the Board of Trustees; and Metropolitan’s pastor, the Reverend Dr. William P. DeVeaux. SOUTH CAROLINA HERITAGE. Carolinians help to carry on the tradition of excellence in music at historic Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, DC, “the Cathedral of African Methodism,” where organist Terry Friday (left) was recently named Minister of Music. Danny Hodge (right) is director of the Metroaires, gospel choir. Both Friday, who directs the Cathedral Choir, and Hodge are natives of South Carolina. Memphis, TN—Black History Month observance at LeMoyne Owens College was putin motion with a Black History Chapel Service in cooperation with the Black Brotherhood of Memphis The Reverend Carl C. Liggin, Director of Memphis Dismas House and pastor of Clayborn Ball Temple A.M.E, Church, was introduced as speaker for the occasion by the Rey- erend R. Meade Walker, chairman of the Black Brotherhood. “The Challenge of the Future” was the subject for Rev. Liggin’s discourse. The scriptural theme and text for the message was Hebrews 11:40: “God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.” Brother Christian Lamar, a LeMoyne Owens student, responded to the message, saying, “Three things leaped out at me as Rev. Liggin was speaking: the first thing was that we should not return to servitude volun- tarily; second, we must act instead of reacting, and that leads me to the third thing—we must have a plan. So I would like to charge my fellow students to rededicate ourselves. In the academic arena, we must become beacons of light for our people to guide on and Co imitate, In the spirit- ual arena, We must strive to be at peace with God and with ourselves, Then we must mold all three into one, and let ourselves be consumed by our purpose, And that purpose is the spiritual, political, economic and cul- tural liberation of the African Amer- ican community. “So we have a call to action for all of us. There is a role for all of us to play. Considering the perils that we face, this is a time to dedicate or rededicate ourselves to the task of liberating our- selves. We must not wait for someone else to save us, We must save our- selves or we will perish.” Other ministers of the community participating in the chapel worship service were Dr. Reuben H. Green, Rev. T. O’Neal, Bishop R. L. Fidle, and Rev. Elester Wilkerson, who recited “I Have a Dream,” by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. The LeMoyne Owens Choir sang an arrangement, “J Have a Dream for My People,” with the words from Dr. King’s speech. COCR 3000 PEOPLE GATHER AT CLAYBORN BALL TEMPLE A.M.E. CHURCH ——__ Memphis, TN—Clayborn Ball Temple A.M.E. Church was the setting of the fourth annual birthday observance of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Three thousand citizens crowded into the sacred halls to see and be seen. Many thankful persons came to express their thanks for the birth, the life and the works of a great American, as was articulated in the prayer by the pastor, Rev. Carl C. Liggin, and in the occasion by Dr. Edward Reed, Chairman of the Shelby County Health Care Corp., and in the message by State Rep. Lois DeBerry of the Tennessee House of Representatives, and in the remarks of Mr. Gary Shorb, president of the MED. The Reverend Ralph White and his choir from the Bloomfield Baptist Church of Memphis rendered the music for the historic occasion. Representatives of the media were on hand for press conferences. Con- gressman Harold Ford, along with many distinguished legislators, elected officials, A.M.E. ministers and lay- men were present as a support to the host pastor, congregation and Memphis citizens. The event was jointly sponsored by the MED and the AFSCME local. Historic Clayborn-Ball Temple A.M.E. Church houses the Jackson- Starks Cultural Center and the Bishop C. E. Thomas Museum. CORORCOZCOOEOR OZ OROZOREOA EA Ministerial Alliance Engaged in Outreach Missions During This Conference Year _____ Pittsburgh, PA—The Greater Pitts- burgh A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance, under the dynamic, dedicated leader- ship of the Reverend Taylor Tyrone Thompson, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Pittsburgh (Beltzhoover area), has been actively engaged in the field of outreach missions during this conference year. During their annual worship service held at Park Place A.M.E. Church, Homestead, where the Reverend Dr. Moses Wright, Jr., is pastor, the Rev- erend Fred Wright delivered a moving message which challenged each wor- shiper to “take courage and move for- ward for Christ.” Monies were received for the victims in Jamaica and the Food Voucher Assistance Program. Choirs from St. Mark A.M.E. Church, Wilkinsburg, and Park Place rendered musical selec- tions. The Alliance invited the Reverend Frank Madison Reid, III, of Balti- more, MD, to be guest minister for The 1989 officers of the Greater Pittsburgh A.M.E. Ministerial Alli- ance are Taylor T. Thompson, presi- dent; William Estes, vice president; Donald Owens, Sr., recording secre- tary; Estil Bryant, assistant secretary; David U. Brown, treasurer; Marion Young, Parliamentarian; James Hux, III, chaplain; Moses Wright, Jr., at- large borad member; Robert Taylor, at-large board member, and Charles W. Buckner, at-large board member. Ms. Ruth G. Dalton Director, Public Relations St. Paul A.M.E. Church “Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You” their Annual Founder’s Day worship service, held at St. James A.M.E. Church (East Liberty area), recently. Rev. Fred Wright was the host pastor. N: History is always near at hand at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church of Lira DC, Sure ionetere membership is prized. Mrs. LaVerne Goldman, who was infant-baptized at Metropolitan, is flanked by Mrs. Bertha Salley, a member for 49 years and one of the church’s first deaconesses; and Mrs. Estelle Clarke, Mrs. Goldman’s mother, who has been a member for 53 years. The father, Mr. Walker A. Clark, also joined in 1932. ===== DSC05759.JPG ===== March 6, 1989 STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE With Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries Beautiful Hardbound Black with Gold Trim $18.00 Please add 13% for postage and handling besides being one of the greatest communication packages ever developed. . . it can ¢be given to friends *be divided up ecarried from room to room *clipped *read at leisure and after it has been given to a friend, divided, carried, clipped and read, it can still be used to line garbage can or bird cage, start a fire, pack a box, as a drop cloth, and sometimes even as an umbrella it also can bring inspiration ekeep you informed “connect you with others speak for you because tomorrow a newer, more modern, improved edition will be available The newspaper for the Connectional Church To subscribe, clip insert and mail to- day: AME Christian Recorder A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 500 Eightn Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 The AME Christian Recorder FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C, CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9-12, 1989 WMS Annual Day March 8, 1989 Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church Glebe Road Pembroke East, Bermuda Church Telephone (809) 292-3949 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 292-3949 The Rey. Reginald McRae, Host Pastor The Rey. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rev. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor he Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 398-4437 The Rev. Joseph Brame, Host Pastor The Rey. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone: (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rev. Millard D. Birt, Host Pastor The Rey. W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone: (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rev. Ellis B. Louden, Host Pastor The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E. Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. W. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rey. Harry J. White, Host P.E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 545-3638 The Rev. H. A. Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rev. C. E. Martin, Host P.E. Attend Your Annual Conference ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 27-31, 1989 Grant Chapel A.M.E, Church 316 West Central Avenue Moultrie, Georgia 31768 Church Telephone: (912) 985-2553 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 985-2553 The Rev. J. A. Alexander, Host Pastor SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 3-7, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 308 Rowe Street Dublin, GA 31021 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-9125 The Rey. J. E. Curry, Pastor GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 17-21, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 1526 Wolf Street Brunswick, Georgia 31520 Church Telephone: (912) 264-2734 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 264-0897 The Rev. Richard Q. Ward, Pastor AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 1-5, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 306 Third Avenue Vidalia, GA 30474 Church Telephone: (912) 537-4872 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 537-0782 The Rey. C. O. Adams, Jr., Pastor MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 15-19, 1989 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church 887 Forsyth Street Macon, GA 31208 Church Telephone: (912) 742-4922 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-2351 The Rev. David H. Jackson, Pastor ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 29 - June 2, 1989 St. Phillips A.M.E. Church 242 Candler Road Atlanta, GA 30317 Church Telephone: (404) 371-0749 Pastor’s Telephone: (404) 349-5081 The Rev. George Moore, Sr., Pastor POST CONFERENCE PLANNING MEETING June 15 - 17, 1989 Sixth Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church FOURTEENTH DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE Pm BISHOP JOHN R. BRYANT LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 5-12,1989 Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church Camp Johnson Road Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. J. E. January, Host Pastor The Rev. Thomas Z. Clark, Host P.E. SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 20-26, 1989 New Zion A.M.E. Church Pademba Road Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. P. V. A. Waterson-Coker, H. P. The Rev. P. A. King, Host Presiding Elder The Rey, J. A, Fadehan, H. Pastor & P.E. ial NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 6-12, 1989 Christ A.M.E, Church Oyo State, Nigeria GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 13-March 19, 1989 Lord Healing A.M.E, Church Essikado, Sekondi Ghana The Rev. Anthony Ainoo, Host Pastor Rev. Dr. B. M. Forson, Host P.E. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP V. R. BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rey. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rey. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rev. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27-30, 1989 Bethel_A.M.E, Church __ 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone: 1-809-773-6892 Pastor’s Phone: 1-809-778-9403 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Host Pastor The Rey. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-14, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. J. Green, Host Pastor & P.E. TRINIDAD—GRENADA— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nazareth A.M.E. Church Sunshine Avenue San Juan, Trinidad The Rev. Anderson Burkett, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 17-20, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Host Pastor *Date and Place to be announced ss There Are Tears Of The Heart That Never Reach The Eye ===== DSC05760.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder Girls Smashing Classroom Barriers in the Third World . \ ARE ATER BETHEL Third World classrooms that were once opened only to boys are shared today by girls, as well. Officials of CARE say record numbers of girls are receiving formal educations as governments arm their people with knowledge to help them break out of poverty. These children in southern Haiti receive preschool instruction in a program sponsored by CARE. CARE photo by Rudolph von Bernuth New York, NY—Despite centuries of tradition and religious practices that reserved education in the Third World for boys only, officials report increas- ing numbers of girls are receiving for- mal education. “‘They’re calling it a quiet revolu- tion,’’ says Dr. Beryl Levinger, De- puty Executive Director of CARE, the international relief and development organization, ‘‘but it’s having a dra- matic impact on the role education plays throughout the developing world.”’ Worsening poverty and a growing movement to redress social inequities, according to Levinger, is spurring Third World governments to encour- age the mass enrollment of girls. “Poverty and hunger have reached crisis proportions throughout Africa, Asia and Latin America,’’ Levinger says. Women and children make up the highest percentage of the develop- ing world’s poor and are often stuck at the bottom of the lowest economic strata. Since the number of years a woman attends school has a direct effect on the number of children she will bear, and consequently, the health and well- being of those children, Third World nations are beginning to solve some of their own problems by arming the poor with an education. Government-sponsored campaigns recruiting girls into Third World class- rooms are enhanced by school feeding programs. Millions of malnourished children are receiving hot breakfasts and lunches, often the only nutritious meal of their day. “Relief organizations like CARE,”’ says Levinger, ‘‘have a responsibility to help the recruitment effort by tailoring their activities to meet the needs of women and children.’’ In India alone, the Indian Govern- ment’s Integrated Child Development Services Program reaches more than ten million children with meals and basic information on health and nutri- tion, CARE provides logistical sup- port and training to run the enormous operation. A free meal in school, which fami- lies would otherwise have to provide at home, can also furnish incentive for parents to allow girls who would otherwise be at home gathering fire- wood, grinding grain or taking care of younger brothers and sisters, to attend classes. Says Levinger, ‘‘The impact of the quiet revolution is just beginning to be felt by women and children through- out the developing world. In the fu- ture, it will affect not just the lucky few—but everyone.”’ Black Brotherhood; Focuses on Critical Issue Memphis, TN—Clayborn Ball Temple A.M.E. Church hosted the Black Brotherhood (for the Academic, Spiritual and Moral Betterment of the Black Male), an activity in keeping with the observance of Black History Month. A number of local ministers were participants in the special occasion event, including the host pastor and Assistant Chairman, the Reverend Carl Liggins, who gave the call to worship. Others serving were the Rev- erends R. L. Fidler, Bill Adkins, a local television announcer, and R. M. Walker, Chairman of the Brother- hood, who gave a statement of the pur-’ pose and the history of the movement, which grew out of a men’s session in the New Philadelphia Baptist Church of Memphis. The Reverend Elester Wilkerson, a distinguished dramatist, recited the address of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., entitled “I’ve Been to the Mountain Top,” which was followed by the singing of “We Shall Overcome” by the congregation. Highlight of the meeting was the panel discussion on the topic “What Can Black Men Do to Better Them- selves?” Representing the field of medicine was the Rev. J. Douglas Simon, Chief of chaplains at the MED, who gave statistics of Black vic- tims of violence and the high cost of serving them. Brother Loyal Feather- stone, a young businessman, spoke on the subject of Black business in Mem- phis. Dr. Reuben H. Green, head of the Department of Religion and Philosophy at the LeMoyne Owens College, delivered the address on the education of Black males. The panel discussion was moder- ated by the Reverend T. O'Neal Crivens, member of the LeMoyne Owens faculty. March 6, 1989 Expansion of Bus and Campus Ministry at Greater Bethel Nashville, Tennessee In picture from left to right: Pastor Wilson, Brother William Howard, Jr., Brother Ernest Myers, Sister Virginia E. Cooper, Brother Ted Washington, Sister Thalia Wilson, Sister Sharon Smith, Mrs, Cleverten Wilson, Reverend Marilyn Ramsey and Brother Dave Alex- ander. Not pictured: Sister Lenaye Garrett, Sister Debra Taylor, Sister Diane Mar- tin, Brother Frank Owsley, Sr., and Brother Henry A. Belin, III Since the arrival of Reverend H. L. Wilson, the appointed and appreciated pastor of Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Nash- ville, Tennessee, the congregation has witnessed many new and innovative programs implemented and/or ex- panded. Now in place is a total of nine Out- reach Ministries: Prison, Hospital, Food & Shelter, Children and Youth Church, Alcohol & Substance Abuse, Instructions, In-Service, Senior Citizens, and the Bus & Campus Ministry, the latest to be organized. The recent purchase of a twenty-five- passenger vehicle adds to the number of vehicles already in service providing transportation for college and univer- sity students bringing them to worship service, Mid-week Bible Study and other church-related activities. The new air conditioned mini-bus was dedicated at a special service dur- ing a very special time of the year—a season of giving as we all know it and the church caught the spirit to witness the dedication. The date was the Sunday before Christmas which was an exciting day culminating the anticipation of the ar- rival of the bus. A Dedicatory Service was held on Sunday, December 18 fol- lowing a spiritually filled worship ser- vice the entire congregation moving to the outside for the dedication. The congregation watched with a tremen- dous amount of pride and gratitude as the mini-bus was dedicated to our Outreach Ministries. The members of the Outreach Ministry Committee will serve in special capacities planning ser- vices and programs especially designed for our Youth. The Children and Youth Ministry will certainly benefit from the use of the new vehicle best enabling them to be transported to their many activities. Other useful needs of the vehicle include provision of transportation for our Senior Citi- zens and transporting the Homeless weekly bringing them to our facility from the downtown Mission and re- turning them the following morning. This program is widely supported by the entire congregation fostering the idea of our Founding Father, Richard Allen: sheltering those in need of shel- ter as well as serving the need of the hungry and clothing those who are naked. Under the dynamic and visionary leadership of Pastor Wilson, Greater Bethel is experiencing new spiritual growth and an awakening among the membership a stronger desire to serve. TO GOD BE THE GLORY! Mrs. Virginia E. Cooper Director of Public Relations Greater Bethel Reverend Marguerite S. Henderson Obituary Rev. Marguerite S. Henderson, age 87, died November 27, 1988, in her home in Uniontown, PA. Rev. Henderson was born on November 10, 1901, in Montezuma, GA, a daughter of the late Edward and Annie Kate Sellers. She was the former pastor of Payne A.M.E. Church, where she served for 17 years. She also pastored several other churches in the Fayette County area. She was a life member of the Pittsburgh Conference Branch Women’s Missionary Society, a member of the Luvada Burd Mission- ary Society at Payne, the Connells- ville Ministerial Association, the United Way, the Chamber of Commerce and other civic groups. She also founded the Connellsville Prayer Band. Rev. Henderson was predeceased by her husband, Thomas Henderson; two brothers, Jesse and J. D. Sellers; grandchildren Howard and Marguerite Harris, and her son-in- law, George L. Washington. Surviving are one daughter, Kath- erine V. Washington of Uniontown, PA; four grandchildren, William Washington of Los Angeles, CA, Jerry Washington of Windsor, CT, Geraldine Washington of New York City, NY, and Johnetta Washington of Hartford, CT; three great-grandchil- dren; one great-great-grandchild and other relatives. ——E
• February 20, 1989
  ===== DSC05733.JPG ===== Donald George K. Ming Vol. 138, No. 11 OF Lith AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHL February 20, 1989 Reagan Legacy Leaves Blacks Worse Off, Urban League Says Washington (AP)—The economic gap between Blacks and Whites widened during the Reagan years, the National Urban League said in a report released yesterday. The group said, though, that Presi- dent Bush has shown encouraging signs that he may take steps to im- prove conditions for Black America. “*T expect the Bush White House to be a very different place from the Reagan White House,’’ John E. Jacob, the president of the National Urban League, said. The report, ‘‘The State of Black America, 1989,’’ is the 14th annual as- sessment of Black America by the league, a seventy-eight-year-old or- ganization that conducts research and is an advocate for minorities. The Urban League cited statistics that, it said, show that racial inequali- ty is growing and. that Blacks face in- creasing misery from poverty, crime and drugs. Jacob said Blacks were the only ma- jor ethnic group whose unemployment rate rose during the 1980’s. He said housing segregation increased, and Black life expectancy at birth began to decline. Jacob pointed to the Supreme Court decision on Monday that limited governments in setting aside contracts for minority businesses as the most recent example of a ‘‘de- vastating blow’’ against civil rights ef- forts. The ruling came on a 6-3 vote of the court that has three Ronald Rea- gan appointments. In a summary of economic con- ditions, David H. Swinton, dean of the business school at Jackson State University in Mississippi, wrote that no progress was made during the Rea- gan administration to reduce econom- ic disparities faced by Blacks. “In fact, racial inequality in American life actually increased by many of the standard indicators,’’ he wrote. The report contains a grim assess- ment of the outlook for Black chil- dren of America. Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund wrote that compared with 1980, Black children are more likely to be born into poverty, lack early prenatal care, have a single mother, have an unemployed parent and not go to col- lege than are Whites. Oprah Winfrey May Play Rosa Parks —___ Oprah Winfrey Gary Deeb North America Syndicate Oprah Winfrey, the daytime talk star who recently landed on more than a dozen national magazine covers by losing 67 pounds in a three-month crash diet, soon may portray the seam- stress who triggered the modern civil rights movement when she refused to move to the back of the bus in Mont- gomery, AL, in 1955. The woman is Rosa Parks, who was honored this year for her part in the fight for social equality. Ted Field, the half-brother of Chicago publishing Deaconess Rosa Parks Member of A.M.E. Church in Detroit, MI and real estate magnate Marshall Field V, has purchased the film rights to Parks’ story. In recent years, Field has used his estimated $250 million fortune to bankroll motion pictures and bills himself as “executive producer” of those movies. In any event, the Rosa Parks project is ticketed as a theatrical feature. In addition to Oprah, the producers are hoping to persuade Cybill Shep- herd to co-star as Rosa’s White friend who stood by her during the racial controversy. CH “~ PRICE: 50 CE 4 Christmas All the Year Through With Bishop and Mrs. Ming 6 South Heads Nation in Public School Corporal Punishment 7 ITC/Candier to Become Mission Resources Center for United Methodist Church 8 Dr, Martin L. King, Jr, in Reflections 12 A Reflection of Bishop Talbot 12 Parham Honored by the State of Georgia 13 A Raisin in the Sun 15 Prime Causes of Homelessness Pearl Street A.M.E. Church, 2519 Robinson Street, Jackson, MS. Pearl Street Still Pearl Street Pearl Street A.M.E. Church, Jackson, Mississippi’s oldest A.M.E. congregation, has moved to a new location, at the corner of Ellis and Robinson Street in that city. Under the spiritual leadership of the Reverend Johnny Barbour, Jr., the members now have an ultra modern building that accommodates all the needs of the church. It is appraised at $1,250,000. The approximately 7,000 square foot sanctuary seats 600, and the choir loft has a seating capacity of 50. The sanctuary features a 55 candle-light chandelier that accents the tone of the complete worship service. It dims to near darkness and lights to more than 125,000 kilowatts. The beautiful chan- delier hangs at an apex over the spa- cious sanctuary. The church has a three-manual Rogers Electronic Organ and a Mason & Hamlin Grand Piano. There is also a sound and re- cording room with built in taping cap- abilities. In addition to the breathtaking sanctuary toned in blue, the church features a fully stocked library with religious and general educational books, a music library, and choral rehearsal halls, a conference room, three Sunday School suites, a fully in- stitutional kitchen, business offices for the pastor and clerical assistants of the Continued on page 4 Desmond Tutu to Be Honored __ Desmond M. Tutu, the Anglican Archbishop of Capetown, South Africa, who received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for his “courageous and fearless” stand against apartheid, will accept the 26th annual George Brussel, Jr., Memorial Award of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue in Manhattan. In announcing the award and Bishop Tutu’s acceptance of the syna- gogue’s invitation to receive it in person, Rabbi Balfour Brickner, spiritual leader of the Reform Jewish congregation, said the Black leader had been chosen “as one who has con- sistently fought for the abolition of apartheid and for the entire spectrum of civil and human rights for all peoples. “To all of us, Bishop Tutu is the per- sonification of the spiritual man who pursues justice with mercy and cour- age,” Rabbi Brickner said. The award will be in the form of a shofar, the traditional ram’s horn sounded on the Jewish New Year alarm in times of danger. It marks the first time Bishop Tutu has been honored by a Jewish religious insti- tution, Rabbi Brickner said. In response to the presentation, the Nobel laureate delivered an address on the anti-apartheid struggle. The citation accompanying Arch- bishop Tutu’s Nobel Peace Prize de- clares, in part: “Although he has never learned to hate, no one has opposed injustice with a more burning anger.” Bishop Tutu, the Nobel Prize Committee said, is “a unifying symbol for all groups of freedom campaigners in Africa regardless of the danger to his own life.” Please turn to page 7 —e———— SSS. / A# 4530 NORRIS ST PA F RICHARD DR BARRINGER 1135 PHILADELPHIA ===== DSC05734.JPG ===== | The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 Black History Interrogative (Part I): What’s in a Name? Carter Goodwin Woodson (1875- 1950), the historian, is the ‘‘Father of Modern Negro Historiography.’’ He is called the father of the National Black History Week observance, first called National Negro History Week, currently celebrated annually during the whole month of February and re- ferred to as Black History Month. Woodson was born in New Canton, Virginia. He attended Berea College in Kentucky and the University of Chica- go, where he earned the Bachelor of Arts degree in 1907, and the Master of Arts degree in 1908. He then attended Harvard University and, in 1912, was awarded the Doctor of Philosophy degree. Doctor Woodson also studied at the Sorbonne in Paris, France. He, for a while, served as an elementary school teacher, high school principal, college professor and dean of the col- lege of liberal arts at both Howard University and West Virginia State Col- lege. In 1922, he retired from all other vocations to devote his time to research and writing. In 1921, Dr. Woodson organized the Associated Publishers to make available books about Negroes, which were rarely accepted by the White commercial publishers of America. He, through this association, gave birth to the observance and celebration of ‘‘BLACK HISTORY WEEK,”’’ now “BLACK HISTORY MONTH.”’’ By 1965, Dr. Woodson’s contention that the Negro had a past worthy of study had been adopted by the leading institu- tions and scholars of America, and they were developing programs to fill the long neglected gap in their versions of the history of mankind. That was precisely what Dr. Woodson was doing when he organized the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in Chicago in 1915. Richard Allen (1760-1831) was born a slave on February 14, 1760. In the year of 1816, he became the first Negro bishop in America, forty-nine years before the Civil War ended in 1865. Richard Allen, on November 4, 1787, with a few other Black worshipers at St. George Methodist Church in Phila- delphia, walked out in protest of racism that was practiced in the church worship service. Richard Allen organized the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Its first church, Bethel of Philadelphia, was dedicated in 1794 and incorporated a year later. In 1798, Richard Allen started a school for Black children at the Bethel Church. The A.M.E. Church is not only a living entity but, also, a historical monu- ment on the American scene. It stands as a symbol for the equality of mankind, recognizing the dignity and worth of the human personality. Allen, who founded the A.M.E. Church, did so on a socio-philosophical premise. The denomination’s credo, ‘‘God our Father; Christ our Redeemer; Man our Brother, not only included the theology of the White Methodist Episcopal Church, but spelled out anew what real, full Christianity is all about. This creedal thought considered all persons equal in the sight of God. This Black History Month interrogative editorial Part II again asks, “‘What’s in a Name?’’ Let us continue the roll call of names: Frederick A. ROBERT H. REID, JR. THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr. Jacquelyn Grant, Women’s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese dD. B Jamison, Laymen's Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev. Frederick C Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr, Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor; Dr. William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr. Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. _M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from Its readers on matters of cera itaree All letters must be signed and contain the address of the app The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or rel ler letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space re- quirements. Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.E. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Douglass (1817-1895), who escaped from slavery in 1838, went on to establish, edit and publish the North Star, a Black abolitionist newspaper. Besides being an abolitionist, he was involved in business and politics. In 1874, he was elected president of the Freedmen’s Bank and Trust Company. William E. B. DuBois (1868-1963), civil rights leader, founded the Niagara Movement in 1905. Its members, a group of young Black intellectuals, demanded absolute equality with Whites. Dr. DuBois, in his book The Souls of Black Folk, said he ‘‘wished only to be both a Negro and an American, without being cursed and spit upon by his fellows, and without having the doors of opportunity closed in his face. He was co-founder of the NAACP and organized the first Pan African Congress of 1919. James Weldon Johnson (1871-1938), the well-known author of the Negro National Anthem, ‘‘Lift Every Voice and Sing,’”? wrote The Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man, published in 1912, and his personal autobiography, Along This Way, in 1933. His dramatic version of ‘‘The Creation’’ is still a favorite and frequently performed to this day. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929-1968), civil rights leader and major leader of the freedom movement of the 1960’s, has been honored by having January 15, his birthday, as a national holiday in America. On January 28, 1986, Ronald E. McNair, a Black astronaut, died on the space shuttle Challenger with all of the crew members on that fatal mission. Alonzo F. Herndon, born a slave in 1862, founded the Atlanta Life In- surance Company, the largest Black company in America. Arturo Alfonso Schomburg, born in Puerto Rico in 1874, because he wanted to promote all aspects of Black history, established a research library during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920’s. New York’s Schomburg Center for Research houses more than one hundred thousand volumes, eighty thousand microforms and twelve thousand sound recordings. Crispus Attucks, a Black sailor who had escaped slavery, was the first kill- ed in the celebrated Boston Massacre of 1770. He and other American patriots were shot by the British at the old Custom House on King Street. Charles Houston, in 1919, became the first Black to be admitted to Harvard Law School. He graduated in the top five percent of his class and was elected to the Law Review. The 1989 February Ebony magazine’s experts listed, with pictures, fifty Black women and men who made indispensable contributions. They called them the most important figures in Black American history. Their eleven women were listed in our editorial two weeks ago. Their list of thirty-nine men are: Frederick Douglass, W. E. B. DuBois, Martin Luther King, Jr., Robert S. Abbott, Richard Allen, Louis Armstrong, James Baldwin, Ben- jamin Banneker, Ralph J. Bunche, George Washington Carver, Martin R. Delany, Charles R. Drew, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Edward Kennedy Ell- ington, Marcus Garvey, Prince Hall, W. C. Handy, Charles Houston, Langston Hughes, Jack Johnson, James Weldon Johnson, Ernest E. Just, Joe Louis, Malcolm X, Benjamin E. Mays, Jesse Owens, Adams Clayton Powell, Jr., A. Philip Randolph, Paul Robeson, Jackie Robinson, Howard Thurman, William Monroe, Henry McNeal Turner, Nat Turner, David Walker, Booker T. Washington, Daniel Hale Williams, Carter G. Wood- son, and Richard Wright. These two exciting February editorials for 1989 have dealt in only a small measure with Black American history. I have barely scratched the surface of contributions to American life by Blacks; however, let me strongly en- courage you to do some serious study on Black American history. I would also like to challenge you to do some very serious study and research on world Black history that existed long before America was discovered. I will be very pleased if you will share that research with the Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder. EDUCATION IS THE KEY, PREPARATION IS THE ANSWER FOR THE FUTURE SUBSCRIBE? to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or more A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB $00 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 3720}-4181 der purwatvie Name as Address. City/State: Zip ae heme eee eee mee eee eS ===== DSC05735.JPG ===== February 20, 1989 The AME. Christian Recorder Blacks and the Constitution to Air Nationally Eddie N. Williams and Dr. John Hope Franklin Black History Month to Feature Nationwide Radio Broadcasts on Role of African-Americans in Shaping U.S. Constitution More Than 200 Radio Stations to Present Series of Eight, Half-Hour Broadcasts New York, NY—In commemoration of Black History Month, more than 200 radio stations nationwide will broadcast eight half-hour programs entitled, “Afro-Americans and the Evolution of a Living Constitution,” during the month of February. These broadcasts will feature some of the nation’s foremost Constitu- tional analysts and policy experts. They will also examine the role of Afro-Americans in shaping the Constitution through their struggle for racial equality and full citizenship. Dr. John Hope Franklin, Professor of Legal History, Duke University School of Law, makes the point in one broadcast that the rights proclaimed by the Constitution were not originally meant for Blacks. He said the framers of the Constitution brought “a century and a half exper-ience with slavery and a similar period of discrimination against Blacks who were not slaves.” In another broadcast, Judge A. Leon Higginbotham, Jr., of the U.S. Court of Appeals, Philadelphia, PA, “reported” on a fictional conversation in heaven in which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gives Thomas Jefferson a Black perspective on the Constitution. Eddie N. Williams, president, Joint Center for Political Studies, is the moderator of the special broadcasts. Other analysts include: Dr. Mary Frances Berry, member of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights; U.S. Representative George Crockett (D- MI); A. E. Dick Howard, Professor of Law, University of Virginia Law School; Frank R. Parker, president, Lawyers’ Committee on Civil Rights Under Law; the late Wiley Branton, former dean of the Howard Univer- sity Law School, and David J. Garrow, professor, Political Science Department, City College of New York and winner ofa Pulitzer prize for the book, Bearing the Cross: Martin Luther King, Jr., and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (1987). “We at Philip Morris were pleased to support the symposium as a serious and important assessment of the Con- stitution and also to underwrite the radio broadcasts,” said George L. Knox, III, staff vice president, Public Affairs. Knox said: “The radio series will make the essential points of this im- portant symposium available to many more people. We feel that for this to be a living Constitution requires the understanding and interest of all Americans if it is to provide for the common good.” The radio broadcasts were pro- duced by Radio America in coopera- tion with the Joint Center and the Smithsonian Institute. This radio series was edited from last year’s historic two-day seminar sponsored by the Joint Center and the Smithsonian Institute on “Afro- Americans and the Evolution of a Living Constitution.” Persons wanting schedules for these broadcasts should contact their local stations or call Radio America, (202) 488-7122. Israel and Kenya Re-Establish Relations ___ Washington, DC—The Israeli flag was raised at the Israeli Embassy in Nairobi, thus re-establishing diplo- matic relations between Israel and Kenya. Kenya is the sixth African nation to restore diplomatic relations with Israel after most African countries severed their ties with Israel following the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Kenya was preceded by Zaire in 1983, Liberia in 1983, Ivory Coast and Cameroon in 1986, and Togo in 1987. Three coun- tries which did not break relations with Israel in 1973 are Malawi, Swazi- land and Lesotho. With the restoration of relations with Kenya, the number of African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Israel amount to ten, including Egypt. Israel has always had a strong and meaningful relationship with Black Africa. Technical cooperation with Black Africa continued throughout the years despite the lack of formal relations. The extensive cooperation between Israel and Black African nations is exemplified by a 1987 pro- ject in which 425 trainees from 24 Black African countries were trained in Israel in such areas of development as agriculture, health, and education. Israel welcomes the renewal of diplomatic ties with Kenya, one of the leading African nations, and hopes that others will follow Kenya’s example. Normal relations with coun- tries can only strengthen the peace process in the Middle East and the relationship between Black Africa and Israel. “Retooling for the Third Century” Northwest Texas District Holds Planning Meeting ____ Big Spring, TX—Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church, pastored by the Rey. Billy Shavers, was the site of the Northwest Texas District Planning Meeting. Presiding Elder I, C. Cooper, Jr,, the district’s highly com- petent, creative and caring leader, took charge in his customary efficient manner, The Lay Organization of the North- west Texas District, of which Mr. Worthy T. Gilbert, Jr., is president, is to be commended for the highly spi- rited devotion service that set in mo- tion the opening session. Bro. O. B. Williams offered a prayer. Also parti- cipating in the preliminary services were Mrs. Fannie Burnett and Mr. Gilbert, as well as the congregated body. With all of the poise and dignity of an African Methodist presiding elder, Rev. Cooper initiated the business ses- sion of the planning meeting, with re- flections upon the past conference year. He then lifted and inspired the congregation as he offered the cri- terion that should enable them to fol- low competent leadership as they seek to ‘‘Retool for the Third Century.’ The business session was a delightful experience, with 99 percent of the pastors and ministers of the district answering the roll call each sealing acknowledgement of his/her presence with a Biblical quote. Major issues and events that were incorporated into the business agenda of the planning meeting were: I. Organization of District (offi- cers) II. District Conference Schedul- ing: Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Church, Odessa, TX, Rev. W. T. Wright, pastor, March 23- 24, 1989. III. Sunday School Convention Scheduled: St. Paul A.M.E. Church, San Angelo, TX, Rev. E. L. Wright, pastor, June 15- 16, 1989. Special Guest: Dr. Edgar L. Mack, Secretary- Treasurer, Dept. of Christian Education of the A.M.E. Church. IV. Election of persons to serve on committees in support of Bis- hops Council, scheduled June 19-22, 1989, Houston, TX. V. Of Particular Interest: The se- lection of small congregations on the District, where all other charges will be invited to meet Bishop and Mrs. J. Haskell Mayo for a church ‘Renova- tion and Renewal’ project. Selected site: Bethel A.M.E. Church, Sweetwater, TX, Rev. M. L, Goffney, pastor. Tenta- tive date; April, 1989, .A mini ‘‘How-To”’ seminar of proper voting procedure. VII. Distribution and discussion of: Guidelines and Fiscal Policies of Tenth Episcopal District; Proposed Budget 1988-92, Tenth Episcopal District; An- nual Conference Schedule 1989, VIII. Presentation by Rev. E. L, Wright, Dean/Director of Christian Education Dept. of N.W. Texas District, empha- sizing the enlistment of all per- sons in the life and work of the African Methodist Episco- pal Church. A highlight of the planning meeting was the noonday ‘‘Hour of Power’’ when Presiding Elder Cooper gra- ciously presented Rev. Richard Green, pastor of Sherman Chapel, Vernon, Texas, to bring the noonday message. His announced subject, ‘‘If We Pray, Something Is Bound to Happen,’’ was conceived from the text found in the Gospel according to St. Matthew 22:18 and Romans 12:1. The preacher cautioned us to continue to pray so that we will no longer be conformed to this world, but we will be transformed by the renewal of our hearts and minds. Immediately following lunch, the Lay Organization convened in a brief business session with President Gil- bert in charge. The agenda included the election of delegates to the Lay Bi- ennial to be held August, 1989, in Bir- mingham, AL. Five delegates and their alternates were elected. In conclusion, ‘‘As we ‘Retool for the Third Century’ of service, it is not enough for us to pay lip service to the past, or to give praise to the present,’” admonished Presiding Elder Cooper. He said it will require bold systematic and concentrated planning in order for our Zion to fulfill its task of ‘‘King- dom Building.’’ With this thought in mind, the pre- siding elder and pastors, who have been called to take their positions among the others of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, can well attest to the words of Paul: ‘‘Take heed unto thyself, and to all the flock in which the Holy Ghost hath made you an overseer.’’ As A.M.E. Lay- men, our prayer is ‘‘Blessed Holy Ghost, help us in the work of over- seeing that portion of the church com- mitted to us.” Vv Ms. Ellen G. Smith, Associate Reporter Quarterly Conference Held at St. James A.M.E. Church in Auburndale, Florida ___ The Conference was called to order by Presiding Elder Leroy Kennon. Marshalls appointed by Elder Ken- non were, Cedric Green, Cordell Howard, Milton Davis and Craig Jef- ferson. Secretary, Phyllis Grant, received successful reports from all clubs and organizations. They were approved by Elder Kennon. Hymn ‘‘Since Jesus Came Into My Heart,’’ was sung by the choir, and re- marks were made by Rev. McFadden. All matters of business were carried out spiritually. Twenty-one new members joined St. James within the past six months. We, the church family of St. James, extend a ‘‘Jesus Filled Welcome’’ to Presiding Elder and Mrs. Kennon and daughter Lisa. We’re looking forward to a year of great accomplishments, praise, and worship in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Elder Kennon visited our Sunday School also Morning Worship and preached a dynammic sermon, “In Remembrance of Me,”’’ allowing the Holy Spirit to dwell deep within. All praises to God! ———EEEE ===== DSC05736.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 CHRISTMAS AT TUNICA Wig Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming Presiding Bishop Mrs. Edith W. Ming Episcopal Supervisor by Eloria Newell Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Heidelberg, Mississippi “For I was hungry, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me...”’ —Matthew 25:35-36 Tunica, MS—That was the actions of members of the Eighth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who did not forget Christ nor their brothers and sisters during the Christmas holidays. Officials and other members of the Eighth District had ‘‘Christmas at Tunica’’ for the third time this year. That’s because the ‘‘Christmas at Tunica’ project has become an an- nual event of the Women’s Mis- sionary Society of the Eighth District, which first sponsored the program in 1986 when Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming and his wife, Mrs. Edith White Ming, supervisors of the energetic and exciting Eighth District, saw the need of the people in Tunica, Mississippi and reached out to help. The condition of the people of this small town near the Tennessee line was brought to the attention of people throughout the United States about five years ago when Tunica County was declared the poorest county in the nation. Television networks across the country depicted the condition of the people of Tunica, Mississippi, which includes the suburb of what they call- ed ‘‘Sugar Ditch’’—where residents of the northern Mississippi county had to do without clothing, running water or bathroom facilities. It was at this time Bishop Ming and Mrs. Ming, supervisor of the energetic and exciting Eighth District W.M.S., saw the need of the people of Tunica, Mississippi, and reached out to help. It was three years ago that the hus- band and wife team, along with many missionaries from throughout the dis- trict, began cleaning out closets and pantries gathering clothes and food to carry to the people in Tunica; and from those efforts the ‘‘Christmas at Tunica’ project has become an an- nual event of the Women’s Mission- ary Society of the Eighth District and missionaries from Louisiana and Mississippi—along with fellow mis- sionaries from neighboring districts— gather in the small Delta town once a year to give out a little Christmas cheer to those who are less fortunate than they are. Bishop Ming, who is the immediate past president of the A.M.E.’s Com- mission on Missions, and Mrs. Ming, who is also the president of the World Federation and Methodist Women and vice president of the World Coun- cil of Methodist Women, presided over the festivities of the day and de- monstrated to the people of Tunica that they were not forgotten. The day of activities began with a morning parade down the streets of Tunica, Mississippi, in which indi- viduals from various churches in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Tennessee participated in, followed by church services at the community center and climaxed with the passing out of food and clothing. Dr. Rosa McCloud Baxter, the con- nectional director of the Young Peo- ple’s Division of the A.M.E. Church, was the featured speaker of the oc- casion where she also reminded every- one the importance of Jesus’ birth and emphasized some of the duties of Christians. Baxter, who spoke from Philippians 4, said Christians should rejoice in the Lord and be happy for the blessings he has bestowed upon us. Following the Christmas Mission Witness Service, highlighted with Christmas carols, episcopal and dis- trict missionary officials (assisted by workers of the recently-established Eighth’s Tunica Outreach Center) dis- tributed those gifts and items brought to help make Christmas a joyous time for the residents of Tunica. Many of the residents who turned out on the cool December day not only received canned food and clothing, but some also received toys and games, money and a turkey—and throughout the day those in atten- dance of the various activities were re- minded that the real meaning of Christmas is Christ. THE MINGS’ MISSION Bishop and Mrs. Donald George Kenneth Ming of the Exciting, Ener- getic, Eighth Episcopal District are moving forward; dedicated to fulfill- ing their mission. Together, they chal- lenge the members of the Eighth Dis- trict to become more aware of their responsibilities to be partners; to be- come co-workers; to be servants in helping to bring the message of Chris- tian liberation to all peoples. He said we must rededicate and recommit our- selves to Christ. Bishop Ming urges us to begin to reseed our fields of ministry and mis- sion for the third century of service for our great Zion. ‘*Let us not be weary in our well-doing for tomorrow we shall reap if we faint not.’” Mrs. G. G. Newell, C. B. President East Mississippi Conference Directions to Heaven Gurn Right and @o Straight Continued from Page 1 Pearl Street Still Pearl Street Rey. Barbour and Bishop Ming standing on the side of Pearl Street A.M.E. Church. church, and her own _ pre-school department. The church also has a huge fellowship hall that serves as a meeting place for church conferences and special dinners, as well as a meet- ing place for many community organizations. The overall structure of the church has a total of 28,000 square feet of floor space, with 50 rooms. The parking is divided into two parking lots, North and South, witha total parking capacity of 150 auto- mobiles. The facility also boasts of its own Scout Hut for scouting programs sponsored by the church. Reverend Barbour is pleased to have celebrated the first-year anniver- sary of the church at its new location. He often says, “The Lord has done At the AMEC Publishing House, ask and you shall receive. In fact, you'll receive a very attractive book and the best Daily Devotional Guide that is on the market today. The Silent Moment is a miracle! It gives you daily moments of inspiration and strength for the day. It is Name Church Guest Subscription Address City State Phone He 500 Eighth Avenue, South ~ a The Conscious Mind Can Make Choices The Conscious Mind With God’s Help Can Make MIRACLES! The Silent Moment IT’S A MIRACLE Price $1.25 per quarter or $6.25 per year. You have been praying for a MIRACLE, The Silent Moment is one. Yes! |'m interested in a ‘‘MIRACLE"’ in my life. Please send me The Silent Moment right away. PLEASE ADD 13 PERCENT POSTAGE AND HANDLING — MAIL TO The Silent Moment AMEC PUBLISHING HOUSE Nashville, Tennessee ay. great things for us; whereof we are glad.” The officers and members are grateful to Bishop Donald G. K. Ming for appointing Reverend Barbour pastor of Pearl Street A.M.E. Church. The church is very active in out- reach ministry in the community, with youth and senior citizens as a major focus. The pastor and the Pearl Street congregation invite you to worship at Pearl Street, “Mississippi’s Cathedral of African Methodism,” and witness that Pearl Street is still Pearl Street. It is, indeed, the church where “Friends Meet Friends, and Sinners Meet Christ.” Phyllis Qualls-Brooks Director, Public Relations —A. Lee Henderson Biblically based! It is written for the young and also for adults. Reading The Silent Mo- ment not only enriches your day. It can enrich your weekly Bible Study, too—especially when you're studying AMEC’s Sunday School material. yf) ae ne ===== DSC05737.JPG ===== February 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Florida-Lakeland District of the A.M.E. Church HOLDS PLANNING COUNCIL Pastors, Ministers, Evangelists, District Stewards, Missionaries, Sun- day School Superintendents, and many Laypersons yielded to the call of newly appointed Presiding Elder Leroy Kennon to attend the first Plan- ning Council Saturday, November 26, 1988, at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Mulberry, Florida, where Rev. J. L. Gay is pastor. It was a spirit-filled, action-packed meeting. Presiding El- der Kennon provided a well-organized agenda that was challenging, spiritual and intellectually stimulating. The Lakeland District theme is: ‘Finding, Folding, and Feeding’’ complementing the Episcopal theme: “‘Winning, Teaching, and Keeping.’’ The meeting began with Worship Service at 9:45 AM with Rev. Jimmy Thompson, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lakeland, Florida, presiding. The host church choir provided music. Other participants were Reverends J. L. Gay, R. Heastie, C. Wilcher, M. Bouie, J. Crews and V. Fayson. Rev. John N. Butler, Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Plant City, Florida, pre- sented Presiding Elder Kennon who presented the speaker of the hour, Rev. T. P. King, pastor of Mt. Plea- sant A.M.E. Church, Lakeland, Florida. The Holy Ghost descended upon the meeting as Rev. King pro- claimed God’s word from I Cor. 13:1-5, 9-13 vs. Subject: ‘‘Calm Words For A Hurting Church.’”’ A wave of spiritual fervor swept throughout the crowd as he delivered a soul-stirring message. The Reverends J. Thompson, L. Kerney, C. Rawls, J. Rosier, N. McFadden, J. C. Gordon, A. Oliver, and A. Trudell presided over council obligations and gifts. The business session began with roll call of Pastors, Ministers, Evange- lists, District Stewards, and Sunday School Superintendents. Organization of the district followed with Presiding Elder Kennon presiding. Those elected and appointed to serve were as fol- lows: Rev. Jimmy L. Thompson Dean of Institute Rev. Michael Bouie Assistant Dean and District Sec- Mr. James Honors President Lay Organization Mrs. Luci Longworth YPD Mrs. EmmaRhaye Mitchell Director Youth Activities Mrs. Esther Snowden Musician Mrs. Jonnye Charlow District Reporter Rev. James Rosier District Evangelist Areas on the agenda for discussion included: Episcopal and Connectional Obligations; District Concerns, which included immediate and long-range goals; Church Growth—Evangelism, covering Seminars, Workshops, Cru- sades for Christ, Church Planting (ex- pansion), membership and Recruiting; Stewardship—Tithing, Offerings; EWC; and District Banquet, Mrs. Peggy Cooper, Chairperson. After a palatable lunch, catered by host church, the work session began. Committees were informed involving all council participants. After de- liberating, reports were given, re- ceived and adopted by the body. The receptive and cooperative spirit of the group reflected a sense of confidence, commitment, and readiness, for wit- ness and service to the church on the local, district, and Episcopal levels. Presiding Elder Kennon emphasized the importance and necessity of total involvement of ministers and layper- sons alike in order to make the Lakeland District second to none. He further stated that he expects total commitment and accountability, and will aggressively pursue these endea- vors aS we move onward and upward. Plans were made for the District Conference to be held February 22-24, 1989, in Plant City, (Bealsville) at Mt. Olive, Rev. C. Wilcher, pastor. The Lakeland District takes great pride in the innovative leadership ex- emplified by Presiding Elder Kennon and his lovely wife and first lady, Mrs. Vida Kennon, and thanks Bishop Cou- sin for sending them to this district. At the wrap-up and closing, several ministers and laypersons stood up to say that this was one of the best Dis- trict Councils ever held. \LLOF THE WOMEN OFTHE BIBLE Please send me copies of All the Women of the Bible, En- closed is paymment in the amount of ey» plus 13% postage and handling. Name __ Church _ Address City State Zip Phone AMEC Publishing House 500 Eighth Avenue, South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 This is the first comprehensive book ever written on all the women of the Bible, flavored with the color and drama of the original stories. Mrs. Deen’s comments on these women, their influence, and their times, gives the book a quality that is as constructive as it is entertaining. RA-601000 (Paperback) (Please add 13% postage and handling). REASON F OR BEIN. G AND OTHER MESSAGES OF FAITH From an AFRO-AMERICAN MINISTER by WILLIAM WEBSTER EASLEY, JR. PASTOR Historic ST. JOSEPH’S African Methodist Episcopal Church Durham, North Carolina (A participant in the struggles for human dignity during the 60’s, now speaks at age 42 through messages delivered in pulpits across the nation after 25 years of experience as an aie) clergyman). Only $4.95 Please Add 13% Postage & Handling Address. City State. Zip. No. REASON FOR BEING AMEC PUBLISHING HOUSE, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203 FOE AA AE A A A EK AE A EK CE KK KK KK KKK KK retary Everyone departed with an uplifted % Be Properly In formed! * Mr. Jack Johnson spirit and a sincere feeling that the * Sunday School Superintendent best is yet to come! 8 BECOMING A MINISTER Mrs. Wilemena Spires x President ACE Fellowship ee ee in the African Methodist Episcopal Church s JOHN HURST ADAMS, Presiding Bishop * Second Episcopal District Board of Examiners ey Walter Hildebrand, Chairman — Maurice Wilson, Editor 4% All persons entering our ministry need to know % what they should do. Assumptions have left large %€ gaps in the training, support, and development of aspiring young clergypersons. ty) E This book addresses the concerns by making FOLLOWED clear the standards, expectations, process, mutual DIS responsibility, and resources on becoming an Or- errr % dained Minister in the African Methodist Episcopal % Church; it also deals with the concern of how the %€ African Methodist Episcopal Church relates to and He Followed His Star A Pen Portrait of the Life, Personality and Chief Exploits RRR KA of WILLIAM ALFRED FOUNTAIN, SR. RIK OC . works with the candidates for ordained ministry, as LEANDER HILL well as evaluating the candidatens By CHARLES * LY $4. 50 Sermiiie: A eeee copies foi nebee au deee ae of HE FOLLOWED HIS STAR & Rush your order to: % $4.95 x A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION % Only é ‘4 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 cd * PLEASE SEND BOOKS ON BECOMING A MINISTER “i Name * Hi % NAME Hi Address % (1 ADDRESS City State ¥ Send to: A.M. E. C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION % CITY/STATE/ZIP ¥ er Sis evetite, Outs os ah ne -iblinsepebaie See Amount enclosed Please add 13 Percent Postage & Handling Ps ee a esctes RR I I IIIA AAR AAA A A AR ===== DSC05738.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 1989 “McDonald’s Black History M Oak Brook, IL—The McDonald's Corporation held a leadership confer- ence for ten high school students named 1989 “McDonald's Black History Makers of Tomorrow.” The students were selected last February from a national pool of 1,400 juniors on the basis of character, leadership, scholarship, and through their partici- pation in an essay contest. One of the conference activities was meeting with Acting Chicago Mayor Eugene Sawyer. He was presented with a Plaque and a copy of Barbara Reynold’s book, And Still We Rise. Ms. Reynolds is the Inquiry page editor of USA Today. She was one of several conference speakers. The present met with the future when some of the country’s top Black leaders—current history makers— joined ten Black high school stu- dents—future history makers—for a McDonald’s Leadership Conference, which fostered discussion on the future of America and the role these young leaders will play. The students, named 1989 “McDonald’s Black History Makers of Tomorrow,” as part of the com- pany’s observance of Black History Month last February. The Leadership Conference, at McDonald's Hamburger University in Oak Brook, IL, was the concluding event in the 1989 “McDonald’s Black History Makers of Tomorrow” program, and provided the ten students the chance to interact with some of the country’s current Black business and political leaders, The ten students chosen as “McDonald's Black History Makers of Tomorrow” offered keen perspec- tives and vision into some of the prob- lems facing our country as well as a personal commitment to help cure them,” said Edward H. Rensi, McDonald’s president and chief operating officer. “Fortunately, if these students are a reflection of their generation, many of the challenges ahead will be met and conquered.” Participants in the conference in- cluded Vernon Jordan, former president of the National Urban League; Barbara Reynolds, USA Today editor and author of the book, And Still We Rise; nationally known motivational speaker Patricia Russell- McCloud; Thomas Burrell, chairman and founder of Burrell Advertising, the country’s largest minority-owned advertising agency; and Robert South Leads Nation in Public School Corporal Punishment Southern states lead the nation in corporal punishment of public school students, according to a report pre- pared by the National Coalition of Ad- vocates for Students (NCAS). The ten states where corporal pun- ishment is most often used in public schools are: Arkansas (1), Mississippi (2), Alabama (3), Tennessee (4), Okla- homa (5), Georgia (6), Texas (7), Florida (8), South Carolina (9), and Louisiana (10). Corporal punishment in public school is prohibited in ten states: Hawaii, Maine, Massachusetss, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Wisconsin, Washington, and the District of Columbia. Legislation to prohibit cor- poral punishment is pending in seven states: Arkansas, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Washington. The NCAS report is based on data collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR). OCR conducts a bi-annual survey of public secondary schools on school discipline and special educa- tion referrals. “Corporal punishment has no place in school,” said NCAS Executive Director Joan First. “It blames the student without considering how the behavior of teachers and staff may be contributing to classroom disruptions and it is not administered equitably.” “Physical punishment may tem- porarily interrupt undesirable be- havior.” First continued, “but there is no research indicating any perma- nent positive effect. It doesn’t help students develop self-discipline and it discourages teachers from closely examining their own behavior. When corporal punishment is administered by an adult who lacks an affectionate bond with the child,” First continued, “it can result in injury. If parents punished children to the same degree as some schools do, they would be charged with child abuse.” The report finds that Black public school students suffer more than twice the corporal punishment as do their White counterparts. Blacks account for 16% of the U.S. public school population while receiving 31% of corporal punishment. White students make up 70% of the school population, but receive 60% of corporal punishment. Because male students account for 80% of corporal punishment incidents and 70% of school suspensions, Black male students are most at risk for disci- plinary action. NCAS suggests that schools wishing to lower overall corporal punishment rates while lowering racial disparity in these rates can try the following: (a) the school principal, in the role of instructional leader, should share current research with teachers which concludes that corporal punishment is not an effective way to discipline students; (b) the school principal should make it clear to teachers that all corporal punishment will be delivered in the presence of another adult and will be reported to the school administrator; similar approaches are already re- quired by law in many states where corporal punishment is allowed; (c) datashould be collected at both district and school site levels by race, ethnicity, gender, and handicapping conditions; data should be disaggre- gated to offer a clear picture of the use of corporal punishment at each school site; data should be publicized to par- ents and the community; (d) incidents of corporal punish- ment should be noted in the records of both teachers and students; a review of this information should be part of a teacher’s evaluation; teachers should be provided with training to strength- en their classroom management skills so that they will not have to resort to the raw use of authority. The Bread of Life Is Never Stale akers of Tomorrow” L-R: Samuel Jones, Detroit, MI; Marc Chennault, Oak Park, MI; Rudo Benjamin, Oakland, CA; Mike Gordon, McDonald’s director of public relations; Felicia Patterson, Jackson, MS; Barbara Reynolds, USA Today; Acting Mayor Sawyer; Wilbert Pryor, Birmingham, AL; Julie Appiah, Columbia, SC; Nicole Petite, Pittsburgh, PA; Tiara Register, Rockville Centre, NY; Craig Sutton, Norwalk, CT; and Shawn Young, Kansas City, KS. Beavers, a McDonald’s senior vice president and member of the corporation’s board of directors. The highlight of the conference was a business roundtable discussion. The roundtable may be the only forum of its kind to bring together present and future Black leaders for constructive ry (Re Henderson This book is at unnecessary stress. defeat!” God’s salvation. Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP Only *G** The Book everyone is looking for! 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At last preachers and psychologists join hands to snatch the faint- ing psyche back from the edge of abyss of pain and worry, and to restore it to the joy of Cecil L. Murray, Ph.D., Th.D. Senior Pastor First African Methodist Episcopal Church Los Angeles. California Best Sellen vera Only $6. 95 dialogue and critical investigation about Black business development. Moderating the roundtable was Juan Williams, Washington Post magazine writer and author of the book, Eyes on the Prize: America’s Civil Rights Years, 1954-1965. Eve Blake Screenplay writer and author (Lee Publishing) Kenneth Robinson, M.D. Vanderbilt University of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee i PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP 1 H Send Check or Money Order Payable to: H H A. Lee Henderson H t PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER!= PSP ' H 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 H 1 NAME i i ADDRESS i § CITY/STATE/ZIP eee i ——— ee 8885858588660 Ee ===== DSC05739.JPG ===== February 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder ‘‘T Just Ran Scared... It Was Fear of the Unknown’’ George Allen Gainesville, FL—When George Allen entered the University of Florida Col- lege of Law in 1960, he knew law school wasn’t going to be easy—espe- cially after he received life-threaten- ing phone calls from the Ku Klux Klan. Obstacles didn’t deter him from be- coming the first Black person to earn a degree—in law or any other sub- ject—from UF. As a law student, Allen organized lunch counter sit-ins that spurred inte- gration of public accommodations in Gainesville. Against protest, he per- sistently sat in the ‘‘White only’’ sec- tion at UF football games and chang- ed the face of the crowd. After he graduated in 1962, he filed the law- suits that integrated Broward County’s public accommodations and public school system. Today, in his twenty-sixth year of general law practice in Fort Lauder- dale, Allen is president of the Broward County Bar Association. Still a cham- pion of civil rights, he continues to monitor Broward County integration policies and is an active minority re- cruiter for UF and Florida A&M Uni- versity. “I choose to be active because that is the only way to bring about mean- ingful change,’ said Allen, who is now fifty-two years old. ‘‘I can’t live in a vacuum. If I only took part in Black activities, meaningful change would not be brought about.’” Allen recently shared his story and some inspirational advice with current UF law students during a visit to cam- pus. Allen entered Florida A&M in 1954 with the intention of becoming a doc- tor, but a role as a lawyer in a school play swayed him toward the law. He switched his undergraduate major to political science and completed two years of military service before enter- ing UF’s law college. Although UF’s graduate schools began admitting Blacks in 1958, none who attended had yet earned a degree. During his first year in law school, Allen slept every other night to maxi- mize study time. ‘‘I just ran scared,”’ he said. ‘‘It was fear of the unknown.’ By the second year, Allen had gain- ed confidence and an award from the NAACP for his contributions toward integrating UF. Before he graduated in 1962, he recruited nine Black students to UF, including Stephen P. Mickle, who is now an Alachua Coun- ty circuit judge. After six months with a Miami Beach law firm, Allen set up his own practice. He said he finds trial work particularly interesting and the law in general a rewarding profession. ‘‘The legal profession is very demanding if one does it right,’’ he said, ‘‘but there are rewards and personal satisfaction. Lawyers can do much good for their fellow man.”’ Today, as bar association president, Allen aims to increase that good. ‘‘We are trying to enhance the image of the bar by enhancing the bar itself. Through continuing legal education seminars, we can improve the services we perform,”’ he said. Allen has remained a loyal sup- porter of the UF College of Law, and he currently serves on the school’s Capital Campaign fund-raising com- mittee and the Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Committee; and throughout his career, he has remain- ed observant of Florida’s civil rights progress. ‘The old feelings die hard, but they are dying. I think everyone under- stands now that there has to be a fun- damental fairness,’’ he said. i Continued from page 1 DESMOND TUTO TO BE HONORED The George Brussel, Jr., Memorial Award is conferred each year by the board of trustees of the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue acting on the recom- mendation of its social action commit- tee. It is given “for exceptional devo- tion to the cause of individual free- dom and social justice, in the spirit of the Hebrew prophets.” The award was established to honor the memory of George Brussel, Jr., who had been vice president of the synagogue and chair- man of its social action committee, Among the 25 previous recipients of the award have been Norman Lear, Jack Greenberg, Daniel Schorr, The Fortune Society, People of the Nether- lands, former Mayor John V. Lindsay and Carl Sagan. The first Black to assume the post of Archbishop of Capetown, Bishop Tutu has made the liberation of South African Blacks part of a theological movement. Through his initiative, the South African Council of Churches, of which he was general secretary lor seven years, supported striking Black workers and organized campaigns against forced resettlement ot Blacks in so-called “rural homelands.” For his work in behalf of world peace, he has received a number of honorary doctor- ates and many prizes. He is honorary chairman of the United Democratic Front of South Africa and of the Bishop Desmond Tutu Southern Africa Refugee Scholarship Fund, which he founded in the United States in 1984 The presentation to Bishop Tutu by Rabbi Brickner was made on January 30, 1989 ‘I Cannot Change § Yesterday. I Can Only Make The Most Of Today, And Look With Hope Toward Tomorrow. ’’ ITC/Candler to Become Mission Resource Center for the United Methodist Church The General Board of Global Min- istries of the United Methodist Church is recommending that the Interdenom- inational Theological Center and the Candler School of Theology of Emory University become the site for a new mission center for training mission- aries. Plans for the mission resource cen- ter include having seventy-five stu- dents at a time engaged in six months of training. The training would equip mission personnel in areas such as Bi- ble study, spiritual disciplines, lin- guistics and cross cultural living and working. It will assist persons with specific individualized needs and help them acquire needed training as mis- sionaries for service in this country and throughout the world. The proposal will be brought to the one hundred and seventy-eight mem- ber Board at its spring meeting in New York April 14-21. The Atlanta location was chosen after an extensive study conducted by the mission agency’s Mission Person- nel Resource Program Department. Several factors were considered in- cluding academic facilities and oppor- tunities for cross cultural and experi- ential learning in the community. ITC President James H. Costen said, ‘‘Both Candler and ITC have long attempted to have a global di- mension in their course of study. Hav- ing this mission resource center on our campuses will enhance our efforts and engage us in the education and prepa- ration of those missionaries who will serve the church around the world.’” Emory President James T. Laney said, ‘‘It is very gratifying that the mission training center is to be located in Atlanta. The international contacts and accessibility of the city, combined with strong missional churches and academic programs, will make this a major resource for the church at large.”’ Bishop Edsel Ammons of Worth- ington, Ohio, who chairs the mission personnel resources department, says the creation of the center is essential to the global understanding of the church and is ‘‘as critical an issue as I know.”’ The idea for such a center was launched by the Board’s general secre- tary Dr. Randolph Nugent in 1983. For many years missionaries were trained ecumenically at a missionary orientation center at Stony Point, New York. The center was closed in 1974 and participating churches have since provided training in a variety of ways at different sites. Several other United Methodist in- stitutions were considered and plans are to be able to use special areas of expertise offered by each in the total training of the missionary community. Reasons for choosing the Atlanta site included a strong academic cur- riculum and faculty of the ITC and Candler and the proximity to several centers for international work, in- cluding the World Methodist Evangelism Institute at Candler. The Atlanta site also offered the best facilities for immediate occupancy with office space and housing available in the fall of 1989. Institu- tional relations and funding were also considerations as well as the center’s availability to the King Center, the Ecumenical Villa International, the International Service Association for Health, the Centers for Disease Con- trol, the Carter Center for Public Policy, and the Protestant Radio and Television Center. There are currently over a thousand U.S. mission personnel of the Board, over five hundred forty serving outside the United States. The Board has re- cently increased its goals for mission- aries. If the Board approves the action and the necessary funds, the plans are that the first training session would be un- derway early in 1990. DuBois Led Early Civil Rights Fight by Billy H. Easley February 23 will be the 121st anni- versary of the birth of world re- nowned Black leader William Edward Burghardt DuBois DuBois received his bachelors degree from Fisk University 101 years ago this spring—in 1888 He was a native of Massachusetts. This year ts also the 26th anniversary of the death of Dr, DuBois The Fisk library and archives has a passport DuBois used during World War | peace talks—a large document about 16 by 22 inches. DuBois served as an official listener during the talks His passport bears the signature of William Jennings Bryan, Secretary of State While at Fisk, he edited the school newspaper— Fisk Herald, A lite-size bronze statue of DuBois looks down on Fisk’s Alumni Park, The statue was dedicated in 1982 DuBois earned the masters degree from Harvard University in 1891 and his doctorate from Harvard in 1895 He was on the faculty at the Univer- sity of Pennsylvania, Wilberforce Unt versity and Atlanta University DuBois was founder and general secretary of the Niagara Movement from 1905-09. The Niagara Move- ment, a conference of Black leaders, published a number of demands unheard of at that time, Voting rights, equal employment opportunities, the recognition of human brotherhood and elimination of class differences based on race or color are but a few examples DuBois’ Niagara Movement failed after four years, but he and his asso- ciates paved the way for the NAACP in 1909. DuBois was one of the incorporators of the NAACP and was connected with the group for years. He edited Crisis for the NAACP from 1910-32. In 1919 he helped found the Pan- African Movement and organized the Pan-African Congress. He was a consultant to the United Nations Or- ganization in 1945 DuBois authored a dozen books and was editor or publisher of several newspapers and magazines, His books include The Souls of Black Folks, Dark Princess and In Battle for Peace. Ghana President Kwame Nkrumah invited DuBois to move to that nation, He accepted the invitation in [96] and became a citizen of Ghana in 1963, He died in Ghana in 1963 at 95 DuBois was given a state funeral and is buried in Ghana, As a result of the MeCarthy-era problems, DuBois requested that he not be buried in the United States ————— ===== DSC05740.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 ‘“Clergy and Congregations Against Drugs Los Angeles, CA—One of the central figures in the founding of the Reli- gious Freedom Crusade, actor Jeff Pomerantz, recently announced the formation of a new, interdenomina- tional anti-drug group, Clergy and Congregations Against Drugs. Joining him in the formation of the organization was a well-respected reli- gious leader who has fought the drug problem in America, the Reverend Jim Nicholls, a member of the Reli- gious Freedom Crusade’s Advisory Board. In exclusive interviews with The Crusader for its January issue, both Mr. Pomerantz and Mr. Nicholls dis- cussed their reasons for working against drug abuse. Mr. Pomerantz, a_ scientologist since 1971, is founder of the Holly- wood Says “No” to Drugs Honor Roll and Hollywood Kids Say “No” to Drugs. Those two groups have successfully used celebrity influence to combat the drug problem in the United States and abroad. Hundreds of celebrities, as well as many thousands of other people, private citizens and leaders alike, have shown their support for this anti-drug effort by signing a pledge to help in the fight against drugs Mr. Nicholls, a Pentecostal Baptist minister, is executive director of The Voice of Freedom, a radio and television ministry which reaches all 50 states and Canada and which has featured broadcasts that have informed audiences of the dangers of drugs. The “Honor Roll” concept began as a means to get leaders directly in- volved in helping to combat the de- structive influence of drugs. All who sign the Honor Roll pledge “to be intolerant of the glorification of drug use, and to use my influence and power to help create a drug-free society and to personally take a stand and say ‘No’ to drugs.” “My original intention was to gal- vanize the entertainment industry and get its leaders to stand up and say ‘No’ to drugs,” Mr. Pomerantz told The Crusader. “The idea was that young people will do what their heroes are doing, and take a stand against drugs as well,” Mr. Pomerantz explained why it is vital for clergy, perhaps more than any other group, to get involved in help- ing others say “No” to drugs. “Clergy are often the first ones that people come to for help,” he said, “especially if they have a drug problem or are in some way affected by drugs. | think it is important for ministers, rabbis and priests to be able to take a stand and express their opposition to drugs.” Mr. Nicholls said, “Drugs have taken a toll that is hard to estimate. The true damage that is done includes many people going to premature graves, leaving their families and their loves ones. Drugs have forced many innocent youths into lives of crime, degradation and prostitution. The more people you can get to say ‘No’ to drugs, the better.” Former President and Mrs. Reagan, California Governor George Deuk- mejian, and Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley have all signed the Holly- wood Says “No” to Drugs Honor Roll pledge. Princess Diana of England and ’’ Anti- Drug Group Formed Princess Christina of Sweden also pledged their support in the fight against drugs, The prime minister of Sweden, Ingvar Carlsson, and even- tually all the prime ministers of Sean- dinavia added their names to the Hollywood Says “No” to Drugs Honor Roll. Others who have signed that Honor Roll include a host of the entertain- ment industry's top stars, such as Sir Laurence Olivier, Tom Selleck, Patty Duke, Henry Mancini, Charley Pride, Burt Bacharach, Dudley Moore, and John Travolta, as well as such sports personalities as Charles Lakes, America’s top-rated gymnast. The list grows constantly, Signers of the Clergy and Congrega- tions Say “No” to Drugs Honor Roll will receive a certificate of recognition from Clergy and Congregations Against Drugs. Those who wish to sign may write to the Clergy and Congregations Say “No” to Drugs Honor Roll in care of The Crusader, 4810 Fountain Ave- nue, Box 50, Los Angeles, CA 90029, (213) 661-4178. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in Reflection Birth and Family Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was born at noon on Tuesday, January 15, 1929, at the family home, 501 Auburn Avenue, N.E., Atlanta, GA. Dr. Charles Johnson was the attending physician. Dr. King was the first son and second child born to the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr., and Mrs. Alberta Williams King. Other children born to the Kings were Mrs. Christine Farris and the Reverend Alfred Dnaiel Williams King, Sr., deceased. Dr. King’s maternal grandparents were the Reverend Adam Daniel Williams, a former pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, and Jenny Parks Williams. His paternal grandparents were James Albert and Delia King, sharecroppers on a farm in Stockbridge, GA. Dr. King married the former Coretta Scott, youngest daughter of Obadiah and Bernice Scott of Marion, AL, on June 18, 1953. The marriage ceremony took place on the lawn of the Scott home in Marion. The Reverend King, Sr., performed the service, with Mrs. Edythe Bagley, the sister of Mrs. King, maiden or honor, and the Reverend A. D. King, the brother of Dr. King, best man. Four children were born to Dr. and Mrs. King: Yolanda Denise (November 17, 1955, Montgomery, AL); Martin Luther III (October 23, 1957, Montgomery, AL); Dexter Scott (January 30, 1961, Atlanta, GA); and Bernice Albertine (March 28, 1963, Atlanta, GA). In recent years, events in the life of the King family have continued to reflect the tragedy and the triumph so uniquely combined in Dr. King’s own life and intrinsic, perhaps, in the lives of all dedicated persons the world over. On June 30, 1974, Mrs. Alberta Williams King, the Mother of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., was shot and killed as she sat at the organ in the Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta. Again, through an act of violence, there ended a life that was totally nonviolent, a life that was thoroughly Christian, a life that reflected love for all persons and unselfish service to humankind. Again, the indomitable faith of the King family was put to the test, and again love prevailed amid the greatest sadness. The Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Martin Luther King, Sr., bereft by the violent death of his eldest son and now by the equally tragic death of his devoted wife, could still say—and did say—at her funeral service on July 3: “T cannot hate any man.” In 1975, the year following his wife’s death, the Reverend Martin Luther King, Sr., resigned his forty-four year pastorate at Ebenezer, passing on the active leadership of the church to the young and inspired Dr. Joseph L. Roberts, Jr. At his retirement banquet on August I, 1975, however, “Daddy King” made it clear—as if anyone could have thought otherwise—that his “resignation” did not mean his retirement from the full and active life which has described his long career. For this “Giant of a Man” as he was acclaimed on that memorable evening, continues to work and to speak and to spend the gifts with which the Lord has endowed him in the loving service of others. Among Reverend King, Sr.’s many accomplishments was the completion of his one “luxury”: the publication of his autobiography, Daddy King. Education Dr. King began school at the age of five in the Yonge Street Elementary School in Atlanta, GA. When his age was discovered, he was not permitted to continue in school and did not resume his education until he was six. Following Yonge School, he attended David T. Howard Elementary School, the Atlanta University Laboratory School, and Booker Y. Washington High School. Because of Dr. King’s high score on the college entrance examinations in his junior year of high school, he advanced to Morehouse College without formal graduation from Booker T. Washington. Having skipped both the ninth and twelfth grades, Dr. King entered Morehouse College at the age of fifteen. In 1948 he graduated from Morehouse College witha B.A. degree in Sociology. That fall he enrolled in Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, PA. While attending Crozer, he also studied at the University of Pennsylvania. He was elected president of the senior class and delivered the valedictory address; he won the Pearl Plafker Award as the most outstanding student; and he received the J. Lewis Crozer Fellowship for graduate study at a university of his choice. He was awarded a Bachelor of Divinity degree from Crozer in 1951. In September 1951, Dr. King began doctoral studies in Systematic Theology at Boston University. He also studied at Harvard University. His dissertation, “A Comparison of God in the Thinking of Paul Tillich and Henry Nelson Wieman,” was completed in 1955, and the Ph.D. degree was awarded on June 5, 1955. Death Dr. King was shot while standing on the balcony of the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, TN, April 4, 1968, by james Earl Ray. James Earl Ray was arrested in London, England, on June 8, 1968, and returned to Memphis, TN, on July 19, 1969, to stand trial for the assassintion of Dr. King. On March 9, 1969, before coming to trial, he entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to ninety-nine years in the Tennessee State Penitentiary. Dr. King was in Memphis to help lead sanitation workers in a_ protest against low wages and intolerable working conditions. His funeral services were held April 9, 1968, at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, with the President of the United States proclaiming a day of mourning and flags being flown at half-staff. Dr. King is buried ina crypt which is located in the Freedom Plaza of the Freedom Hall Complex of the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center for Nonviolent Social Change. This area has been designated by the U.S. ‘ Department of the Interior as the Martin Luther King, Jr., Center His- toric District, and was listed as a National Historic Landmark May 5, 1977, and a National Historic Site October 10, 1980. By Edward W. Lampton, D.D Analysis Of Baptism, by Ed- ward W. Lampton. Although profound and long discussions have been maintained concerning the nature of baptism, Lampton, in this expo- sition, attempts to give an analysis of baptism from Moses to John. EAL-880L...... $3.50 PLEASE ADD 13% FOR POSTAGE & HANDLING THE NEW CATECHISM FOR YOUTH PROBATIONARIES MEMBERS oF AFRICAN METHODISM tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to youth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLC-991C ne ===== DSC05741.JPG ===== February 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Royce E. McClanahan is First Black to Win $10,000 Durfee Foundation Awar Royce E. McClanahan San Diego, CA—Royce E. McClana- han has won one of eight $10,000 awards in the 1988 Durfee Awards program. McClanahan, president of the Mon- roe County Branch of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People, Stroudsburg, PA, is the first Black recipient of a Durfee Award. The Durfee Awards program recognizes individuals who have signi- ficantly enhanced the human dignity of others through the law or legal in- struments. The program, instituted in 1982 by the Los Angeles-based Durfee Foundation, a self-directed, non-pro- fit organization, is held every two years. Durfee Award winners are se- lected from national and international program finalists. McClanahan, a resident of Strouds- burg, was selected for initiating an ag- gressive civil rights movement in the early 1980's and for his vigorous pur- suit of first-time civil rights redress for racial and religious minority group members in Northeastern Pennsyl- vania. McClanahan’s work included repre- senting Black, White, Oriental and Jewish individuals who were discrimi- nated against in housing, employment and education and the U.S. armed ser- vices. He was instrumental in helping others find redress for violations of their civil rights, ushering in major d rights challenges and a civil rights renaissance in a suburban rural area. McClanahan has been a self-em- ployed tax and personnel consultant in Monroe County for the past five years. His work experience also in- cluded a variety of administrative posts in social work and human ser- vices, as well as employment as a watchman and on loading docks as a dockworker in the trucking industry. Over the years, McClanahan has been extremely active with community service organizations. He has served as an advisory board member of Northampton Area Community Col- lege and has worked as a governing board member with the Easton Citi- zens Coalition, the Northampton County Bureau of Aging, the Easton Branch of the NAACP, and was a founding director of the Lehigh Valley Legal Services, Inc., all located in the Allentown, Bethlehem and Easton area of Pennsylvania. He has been a member of the Mon- roe County Branch NAACP and has held a variety of leadership posts in the organization for the past eight years. A native midwesterner, McClana- han was born in Kansas City, MO, and attended elementary and secon- dary schools in Leavenworth, KS. He is a graduate of Emporia State University, Emporia, KS, where he re- ceived a bachelor of arts degree in social science and psychology. He has done graduate work in education, so- ciology and social science at Emporia State, Wichita State University, Wichita, KS, and Long Island Univer- sity in Brooklyn, NY Editor’s Note Readers wishing information about the 1990 Durfee Awards Program may contact; Durfee Awards Program, Suite 288, 1288 Camino Del Ric North, San Diego, CA 92108 Out of the creative union of the late Reverend Waymon Dixon and Mary Collins Dixon, Charles Delano Dixon was born December 22, 1911, in Quin- cy Florida. He grew up in Piant City, Florida, and received his formal education in the Hillsborough County Public Schools. Later on, he matriculated at Edward Waters College, B. F. Semi nary, and also did further study at the Interdenominational Theological Cen ter of Atlanta University He was called to preach ai an early age. He later met and married Mary Lee Collins, a teacher of Tampa, Plo rida. Out of this dynamic umon (preacher/teacher) seven children were born The late Reverend Charles Delano Dixon, Sr. enjoyed forty-nine years of ministry which criss-crossed the Flori da Peninsula in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was a true ser vani of God, winning souls to Christ Twice elected delegaic to the A.M.I General Conference, the legacy he leaves as a preacher, builder, civil rights activiet, husband, father and Christian, serves as a pattern of excel lence for a new generation of Black preachers in the third century of Afri can Methodism. At the time of his de mise, Rev. Divon was the pastor ot Mi. Zion A.M.E. Church, Arcadia, OBITUARY Florida, He was former pastor of St Luke A.M.E., Tampa, Florida He passed away peacefully ai 6:00 A.M., on September 29, in a local hospital, to dwell with the saints of God He leaves to cherish his homegoung, wife Mary Collins Dixon, Tampa, FL; four sens, Charles D. Dixon and wife Gaynelle, Tampa, PL, Theodore L Dixon and wife Beverly, Atlanta, GA, Gerald D. Dixon and wife Sharon, Tampa, FL, and Rev. Waymon T Dixon and wife Deborah, &. Peters burg, PL; three daughters, Atty, Al berta H. Johnson and husband Wil liam, Houston, TX, Theadora D Bingham and husband Fimo, Atlanta, GA, and Laverne A. Mason and hus band Clem, Miami, FL, several grandchildren; one brother, Tom Dix on and wife Neta, Plant City, PL; five sisters, Dola Patterson, Tampa, PL, Maeola Forte and husband Mitchell, Milwaukee, Wi, Annie Low Griffin and husband Jasper, Bernice MoGhee, Lottie M. Dixon, all of Plant City, FL; sisters-in-law, Edith L.. Collis, Tampa, FL, Renee Dixon, New Jer sey, Nita Dixon; cousins, Rev. and Mrs. J. B. Blaine, Starke, PL, and a hest of mieoes and nephews The comoling eulogy was given by Bishop Philip KR. Cousin, Presiding Prelate of the 11th Ppiscopal District : LMichael (cg) Green and Derek M. Wilson College Student, 19, Wins $50,000 Greensboro, NC—Derek M. Wilson, a 19-year-old student at North Caro- lina Agricultural and Technical State University (NC A&T), took the top prize of $50,000 in the Pepsi Cola Company’s “New Generation Dream Sweepstakes Giveaway,” here recently A marketing major from New Castle, DE, Wilson promptly gave the money to his parents. His father, Samuel, told a huncheon sponsored by Dr. Edward B. Fort, the university's chancellor, that “the money will be mvested in a very safe, high-imterest- bearing account.” “We promised to pay for Derek's first four years of college,” said Samuel Wilson, Derek's father, “and we will keep that promise. His carn- ings will be invested for his future.” Derek's father is a jumior high school principal and his mother teach- es business subjects Before accepting the $50,000 check from L Michael (cg) Green, Durector of Black Marketing for Pepsi-Cola Derek Wilson had earlier harvested a windfall of prizes as one of the four- teen finalists im the national sweep- stakes He had already recerved a new 1988 Oldsmobile Cutlass Suerra, a trip for two to Sea World m Orlando, FL and $1000 im cash as “spending money.” Addressing the luacheon guests Derek related how he “almost host the first prize ” Each of the fourteen finalists in the promotion won an Oldsmobile Sierra. They were told that a notice was placed in the glove compartment of one of the cars announcing that its owner would also win the top prize of $50,000 “| was going to choose number five but a friend, Henry Stephens, suggest- ed I take number eight,” Wilson said “I picked number eight and | won.” Green told the gathering that the competition had been run in fourteen markets and that Derek, who heard of the contest over radio station WDAS. had been the winner from the Philadel- phia, PA, area “Derek truly represents today’s new generation,” Green said, “and as a marketing major, believes like Pepsi- Cola, that excellence in marketing is the true formula for business suc- cess.” Green expressed great pleasure in the fact that the top winner was also a student at NC AAT. “Pepsi Cola and A&T have enjoyed a dear and close fnendship over the years.” He mentioned the university's par- ticepation im both the Excellence im Marketing Seminar for Historically Black Colleges and the Minority Summer lotern Program Wilson, who normally works during the sumumer vacation, sad be would apply for the Pepsi-Cola summer intern program Service of Triumph and Thanksgiving for the Late SISTER ETHER HUNTER TURNER Held at (he Si. Joha’s Church Atricae Meithodhiot b pin apa Wet Port Mississigpt Wednesday, December 21, 1983, 1.00 PM Paster J. L. Moore, Jr. Officiating On November 7, 1919, the sixth seedling from the tree of Ezekiel and Mary Hunter, named Ether B. Hunter, sprouted and began to grow This little tree grew and took coverage with Hunter Chapel A.M.E. Church at the age of eleven. The learning pro cess continued at West Poimt High Scheel and Mary Holmes College im West Point The tree continued to grow and joined in Holy Matrimony to the late Robert Turner. This union settled im “Smith Bottom. ~ This tree found time to spread and share het Branches throughout the em tire CoHRUtty As an active member ef St. John’s A.M_E. Churoh, this tree supported and becatae a mertber of the Board of Trustees, the Board of Stewards, the Senior Choir and served as a member and treasurer of the Wo- men’s Missionary Society till her pass- img. She served Bryan Foods for thér- ty-onme years. This tree was a long-time member of the Lily of the Valley Order of Bastern Stars Chapter #79 and was Worthy Matron for many years Om December 16, 198%, the life of the maim seed im the tree came to rest at Madison General Hospital im Can- tea, (South) Mississappe To cherish her memories are: five children, Willie J. Turner of West Point, MS; Jeff E. Turner (Patricia Smith Turner) and Adama C. Turner of Buffalo, NY; Bettye J. Nichol (Richard L. Nichols, Sr.) of Canton, MS; and Attoraey Beanie L. Turner (Edema Walker Turner) of West Poins, MS: two sisters, Anaie H. Garth and Bertha H. Hill of West Pott, MS; one sister-te-law, Ane M. Hunter of West Point, MS; thirteen grandechil dren, five great-grandchiidren, and rhany other Rieces, Rephews, relatives and friends 4. C, Clarke, Reporting ===== DSC05742.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 Chaplain’s Notebook COTTONBALER SUICIDE As a Chaplain in the United States Army, one of my tasks is to perform a suicide briefing to my soldiers, twice a year. That is the purpose of this arti- cle. I am aware that this article is being addressed primarily to civilians and adults. As you care for and nurture each family member, I ask that you look for the following signs that could show suicidal tendencies. This article is designed to pre-test you on your knowledge of the subject, inform you of suicide signals, and finally, to tell of preventive action. Let’s begin! Answer the following, True or False: a. Mental illness is the largest sin- gle cause of suicide. b. New stress added to existing stress pushes many people ‘“over the edge.’’ c. Suicide is a permanent solution to what is normally a tempo- rary problem. d. Most suicidal people do not really want to die. e. A small percentage of suicidal persons are mentally ill. f. People who talk about commit- ting suicide do not normally do so. g. Suicide happens normally with- out warning. h. The most important person in preventing suicide is the Bat- talion Chaplain. i. If a person talks about suicide, it is best to challenge and at- tempt to shame him out of that kind of thinking. j. Talking with a suicidal person about the details of his plan could motivate the person to act upon the plan. The answers are at the bottom of this article. Suicide signals can be obvious. Se- vere depression is an early sign of a possible problem. Signs of depression are trouble sleeping, eating signifi- cantly more or less, increased drug use (alcohol, legal/illegal drugs), or slow- ing down of body movements and speech. Dramatic drop in job perfor- mance is a suicide signal. Severe per- sonality changes may precede suicide. A person may have a history of sui- cide attempts, or may indicate that they have done some unforgiveable act. Remember that a person talking about suicide should be taken serious- ly. People seldom talk about it unless they are considering it. It is interesting that suicidal people normally ‘‘get their house in order.’? They may pay final bills, say goodbyes, turn in credit cards, or apologize to friends for past problems, or make out their wills. Hopelessness, helplessness, and worthlessness are three feelings that usually accompany suicide. If your family gives any suicide sig- nals, they may be a suicide risk. Con- tact your minister when suicide is even suspected. Talk with the individual to determine the seriousness of the prob- lem. If they reflect several suicide sig- nals, then ask them, ‘‘Have you ever thought about injuring yourself or anyone else?’’ If so, ask if they have a plan. Ask then, ‘‘If you were to kill yourself, how would you do it?’ (Gunshot, drug overdose, etc.) Is their plan lethal? If yes to these three, then immediate action must be taken to separate them from the means. (Take away the gun, pills, etc.) DO NOT LEAVE THE PERSON ALONE!!! This is not a pleasant subject, yet it is a part of our human existence and our Christian duty to attack it. Note the above data. Please remember that you are not alone. Most importantly, remember Matthew 28:20 tells us that “‘Lo, I am with you, even until the ends of the earth.’’ ANSWERS 1. True. 98% of suicides suffer from psychiatric disorders. False True True . False . False. When people tell you, LIS- TEN. 7. False. When people tell you, LIS- TEN. 8. False; it’s YOU 9. False. Shame adds to the problem. Understanding and sympathy heals. 10. False. You can remove their wea- pon while you seek immediate help. avr Leading Alzheimer Researchers Receive Prestigious NIA Award The National Institute on Aging (NIA) has awarded multi-million dol- lar grants for Alzheimer’s disease re- search to three outstanding scientists: Dr, Carl W. Cotman, professor of psychobiology in the School of Bio- logical Sciences at the University of California at Irvine, Dr. Caleb E. Finch, professor of gerontology and neurobiology at the University of Sou- thern California’s Andrus Geronto- logy Center, and Dr, Donald L. Price, professor of pathology in the School of Medicine, The Johns Hopkins Uni versity. The Leadership and Excel lence of Alzheimer’s Disease (LEAD) award, authorized by Congress in 1986, provides up to $7 million of sup. port over a seven-year period to dis tinguished senior investigators and their colleagues to further their con tributions to biomedical research on Alzheimer’s and related dementias Bethel Rincon Will Celebrate Their 94th Anniversary Rincon, GA—Bethel A.M.E. Church will celebrate their 94th Church An- niversary, beginning February 16th, The Rev. R, L. Thomas and his congregation of Goodwill Baptist Church Rincon, GA will be in charge of the services Thursday night, Febru- ary 16th The Rev, Joseph L. Napier and his congregation of Abercorn Baptist Church, Rincon, GA, will be in charge of the services Friday night, February 17th, These services will begin at 7:30 p.m. nightly Sunday morning at 11:30 a.m will be the regular communion services, with Pastor Joseph Ward in charge Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m, Rev Jack Bradshaw and his congregation of Townsley Chapel A.M.B, Church Savannah, GA, will bring the Anniver sary to a close Pastor Joseph Ward is extending an invitation to all to join us in these ser vices, Dinner will be served after the services on Sunday afternoon Humility Chaplain William Holt Liptrot, Jr. (Cpt.) USA Humility is housed in your mind, and it is seen through your actions. It is important because without it, self- centeredness will set in and you will find it difficult to reach your goals. This paper briefly explains how we acquire humility by examining its biblical origin; looks at famous exemplifiers of humility, and suggests ways of discovering it. Read it, and better learn who you are. Humility originates during our for- mulative years. It is a product of our socialization, because at age ten our mind is like a sponge and soaks in new knowledge. If during the formulative years our mind absorbs selfish and egocentric behavior, we will come to have an adolescent and adult with self- ish and egocentric behavior. Unless a Christian resocialization occurs, the soldier will remain driven by pride, envy and anger. God made humility for the purpose of empowering us to remain free from pride. Ultimately, the goal was to allow humans to stay on the path of God and not fall victim to self-glorifi- cation. The goal is to realize that there is a greater law than man’s law; that God’s way of justice and daily exis- tence is the best way and, in fact, the only way for survival. In the US Army, humility is a way of life, and usually this is healthy. To ex- perience condescension on the battle- field puts lives in jeopardy. The art of taking an order is humility. For the Christian humility is not an option, but is mandatory. Although the Greeks considered humility to be weak, Jesus made it the cornerstone of character (Matt. 5:3, 5; 18:4; Luke 14:11). Jesus, in His humility, drew men to Himself. By His example, He commanded us to be humble toward one another. He spoke of Himself as the ultimate standard. Through Him, we see that humility is the action of God. Abraham and Jacob in Genesis, Moses in Exodus, Davis in 1 Chronicles, Hezekiah in 2 Chronicles, Job in the Book of Job, John the Baptist, the Centurian, and the woman of Canaan in Matthew, all shows us the importance and value of this form of servitude. In the church, we must continue to wash each others feet by inspiring the weakest member of our group. We must continue to take on the challenge set forth by Christ, of associating with the dispaired. Humility is not weak- ness,, it is strength. Humility is a mental phenomenon that should continue to affect every action. Wm. Holt Liptrot, Jr. Chaplain (CPT) USA Battalion Chaplain THE MEASURE OF A MAN “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.’ Martin Luther King, ]r., 1929-1968 Basic Sunday School Growth In Black Methodist Churches by A, LEE and BOBBYE J. HENDERSON Superintendent, C day School. PRACTICAL! Send me Name Address Oity Send to: / $00 8th Avenue, South ———————— Does your Sunday School have purpose and direction, well-trained teachers, and enthusi- astic students who are practicing the biblical principles they have been It is CHALLENGING! This Book is an excellent resource for teacher training. taught? In this latest book Dr. A. Lee Henderson and wife Bobbye tells how to achieve these characteristics of a growing, thriving Sunday School, This book contains topics that are on the heart of every Bishop, Christian Education Director, Pastor, and Teacher. Topics like Finding Prospects for Growth, Enlisting Workers for ' Growth, Training Workers for Growth, and Bible Teaching for Growth. | This is a must for these who are administering or feac hing today’s Sun- AUTHORITATIVE! copies of BASIC SUNDAY SCHOOL GROWTH B Only $4.95 State Zip A.M.E.C, SUNDAY SC ‘HOOL U NION | = Nashville, TN — Please add 13% for postage and handling \Insoesc | cegeser) (Cesmesc) “creessc) “Sassen. se ===== DSC05743.JPG ===== February 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE With Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries Beautiful Hardbound a Black with Gold Trim $18.00 Please add 13% for postage and handling besides being one of the greatest communication packages ever developed. . . it can *be given to friends ebe divided up ecarried from room to room eclipped eread at leisure and after it has been given to a friend, divided, carried, clipped and read, it can still be used to line garbage can or bird cage, start a fire, pack a box, as a drop cloth, and sometimes even as an umbrella it also can *bring inspiration *keep you informed *connect you with others espeak for you because tomorrow a newer, more modern, improved edition will be available The newspaper for the Connectional Church To subscribe, clip insert and mail to- day: AME Christian Recorder A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C, CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9-12, 1989 WMS Annual Day March 8, 1989 Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church Glebe Road Pembroke East, Bermuda Church Telephone (809) 292-3949 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 292-3949 The Rev. Reginald McRae, Host Pastor The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rey. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor he Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 398-4437 The Rev. Joseph Brame, Host Pastor The Rev. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone: (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rev. Millard D. Birt, Host Pastor The Rev. W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone: (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rev. Ellis B. Louden, Host Pastor The Rey. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E. Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. W. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rey. Harry J. White, Host P.E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 545-3638 The Rev. H. A. Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rev. C. E. Martin, Host P.E. Attend Your Annual Conference ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 27-31, 1989 Grant Chapel A.M.E, Church 316 West Central Avenue Moultrie, Georgia 31768 Church Telephone: (912) 985-2553 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 985-2553 The Rev. J. A, Alexander, Host Pastor SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 3-7, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E, Church 308 Rowe Street Dublin, GA 31021 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-9125 The Rev. J. E. Curry, Pastor GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 17-21, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 1526 Wolf Street Brunswick, Georgia 31520 Church Telephone: (912) 264-2734 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 264-0897 The Rev. Richard Q. Ward, Pastor AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 1-5, 1989 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 306 Third Avenue Vidalia, GA 30474 Church Telephone: (912) 537-4872 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 537-0782 The Rev. C. O. Adams, Jr., Pastor MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 15-19, 1989 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church 887 Forsyth Street Macon, GA 31208 Church Telephone: (912) 742-4922 Pastor’s Telephone: (912) 745-2351 The Rev. David H. Jackson, Pastor ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 29 - June 2, 1989 St. Phillips A.M.E. Church 242 Candler Road Atlanta, GA 30317 Church Telephone: (404) 371-0749 Pastor’s Telephone: (404) 349-5081 The Rev. George Moore, Sr., Pastor POST CONFERENCE PLANNING MEETING June 15 - 17, 1989 Sixth Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church FOURTEENTH DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN R. BRYANT LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 5-12,1989 Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church Camp Johnson Road Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. J. E. January, Host Pastor The Rev. Thomas Z. Clark, Host P.E. SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 20-26, 1989 New Zion A.M.E. Church Pademba Road Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. P. V. A. Waterson-Coker, H. P. The Rev. P. A. King, Host Presiding Elder The Rev, J. A, Fadehan, H. Pastor & PE, NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 6-12, 1989 Christ A.M.E, Church Oyo State, Nigeria GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 13-March 19, 1989 Lord Healing A.M.E. Church Essikado, Sekondi Ghana The Rev, Anthony Ainoo, Host Pastor Rev. Dr, B. M. Forson, Host P.E. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP V. R. BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rev. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rev. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rev. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27-30, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone: 1-809-773-6892 Pastor’s Phone: 1-809-778-9403 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Host Pastor The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-14, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rey. J. Green, Host Pastor & P.E. TRINIDAD—GRENADA— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nazareth A.M.E. Church Sunshine Avenue San Juan, Trinidad The Rev. Anderson Burkett, Host Pastor The Rey. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 17-20, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Host Pastor *Date and Place to be announced a There Are Tears Of The Heart That Never Reach The Eye ===== DSC05744.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 Remembering Bishop William Reid Wilkes, Sr. A REFLECTION Frederick Hilborn Talbot Bishop and Ecumenical Officer In the Old Testament, the Deuter- onomist was the “remembrancer.” | found myself in that role recently when, as I was clearing my files, I dis- covered a telegram | had kept for ten years. It was the telegram sent by our treasurer announcing the sudden pass- ing of my beloved mentor, Bishop Wil- liam Wilkes, who had expired shortly after preaching the morning service at Cosmopolitan A.M.E. Church, Atlanta, GA, on January 10, 1979. Remembering is as vital as the air we breathe. As a people, as a church, we have a rich legacy. It would, there- fore, be well for us to cultivate the habit of remembering those who have brought us to this hour. It is precisely for this reason that I want to remember Bishop Wilkes; what he has meant to me and the lessons we can all learn from his model of ministry. Bishop Wilkes was a “pastoral bish- op.” In some sense he preempted the Lima convergence on ministry by em- bodying the style of “representative pastoral minister of oversight.” He always saw himself as a “pastor pastor- um,” (pastor of pastors) and indeed a shepherd of the entire flock of Christ. He was a big man, both in stature and spirit, and shunned pettiness like the plague. He was a princely man—a man who typified dignity without being pomp- ous; a purist; meticulous without being overbearing. He sought avidly after righteousness without being self- righteous. Bishop Wilkes was a teacher at heart, and studious to the core. He succeeded in instructing his flock with- out being condescending. For him, preaching was the preeminent skill for the pastor. He often said to his pastors, “I can help you if you have a serious problem in your congregation, but I cannot help you if your congregation has concluded that you cannot preach!” Bishop Wilkes had carefully honed his preaching skills. Indeed, he was known as a “preachers’ preach- er!” Had he been named one of the best preachers of his time, no one’s cred- ulity would have been strained. Bishop Wilkes loved music and was a precentor and liturgist who com- posed both tune and verse. Several of his compositions have been included in the new Bicentennial Hymnal. He often delighted to hear the singing of what he often called “the great hymns of the Church,” and he sang them lust- ily as well. It is good to remember that it was under Bishop Wilkes’ leadership in Georgia that the courageous decision was made to include Turner Theologi- cal Seminary as a constituent semi- nary at the Interdenominational Theo- logical Center. This certainly was nota popular decision, but Wilkes was a man ahead of his time—a thespian who walked across the stage before the curtain was raised. History has already affirmed the wisdom of his action, and appropriately, a memo- rial window has been placed in the Bishops’ Chapel in the new Turner Seminary Building so that “those who run may read.” One of his unforgettable statements was, “my death does not mean your re- surrection.” For those who knew him well, it is not possible to sing the beautiful hymn, “For All the Saints” without remembering Bishop Wilkes because, although it never appeared in our hymnal until recently, that was one of his very favorites. O may Thy soldiers, faithful, true and bold, Fight as the saints who nobly fought of old, And win with them the victor’s crown of gold. Alleluia, Alleluia! REVEREND C. L. PARHAM HONORED BY THE STATE OF GEORGIA Barnesville, FL—The Griffin District is proud of the Reverend C. L. Parham, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church. Rev. Parham was chosen by Thomaston Mills, Thomaston, Geor- gia, where he is employed, as their nominee for the Georgia Textile Citi- zen of the Year for 1988. He received an award from Governor Joe Frank Harris as one of the finalists. Rev. Parham placed third in the entire State of Georgia. Rev. Parham has pastored the Musella Circuit, Fountain Temple A.M.E. Church, Macon, GA, and the Neal and Bethel Circuit, Concord and Woodbury, Georgia. He has worked with the Mothers of Missing and Murdered Soldiers, is a member of Boy Scout Troop 133, was appointed to The Council of the Aging, and is ac- tive in the African Methodist Episco- pal Church, helping the needy in Roberta and surrounding counties, with clothes, food, toys and other needs. He is also a veteran of the United States Army. Rev. Parham was recommended for the award of Textile Citizen of the Year by Thomaston Mills based on his job knowledge, performance, perfect attendance and dedication. He is highly respected by both Black and White members of the community as a leader. In addition to his other activities and duties, Rev. Parham is a devoted husband and father to three children. The Griffin District, the Macon, Georgia Annual Conference, and the entire Sixth Episcopal District, of which the Rt. Reverend John H. Adams is bishop, are proud of Rev. Parham, not only because of this great achievement, but because he is one of our own, representing a grow- ing number of ministers who are reaching out to help someone above and beyond the call of duty. Rev. L. C. Dixon, Reporter f+ Hesus First @thers Second Pou Last c4$ layale Berets + “Come As You Are”’ Sunday A Great Worship Experience New Smyrna Beach, FL—On a recent Sunday, the members of Allen Chapel A.M.E, Church were involved in an unusual, but meaningful, worship ser- vice. Pastor Nolan T. Pitts designated this day a ‘‘Come As You Are’’ Sun- day. Members came attired in clothing appropriate to their daily routines. Nurses, construction workers, profes- sionals, dishwashers, students and housewives could be easily identified amidst the crowd. The major thrust of the day was to de-emphasize elaborate attire as a pre- requisite for attending church, and to emphasize that God accepts us as we are. The responsive reading, which in- cluded passages from I Samuel 16:7 and Matthew 6:31, gave credibility to the purpose of this day. After the singing of the sermonic hymn, Bradbury’s version of ‘‘Just As I Am,’’ Pastor Pitts delivered a dynamic sermon entitled ‘‘What’s Your Excuse?’’ Using St. Luke 14;18-19 as the basis for his discourse, he admonished the audience to place less emphasis on formality. Instead, they were urged to ‘‘get an inside job,’’ for the Lord looketh at the heart. Pastor Pitts alluded to many Biblical accounts of persons who gave trivial excuses to avoid doing the will of God, How typical of those of us who worship today! We render every imaginable excuse, ineluding the claim that we have nothing to wear, and tend to lose sight of what church really means. Nevertheless, NO EXCUSE WILL STOP GOD’S PROGRAM. There will come a time when ex- cuses will not suffice, for when we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, we must have that ‘‘SOME- THING WITHIN.”’ The following words composed by Pastor Pitts were repeated in unison, I am what I am. Clothed, or unclothed— It is not so much how I look, But what I look for when I come to church. It is not so much what is without, But what is within. For if my heart is right, I will feel right, think right, I look right and do right. Truly, ‘‘Come As You Are’’ Sun- day was an inspirational day in Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church. Lydia Griffiths, Reporter New Zion A.M.E. Church Celebrates Steward’s Day New Zion A.M.E. Church of Wisacky, South Carolina, Rev. Charles J: Graves, pastor, celebrated its annual Steward’s Day, Sunday, January 22, 1989, with great enthusi- asm and participation. The highlight of Steward’s Day, was the presence of our Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. F. C. James, Seventh Episcopal District, of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Indeed, it is very encouraging to have our bishop take time out from his active schedule to share with us our hope and dream on this special Steward’s Day. Bishop James and New Zion was supported by the presence of our District Presiding Elder, the Rev. L. J. Hyman, also, we are indebted to the consideration and honor given to our Bishop James by Rev. T. J. Slater, pastor of Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church, Sumter District, and his members. Dwelling with us on this day, really was a spirit of Christianity and good fellowship for a good cause. In the midst of the services Mrs. Rosella Toney, P.M.E. Director of the Seventh Episcopal District, in her most uplifting form, presented Mrs. Odessa Graves, wife of our pastor, with a corsage who then presented our special guests, Mrs. Teressa James, wife of our Presiding Bishop, the Rt. Rev. F. C. James and Mrs. O. R. Hyman, wife of our Presiding Elder, Elder L. J. Hyman with beautiful cor- sages that brought radiant smiles of pleasure and appreciation. Under the leadership of Bishop F. Cc. James, “THE SAY NO TO DRUGS CLUB” of New Zion A.M.E. Church presented him with a plaque. Bishop James accepted the plaque with joy and faith. Joy and faith that hope is here and faith will take us to achieve more, and more will help others to say no to drugs. With soul reviving and uplifting music from the Adult Choir, our Elder, the Rev. L. J. Hyman present- ed the Rt. Rev. F. C. James. Bishop James preached a soul stirring sermon taken from the 8th chapter of St. Mat- thew, using as his theme— ‘4 SEC- OND TOUCH.” Much to the delight of his followers, we were indeed touched with the spirit of going forth and doing something that meant the touch of the Lord. Mr. C. D. Bradley chairman of ste- wards presented Mr. Eddie L. Fortune to call the roll of the Junior and Senior Stewards. Each senior steward complied to the request of one hun- dred dollars ($100.00) and each junior steward complied to their share of fif- ty dollars ($50.00) each. Our grand total for the day was three thousand nine hundred twenty-four dollars and eighty-seven cents ($3,924.87). This success was truly the touch of a glori- ous and well spent day. The Quarterly Conference was im- mediately called in session. The Pre- siding Elder, Rev. L. J. Hyman had a successful report with all clubs and or- ganizations, fulfilling their duties fi- nancially and leaving still happy with touch to continue serving the Lord. Rev. and Mrs. Charles J. Graves ex- tended an invitation to Bishop and Mrs. F. C. James, Elder and Mrs. L. J. Hyman and other special guests toa dinner prepared by the church. The day was fully enjoyed. Our hearts were made to burn and we live with the expectation of more success because it’s so much happiness just to serve the Lord. Sister Sadie C. McDowell, Reporter Rev. Charles J. Graves, Pastor Rev. L. J. Hyman, Presiding Elder MEER OS IE You Cannot Hind God Guess Who Is Lost! . PAOD OPV LDV IV IVP PVP LPP ODO” ===== DSC05745.JPG ===== February 20, 1089 News and Views of the Tine AME. C hetstian Recorder Connectional Debutant-Master Dedication Commission Dr. Julma B. Crawford, Administrator Chicago, IL—At each Quadrennial Presentation of the Connectional Debutante-Master Dedication Cere- mony, the audience participation of delegates and dignitaries is more widely acclaimed. The roll call in- cludes numerous bishops and their wives, former episcopal supervisors, general and connectional officers, pre- siding elders, pastors and General Conference delegates. The Com- mission sincerely appreciates the support given to this dedicatory serv- ice witnessing young people com- mitting their lives to greater Christian service. Of the nearly $750.00 representing the offertory, the following contribu- tors listed their names on the offering envelopes. To them and others of the vast audience who did not identify their contributions, our deep appreciation is extended. Juanita Johnson Abel, Olivia A. V. Adewusi, Rev. Theodore Anchene, Harriett Barnes, Portia T. Bailey- Beal, Kay Bell, Rev. Dr. Artilla E. Bettis, Mrs. Lorraine Bridin, Mrs. Carrie L. Braswell, Cecelia J. Bridges, Addie D. Brown, Eloise Brown, Canetha L. Bryant, Bettie M. Calhoun, Johnnie Carswell, Mr. and Mrs. Ovie Carter, Blanche Ceasar, Mrs. Clotie Coates, Sarah Council, Robert B. Crecy, Jerry and Ruth E. Davis, Emma F. Dawkins, Leroy Deckard, Jr., Earlston DeSilva, Edna N. Dorsey, Rev. and Mrs. O. L. Duncan, Mrs. Bessie Durgan, Muriel Johnson-Eckert, Denise Edwards, Mrs. Ruby Edwards, Eva Esther, Evelyn Farris, Louise Fedrick; Estella Gaiter, Gladys F. Gamble, Mary G. Gant, Sarah E. Garmony, K. Grady, Laura S. Grady, Ella M. Grant, Evang. Mary J. Green, Minnie Hardison, Mary L. Hayes, Mrs. Katie J. Henderson, Emma L. Ike, C. Jackson, Dr. and Mrs. Edward W. Jackson, Khristal Jackson, Mrs. Katie Goff-Jeter, J. S. Jewel, Archie Johnson, Betty Johnson, Mrs. Irma Johnson, Kirbie R. Johnson, Mrs. Peggy Johnson, Allene Jones, Vilet C. Jones, Rev. Florence L. Kelley, Ella Lackey, C. Jean Lang, James F. Leath, Marie F. Lewis, John F. Little, Mrs. Helen H. Luckey, Lester McClendon, Mr. and Mrs. Lewis B. McClendon, Ruth E. McDonald, Mrs. Laura L. McMillan, Margaret Meeks, James D. Miller, Rev. and Mrs. S. Miller, Mr. and Rev. James E. Mitchell, Rev. James N. Moody, Jr.; Mrs. Eloise Nichols, Miss Jessie Nicklson, Ella E. Parker, Mr. and Mrs. E. Patterson, Frances Paul, Er- sie McClendon Payton, Ardella Poindexter, Francine C. Presley. Mrs Grace Pullum, Jane Rhodes, Geralene Robinson, Mrs. Betty Rock, Rev. Mildred Rodgers, Ka- therine B. Ross, Mary Ross, Emma Seay, Margaret H. Shumpert, Lula Smith, Rev, Mozie L. Smith, Rev. and Mrs. Neal Smith, Mrs. Bluma B Stewart, Mary Strong, Hazel G Stubbs, Bernice Sumlin, J. W Swafford, Lavinia Swafford, Lillie Swanson, Rev. H. D. Swenson, Mrs C. B. Tate, Florence B. Tatum, Margaret E. Taylor, Jessie N. Davis Thompson, Eddie L. Thorton, Lucille Thrower, Michael Tyobeka, Mary Walker, L. Walls, Viona Webb. Ms Washington and E. Williams, Celeste Washington, Melissa Washington, Mrs. Cleantha Williams, Mrs. Delores L. Williams, Rev. and Mrs, D. C, Williams, Rev. Deborah Williams, Mary A. Williams, Mrs. Rose Marie Williams, Wilmer Willis, Esther L. Hicks Wilson, Lastitia Wilson, Gladis Wright, Willy F. Wright and Emily Wynne. 10th Episcopal District News St. Paul Holds First Quarterly Conference Dallas, Texas—The first quarterly conference began at St. Paul with the morning worship service. Having just come out of an eight night revival, the members were filled with a spirit of warmth, thanksgiving and renewal. The atmosphere was tuned toward commitment and the melodious sing- ing of the Sanctuary and Gospel choirs endorsed their sense of commission. Presiding Elder H. F. Dodson (South Dallas District) reminded the congre- gation of who God is as he prayerfully expounded his theme ‘‘Be Still And Know That I Am God’’ (Psalm 46:10) Dr. H. F. Dodson Dr. Drinkard Timms, Jr. The business session of the first quarter showed the Boards and Aux- iliaries actively engaged in kingdom building, ar increase in membership, financial stability and a desire to fur- ther endeavors in Outreach and Youth Ministries. Presiding Elder Dodson commended Pastor Timms and the members for their tender love for he and Mrs. Dodson and bestowed God’s choicest blessings upon us. Rev. H. F. Dodson, Presiding Elder Rev. Drinkard Timms, Jr., Minister Mrs. Matty Johnigan, Reporter Boston University’s Howard Thurman Center World-renowned preacher and social philosopher Howard Thurman served as dean of Marsh Chapel at Boston University from 1953 to 1965 and then as dean emeritus until the time of his death in 1981. He was the first Black man in the country to serve as an administrative dean in a pre dominantly White university, He had previously served as dean of the chapel at Howard University and as director of religious life at Morehouse College and Spelman College. He was co founder of the Church for the Fellow- ship of All Peoples in San Francisco, the first interracial church in the United States. Poet, educator and social philosopher, Thurman authored more than twenty books Thurman had a dream of unity, breaking down the barriers that separate individuals and races. Boston University’s continued commitment to this purpose led to the establishment of the Howard Thurman Center in 1986. The Center conducts Thurman- related programs at Boston University while serving as a liaison with the Thurman Educational Trust in San Francisco. In addition to conducting ‘*A RAISIN IN by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. New York—African American His- tory Month will begin on February 1, 1989, with a historic world premiere PBS-TV broadcast of Lorraine Hans- berry’s famous play, ‘‘A Raisin in the Sun.’’ The American Playhouse will produce this new, uncut version of Hansberry’s award-winning drama. We encourage all Americans to view this television special not only for its educational value but also its po- tential to help serve as a cultural anti- dote to the continuing rising tide of racism across the nation. Robert Nemiroff, executive producer, is to be congratulated for selecting such ac- claimed actors as Danny Glover and Esther Rolle to star in the film. Lorraine Hansberry celebrated Af- rican American history by making history thirty years ago. ‘‘Raisin’’ was the first play written by an Af- rican American woman to reach Broadway, and it became the first commercially successful, serious Black drama. Moreover, Lorraine Hansberry, who died at age thirty- four, was the youngest American, at age twenty-nine, the fifth woman, and the only African American to win the prestigious New York Drama Critics “Best Play’? Award. Concerning the impact of ‘‘Raisin in the Sun,’’ James Baldwin once wrote, ‘‘Never before in the entire his- tory of the American theater had so much of the truth of Black people’s conlerences, seminars and off-campus retreats for students, faculty and members of the community at large, the Center sponsors cooperative programs at the Crittenton-Hastings House for unwed teenage mothers MCI-Norfolk prison, the Hillside Pre Release Center in Roxbury, and the Hospice of the Good Shepherd in Newton-Wellesley The Howard Thurman Archive, located in Boston University’s Mugar Memorial Library, contains Thurman's papers and 500 original tapes of his lectures, sermons and meditations, The university provides two Howard Thurman Rooms for listening, reading and meditation, one in Marsh Chapel and the other in the King Center. Both rooms contain a library of Thurman books and audio cassettes. His sermons are regularly broadcast over WBUR-FM, a National Public Radio affiliate at Boston University. The Howard Thurman Center's Fellowship presents programs each spring and fall to commemorate the life and thoughts of Howard Thurman. THE SUN”’ lives been seen on stage. Now millions more will have the opportunity to view this historic portrait of the plight of African American family life. We believe the timing of this new production is quite appropriate. First, because it is African American His- tory month. Secondly, this drama re- veals that the struggle of African Americans to overcome the vestiges of slavery, segregation and economic ex- ploitation is on-going. What Hansber- ry portrayed in 1959 is still true today in 1989. Yes, there has been progress, but there has also been regression. Ra- cism is just as much a reality today as it was thirty years ago. It is our hope that the viewing of “A Raisin in the Sun’’ will stimulate the kind of response across the nation that will enhance the struggle for racial justice. Especially among young people there is a great need for an in- crease in awareness concerning the issues arising from the play, such as poverty and discrimination, and ethnic pride and consciousness. We need a new generation of Lor- raine Hansberrys. We have a new generation of gifted and talented youth. The question remains whether or not this generation will be inspired to achieve the heights of Hansberry. “‘A Raisin in the Sun’’ reminds all of us of our mutual responsibilities to each other and to never accept in- justice. St. Paul Gets Stamp of Approval at Quarterly Conference Blountstown, FL—AI\l boards and auxiliaries made their written and fi- nancial reports at the Second Quarter- ly Conference recently presided over by Rev. T. L. Nealy, Presiding Elder of the Panama City District, reflect- ing the status of St. Paul A.M.E. Church under the leadership of the pastor, the Rev. B. O. Cawthon. At the Sunday morning eleven o’clock worship service, the presiding elder delivered an inspiring and chal- lenging sermon, to the enjoyment of all in attendance. Mrs. Mary Cawthon, Reporter DEATH NOTICES Mrs. Inez Bust, mother of Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming, died December 29, 1988. She was funeral- ized Monday, January 2, 1989, in De- vonshire, Bermuda. Dr. Luna I. Mishoe died January 16, 1989. A special wake was held at Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Dover, Dela- ware, January 19, 1989. Funeral ser- vices were held January 20, Delaware State College, at the Humanities Building. A second funeral was held Saturday, January 21, at St. John A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, Mary- land, with burial in the State of South Carolina. A ===== DSC05746.JPG ===== 14 The AME Christian Recorder Feb 20 eee a as A BRIEF HISTORY by Rev. A. C. Griffin As stated in the dictionary, history is a narrative of events; a story; chronicle, a chronological record of events as of life or development of a people, country or institution, The study of Tennessee history was required by the Hamilton County Schools when I was in the Seventh and Eighth Grades at the Booker T. Wash- ington School. If the American Heri- tage Dictionary is correct, I feel it so to be, or, until I learn different, then the past History writer did a disservice to the students of our schools. I real- ize a person can’t write everything, but what can be more important to a young Black is to know some of the beginning of Black churches in the Tennessee history. They took time to tell us about the time that Kington had to be used for the capital of Tennessee for one day. Can we forgive those writers for leav- ing out part of the great sacrifices the people of color made to give us a place of worship. After all, was not this one of the main reasons many came to this country from the beginning, (Though we didn’t). History must be upgraded so all will know about the Black of yesteryears living the impossible dream. Doing so in spite of the poor living conditions, bigotry, and some- times in the shadow of the KKK and other hate groups. What they did, and the way they did it should make our hearts burn, but, yet shameful. How could they do it? The last A.M.E. Church to be organ- ized in the East Tennessee Confer- ence, was done so by the late Rev. Maude Lowery, and less than five years after her death, as a memorial to her, the Church split up. Yes we should hang our head in shame. How can the A.M.E. Church count on the present age to hold on to our Zion? I know that we have closed more than six churches since I joined the Conference over twenty years ago. Why? My feelings are, if a Congre- gation roll shows less than two mem- bers for each year since the church entered into the Conference, some- thing is wrong. I give you the chronological outline of the churches in the East Tennessee Conference. Some of the dates are not available to me as requested. Saint Paul, Fayetteville, Tennessee, June 11, 1824 Warren Chapel, Chattanooga, Ten- nessee, 1867-'70 Saint John Winchester, Tennessee (Also known as Russes Chapel), 1871 Shorter Chapel, Tullahoma, Tennes- see, 1877 Lilburn Chapel, Giles County, Ten- nessee, 1882 Bethel, Chattanooga, 1887-88 Saint Paul, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1889 Powelle Chapel, Giles County, Ten- nessee, 1890 Saint Paul, Eugene, Tennessee, 1891 Berry Chapel. Lynchburg, Tennessee, August 29, 1891 Bethel, Knoxville, Tennessee, 1895 Quinn Chapel, (Also known as Division Chapel), Chattanooga, Tennessee 1897 Saint James, Chattanooga, Tennessee 1897-98 Allen Temple, Chattanooga, Tennes- see, 1905 Saint Joseph Chapel, Chattanooga, Tennessee, 1921, (Worshiped in a Tent until 1923) Clayborn Temple, Knoxville, Ten- nessee 1949 Tennessee, Other Churches of the Conference Saint Paul, Alcoa, Tennessee Rayborn Temple, Cowan, Tennessee Mount View, Decherd, Tennessee Saint John, Mulberry, Tennessee Mary’s Chapel, Fayetteville, nessee Solomon Chapel, Petersburg, Ten- nessee Brown Chapel, Giles County, nessee Brown’s Temple, Fayetteville, Ten- nessee Campbell Chapel, Pulaski, Tennessee Saint Paul, Aspen Hill, Tennessee Bethel, South Pittsburgh, Tennessee Phoenix Chapel, Prospect, Tennessee Suggs Chapel, Mcburg, Tennessee Friendship, Giles County, Tennessee Roundhill, Lynnville, Tennessee A. C. Griffin, Pastor Ten- Ten- First Quarterly Conference Convened at Mt. Pleasant, Waldo Circuit, Magnolia District The first quarterly Conference at Mt. Pleasant, the Waldo Circuit Con- vened with Presiding Elder Eddie McDonald presiding. He commented on the wonderful work that had been accomplished over the previous years on the Magnolia district, and he em- phasized that it could not have been done without spiritual team work. He also commented on God’s watchful care over us and continued by saying that no earthly person could have done for us the things that God has done. Again he emphasized our responsi- bility to give God honor and praise for his great blessings. Presiding Elder McDonald, con- tinued the session by calling for re- ports from auxillaries, and inquiries It Is One of the Most Beautiful Compensations of This Life That No Man Can Sincerely Try to Help Another Without Helping Himself. were made concerning various proce- dures and activities. The churches of the Magnolia dis- trict sponsored a program this quar- ter, which was a tremendous success. A banquet with tasty foods, refreshing drinks, the mixing and mingling of friendly voices all contributed to a wonderful occasion. It scattered a joy- ous feeling over all who attended. Our church program this quarter has been filled with enthusiasm and spiritual growth. We are grateful for the dedicated leadership of our pastor, Rev. Eddie McDonald. We feel that by trusting in God our Christian at- tainment will be much greater and ful- filled in the future. Flossie Mae King, Reporter — Emerson VA Seeks Volunteers for Stroke Prevention Study Washington, DC—Veterans Admin- istration researchers are seeking volunteers for an innovative study to determine if anticoagulant drug thera- py can lower the risk of strokes in pa- tients with heart disease, The study will examine whether low doses of the drug warfarin can provide protection from stroke-causing blood clots, but with minimal risk of inter- nal bleeding. The nationwide project involves fifteen VA medical centers and is named the Stroke Prevention in Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation (SPINAF) study after a heart ailment that often leads to stroke. Co-chaired by Sammuel L. Brid- gers, M.D. and Michael Ezekowitz, M.D. of the VA medical center in West Haven, Conn., the study is the first large-scale American warfarin study with a double-blind structure. “Double-blind’’ means that neither the patient nor the doctor knows who receives the warfarin and who receives a look-alike pill without the drug. Persons with nonvalvular atrial fi- brillation, usually caused by coronary artery disease and hypertension, face a thirty percent lifetime chance of stroke. Also, while traditional re- search follows illnesses that have be- gun, the SPINAF Study will include patients who have never suffered a stroke, Recent medical journal articles have Suggested aspirin’s value in preventing cardiovascular problems; however, aspirin acts primarily in the artery system, Bridgers said that warfarin may prevent stroke-causing blood clots in the veins, The study is part of the VA’s larger Cooperative Studies Program, which allows many VA medical centers to work together on a large-scale health problem. While providing high quality health care to the nation’s veterans, the VA also conducts an array of re- search activities concentrating on some of today’s most difficult medi- cal science challenges. Among the agency’s high-priority research efforts the studies relating to AIDS,- spinal- cord injury, alcoholism, and health problems of the aging including Alz- heimer’s disease. The VA medical centers looking for volunteers for its stroke- prevention study are in Baltimore; Boston; Cincinnati; Hines, IL; Little Rock; Long Beach, California; Min- neapolis; Newington, CT; Northport, NY; Roseburg, OR; San Diego; Seat- tle; Tampa; Washington, DC and West Haven, CT. Give a Friend a GIFT SUBSCRIPTION to The Christian Recorder Fe SSS SRSA SF UTS BTS TS VSSVS BWV AWSTT So, You Want To Be A Christian! by Edith Hol- land Bryant. We are living in a period of revolution where there is a broad feeling of rejection to some of our most cherished ideals. Among these the teachings of the Church have not escaped and this points to the real necessity of emphasizing conver- sion through the means of the ministry of evangel- ism for our young people. RA1-200121 Please add 13% postage and handling. PASTOR’S MANUAL A.M.E. CHURCH G. Lovelace Champion Eantor The Pastor’s Manual, Volume I & II by G. L. Champion provides helpful, “how-to”? methods and techniques to be employed in the pastorate of a church, large or small. RA1-46880 (Vol. I) RA1-46881 (Vol. ID) Please add 13% postage and handling. Black Methodism Basic Beliefs, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. The book, in catechismic form, serves as an instructional instrument for all youth, probationaries, laypersons and clergy of the church- es of Black Methodism and Methodist everywhere. AN INTERMEDIATE RELIGIOUS READER AND STUDY GUIDE a we BLACK METHODISM BASIC BELIEFS By @. Lovelace Champion, Sr. C.0.8.M. es one” With festure Article—"The Future: A Congress Of Black Methodism” ===== DSC05747.JPG ===== | | February 20, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Prime Causes of Homelessness: RENT, GROWTH CONTROLS Washington—Cities could dramati- cally reduce homelessness if they would eliminate controls on housing rents and construction, which are ma- jor causes of homelessness in Ameri- ca, according to new research publish- ed today by The Heritage Foundation. ““Housing is . .. one of the most highly regulated industries in the country,’’ writes William Tucker, au- thor of the study. ‘‘These regulations are . .. imposed . . . at the local le- vel, where the narrow interests of local residents often block the market’s ability to provide housing.”’ Tucker conducted a statistical sur- vey in which he attempted to find cor- relations between the homeless rate, as reported by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, and a variety of factors: population, unemployment, poverty, availability of public housing, population growth, climate (average temperature and average rainfall), the percentage of va- cant housing units, and the presence or absence of rent control. Only rent control and the vacancy rate produced strong correlations with homelessness, he found, with rent control accounting for about twenty-seven percent of the variations between cities, and when the two factors were combined, the vacancy rate disappeared altogether as a significant factor, because rent con- trol results in fewer vacancies. In cities without rent control, Tucker explains, the availability of federal housing vouchers and Section 8 rent subsidy certificates has led to an increased supply of low-income hous- ing. ‘‘In a normal market, the increas- -ed buying power in the hands of the poor pushes up the market price of rental housing and encourages sup- pliers to bring forth more low-income housing,’’ he writes. ‘‘But in cities with rent control, price regulations have so disrupted the market that many poor people cannot even spend their vouchers.’’ In rent-controlled New York and Boston, for example, between thirty and sixty percent of housing vouchers are returned unspent to housing authorities, while in Chi- cago, which has no rent control, news- paper listings for apartments read, “Section 8 housing vouchers wel- come!”’ Also contributing to the problem, Tucker contends, are zoning laws that restrict development, particularly in suburban areas, where homeowners want to keep their property values up. One study found that these restric- tions have raised the price of a new home in California by sixty percent. ““As a result, young couples who could once purchase a home are now forced to seek rental accommodations in the city. This in turn puts pressure on rents and forces prices up for the poor. The market would respond to this by building more apartments, but many cities block growth and instead impose rent control, protecting in- cumbent tenants but leaving others— literally—out in the cold.’’ Tucker suggests several steps to remedy the situation: —The federal government, he says, should deny community development funds to cities with rent control, and should challenge local rent control or- dinances in court as ‘‘an unconstitu- tional interference with the federal government’s housing voucher pro- gram.”’ —Suburban communities should be required to pay for their use of zoning restrictions to increase the value of property. In New Jersey, for example, each community is assigned an allot- ment of low-income housing. A com- munity may still use zoning to prevent the construction of low-income hous- ing, but it must then reimburse other communities that allow more than their allotment of such housing. —Cities should be encouraged to allow the construction of single-room occupancy hotels and efficiency apart- ments. San Diego, for example, has encouraged the construction of such dwellings, and its homeless rate per capita is only one-quarter that of Los Angeles. “‘To solve the housing shortage, America’s poor must be given an op- portunity, as consumers, to take part in the housing market,’’ writes Tucker. ‘‘This means that suburban homeowners and rent-controlled tenants cannot continue to maintain the privileges they have conferred upon themselves at the expense of the poor.”’ The Courage of Martin Luther e King, Jr. by Benjamin F, Chavis, Jr. “But | want you to know tonight, that, as a people we will get to the Promised Land. I'm not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man, Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” These were some of the last public statements made by Rey. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. It was on April 3, 1968, at the Masonic Temple in Memphis, TN, that Dr. King gave this famous and last speech. Dr. King affirmed that he had been to “the mountaintop” and he encour- aged the huge crowd present to con- tinue to make a stand for justice. On April 4, 1968, an assassin’s bullet attempted to silence the dream and the dreamer. Dr. King’s tragic murder has had a continuous impact on the civil rights movement during the last twenty years. Weare still in need of the kind of leadership that Dr. King exem- plified with his ministry and life. As 1989 begins and as the nation focuses on the birthday celebrations of Dr. King, we believe that it is impor- tant to re-emphasize what we believe to be one of the essential qualities of Dr. King’s leadership—the courage to struggle. Dr. King’s courage to wage struggle on behalf of the downtrod- den was based on his faith and the God of liberation. Dr. King’s religion did not prevent him from being an activist and an outspoken articulator of the interest of the oppressed. In fact, it was Dr. King’s religious beliefs and faith that enabled him to take unprecedented risks in behalf of the cause of justice, freedom and peace. Within the African-American community across the nation, as well as in other racial and ethnic communi- ties, there is a deep void in the kind of leadership that is present. At a time when our communities are facing a multifaceted resurgence in racism, we are in need of bold and courageous leadership in the tradition of Martin Luther King, Jr. How will a new generation of lead- ers emerge to take up the torch of Dr. King? This will only be possible if a serious effort is organized by the major civil rights organizations to recruit, train, network and nurture thousands of youth who are out there searching for a meaningful future. If the freedom Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. movement remains reluctant to put a priority on youth leadership develop- ment, then the possibilities of future victories for racial justice will be severely limited. The courage of Dr. King to mobilize the powerless in order to effectively challenge the powerful was one of Dr. King’s remarkable characteristics. Dr. King was not interested in just getting his name in the newspaper or his face on television. Dr. King used the media strategically to heighten the national consciousness not only about the extent of racial discrimination, but also about the determination of African-Americans and others to fight against racial injustice. Unfortunately, today there are too many leaders who allow the media and the systems of oppression to use them against the interest of the poor and the downtrodden. We will not engage in name calling but suffice it to say if Dr. King were alive, he would denounce some of the cowardly, bumbling baffoons who are just pretending to be civil rights leaders loyal to Dr. King’s dream. We believe if Dr. King were alive, he would be courageously struggling to lead a national movement against the racial bigotry that has been enhanced as a result of the Reagan-Bush years. Dr. King would simply not compromise the truth about injustice of current domestic and foreign policies. It is our prayer, in the advent and wake of the national celebrations in tribute to Dr. King’s legacy, that more of us will be inspired to shoulder more of the leadership responsibilities toward an effective socio-economic transformation of this society. We all should contemplate and take up the courage of Dr. King’s leadership. The Rev. W. R. Greenfield, Sr. “Servant of God, well done, Rest from thy loved employ; The battle fought, the victory won, Enter thy Master ’s Joy.”’ The Reverend William Russell Greenfield was one of nine children born to the union of the late George and Jane Greenfield. He was born on December 12, 1888, in Williamsport, Tennessee. He departed this life Sun- day, November 13, 1988, in Phoenix, Arizona. Young Greenfield received his early education in the public schools of Tennessee and graduated from Ten- nessee State College. At age twenty- one, he married the late Clara Mae Blackburn. From this blessed union, six children were born, three sons and three daughters. In 1927, Reverend Greenfield married Roberta Bridge- forth; she also preceded him in death. He accepted the call to the ministry at an early age, and served fifty-five years as an active minister and pastor in the Thirteenth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Greenfield was Prin- cipal of Clark High School for ten years, pastor of Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church for ten years, pastor of Sandy -OBITUARY Hook A.M.E. Church for seven years, and pastor in East Tennessee for one year. He served as pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Columbia for six years, accepted other pas- torates and returned to pastor Bethel for the last eighteen years of his active ministry retiring in 1977. This devoted family patriarch, A.M.E. preacher, and civic leader received many community honors re- sulting from his service and contribu- tions in education, civic affairs, religion and family life in his native Tennessee community. In 1981, Reverend Greenfield and his pet ‘‘Fuzzy’’? moved to Phoenix, Arizona, and he became an honorary associate minister at Tanner Chapel A.M.E. Church now pastored by the Reverend John L. Shaw, Sr. The Tan- ner Family cherished his person and his membership. In December 1986, Governor Bruce Babbitt inducted Reverend Greenfield into Arizona’s Century Club which honors Arizona’s oldest citizens. He received birthday messages from Pre- sident and Mrs. Ronald Reagan on his 98th and 99th birthdays. Reverend Greenfield is survived by a devoted family and many friends. His beautiful memories will be che- rished by four children, Dr. Curtis O. Greenfield and Mrs. Cleo Moorehead of Phoenix, Arizona, Lt. Col. Gerald Greenfield, Sr., of Columbia, Maryland, and Mrs. Evelyn McClain of Columbia, Tennessee, (two chil- dren preceded him in death); eight grandchildren, Damon Greenfield, Dr. Gerald Greenfield, Jr., William Russell Greenfield, III, William Ward Greenfield, Dolores Strawbridge, William H. Pillow, Ronald Pillow and (Judy) Mary Greenfield Cason; one sister, Mrs. Maude E. Huff; seven great grandchildren, Lisa and Jason Greenfield, Steve and Tiffany Straw- bridge, Christopher and Michael Pillow and Ronnie Pillow; one great- great grandchild, Jessica Greenfield. Nee ===== DSC05748.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder February 20, 1989 Rev. R. L. Williams, born on June 29, 1933, and died on March 4, 1988. At the time of death, he was serving as Presiding Elder of the Greensburg District, Louisiana Conference, of the Eighth Episcopal District, He served faithfully under the leadership of Bis- hop Donald George Kenneth Ming, Presiding Prelate of the Exciting, Energetic Eighth Episcopal District. Rev. Williams preached his last ser- mon on February 14, 1988, at Leonard Chapel A.M.E. Church when he held his last quarterly conference. This was a meaningful day, because it was Founder’s Day. His sermon was entitled: ‘‘For Zion’s Sake Will I Not Rest, Until the Righteousness Thereof Go Forth As A Lamp That Burneth.’’ Isaiah 62:1. Excerpts from that sermon follow: “‘The words or our text are taken from a passage of the Isaiah Prophecy in which its writer is speaking of the Restoration and Re-establishment of the Holy City Jerusalem... Many nations believed that the end of the people of the covenant had come. . . But God, to show that the destiny of history was in His hands, had allowed a remnant of His people to return to the land of their inheri- tance just as He promises. So the pro- phet in our text was speaking words of comfort and encouragement to the people . . . Reassuring them that re- gardless of the present condition. . . in spite of the desecration that had oc- curred .. . the Lord was going to re- store the city of Jerusalem once again to its former position of Glory and prominence . . . It would no more be considered an unhabited and desolate region. .. But it would be called, Sought Out, A City not forsaken. That’s why the Prophet was moved to say ... For Zion’s Sake Will I Not Rest... Until the Righteousness Thereof Go Forth As Brightness and the Salvation Thereof As A Lamp That Burneth. For he understood the significance of Jerusalem, the Holy City of the people who were to be the Light unto the Gentiles . . . Like the Israelites, we Black people know what it is to have been treated with injus- tices . . . Our ancestors knew what it was to have been in slavery and bon- dage ... The only thing that could not be taken from us was our faith in God, and in spite of our social posi- tion... like the Israelites... we knew within ourselves that the Lord, God Almighty had used just as much intelligence, care, and love, when He made us, as He did when he made any- body else . . . When prejudice and ra- cism put the church of God itself into enslavement, God smiled, one cold February 14, 1760, on a little Black slave baby on a Pennsylvania Planta- tion...and...Up from an en- vironment of human bondage the Lord brought forth Richard Allen ...who... would one day emerge as a new Isaiah...an... Isaiah whose mission was not to the old Is- rael. .. but to the new Israel... the church of God . . . Richard Allen grew up among his people and was ex- posed to those conditions which he would one day fight against . . . One Sunday morning in St. George’s Meth- odist Church, in Philadelphia, where bowed with fifteen other Blacks at prayer... a White group attempted to pull them from their knees... saying to them get up... you can’t pray here . . . you are not in the pro- per place . . . if you want to worship, then you must go to another section of the church... The Civil Rights IN MEMORIAM Struggle did not begin in 1954 in Montgomery, AL, but it began some two hundred years ago when Black people refused to accept second class citizenship in the Church of God. . . it began in the city of brotherly love . When some eighteen Blacks boy- cotted a Sunday morning worship ser- vice . . . they didn’t know everything about the organization and structure of the church . . . but they did know that one day out on Calvary’s brow ... Christ suffered, bled, and died for their sins .. .When they walked out of St. George’s Methodist Church on that historic Sunday, they were let- ting them know that although their bodies and labor had been bought with money . . . their lives and their souls had been ransomed by the blood of Christ... although they were slaves on the farm . . . they were free men in God’s house... They saw and understood the significance of the church in the Christian faith.’’ Rev. R. L. Williams impressed many persons with whom he worked in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. One former member, Mrs. Elmira R. Wilkerson, Kentwood, LA, wrote the following tribute to him upon his death: “WE WALKED WITH YOU”’ A Tribute to Rev. R. L. Williams You came, you saw, you conquered the hearts of those who allowed you. Being a chosen one of God, you gene- rated love and compassion to all. This love was depicted through so many en- actments as you trod miles and miles to keep your promise to God. For you... ‘‘Life ain’t been no crystal stair. It’s had tacks in it, and—splinters, and the boards torn up, and places with no carpet on the floor—Bare.”’ Yet you took up the cross and learn- ed of Him. You loved PEOPLE. The unlearned as well as the learned could hold your attention for hours, as you conversed with them in a manner that was equal. Why? Why now? We have not the an- swer. We shall endeavor to take ‘‘One Day At A Time’’ in accepting God’s will. For we know that ‘‘We’ll Under- stand It Better By and By.”’ So sleep on our friend. We take note of thy departure. You ran faster than we. But one day we shall meet again. For yet a few days, and we too, shall mount the wings of an eagle and fly away to be at rest with God. Your friend of Kentwood, Elmira R. Wilkerson Sadly missed by his wife, Gloria A. Williams, relatives, and friends CAN MY CREED BE RECOGNIZED BY DEEDS? 2 ‘‘The Greatest Of Faults Is 5 To Be 5 Conscious soctoctas’ectoctoctes’e: .. Home Mrs. Regina Sylvia Morrison Mrs. Regina Sylvia Morrison was born in New York City on May 14, 1920, to the late Joseph Garnett and Marie Antoinette McClean, the third of five children. She went home to be with the Lord on Sunday morning, November 13, 1988. Mrs. Morrison received her early education in the New York City public schools. She committed her life to Christ at an early age and was a very active member of Grace Gospel Chapel, New York City. She attended Shelton College for four and one half years (a biblical school), where she met and had several classes with the late Reverend Paul J. Morrison. They graduated together and were married in July 1951. Together they worked as a team for the Lord for thirty-four and one half years. To this union came one son, Lieutenant Commander John Wesley Morrison, Chaplain Corps, United States Navy. A true Christian lady, Mrs. Morrison’s key words for her family and friends were love, respect, con- sideration, and sacrifice for each other. She knew and loved the Lord. Many can recall her always ready words of counsel, “Just tell God about it,” “And all things, whatever ye shall ask in prayer believing, ye shall receive it.” (Matthew 21:22) Since 1952, when Rev. Morrison was ordained an elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Mrs. Morrison was very active in the church and community. She served faithfully with Rev. Morrison at his various charges in the New York Conference: Lincoln Memorial; Trinity, New York City; and Bethel, Setauket. A licensed evangelist, Mrs. Morrison loved to preach whenever asked, striving to make her life and the lives of others more meaningful. She worked diligently with the young people of the church wherever she went and served as organist-director for numerous choirs--she loved to sing! At the time of her passing, she was the president of the Mary Eato Missionary Society, organist for the Senior Choir, and Sunday School teacher at Bethel, Setauket A very active member of the New York Conference Branch Missionary Society, Mrs, Morrison served as Area Chairwoman of the Eastern Long Island Area for eight years, Treasurer and Worship Director, and was a delegate to the Missionary Quadrennium three times. She also held several other positions: president of the Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows; area chairwoman for Church Women United of North Suffolk; president of Church Women United; area chairwoman for Suffolk County World Federation of Methodist Women. Mrs. Morrison was also the past president for the New York State Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows and had been the Director of Music for the National Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows for five years. Mrs. Morrison’s favorite hymns were: “How Great Thou Art,” “Without God, I Could Do Nothing,” and “There Is No Secret, What God Can Do.” She outran us, leaving to mourn a devoted sister, Vivien McClean; a brother, Garnett McClean; five sons, one daughter, three daughters-in-law, two sisters-in-law, one brother-in-law, grandchildren, nieces, cousins, church families, and a host of friends. A Going Home Celebration was held at Grace Gospel Chapel, New York City, on the evening of November 17, 1988. A Service of victory was held the next day at Bethel, Setauket, presided over by the Reverend Melvin Rayner, pastor. The eulogy was given bya long time friend of the family, Reverend Leroy Judge, pastor of St. John’s New York City. She left the thought of loveliness With those who knew her voice, And through some magic all her own Made others hearts rejoice. She walked in paths of unselfed calm, Untouched by hate or strife; She put the robe of love on all Throughout her gracious life. Her vision always seemed above The things whereon we gaze; And we who loved her can well try To emulate her ways. (B. W. Rose) The Family 23 603 603 £03 £03 £23 £03 £03 03 £03 £03 £03 £03 £03 £03 £03 £03 £3 43 43 3 OB OB EB ES ES OS ES BS Every True A.M.E. should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hymnal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly African Reduced Only $5.00 Methodist Episcopal Church Reduced Only $5.00 BOOK OF WORSHIP] &. The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God’s word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs and aspirations today. BOW-815 PLEASE INCLUDE 13% POSTAGE AND HANDLING $5.00 Send to: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 SA SAS Se
• February 6, 1989
  ===== DSC05717.JPG ===== Vol. 138, No. 10 Bishop F. H. Talbot February 6, 1989 Bishop V. R. Anderson PRICE: 50 CENTS Bishop John H. Adame Bishop C. E. Thomes Bishop J. H. Meyo 3 Council of Bishops 3 General Board 4 Sawtelle Become Supt. of Conference—First District 5 Allen Travel 7 M.L.K. Birthday Observance 8 Painting Depicts A.M.E, History 9 Cosby Donates $800,000 to School 12 A New Route to Greater Unity Bishop Anderson 13 McMillan Honored 14 Here-N-There-N-Everywhere—News 16 Lenten/Witness Bishop Richard Allen February 14, 1760-March 26, 1831 Richard Allen, the first Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was born February 14, 1760, a slave of Benjamin Chew, a Philadelphia, PA, lawyer. His father is said to have been a pure African, and his mother a mulatto. His color is re- ported as “a soft chestnut tint.” At an early age, Richard, with his father and mother, and three other children, was sold into Delaware, where, on a farm near Dover, he was brought up. About 1777 he was converted, and about 1780, he began to preach. In 1799 Bishop Francis Asbury ordained him deacon, and in 1816 he was ordained elder. The manuscript of the follow- ing autobiography of Richard Allen was found by Bishop Daniel A. Payne, in an old chest and published by him in the History of the A.M.E. Church. Excerpts from the Autobiography of Richard Allen The elder in charge in Philadelphia frequently sent for me to come to the city. February 1786, I came to Phila- delphia. Preaching was given out for me in the morning, at five o’clock, in St. George’s Church. I strove to preach Please turn to page 3 by Rev. Jo-Ann Owings Bishop Frank C. Cummings The First Episcopal District, through the leadership of Bishop Frank C. Cummings, has organized and incorporated a non-profit sub- sidiary to address the multiple needs of our communities. This organiza- tion is called ‘‘Self-Help Inc.”” Self-Help is committed to serving the community by responding to the large and ever increasing needs of per- sons who are economically, socially and educationally disadvantaged. Self- Help staff has developed program strategies using holistic concepts, which enables them to respond to human needs caused by a breakdown in traditional family and_ societal values. The programs include training, education and economic development, so that people are encouraged to help themselves through self-development. For the past year, Self-Help Inc. has successfully operated five programs within, the New York Conference. With more than $720,000 provided by the New York State Department of Labor, Self-Help has been able to provide pre-employment training, job placement and referral services for Please turn to page 7 Bishop Howard Thomas Primm (Retired) Ailania, GA—The Senior Bishop of the two hundred one year old African Meth- odist Episcopal Church, Bishop John Hurst Adams, has been assigned to Geor- gia, the Sixth Episcopal Dis- trict. He and his wife have Bishop and Mrs. John Hurst Adams been happily received by the constituency of one of the great episcopal districts of the A.M.E. + denomination. x At a reception at The Herndon Pla- za/Atlanta Life Insurance Building, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Georgia, and their friends, formally welcomed Bishop and Mrs. John Hurst Adams as their episcopal leaders. Notables and representatives from all levels of the A.M.E. Church, and other organizations, were present, including Bishop Joseph C. Coles of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church; Senator Wyche Fowler; Re- presentative Calvin Smyre and numer- ous others from across the state and the country joined in welcoming Bis- hop and Mrs. Adams at this very spe- cial reception. Following the reception, a Service of Welcome was held at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church for Bishop Adams as Presiding Bishop of the Sixth Episco- pal District. Bishop Thomas H. Primm (retired) was the proclaimer of the Word at the 7:30 p.m. service. Music was provided by the Morris Brown College Concert Choir, by Allen Temple A.M.E. Church choirs and choirs of Big Bethel Church. Please turn to page 7 DO NOT READ THIS UNLESS YOU ARE WILLING TO JOIN by A. Lee Henderson Are we inflamed? Frenzied to the depths of despair by the impossibilities of achieving any progress? Or are we fueling our fires to forge forward in spite of these frustra- tions? Are we ready right now to turn all our negative anguish into a reverse blast, and like a rocket ship accelerate toward the stars? Are the frontiers of space uncon- querable? We know they are not. Why then, should we limit our indi- vidual and collective futures? What shall we do to raise our Publisher A. Lee Henderson voice and our actions above rhe- toric? What shall we do to make our- selves heard? Please turn to page 4 SSS ===== DSC05718.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder . February 6, 1989 Black History Month Interrogative: What’s In A Name? Isabella Baumfree was born in 1797 near Kingston, New York. She was sold as a slave three times before she was twelve years old. One evening in 1828, a year after slavery had been abolished in New York, she slipped away from her former master’s prem- ises in Ulster County and changed her name to Sojourner Truth, The first name represented her willingness to travel; the last name represented the substance of her message to her fel- lowman. She became one of the most heard and dramatic forces in the crusade:for freedom. Her bass voice was deep and resonant and, during one of her ap- pearances in Washington, where she had gone to urge Lincoln and Congress to enlist the free Negroes of the north to help defend the Union, one of the members accused her of being a man disguised as a woman. Sojourner rose to her feet, ripped open her blouse and bared her breasts. and asked, ‘‘Ain’t 1 a woman? I have borne thirteen children and seen most of them sold into slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me. HEAR ME NOW!”’ Rosa Parks, mother of the modern civil rights movement, is a faithful Christian and active member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E.). She is a consecrated stewardess of this two hundred-one-year-old denomination. On December 1, 1955, Rosa Parks, then a Montgomery, Alabama, seamstress, refused to give up her bus seat to a White man. Four days later, a bus boycott was called. It was joined by the Reverend Ralph Abernathy, E. D. Nixon, and the twenty-six-year-old Martin Luther King, Jr., who was pastor of Montgomery’s Dexter Avenue Baptist Church. Mrs. Parks’ act led to the elimination of discrimination on public conveyances in America. In 1987, Rosa Parks, then seventy-four years old, founded, in Detroit, the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute for Self-Development to help teenagers reach their highest potential in life. Madame C. J. Walker, born Sarah Breedlove, December 23, 1867, became America’s first Black millionaire businesswoman. She discovered a new hair care process and marketed a line of toilet articles and cosmetics for Black women. Madame Walker became the world’s first Black woman of modern times to build a manufacturing business of such great proportions. Harriet Ross Tubman, was described as ‘‘Strong as a man, brave as a lion, cunning as a fox.’’ Called the ‘“‘Moses of Her People,’’ she was one of the greatest “‘underground railroad’’ conductors of her time. The Underground Railroad was not a real railroad, but a network of concerned people across the country who devised an escape route from state to state, promoting freedom for slaves. Harriet Tubman made nineteen perilous trips into the deep South and guided more than three hundred slaves to freedom. Blanch K. Bruce was one of two Black Republicans from Mississippi elected to the United States Senate during the Reconstruction period in America. Fifteen Blacks also served in the House of Representatives during this short-lived period of the late 1860’s and ’70’s. THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER ROBERT H. REID, JR. Nashville, Tennessee. j The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. quirements. 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181. The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier’s checks payable to A. Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr. Jacquelyn Grant, Women’s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese D. B. Jamison, Laymen’s Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. Pe Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev. Frederick Cc. Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor; Dr. William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr. Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of awriter of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space re- Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.E. Sunday Schoo! Union, Anna Julia Cooper, an educator, wrote a remarkable series of feminist essays in 1892, entitled ‘‘A Voice From the South,’’ She wrote that ‘‘to be a woman of the Negro race in America . . . is to have a heritage, it seems to me, unique in the ages.”’ Marian Anderson was scheduled in 1939 to sing at Constitution Hall in Washington, DC, The Daughters of the American Revolution vetoed the per- formance, In response, Eleanor Roosevelt withdrew her membership from the organization and had Anderson perform on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial before one hundred thousand people. Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was born in South Carolina in 1875, She left her mark indelibly printed upon the walls of time as an outstanding educator, a giant of race relations, advisor to U. S. Presidents, and the first Black woman in the United States to establish what is currently a four-year ac- credited college. She was one of seventeen children, became primarily an educator, and was involved in government affairs. President Herbert Hoover, in 1930, appointed her to the White House Conference on Child Health, In later years, President Franklin D, Roosevelt appointed her direc- tor of Negro affairs in the National Youth Administration. In 1952, she was the personal representative of President Harry S. Truman at Liberia’s in- auguration. Phillis Wheatley, discovered on a slave ship in 1761 that docked in the Boston Harbor, was purchased by John Wheatley. She became the first Black female poetess in the United States. Her first work was published in 1770. In 1773, the first book of poems by an American Black woman came off the press in England. It consisted of poems on various subjects, religious and moral. So that there could be no doubt about the authenticity of its author- ship, a foreword attesting to Phillis’ talent was signed by eighteen prominent Massachusetts men, including John Hancock and the governor of the colony. On December 5, 1784, just before Phillis died, she wrote a long poem titled “Liberty and Peace.’’ The February 1989 issue of Ebony magazine listed, with pictures, the ‘‘Fif- ty Most Important Figures in Black American History.’’ Eleven of these are women. They are listed, in this celebated gallery, in the following order: Mary McLeod Bethune, 1875-1955; Ella Baker, 1903-1986; Ida B. Wells- Barnett, 1862-1931; Fannie Lou Hamer, 1917-1977; Frances E. W. Harper, 1825-1911; Zora Neale Hurston, 1901 (?)-1960; Mary Church Terrell, 1863- 1954; Sojourner Truth, 1797 (?)-1883; Harriett Tubman, 1821 (?)-1913; Ma- dame C. J. Walker, 1867-1919; and Phillis Wheatley, 1753 (?)-1784. Nei- ther their list nor the one that follows will include all of the names of the worthy Black women of this nation’s history. We will, however list a few more. ., This Black History Month interrogative editorial asks, what’s in a name? You can experience a great awakening by researching these names and shar- ing them with your present family members and other posterity: Jane Ann Murray, Jarena Lee, Priscilla Baltimore, Clara Brown, Mary Eliza Mahoney, Mary Ann Shadd Cary, Mary Elizabeth Bowser, Susan McKin- ney Steward, Maggie Lena Walker, Ida Gray, Daisy Bates and Autherine Lucy. We have not here attempted to make a list of the contemporary Black women history-makers in America. During Black History Month, I would encourage our constituency to research the history of Black women, the strength of Black society, and share your findings with the Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder, the oldest Black newspaper in continuous ex- istence in the world. Too long we have failed to give proper attention to the contributions of these queens in American society. Whatever greatness any of us achieve will be built on the foundation of a worthy woman, particular- ly a Black woman. SSS FT —————eESS EES EE SUBSCRIBE! to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable to. A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please print. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. Name Address__ City/State/Zip maaan nas asa senasen= Ty ttend Your Next Quarterly Conference | ===== DSC05719.JPG ===== j 4 February 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 1 FIRST BLACK BISHOP IN AMERICA SALUTED as well as I could, but it was a great cross for me, but the Lord was with me. We had a good time, and several souls were awakened, and were earnestly seeking redemption in the blood of Christ. I thought I would stop in Philadelphia a week or two. I preached at different places in the city. My labor was much blessed. I soon saw a large field in seeking and instructing my African brethren, who had been a long forgotten people, and few of them attended public worship. I preached on the commons in Southwark, Northern Liberties, and wherever I could find an opening. I fre- quently preached twice a day, at five o- o’clock in the morning and in the eve- ning, and it was not uncommon for me to preach from four to five times a day. I established prayer meetings; I raised a Society in 1786 of forty-two members. I saw the necessity of erecting a place of worship for colored people. I proposed it to the most respectable people of color in this city; but here I met with opposition. I had but three colored brethren who united with me in erecting a place of worship—Rev. Absalom Jones, William White and Darius Jinnings. These united with me, as soon as it became public and known, by the elder, who was stationed in the city. The Rev. C. B. opposed the plan, and would not submit to any argument we might raise; but he was shortly removed from the charge. The Rev. Mr. W— took the charge and the Rev. L. G. — was much opposed to the African Church, and used very degrading and insulting language to try to prevent us from going on. We all belonged to St. George’s Church—Rey. Absalom Jones, William White and Darius Jinnings. A number of us usually sat on seats placed around the wall, and on Sabbath morning we went to church, and the sexton stood at the door and told us to go to the gallery. He told us to go and we would see where to sit. We expected to take the seats over the ones we formerly occupied below, not knowing any better. We took those seats; meeting had begun, and they were nearly done singing, and just as we got to the seats, the elder said, “Let us pray.” We had not been long upon our knees before I heard a consider- able scuffling and loud talking. | raised my head up and saw one of the trustees, H.M., having hold of the Rev. Absalom Jones, pulling him off his knees, and saying, “You must get up, you must not kneel here.” Mr Jones replied, “Wait until prayer is over, and I will get up, and trouble you no more.” With that he beckoned to one of the trustees, Mr. L.S., to come to his assistance. He came and went to William White to pull him up. By this time prayer was over, and we all went out of the church in a body, and they were no more plagued by us in the church. Excerpted from The Bishops of the A.M.E. Church by Bishop Richard Robert Wright Jr., Ph.D., former Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder Bishop Allen was twice married; his first wife was named Flora, by whom he had no children. His second wife was Sarah. Neither Flora nor Sarah signed her name as seen in the Phila- delphia’s Deed Book recorded February 18, 1799, in which a piece of ground or lot 20 feet in front, on Sixth and Lombard Streets granted to Richard Allen and Flora his wife: “Signed: Richard Allen her Flora X Allen Mark” and also as seen in Book I C p. 469 in which another lot was granted to Richard and Sarah Allen by Mark Wilcox and Mary his wife, and recorded March 23, 1814. Signed: “Richard Allen her Sarah X Allen; Mark” Sarah, born in the Isle of Wight County, VA, became his wife in 1800. They had six children; their eldest son, Richard Allen, Jr., was probably born around 1801 (when Richard, Sr., was forty-one years old), and was the secretary of the first General Conference in 1816, also secretary of the Baltimore Annual! Conference, and the Philadelphia Annual Confer- ence in 1817 and 1818, starting when he was “a boy about 15 years of age.” He is mentioned in Bishop Allen’s will which was probated in 1831 when, of course, he would be 30 years of age Also, the last will and testament of John Mark recorded August 9, 1820, shows that $5,000 was left Richard Allen, Jr., for his education. Bishop Allen’s will names as his then surviv- ing children: Richard Allen, Jr., James, John, Peter, Sarah, and Ann To his son-in-law, Rev. J. P. Eddy, he bequeathed his gold-headed cane and Burkitt’s Commentaries on the New Testament, and to Rev. Joseph M. Corr, he gave six volumes of Scott’s Commentaries on the Bible, and six volumes on the works of Josephus. In various instruments of record, by the city of Philadelphia he is referred to as “trader,” “preacher,” “colored.” ae ’ i 1 i] 1 : Bishop John H, Adams Senior Bishop President of the General Board — el ig TD Bishop C. E. Thomas President of the Counell of Bishops — Seb She ae COUNCIL OF BISHOPS/GENERAL BOARD ANNOUNCEMENT Bishop J. H. Mayo Mrs. Theodora Mayo Bishops’ Council, General Board, Connectional Council and Investiture 10th Episcopal District TEXAS AREA BISHOP JAMES HASKELL MAYO, Host Bishop (214) 943-3001 EMPHASIS: To God Be The Glory! | Episcopal Supervisor................. Mrs. Theodora Mayo General Chairman........Reverend Dr. Drinkard Timms, Jr. (214) 376-2279 or 376-2801 | Transportation Chairman.......... Reverend James W. Ford (713) 222-7064 or 691-0721 Souvenir Program. Reverends W. B. Langham and Alvin Baker (817) 293-5167 or (713) 437-9803 Banquet Ticket Chairman......... . .Reverend H. F. Dodson (214) 421-7996 Housing-General Chairman. . . . Reverend Drinkard Timms, Jr. (Listed above) A Souvenir Journal is being prepared for your participation. The prices are as follows: 1 Page — $200.00 1/2 Page — $100.00 1/4 Page — $ 50.00 1/8 Page — $ 25.00 Hyatt Regency Hotel-Houston Room rates are as follows: Standard Superior Deluxe Singles — $49 $63 $73 Doubles — $59 $69 $85 Triples — $69 $78 $89 Quad = $79 $87 $95 Join Mrs. Theodora Mayo and the Ministers’ Wives as she serves as hostess to the Bishops’ Wives & Widows and all the A.M.E. Connection, She most definitely has a treat in store for you. Look for further announce- ments, We do, however, at this time thank God for all the unheralded and unsung heroes whose names are not mentioned who have given of their time and talent to make your stay in the 10th Episcopal District a rewarding experi- STATEMENT We greet you in the name of the Holy One of Israel and in the Spirit of Richard Allen, and we say, ‘‘Vaticinium Ex-Eventus’’—the proclamation within the event. The ‘‘EVENT”’: the Bishops’ Council, June 19-22, 1989, Houston, Texas. We invite you to come to Texas. Adequate plans have been made for your comfort, entertainment and the lifting of your spirits. Come to Houston where you will be officially welcomed by City, County, State and Nationa! officials. Be welcomed by the great A.M.E. leadership of this region: Dr, O. L. Dawson, presiding elder; Dr. L, W. Jenkins, presiding elder; Dr. X, L. Williams; Dr. E. E. Coates and the Great Wesley A.M.E. Church, Host Church, along with all the Ministers and Laymen of the Gulf Coast Region. You will then be officially greeted by that dynamic duo, Bishop and Mrs. J. Haskell Mayo, and all of Texas. Join us at the Hyatt Regency, where we shall all dwell under the same roof, Join us at the Honor Banquet Investiture Night. Tickets are available at $50 per person, Worship Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. at the Sam Houston Col- iseum. You cannot afford to miss this great celebration, Witness five hun- dred Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts presenting seventy-six Flags and Color | Guards, five hundred Ushers, and five hundred voice Choir, five hundred Stewardesses, five hundred Stewards and Trustees, five hundred Pastors and Ministers, and the President and Faculty of Paul Quinn College of Waco. ===== DSC05720.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder ssn TY 6) 1989 Conference Church School Superintendent REVEREND ROGER A. SAWTELLE ___ Reverend Roger A. Sawtelle Rev. Roger A. Sawtelle was born July 18, 1940, to Mr. Allan W. and Mrs. Clara (Irion) Sawtelle in Cincin- nati, Ohio. He earned his B. A. at In- diana University and his M. Div. at Harvard Divinity School. He visited the Soviet Union and eastern Europe in the summer of 1961 as part part of the USA-USSR Cultural Exchange. Rev. Sawtelle pastored United Methodist Churches in North Kings- town, RI, Wareham, Marion, and Fall River, MA. He joined Bethel A.M.E. Church in Fall River under pastor Rey. Nurjhan B. Govan, was ordained deacon in 1980, and elder in 1982, under Bishop Richard Allen Hilde- brand. In 1981, Rev. Roger A. Sawtelle was appointed pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in historic Lowell, MA, where he served with distinction for six years. In 1987, Bishop Frank C. Cummings appointed him Sunday School Superintendent for the New England Annual Conference and Pre- siding Elder Herbert L. Eddy ap- pointed him Superintendent for the Boston-Hartford District. Rev. Sawtelle participated in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, spent a summer in South Carolina doing civil rights work, par- ticipated in the Poor People’s March of Dr. King, and is a subscribing Life Member of the N.A.A.C.P. He is a former president of the Brotherhood Center in Fall River and the Merri- mack Valley Branch N.A.A.C.P. Boy Scouts Scouting for Food Good Turn Acclaimed Irving, TX — Officials at the Boy Scouts of America national headquar- ters announced the collection of more than an estimated six million cans of food in its nationwide Scouting for Food appeal last Saturday. “And we are still counting,’’ said Chief Scout Executive Ben H. Love. “Scouting for Food has surpassed its objective of being the largest single ef- fort of its kind ever conducted in this country.’’ The appeal was carried out in all fifty states. ‘‘Americans obvi- ously opened up their hearts to the hungry and we are deeply appreciative of all who contributed to or helped in this effort,’’ Love said. Milt Fletcher, director, Provo Community Action Agency said, “There has never been anything like this before. Scouts collected, sorted and turned over to our food bank about five hundred thousand cans of food. It’s truly a time of Thanksgiv- In Hamden, Connecticut Food Bank Director Robert Butts reported, “Contributions from traditional sources have diminished in the past year. Our supplies are very low, while the need is great.’’ Mr, Butts went on to say, ‘*The Scouts have made an es- sential contribution to the well being of the people of our state. We have canned goods on trucks and in ware- houses which still need to be inven- toried and sorted. Meanwhile, our banks have already started to distri- bute the food to families.’’ In a report received from John Rooney, Scout Executive, Southeast Alaska Council Boy Scouts of Ameri- ca, in Juneau, Alaska, four Lone Scouts living on the island of Hobart Bay collected three large boxes of food. The Scouts had no way to get it to a food bank. Wings of Alaska, a bush flight airline, picked up the boxes and flew the food to Juneau. There it was turned over to the Salvation Army, St. Vincent DePaul and the Glory Hole (a local food kitchen). In noting the success of Scouting for Food, Ben Love said the project demonstrated Scouting’s seventy-eight year tradition of good turns for the community and the nation. Love said, “‘We have conducted a project which provided the character building and citizenship experience Scouting has so long strived to teach. At the same time, we have raised the level of awareness about a major social con- cern among the American people. The Boy Scouts of America will begin im- mediately planning to repeat Scouting for Food in November, 1989. Scout officials praised the National Guard, the United Way of America, the Jaycees, Rotary Clubs, thousands of other adult volunteers and numer- ous public and private corporations for the personnel, financial and physi- cal support. Frank J. Morgan, Presi- dent and COO, The Quaker Oats Company, served as National Scouting for Food Chairman. “The Family Church, Serving the Family of God” Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal REVEREND GRAINGER BROWNING Pastor 7806 Allentown Road Fort Washington, Maryland 20744 Office (301) 248-8833 Residence (301) 248-5715 Continued from page 1 A Forward March Challenge on Founder’s Day 1989 ___ Do we remain complacent and in- effective, overcome by obstacles? Or do we forge forward? How do we forge forward? These questions concern all of us. We are not alone. They are the ever pressing, bur- densome self-doubts that confront- ed our forebearers. Their frontiers differed, however, they asked them- selves: Are the frontiers of slavery unconquerable? Richard Allen answered that question in his rebellion against dis- crimination and segregation when he left the Saint George Methodist Church in Philadelphia, Pennsyl- vania. The year 1787 is a landmark for African Methodism. Richard Allen, ex-slave, with his church brother Ab- salom Jones marched away from the slurs of being dragged from their knees in worship. Allen organized the prayer group that was to emerge as the A.M.E. Church. Yet in Allen’s own words after Bis- hop Asbury was invited in July, 1794, to dedicate the church transformed from a blacksmith house at Sixth and Lombard Street with Allen’s own teams of horses commandeered for the work: ‘|. . This house of worship has been favored with the awakening of many souls, both White and Colored, and I trust they are in the kingdom.”” Significantly, the major resolution passed by the ostracizing parent church body some eighty-five years later echoes our spiritual emancipa- tion. For Founder’s Day they bear re- peating: “The claims of our numerous and noble-hearted membership of African descent to a perfect equality of rela- tions with all others in our com- munion are fully recognized by the Discipline and amply demonstrated in the administration of the African Methodist Church, There is no word ‘white’ to discriminate against race or color known in our legislation, and being of African descent does not pre- vent membership of White men in An- nual Conferences, nor ordination at the same altar, nor appointment to presiding eldership, nor election to the General Conference, nor eligibility to the highest office in the church,’’ So reads our Journal of 1872, our own Magna Carta of religious rights and privileges, implicit for all who are members or who join the A.M.E. Church. Where then have You taken our founding fa- thers’ blessing? What are you doing with it today? Is the realization stressed often enough to our contemporaries and to our youth that a Church Polity steeped in such glorious beginnings has the power to infuse new and fur- ther glorious beginnings? With our overpowering spiritual heritage, are we finding ourselves more self-congratulatory than self- advancing? Challenge yourself to a Founders’ Day pledge. Take your inspiration from Sarah Allen, the activist wife of Richard Allen. Match your missionary out- reach with a missionary zeal for your own forward march to achieve something beyond your past expec- tations. Give it thought. Give it MeN MRNENLM NS RNRRN prayer. But give it a mighty try! Or take your inspiration from Allen himself to organize your methodology. Organizing was his forte! The mobilization of our spiritual resources must be put into place and directed. Select your tar- gets and goals, whether they be on the spiritual ascendancy, familial, material, or personal. We do not need another two hun- dred years to landmark our next ma- jor monument to the fruits of the A.M.E. Connection. We do need a day-by-day calen- dar of creative and practical pro- gress to contribute toward the Church, the Community, and Com- merce. As difficult as it was, or as easy as it seems in retrospect to learn one’s ABC’s, so let that commission to produce effectively impact our abili- ties to excel in the Church, Com- munity, and Commerce! The illustrious late Dr. Howard D. Gregg, Historiographer once said, “While we glory in the life and ac- complishments of Richard Allen, we cannot consistently be contented with what has been accomplished. Every generation has its work, and no man can escape his share of it. The duty of the present generation of African Methodists is to strength- en the connection by developing a system of systematic work under es- tablished precedent and law and in accordance with the Discipline of the Church. To this end there must dwell in Bishops, as well as the Pas- tors and in laymen, the spirit of obe- dience, the spirit of hard work, the spirit of dedication, and the spirit of consecration.’” Speaking to us down through the ages, Bishop Richard Allen bids us “*go forward, my friends, and he ex- horts us to remember that as it is man’s chief end to glorify God in his life, so it is the chief duty of the Church to lead erring humanity back to the truth. To lift fallen hu- manity back to its feet, and to bring to earth the Kingdom of Heaven, for therein is the fullest measure of peace and happiness and the com- plete realization of the doctrine which underlies Christianity: God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, Man our Brother.” Allen's works speak for him, works louder than words! The ex-slave was the first indi- vidual in the nation to organize a mutual aid society for Blacks. He was the father of night school, an early friend to Sunday Schools, a thrifty business person for himself and in what he contributed... gave back, indeed, to the communi- ty. And one of his sons while in his early teens fourteen (14) acted as Secretary to the Baltimore Annual Conference of the A.M.E, in 1818! We repeat these facts in hopes that they be committed to hearts and heads for study and analysis, For here we see all aspects of potential progress: education, the wisdom of conducting God's missions in organizing, congregating, daily work, evangelizing, and trusting enough in the Lord to peacefully, yet forcefully overcome all obsta- cles to achieve the ‘timpossible.”” Not all of us can enjoy the bless- ings of opera diva Jessye Norman's Please turn to page 16 * SRRXNAENANARRANNARANARAAARNAAA Ae eas 0 ===== DSC05721.JPG ===== February 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebrated by A.M.E. Faithfuls Mr. L. N. Smith Mrs. Marlene Blakely Smith Little Rock, AR—The anniversary celebration of fifty years of marriage between Mr. L. N. and Mrs. Marlene Blakely Smith was held at Bethel A.M.E. Church, December 25, 1988, with the exchange and renewal of their wedding vows. The reception for the couple followed the Christmas Day morning worship. Also, an Open House, sponsored by their children and grandchildren, was held at the Ringo Street residence, where they were serenaded in a family musical tribute. For these A.M.E. faithfuls, their three-pronged life has been Bethel A.M.E. Church (the Layman’s League, choirs, General Conference, delegates to World Council of Churches), their four children, and their jobs. This Arkansas couple has been held in high esteem across the years and much yet is expected of them both, with many more years of wonderful living. When next you see either of these fine people, congratulate them for fif- ty years of marriage, and wish them well for the future. te @ ‘eo an le iy Allen’s coming to a sav- ing knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ was similar in content to that of John Wesley, who said that he felt his ‘“‘heart beating strangely warm.’”’ DR. Z. L. GRADY 7th District Presiding Elder FLORIDA CALIFORNIA Ever Thought About Taking Your Church Group On A Scenic Tour * Tour may be comprised of groups within your church, like Sunday School Classes, Senior Adults or people from groups of Churches * It’s a great way to experience famous locations in an atmos- phere controlled by Judes/Christian ethics of your group * It is a wonderful way to visit Black Institutions Contact Allen Travel and get information on how to start planning your tour with us % Scenic Tours + Reasonable Rates * Warm Fellowship * Guide Who Cares | Allen Travel, Inc. 1134 11TH STREET, N.W. WASHINGTON, DC 20001 Statement by Black Church Leaders SOLIDARITY JOURNEY TO SOUTHERN AFRICA HISTORY In September of 1987, at a meeting in Atlanta, Georgia, between leaders of the Historic Black Churches (Afri- can Methodist Episcopal; African Methodist Episcopal Zion; Christian Methodist Episcopal; National Baptist Convention, America; National Bap- tist Convention, USA: Progressive National Baptist Convention; Church of God in Christ) and the Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches, the Reverend Dr. Allen Boesak, a church leader from South Africa, called for the Black Churches to send an ecumenical delegation to South Africa to ‘‘see for themselves the ravages of apartheid.’’ ‘We need,’’ Dr. Boesak continued, ‘‘the Black people of America to stand with us; to join the international campaign for sanctions and to exert every effort possible to bring an end to the long night of suffering by the people of South Africa.’’ The response to this call was positive. The United States Office of the World Council of Chur- ches was asked to enable the planning for this ecumenical venture. SOLIDARITY JOURNEY One year later, on September twen- tieth, ten persons (list attached) repre- senting the Black Churches and the National Committee of Black Semi- narians embarked on a Journey of Soli- darity and fact-finding mission to sou- thern Africa. The leaders of the dele- gation were Bishop Ruben Speaks of the AME Zion Church and the Rever- end Dr. Fred Lofton, the President of the Progressive National Baptist Con- vention. It was the delegation’s in- tention to visit with church leaders in- side South Africa, but three days before the Solidarity Journey was to begin, the Department of Home Af- fairs of the South African Govern- ment notified the delegation that visas would not be granted. A communique received after the church leaders had left the United States noted that ‘‘it would be inopportune at this time.”’ This action by Southern African of- ficials raises serious questions as to what the South African Government has to hide from representatives of Church of Jesus Christ whose mission was peace and justice. This interfe- rence by government in the life of churches should not be tolerated by the people of the United States who so ardently defend the separation of church and state. Despite the action of the South Af- rican Government, the group was not detered from their original purpose “to see for themselves what was hap- pening to Black people as a result of apartheid.’’ The trip proceeded after agreeing to meet leaders of the South African churches in Botswana. During the ten-day journey the church leaders met with Black clergy in London; with representatives of the Program to Combat Racism (PCR); with a delega- tion of twelve persons from South Af- rica, led by Allan Boesak and Frank Chikane; with the President of Bots- wana and other government officials; with church leaders in the ‘‘Front- Line’ nations; with refugees from South Africa and Namibia, and with national Executive Committee mem- bers of the Africa National Congress (ANC). The group worshiped in local congregations in Gabarone, Botswa- na. Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot Ecumenical Officer/President Elect on the Issue of Hunger LONDON The first stop on the Solidarity Journey was London, England, where Black Church leaders were hosted by the Reverend Theo Samuel of the Association of Black Clergy. Com- mon problems were shared and prom- ises made to further explore the nature and manifestations of racism in Bri- tain and in the United States. A possi- ble future conference was discussed. The group was briefed on the current situation in Southern Africa by Paul Boetang, a Member of Parliament and Commissioner of the Program to Combat Racism of the World Council of Churches (PCR/WCC); by Barney Pityana, a South African and Director of PCR/WCC, and by James Mutam- birwa, of Zimbabwe, Program Execu- tive of PCR/WCC. The group is es- pecially grateful to PCR/WCC for their historic role in the liberation struggle of South Africa and for their support of the Solidarity Journey. BOTSWANA Following the briefing in London, the church leaders proceeded to Botswana. The hospitality and generousity of the people of Botswana began at the airport where the delega- tion was greeted by Archbishop Walter Khotso Makhulu, a President of the World Council of Churches; Churchill Grape, Interim Director of the Botswana Christian Council (BCQ); a choir of African Methodist Episcopal women and other church leaders. The delegation is grateful to the President and the people of Bots- wana for offering a place for dialogue and for opening their doors to the “stranger at their gate.’’ Although the delegation was disappointed—even outraged—at the inability to enter the Republic of South Africa, it became clear that the visit to Botswana was providential. Here, church leaders ex- perienced first-hand the suffering and the courage of the people in the “‘Front-Line’’ nations. ‘‘We were made acutely aware,’’ said members of the delegation, ‘‘of the multifarious ways that the South African Govern- ment undermines the life of the people and the stability of the governments of the region.’’ Among the many obser- vable effects of this destablization in Botswana were: 1) The refugee crisis and its in- herent destruction of family life, 2) The physical attacks by the South African ‘‘commando’’ forces into Botswana and other neighboring states, and 3) The continuing economic stranglehold by South Africa on the ‘‘Front-Line’’ nations. The delegation saw first-hand the way apartheid effects not only South Africa, but the whole of Southern Af- rica. The delegation came to under-_ Please turn to page 13 pee ===== DSC05722.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder February 6, 1989 First Episcopal Special Resolution and Recommendations Bishop F. C. Cummings Mrs. Martha Cummings Philadelphia, PA—To His Eminence Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings and Her Excellency Mrs. Martha Cum- mings; to all of our effective Episco- pal Fathers; to our gallant General Of- ficers; to our creative Connectional Officers; to our demanding District Officers; to our professional Presiding Elders; to our classic clergy; and to our learned Laity and to all of the gifted guests of First Episcopal Dis- trict A.M.E. churches, we greet you in the Name of Jesus and pray for your strength in the Lord. Ordinarily, we take pleasure and pride in addressing this august body. However, this resolution finds your Social Action Commission in deep consternation, as we regard the plight of our people as social conditions con- tinue to disintegrate. The socio-eco- nomic atmosphere remains non-con- ducive to Black survival and, in fact, is escalating towards hostility. Human dignity is being undermined, pride is being subverted and the ‘‘pursuit of happiness’ is a discouraging farce. The attitude of the current and con- tinuing administration not only perpe- tuates a posture of ‘nationalistic ra- cism’’ but, also, produces a prepon- derance of White supremacist and ex- tremist (hate) groups. This ‘‘nation- alistic racism’’ results in unconscion- able number of jobless Blacks, sub- minimum wage earners and myriad minorities with no health care at all. Our educational systems are fast be- coming dysfunctional battle grounds. Immorality is not only commonplace and positively sanctioned, it is all but a prerequisite for social acceptance. Homelessness is the line of demarca- tion between the wealthy and millions of Americans. The American family— those ‘‘nuclear’’ and ‘‘extended’’ and “augmented’’—is experiencing a fra- gility uncommon to our frame of re- ference and threatening to the very fabric of our future. Deteriorating educational systems and disintegrating family structures only serve to swell the occurrence of imprisoned young Black males to numbers that stagger the imagination of our most seasoned epidemiologists. Please be given to know that we in- terpret the results of the recent na- tional election as the manifestation of a strong anti-Black backlash directed against the future aspirations of viable Black candidates such as the Rev. Jesse Jackson and others. Further, the gruesome spectre of apartheid has slipped from the front pages of the newspapers, but it has not slid from the racist agendas of either the regres- sive Botha regime or the retrogressive Reagan/Bush administration, The possibility of social well being for Black people is in serious jeopardy and we resoundingly recommend the fol- lowing strategies for our people: ie Recommendations 1. ALL BLACK PEOPLE, PARTI CULARLY A.M.E.’s —————————————————_ a) Must organize for the 1991 elec- tion now. Everyone 18 years of age and old- er must register to vote. We must participate in every election We must form coalitions with other political entities with similar interests. 2. ALL BLACK PEOPLE, PARTI- CULARLY A.M.E.’s a) Must organize, coordinate re- sponses and monitor activities of hate groups. These people do pose a clear and present danger. EDUCATION—Many of our schools have become battle grounds, instead of learning centers. Teachers are being killed and students face violence every- day. We recommend that pastors, pa- rents, missionaries and laity become more involved in the educational pro- cess. We should not, and will not, tolerate drugs within our schools. Our youth attend school to learn and be- come marketable citizens, not au- thorities on drug use and distribution. We also recommend that parents at- tend school committee meetings, and school open forums. If parents show no interest, then our youth will not ex- cel educationally. Our case against the oppression is severely weakened by our lack of participation. IMMORALITY—The challenge before the African Methodist Episco- pal Church and her leadership is not only to set the precedent in active so- cial involvement, but in holiness and Godly living, both individually and corporately. The horror of AIDS con- tinues to sweep every corner of our so- ciety. Eighty percent of all babies born with AIDS are Black or Hispanic. The increase of persons participating in premarital or extramarital intercourse and the rise of unplanned and/or un- wanted pregnancies confirms the laxi- ty of corporate morality, Increased drug and other substance abuse casts a dim ray of light on a society whose moral decadence has reached simul- taneously an abusive high and an ethi- cal low. We affirm the theory of the various ‘‘Just Say No’’ campaigns. However, Band-Aid approaches and political rhetoric do not a moral people make. Not only must we say ‘No,’ we must ‘pray No,’’ Fur- thermore, the position of the church must be the Biblical mandate of celi bacy BEFORE MARRIAGE, fidel- ty IN MARRIAGE and no drug use, misuse or abuse. We issue an urgent call to the leadership of our church to help our membership focus in on the positive reasons and long-term benefits of abstaining from premarital and extramarital sexual activity and the destructive consequences that may result from not doing so (AIDS, ca reers, divorce, etc.). We further ad- monish the church—both LEADER- SHIP and LAY—toward developing an environment wherein those with problems concerning their racial, human and sexual identity be en- couraged to seek both clinical and spiritual counseling. HOMELESSNESS— Whereas, the plight of the homeless of our nation is now an inescapable reality that has, in some way, touched every community of our nation; Whereas, this plight is not only that of a disenfranchised few individuals, but it has, in many cases, become a way of life of entire fami- lies; Whereas, the once-proud extend- ed family that once occupied the warmth of the family home has been economically and morally stripped of the pride it once knew, and are forced to live out its days in public shelters, tents, or even the cover of a cardboard box. These same family members hold jobs next to you, attend school with your children and, yes, even attend your church; Be It Resolved, that we shall begin to view this condition as our problem and not that of the other guy. Be It Resolved, that we, a church that has grown because of the family and the pride that has allowed us as a family and a church to endure over the years: that we shall press our public officials to legislate affordable hous- ing; that we as a church assist our working poor to attain the sometimes unattainable security deposit that comes between a home with pride or a shelter of shame. VANISHING BLACK MALES— Whereas, by the compelling grace of God, we the church of many colors have the driving command to minister not to those who need not a physician, but to the least, the last, and the lost. The Black male ranging between the ages 18-35 are the least in economic clout, least in political representation, least in self-esteem, the least in the legitimate corporate world. The young Black male has been swept by the winds of racism from the four corners of the Black community into the swel- tering crucible of the penal system, making up a majority of the prison population, while remaining a minori- ty of the population at large. The Black male is the last thought of by the political powers that be, the last to participate in work release programs, the last to be invited to programs of rehabilitation, and the last to receive legitimate skills with which to return to the community. The young Black man is lost to the church. He makes up less than twenty-five percent of our numbers. He is lost to the Black home. AWOL in forty-seven percent of them. He is lost to our schools, making up seventy-three percent of the high school drop-outs. He is lost to grieving mothers, widows and girl- friends. Caught by his number one killer—homicide. Be It Resolved, that the Black church will be obedient to God our Father and take Christ our Redeemer to the Black man our brother, remem- bering not to blame the victim for not finding us and realizing that it's our calling to find him that needs to be ful- filled. The Black church is called to develop programs of discipleship and empowerment that put the needs, de- sires, dreams and gifts of the Black male first, in order to save this en- dangered species. As Christ chose those last lowly fishermen to be His first, empowered them to turn the world upside down, sent them out to transform the world, we need to make the Black man first in our prayers, in our strategies of empowerment to en- hance His call to be active in the crea- tion of God as a steward. The Church needs to cry loud and spare not, as a voice crying for her children. We need to do more than preach; we need to teach. We need to do more than com- pel; we need to recruit. We need to do more than abuse; we need to find ways to use. We need to do more than lead; we need to empower new leaders so that for the church we, as a caring family, can have the right to welcome the prodigal home with full rights in the home. WE, THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILIES STRUCTURE We are the nation’s second largest racial group. According to the 1980 census count, there were 26.5 million of us. We are twelve percent of the U.S. population. The number of Black families increased from 4.9 mil- lion in 1970 to 6.5 million in 1983. Changing family composition... husband and wife still the majority (fifty - three percent)... more than half of Black families were still maintained by married couples in 1983. Our separation and divorce rates were highest among all racial groups. About one-third of Black women who maintained families had never been married. More than half of Black chil- dren lived in one-parent homes. Our families are not as large as they used to be; more of us are living alone. Our families by type: 1970 married couples 68.3 percent, male householder 3.7 percent, female householder 28.0 per- cent and 1983 married couples de- creased to 53.4 percent, male house- holders increased to 4.7 percent and female householders has increased to 41.9 percent of Black population: under eighteen years of age 35.5 per- cent, 18-64 years 56.7 percent, 65 and over 7.9 percent, males 47.3 percent, females 52.7 percent. How much money do we earn? In 1984, our median family money in- come was $15,430. Half of our fami- lies received more and half received less than $15,430. Twenty-nine percent of our families had incomes of $25,000 or more in 1984, whereas, more than half of White families were in this income category. Our median income was highest to those of us who lived in the West ($19,210) and lowest for those of us residing in the South ($14,860) and Midwest ($14,370). Black family median income was fifty- six percent of White family income in 1984. In other words, for every $100 a White family received, a Black family received $56. In 1985, forty-four per- cent of Black families were maintain- ed by women alone compared with only thirteen of White families. The 1984 median income from Black fami- lies maintained by women was only $8,650, thirty-seven percent of the me- dian of Black married couple families ($23,420). In White husband-wife fa- milies, the median income was $30,060 and $15,130 for families maintained by women with no hus- band present. POVERTY—The number of Black persons below the poverty line rose from 8.6 million in 1980 to 9.5 million in 1984. Among Whites 23.0 million were poor in 1984, The Black poverty rate was 33.8 percent in 1984 VS 32.5 percent in 1980, The poverty rate for Whites was 11.5 percent in 1984. About thirty-one percent, or 2.1 mil- lion families, had money incomes below the poverty level in 1984, Black female households accounted for se- venty-three percent of all poor Black families in 1984. Unemployment re- mains one of our most serious prob- Please turn to page 7 ===== DSC05723.JPG ===== February 6, 1989 nee The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 6 FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT SPECIAL RESOLUTIONS AND COMMENDATIONS __ 2000. First, our parents must take control of their children, teach their children love, respect, moral values; their his- tory and culture. Take their children to church and teach them about God. Second, we must have a strategy of raising our economic well-being. We need to keep the land we own and pur- chase additional land. As a nation, we have to create our own jobs. A. Start small businesses B. Hire our family members and neighbors C. Support our own businesses D. Patronize Black professionals, technicians, vocational and ser- vice industries E. Create new businesses for the Third Century We must continue our political par- ticipation, increase our political power, influence legislation being made. We must help each other to grow. Finally, unlike any other report that this commission has issued, this one merits an organized response. FIRST, there must be a social action commis- sion in every local church. In cases where the Missionary Society, Social Action Committee or the Lay Organization Social Action Commit- tee are functioning, they can serve as the liaison to the First District Social Action Committee. SECONDLY, we are expecting every church to respond to the issues contained in this report and report those responses to either the Conference Director of Social Ac- tion or to the First District Social Ac- tion Commission by February 11, 1989. LASTLY, we will be encourag- ing every local church to complete your social action survey and return it to the First District Social Action Commission. We are in_ perilous times. Our commitment to Jesus Christ and to God’s people, to the op- pressed and to the poor indicates that we rise up and meet the challenges of our day. IEMMNMNEMNE NY We must rescue the perishing, care for the dying, snatch them in pity from sin and the grave. Weep o’er the erring one, lift up the fallen, tell them of Jesus the Mighty to save. IMNEERMNMMEEES Rey. Dr. Alvan N. Johnson, Jr. Chairperson 1st District Social Action Commission Continued from page 1 Senior A.M.E. Bishop and Wife Happily Welcomed to Georgia Wherever Bishop John Hurst Adams and Dr. Dolly D. Adams have served, they have made a difference to the glory of God. We happily look forward to that difference during the 1988-1992 quadrennium and beyond. God bless our new episcopal team. Attend Annual Conference Continued from page 1 “<Self-Help’’ Comes to the First Episcopal District __ more than three hundred youths and adults. Recently, Self-Help Inc. rearranged its structure by establishing a new ex- ecutive board of directors and organi- zing local boards of directors in New York, New Jersey, New England, Philadelphia and Delaware Confer- ences to investigate and develop suit- able funding sources for local pro- grams in that area. Self-Help is bound to its Motto: “We Meet People Where They Are And Help Them To Help Them- selves. ”’ *< A SINGING STREAM” IS GOSPEL ACCORDING TO LANDIS FAMILY ___— For eighty-eight-year old Mrs. Ber- tha Landis, one of the best things about A Singing Stream: A Black Fa- mily Chronicle, is the film’s title. It came from her comments. “T taught them how to sing—my boys,’’ she said. ‘‘My father was a music teacher, and he had a brother who taught music, and my mother had two brothers who taught music. So that’s why it’s called the singing steam—it comes from a long way.” Broadcast at 10 p.m., Sunday, Feb. 12, over national PBS stations (check local airtime), the hour-long docu- mentary is the first film to trace 20th- century Black history through the musical and cultural traditions of one Southern Black family. Through inter- views and scenes from daily routines, family reunions, gospel concerts and church services, the film chronicles the history of the Creedmoor, NC, Landis family, as it happened during the life- time of the family’s matriarch and oldest surviving member. A Singing Stream documents how Mrs. Landis used her family’s musical gifts, along with a deep religious faith and strong cultural traditions, to unite, discipline and motivate her chil- dren, equipping them to rise above barriers faced by Blacks in the South during the last half-century. Musical performances in the film span nearly a century of Black religious song styles, from unaccompanied shape-note sing- ing to contemporary gospel. A Singing Stream features rehearsals and con- certs by The Golden Echoes, a male gospel quartet that includes,three Lan- dis men, and The Echoes of Heaven, a female quartet also made up of family members. The historic strength of the extend- ed Black family seems to be a vital component of Black progress in America. A Singing Stream solidly un- derscores such strength both in voices that are heavenly music to the ears and in spirits of indomitable faith. In Mrs. Landis’ words, ‘‘The singing stream— it comes from a long way.” A Singing Stream: A Black Family Chronicle is a production of Daven- port Films and Curriculum in Folk- lore at The University of North Caro- lina at Chapel Hill. Independent film- maker Tom Davenport is the director. Associate directors are Daniel Patter- son, chairman of curriculum in folk- lore at UNC-CH, and Allen Tullos, Emory University professor. North Carolina Public Television, the pro- gram service of The University of North Carolina Center for Public Television, is presenting the film for PBS national broadcast. Nine Day Program Held For King Birthday Observance Atlanta, GA—The Martin Luther King, Jr, Center for Nonviolent Social Change held the 1989 observance of Dr. King’s 60th birthday anniversary, “The 1989 King Week observance provided a rare opportunity for people to take part in substantive action against poverty, racism and violence,’’ explained Mrs. Coretta Scott King, president of the King Center. ‘‘We are determined that the birthday observ- ance will be a time of doing, of getting involved in projects to help make Martin Luther King, Jr.’s dream a reality.’’ Mrs. King said that, twenty years after his assassination, Dr. King’s nonviolent teachings are more relevant than ever. She cited the growing crisis of apartheid, massive starvation in the Horn of Africa, increasing poverty in the U.S. and terrorism abroad as key problems that can be addressed by or- ganized nonviolent action and con- flict-resolution. The theme for King Week, 1989 was ‘‘Living the Dream: Let Freedom Ring—Ending the Vio- lence of Poverty, World Hunger, Apartheid and Terrorism Through Creative Nonviolent Action.”’ A dazzling line-up of government, business, labor and religious leaders, performing artists and leading activists was confirmed to take part in the King Week, 1989 program of events. In ad- dition to Mrs. King, the observance drew hundreds of leaders and veterans of the civil and human rights move- ments, such as Rainbow Coalition head and 1988 Presidential candidate Reverend Jesse Jackson; S.C.L.C. President, Reverend Joseph Lowery; Dr. Richard Deats, president of the Richard Allen for his birthday. ‘ 500 8th Avenue, South D Where are the wizzards of unforseeable future to colonize cities in , » space, food industries to feed the starving plane? scientists? inventors? § Real Estate developers of the magnitude of Donald Trump? They are out there! They are within our reach. Let’s give them to § AMEC Publishing House DR. A. LEE HENDERSON, Publisher De OD oD ED 2 OD o F0 5 +92 6-0 « Fellowship of Reconciliation; and Ms. Vinnie Burrows, vice president of Wo- men for Racial and Economic Equali- ty. Government leaders included Attor- ney General Richard L. Thornburgh; Secretary of Education Lauro Calva- zos; Outgoing Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Samuel Pierce; Senators Lowell Weicker (R.-CT) and Wyche Fowler (D.-GA); U.S. Representative John Lewis (D.-GA); Georgia Governor Joe Frank Harris; and Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley. Mrs. King said that cities across the nation scheduled wide-ranging ac- tivities, including marches and rallies, teach-ins and workshops, religious services, cultural events, voter regis- tration drives and other events in honor of the slain civil rights leader. On the holiday, Reverend Ben Hooks, executive director of the NAACP rang the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia and replica bells in the fifty states rang in honor of Dr. King’s life and work. In all, forty-four states and all U.S. territories have enacted a Martin Lu- ther King, Jr. holiday in accordance with the federal holiday. The King Center is working with local groups to pass holiday legislation in the remain- ing six states, Montana, Wyoming, South Dakota, Arizona, Idaho and New Hampshire. There was also bell- ringing in nations around the world and a ‘‘Call for a universal day of peace in the name of Martin Luther King, Jr.’ Programs observing Dr. King’s birthday were scheduled in more than one hundred nations. SP OP Or COI OO oe FOR oe Oh oa Oh a Ope te pe teeta tee Birthday Gifts “While we glory in the life and accomplishments of Richard Allen we can- not consistently be con- tented with what has been accomplished.’ Lets give him these gifts: eLee Iaccoa’s to ad- vance the automobile and transportaiton industries e Entrepreneurs ¢ Complete with Baron Hilton Hotel empire ‘ Nashville, Tennessee 37203 ¢ ===== DSC05724.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder February 6, 1989 A.M.E. Historical Painting Bicentennial Tribute LEGACY W PAIN TING DEPICTS HIS TORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF CHURCH COMMISSIONED BY THE HISTORICAL REMEMBRANCE COMMITTEE ARTIST: SHIRLEY WOODSON (1988) LEGEND: 1. Henry Ossawa Tanner, Religious Painter, 2. Bishop Benjamin Tucker Tanner, 3. Henry McNeal Turner, 4. Daniel Alexander Payne, 5. Sarah Allen, Wife of Richard Allen, 6. Richard Allen as a young Itinerant Preacher, 7. Richard Allen, Founder of A.M.E. Church, 8. Rev. M. C. Wright, Minister of St. Stephen 1920-1921, 9. Bishop William Paul Quinn, 10. Rev. S. S. Harris, Minister of St. Stephen 1921-23, 11. Rev. W. E. Walker, Minister of St. Stephen 1923-27, 12. Rev. J. D. Howell, Minister of St. Stephen 1927-49, 13. Rev. Charles S. Spivey, Minister of St. Stephen 1949-1960, 14. Rev. Martin Luther Simons, Minister of St. Stephen 1960-1972, 15. Rev. Harold C. Huggins, Minister of St. Stephen 1980-, 16. Rev. Thomas White, Founder/Minister of St. Stephen 1918-1920, 17. Bishop John E. Hunter, Minister of St. Stephen 1972-1980, Presiding Prelate 15th/18th Episcopal Districts 1980-1985, 18. Mrs. Ora Anderson, Oldest Charter Member of St. Stephen, 19. Symbol of African Methodist Episcopal Church/Anvil and Cross, 20. St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, Detroit, Michigan, 21. ‘‘Mother” Bethel A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 22. English Slave Ship, 23. Blacksmith Shop of Richard Allen, where early Church services were held, 24. St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, First Structure 1918, 25. Choirs of St. Stephen, and Detroit, MI—It was on a Sunday afternoon at four o’clock that the pastor, the Rev. Dr. Harold C. Hug- gins, congregation and friends of St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, 6000 Stan- ford (John E. Hunter Drive), witness- ed the dedicatory service and unveiling of a large, historical painting by the acclaimed artist Shirley Woodson. The approximately eight foot by five foot mural on canvas was presented to the church by the Historical Remem- brance Committee in commemoration of the Bicentennial Celebration of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (1787-1987) and the seventieth of St. Stephen (1918-1988). The artist, a visiting professor at Eastern Michigan University, Depart- ment of Art, has exhibited her paint- ings in museums and galleries in the United States and abroad. The fact that Shirley Woodson Reid is a life member of St. Stephen, married and the mother of two youngsters who are also active in the church, made this particular creative work not only a commission but a “‘labor of love.’’ History is brought to life in this ar- tistic masterpiece as the painter de- picts the development of the A.M.E. Church through portraits of the founding fathers of the church and the original structures of this religious or- ganization, dating back to the spirit- ual ‘‘roots’’ of a people who came to these shores in slave ships. The nine pastors of St. Stephen are prominently presented in tribute to the impact of each succeeding leader on contribu- tions made to society by this church body throughout its seventy years of service on the west side of Detroit. The dramatic influence of the ‘‘Mo- therland’’ is demonstrated by the emergence of the church, St. Stephen, as it bursts forth from the Continent of Africa. Subsequently, the founding pastor, the Reverend Thomas J. White, and the first and only bishop elected from St. Stephen, the late Bis- hop John E. Hunter, stand at the region of South Africa where Bishop Hunter last served, holding a banner proclaiming the Bicentennial Celebra- tion of the A.M.E. Church and the se- ventieth anniversary of St. Stephen. An afternoon service was highlight- ed by a challenging and inspiring mes- sage delivered by Mrs. Beverly Wil- liams Thomas, principal of Renais- sance High School, Detroit. Mr. Thomas stressed the important role that the church has played as a preser- ver of historical documents in the “Dark Ages,’ and as ‘‘Patron of Arts’? during the ‘‘Renaissance Period,’’ having commissioned some of the greatest works of art known to civilization. She affirmed the tre- mendous value of art and music as in- spirational forces in the lives of young people. Her theme reflected the words of John Keats, who wrote, ‘‘A thing of beauty is a joy forever; its loveli- ness increases; it will never pass into nothingness.”’ Mrs. Thomas is the wife of the Rev- erend Dr. Robert Thomas, former pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church and now a bishop of the A.M.E. Church. Spirits were uplifted when the mag- nificent St. Stephen Celestial Choir PST) e WILLIAM M. PHILPOT, EDITOR Best Black Sermons by William M. Philpot These sermons typify the best preaching that is done in Black churches today. Each sermon has been chosen be- cause of its excellent homilet- ical form and accuracy in de- picting Black experience. WMP-111 .......-.-.- $4.95 POOSSOEHLO OOOO HOSS OOOHSSOH OOOOH OSHS TOSSHSGGOHT SOOO HO OSES OHS SHHOOSOSOOLOSOOSOOSOD Please add 13% postage and handling. sang ‘‘A Mighty Fortress Is Our God."’ ‘*Today’’ (soloist, Diane Chappelle Reed), and other appro- priate musical selections, directed by Carolyn Gibbs-Keemer, and accom- panied by Mrs. Lois Gibbs, pianist, and Dr, Frank White, organist, The program, which opened in the sanctuary and continued in the lower Howell Auditorium, was conducted by Brenda Rayford, Director of the Black United Fund. Invocation was prayed by Mrs. Adeans Henley, fol- lowed by an expression of welcome by Cecil Mickens and introductions by Mrs. Isabelle Chappelle, Thomas Feg- gans and Mrs. Emma Gilchrist. Spe- cial presentations were made by Mrs. Harriet L. Young, Mrs. Marguerite Dedmon and Rev. Lila Martin. Unveiling officers were Otis Gilchrist, Grant Chappelle, Elder Boyd and Marvin Moody. Rev. Huggins of- ficiated at the dedication ceremony. The congregation was courteously received and seated by the Adult Us- her Board. Those in attendance were treated to hospitality and refresh- ments by such lovely young hostesses as Marsha Johnson, Deborah Sledge, Jackie Boggs, Sheila Glispie, Paulette Boggs, Marcia Mealy and Olive Young-Wyatt, under the supervision of Mistresses Geneva Brown, Annie Starks and Katherine Fields. Special guests present included Bishop Thomas, his mother, Mrs. Lu- cille Thomas, visiting from Coppin Memorial A.M.E. Church, Chicago; Rev. Artilla Bettis, assistant pastor of Ebenezer; Mrs. Dolorez A. Hunter, wife of the late Bishop John E. Hunter; Christine Weideman, field representative, Bentley Historical Library, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor; and family members of the ar- tist: Edsel Reid, husband; Khari and Senghor, sons; Celia A. Woodson, mother; and Barbara Woodson, sis- ter-in-law. This special presentation was given under the auspices of the Historical Remembrance Committee: Harriet L. Young, Chairperson; Cecil J. Mick- ens/Martin M. Moody, Co-Chairper- sons; Isabelle Chappelle, Program Co-Chairperson; and Thomas Feg- gans, Photographer. oy ““Somebody’s Calling My Name” by Wyatt Tee Walker Walker presents a thorough study tracing the musical ex- pressions of Black religion from its ancestoral roots in Africa to its influence upon Black religion today. WTW-121 .......-+-+- $8.95 0000000000000 00000000090 0009900000000000000000000000005000000000000 0000008000 ===== DSC05725.JPG ===== eS a a a ee ee ee eee SS Se Se Mele ON SECIS CONE MAMNeNaes Lames CRMNEENS Be The AME Christian Recorder UHW SCHOLARSHIP WINNER—Pictured above at presentation of United Handicap- ped Workers Scholarship award to UT at Knoxville are (L-R: Luke Pogue, UHW district manager; Dorothy Bryson, chairwoman of university scholarship committee, and Pete Crouse, recipient of UHW 1988-89 scholarship United Handicapped Workers Awards Scholarship to Disabled Student Knoxville, TN—United Handicapped Workers (UHW), a Nashville-based company, has awarded a $1,600 scholarship to Peter Crouse, a disabl- ed student at the University of Tennes- see (UT) at Knoxville. The UHW scholarship is for the 1988-89 aca- demic year. Crouse, who suffers from retinal degeneration, is a native of Sevierville, TN. An education major, he is ex- pected to earn a B.S. in Earth and general Science in May 1989. The thirty-three-year-old Crouse maintains a 3.55 grade point average. According to the university’s Gen- eral Scholarship Committee, forty stu- dents were nominated for the scholar- ship. Final selection was based on aca- demic merit, financial need and certi- fied physical handicap of the recipient. “The UHW scholarship is one of this school’s most meaningful,’’ said Dorothy Bryson, the university’s as- sistant director of financial aid. ‘*The students who benefit from this special scholarship have much more than financial hardship to overcome.”’ Crouse is receiving the second an- nual UHW scholarship awarded to UT at Knoxville. ‘‘United Handicapped Workers is extremely pleased to once again fund this tuition scholarship as part of our ongoing commitment to the community,’’ said UHW Presi- dent Fil Martocci. ‘‘From our ex- perience, we know that disabled indi- viduals set high goals and we hope this scholarship will help Pete in attaining his.’’ UHW awards similar scholarships to outstanding disabled students at UT at Chattanooga, Georgia Tech, Uni- versity of South Florida, University of Missouri-St. Louis and University of Oklahoma. UHW employs disabled individuals in the telephone marketing of long- life lightbulbs and other quality pro- ducts throughout Tennessee, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Oklahoma and Mis- souri. UHW is a member of the American Handicapped Employers Association (AHEA), whose ten mem- ber companies have established simi- lar scholarship funds at colleges and universities across the country. The members of AHEA currently employ more than 1,800 disabled workers na- tionwide. Martin Luther King Had The Dream...Do We Have The Will? by Harold Williams A lot of celebration that’s going on this past week is honoring a great man, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. We talked about his contribution to socie- ty, his desire for unity among all peo- ple. We talked about the past and sac- rifices that he and others have made. From the mid 1950’s to the late '60’s a lot of marches, a lot of sit-in’s, a lot of pray-in’s, were going on to help us obtain true freedom, A lot of people died that we would have opportunities in this generation and generations to come, Was their sacrifice in vain? It appears that we have sat on our laurels expounding on the sacrifices of Dr. King and others on our behalf. But we have not been willing to pick up the baton and move forward, for we are still looking for someone to do it for us. The question now is, do we have the will to do it for ourselves? We have to come together and rebuild the solid structure around the family, give more positive attention to our children and their needs, We must plant a seed in their minds that the dream that Martin Luther King had for all of us was for us to move to 4 higher level spiritually and intellectu- ally, that will give us the opportunity within ourselves, that will allow us to determine our own destiny. We have the economic wherewithal to remove unemployment from our community if we would buy and trade with one another who are in business, By keep- ing our dollars in our community, our people would move from employees to employers. Do we have the will to trust ourselves or do we still have more faith in someone else than we have in ourselves? The dream is about self pride, the ability to overcome all obstacles and achieve in spite of, No one promised us a rose garden, for the rose garden, with all its beautiful col- ors and fragrances, has thorns. Do we have the will to make the dream a reality? Or will we relegate ourselves to talk of the past victories and make no efforts to have future ones? Do we have the will? From the Portland Observer (Used by Permission) PUBLISHER'S NOTE: Herold Williams is a member of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Portland, Oregon, and « staff writer for the Observer. Meharry Medical College Names New Vice President Nashville, TN—Dr. Rickard B. Scott has assumed the position of vice presi- dent for institutional advancement at Meharry Medical College. Scott will be responsible for the college’s de- velopment effort, public relations and alumni affairs. Prior to coming to Meharry, Scott served as vice president for develop- ment and public affairs at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, GA. During his tenure at the all women’s college he brought donations to the school to record highs. He also led an award winning publications department at the school. Scott, a Florida native, has been in both classroom and administrative settings during his professional career. He served on both the faculty and in administrative positions at Bethany College, Lindsborg, KS, and Linden- wood College, St. Charles, MO. He earned his Bachelor’s degree from Eckard College in St. Petersburg. Subsequently, he received both his Master’s and Ph.D. from Florida State University in Tallahassee. Dr. Scott and his wife have two sons, Meharry is the nation’s oldest, free- standing, historically Black medical school. Founded in 1876, the college offers courses through its four com- ponent schools: the School of Medi- cine, the School of Dentistry, the School of Graduate Studies and the School of Allied Health professions. Meharry has graduated over forty per- cent of the Black physicians and den- tists practicing in the United States to- day. Some seventy-five percent of the graduates remained true to the col- lege’s mission of ‘‘Service to the un- derserved,’’ by establishing practice in inner city and rural areas, traditionally medically underserved areas. Cosby Donates $800,000 to Meharry Medical College Nashville, TN—Dr. David Satcher, president of Meharry Medical College, announced today that Camille and Bill Cosby have donated $800,000 to the college. The money is earmarked for the J Have a Future and cancer screen- ing programs at the four-year, inde- pendent, historically Black medical school. Mrs. Cosby has a special in- terest in and concern for the health status of women, and targeted the two Meharry programs because of their focus on women’s health. According to Satcher, $600,000 of the gift will be used for the J Have a Future program, a unique, teen preg- nancy intervention program. The pro- gram works on a one-on-one basis within housing projects to break the cycle of teen pregnancies by offering lifestyle and self image alternatives. The remaining $200,000 will be used for the college’s community cancer screening effort. This unique program, under the guidance of Dr. Linda Clayton, reaches out to the community through churches and other civic organizations to provide screening for cancer and other major health problems. “We are certainly grateful to Camille and Bill Cosby for this generous gift to these two very signifi- cant and important programs,’’ Sat- cher said. ‘“‘Such a donation demon- strates the Cosby’s understanding of and concern for a traditionally under- served population. Their generosity will insure the continuance of these two programs, which are important components of Meharry’s work.” Cosby was the commencement speaker at Meharry in May, 1986. SS OOe Our Old Ship of Zion Keeps Rolling Along THE WATCHMAN by Dr. Charles C. Epps, Jr. Memphis, TN—I love the Body of Christ—especially our “Old Ship of Zion”—the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Established in 1787, upon the solid Rock of Jesus Christ, by Richard Allen and others, it is one of the few institutions totally controlled by Black people. For over two hundred years the A.M.E. Church has been, and is still, a refuge for many Blacks seeking spiritual nourishment, self-determination and security Furthermore, thoughtout Ameri- can history, the A.M.E. Church con- tinues to be a voice crying in the wilderness for the civil, economic and political rights of Black people, here and in Africa. To attain these un- alienable rights, dynamic church leaders have risen to meet the occa- sion. They urged Black people to pool their meager resources, buy property, and build churches for freedom of religious worship, For self-deter- mination and economic independence, Blacks were entreated to start their own businesses; consequently, not only has our “Old Ship of Zion” pro- vided numerous members with boot- straps to pull up by, but it has elevated some from the bottom to the bishopric; and boosted others from hellish to heavenly conditions, I love the A.M.E. Church because it has proven to be worthy by standing the test of time, During its longevity, the “Old Ship of Zion” has not always had smooth sailing. Though besieged by troubled waters, it has maintained a steady course. There was a time when various turbulent storms faced by our church were exerted from the outside. Even when its legal status was bat- tered by White Methodists, “Old Zion” was never inundated, nor did it capsize. Threatened by rampant racism and blatant attacks from the Ku Klux Klan, “Old Zion” reeled and rocked, but, like ‘Old Man River,” it just keeps rolling along. Whereas in the past, formidable foes were mostly external, something much more insidious and sinister now hovers over “Old Zion,” Imminent demolition appears to emanate from internal strife, “I have met the enemy and he is us.” Selfish ambition and misconduct of some members have led to muckraked lawsuits against the Church. Moreover, disgruntled and misguided souls attempt to gain relief from secular rather than spiritual means Someone has said that if certain un- regenerate members could tear up the church they would. But because “Old Zion” is moored to the eternal anchor of Jesus Christ, it remains undaunted by devastating waves of upheaval. So, by sailing the crest of God our Father, Christ our Redeemer, and Man our Brother, our Church will survive and continue to launch out into the deep waters of liberation and reconcilia~ hon, « 2 E ===== DSC05726.JPG ===== ee ee ee ee eo ee) ok Abe eae SO § 5 $ 4 - 10 The AME Christian Recorder February 6, 1989 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9-12, 1989 WMS Annual Day March 8, 1989 Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church Glebe Road Pembroke East, Bermuda Church Telephone (809) 292-3949 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 292-3949 The Rey. Reginald McRae, Host Pastor The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rev. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor The Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 398-4437 The Rev. Joseph Brame, Host Pastor The Rev. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone; (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rev. Millard D. Birt, Hast Pastor The Rev, W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone; (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rev, Ellis B, Louden, Host Pastor The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E, Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. W. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rey, Harry J. White, Host P_E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E, Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Phone; (201) 545-3638) The Rey. H, A, Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rev, C. E. Martin, Host PE FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN R. BRYANT LIBERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 5-12,1989 Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church Camp Johnson Road Monrovia, Liberia The Rev. J. E. January, Host Pastor The Rev. Thomas Z. Clark, Host P.E. SIERRA LEONE ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION February 20-26, 1989 New Zion A.M.E, Church Pademba Road Freetown, Sierra Leone The Rev. P. V. A. Waterson-Coker, Host P. The Rev. P. A. King, Host Presiding Elder NIGERIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 6-12, 1989 Christ A.M.E. Church Oyo State, Nigeria The Rev. J. A. Fadehan, Host Pastor & P.E. GHANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE AND W.M.S. CONVENTION March 13-19, 1989 Lord Healing A.M.E. Church Essikado, Sekondi Ghana The Rev. Anthony Ainoo, Host Pastor Rev. Dr. B. M. Forson, Host P.E. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP Y. R. BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rev. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rev. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rev. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev, Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host PLE U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27.30, 1989 Bethel AME. Church 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone; 1-809-773-6892 Pastor's Phone: |-809- 778-9003 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Hast Paster The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host PE SERVANT OF GOD WELL DONE Reverend A. J. Mattison, Sr. The Reverend Alexander Joseph Mattison, Sr., son of the late Rever- end and Mrs. N. L. Mattison, the fifth of eleven children, was born in Wil- liamston, South Carolina. He received his early education in the public schools of Williamston, South Carolina, and High Point, North Carolina. He furthered his educational aspirations by attending Wilberforce University and Payne Theological Seminary, where he received his B.S. and B.D. degrees. In 1936, he united in holy matri- mony with Pauline Tate, who became not only his wife but his friend, com- panion and help-mate, for they labored together for fifty-three years. This union was blessed with one son, Alexander Mattison, Jr. Rev. Mattison was converted at an early age and received his early Chris- tian education and guidance from his parents and New Prospect Baptist Church. At a later date he accepted the call to the ministry. While attending Wilberforce Uni- versity in Wilberforce, Ohio, he be- came seriously ill. A.M.E. Mission- aries were so kind, caring and compas- sionate toward him that he united with the A.M.E. Church. Prior to graduating from Wilber- force University, he was ordained Itinerant Deacon by the late Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom. Upon graduation he transferred from the Ohio Confer- ence to the North Carolina Con- ference. He was ordained Itinerant Elder at the Annual Conference in Wilmington, North Carolina, by the late Bishop Monroe H. Davis. Reverend Mattison’s itinerancy spanned more than a half-century. During his period of ministry he serv- ed six pastorates: St. John A.M.E.C., Goldsboro, NC; Nashville Circuit, Nashville, NC; St. James A.M.E.C., Kinston, NC; Method Circuit, Me- thod, NC; Bethel A.M.B.C., Char- lotte, NC and Brown Memorial A.M.E.C., DC, where he pastored thirty-two years HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haitt The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-14, 1989 Bethel A.MLE. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. J. Green, Hast Pastor & PE TRINIDAD—GRENADA-— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nezareth AME, Church Sunshine A venue San Juan, Trinidad The Rev. Anderson Burkett, Hast Pastor During Rev. Mattison’s pastorate at Brown Memorial, he had a vision of a bigger and better congregation. In consultation with the officers and members they expressed a desire to share in his vision. To this end a build- ing fund was set up and the congrega- tion demonstrated in a tangible way their desire to make the vision a reali- ty. On June 3, 1960, the congregation entered the New Brown Memorial A.M.E. Church. Nine and one-half years later, June 1970, the mortgage was burned by the late Bishop George W. Baber. Not being content to rest on prior achievements, Rev. Mattison envi- sioned an educational building and sought with the wholehearted support of the congregation to strive toward this new goal. Funds were raised; but before this dream became a reality, Bishop John Hurst Adams, needing a Presiding Elder, appointed Rev. Matt- ison to serve the Potomac District, Washington Conference, in June 1983, a position he served with dignity, hu- mility and compassion, until his health began to decline. He retired from ac- tive pastorate at the Washington An- nual Conference April, 1988. Rev. Mattison’s greatest desire in life was his relationship with God and to people. God made him an instru- ment of His peace, and it was through his peace that Rev. Mattison’s Chris- tian character touched and influenced the lives of many, both children and adults. He leaves to mourn his passing and cherish his memories a loving and de- voted companion, Pauline T. Matti- son; one son, Alexander Joseph Matti- son, Jr.; five grandchildren, Kevin and Gwendolyn Mattison, Alexis M. Washington, Alexander Joseph Matti- son, II] and Melanie Mattison; three great-grandchildren, Craig, Anaise and Antoine Washington; two bro- thers, Rochelle Mattison of SC, and Joel Mattison of DC; three sisters, Pearlena Simon, Anna Mae Anderson and Lillian Fowler of SC; five sisters- in-law; one brother-in-law; one daugh- ter-in-law; nieces, nephews, other re- latives and a host of friends. Lovingly and Humbly Submitted The Family Well Done Faithful Servant Well Done AMEN LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 17-20, 1989 Mt, Zion A.MLE. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Hast Pastor Annual df lonferance The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host PE ¢ Attend Your « a So Interwoven Are The Threads OF Human Life That No Single Contact 3s Trivial. aed ee SS. ===== DSC05727.JPG ===== February 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder Highlight of the Year for the Chicago Conference Lay Organization Annual Music Extravaganza and Harvest Fest One of the highlights of the year for the Chicago Conference Lay Organi- zation is the Annual Music Extrava- ganza and Harvest Fest. It was held recently in the beautiful Sanctuary of Greater Institutional A.M.E. Church in Chicago, IL, where Ms. Maryida Horn is the local presi- dent and Rev. Lyman S. Parks is the pastor. The Indian Summer like weather provided the perfect atmosphere for an evening of Praise, Thanksgiving and Fellowship. Music for the occasion was render- ed by musicians, choirs and soloists from area Conference churches. They were the Gospel Choir from Ebenezer A.M.E., Evanston; Ms. Carolyn Bost, directress/musician, Ward Chapel Gospel Choir, Chicago; Mr. Freddie Jackson, director of both the Sanc- tuary and Young Adult choirs of Insti- tutional whose directors/musicians are Mr. Mark Jordan and Mrs. Bever- ly Armstead respectively. Soloists were Mrs. Glenda Hildreth of Allen Chapel, Rockford; and Rev. J. C. Brown, pastor of Ward Chapel. They absolutely thrilled the audi- ence with their renditions. The program was well attended by Lay persons from all denominations as well as a large number of the Con- ference pastors. Both Presiding Elder Roy L. Miller of the North District and Presiding Elder David C. Coleman of the South District gave greetings and words of commendations to the organization for an exciting and inspiring program. Those same sentiments were echoed in Pastor Parks’ remarks. Presiding Elder William D. Davis who was un- able to attend sent regrets and best ‘‘Taughter Is The Sensation of Feeling Good All Over and Show It Principally In One Place.”’ wishes for a successful program. After the program, the audience was invited to the Harvest Table in the Undercroft. It was heavily laden with delectable food prepared for their im- mediate enjoyment and a wide variety of harvest produce. They were urged to take the produce home for their Own use or to share with friends. Conference members donated all of the food. Coordinator for the solici- tation and arrangement was chaired by Mrs. Carolyn DeRamus. She was assisted by Mrs. Rita Williams, Jac- quelyn Ford, Effie Lee, Maryida Horn and Robin Jordan. Mr. Jerry Davis, first vice president served as general chairperson and both he and President Willie Thompson ex- pressed their appreciation to the members, the program participants and to the audience. Mr. Morris Link Williams, presi- dent of the Fourth District Lay Or- ganization and past president of the Chicago Conference was on hand to join in the festivities. He congratu- lated President Thompson and the Conference on the program as well as the other activities of the Conference. Mistress of Ceremonies was Mrs. Mary E. Jackson, veteran Lay Person aka as Mrs. A.M.E. Other program participants were: Mr. Luster Jack- son, Mrs. Evelyn Farris, Mrs. Sylbil Hunley, Mrs. Christeen Long, Mrs. Wayman Byrd, Mr. Roland Ingram, and Mrs. Stella Harden. Chief Usher was Mrs. Willa Dawson assisted by Mrs. Mary Jackson (from Cassion), Mrs. Janice Barker and members of Institutional. Ruth E. Anderson Director of Public Relations Chicago Conference Lay Organization M.L.K. Day Set to Highlight Evils of Apartheid Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. “*The Hogan Family’’ Exposes the Tragedy of Apartheid on Martin Luther King, Jr.’s Birthday, January 16th TONY AWARD-WINNING SOUTH AFRICAN ACTOR ZAKES MOKAE GUEST STARS Culver City, CA—The award-winning television series ‘‘The Hogan Family,’’ acclaimed for its sensitive portrayal of such socially critical is- sues as teenage sexual responsibility, the dangers of drinking and driving, fire safety and the health hazards of cigarette smoking, commemorates Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday with an enlightening episode on the in- justices of the South African policy of Apartheid, scheduled for broadcast on King’s birthday, Monday, January 16 (8:30-9:00 PM, PT) on the NBC Tele- vision Network. The episode, entitled ‘‘Three Stran- gers on a Train,’’ features Tony Award-winner Zakes Mokae (Best Dramatic Actor for his role in the 1982 production of ‘‘Master Harold . . . and the Boys’’) as Thomas Mam- bukwe, a former college professor of Sandy Hogan’s (series star Sandy Dun- can) who is in town to deliver an anti- Apartheid speech during a candlelight vigil at the South African consulate in- nearby Chicago. While dining at the tragedy of the injustice and stirs the sensitivities of impressionable, six- teen-year-old Willie Hogan (series star Danny Ponce), Searching for a way to act upon his feelings, Willie defies his father and sneaks out of the house with his brother Mark (series star Jeremy Licht) to risk the dangers of riding the El train into the city for the midnight rally, The South African policy of Apart- heid, officially sanctioned in 1948, firmly established the existence of cul- turally distinct and mutually antago- nistic ‘‘Peoples’’ or ‘‘nations’’ within South Africa. The White nation, which represents only 4.3 million peo- ple, or sixteen percent of the entire population, controls all aspects of the government. The 18.6 million Black Africans (seventy-one percent of the nation) are denied even the most basic human rights: they are not allowed to vote and are relegated to living on “homelands,’’ thirteen percent of South Africa’s land, which is eroded, barren, overpopulated wasteland. The atrocities of this system of denial are appalling, with Black Africans living under the fear of the South African law which permits detention of any person considered to be engaging in activities which could endanger the security of the state. In short, anyone disputing the racist system can be “‘banned,’’ a status preventing them from leaving designated areas, speak- ing publicly or even gathering with more than two people at a time. For the millions of Africans who suffer under the cruel, oppressive regime of the South African govern- ment, Martin Luther King, Jr., was and is a spiritual leader, a symbol of hope against the terrible system of Apartheid. The anniversary of his birth gives pause for all human beings to consider the tragedy of racism in South Africa and throughout the Hogan home, Mambukwe relates the world. E (DSOODOOSOOS OLOGY ‘‘Bachelors have an un-alter-able view.’ RRR RRR ARR ARIA AAA AAA RRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRFFRFFFFFSS Hud Announces $3.6 million for Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless FUNDS MADE AVAILABLE FOR HANDICAPPED HOMELESS two applications totaling $5,117,439, @ Washington, DC—The Department of Housing and Urban Development is awarding $3.6 million in grants to non- profit organizations and states to assist the development of forty-one projects in the Permanent Housing Program for Handicapped Homeless, it was announced today by HUD Sec- retary Samuel R. Pierce, Jr. A component of the Supportive Housing Demonstration Program, the program was authorized by the Mc- Kinney Homeless Assistance Act to provide assistance in developing com- munity-based, long-term housing and supportive services for handicapped homeless persons, including the chro- nically mentally ill. Secretary Pierce said: ‘‘I am parti- cularly pleased to announce these awards for Permanent Housing for Handicapped Homeless. They target assistance to people with the greatest need, those who are both handicapped and without shelter.’’ be enhanced by a stable living situa- you involve : Applicants are limited to states, tion. us, the faster : which are required to supplement you get the : HUD funding with an equal amount HAKAAAK AEA EA KEKE finished ; of state of local matching funds. ° ¥ 7 Funding received is passed on to Good Fi r iends x private non-profit organization which zt A re R are (A | serve as project sponsors. Hy % ; Funds are awarded through a na- % tionwide competitive process. For this = And F ew * : funding round, HUD received sixty- HK KK KK KEE and forty-one are being funded in a total amount of $3,594,239, having met the program requirements. The assistance provided may in- clude: advances for the cost of ac- quisition and/or rehabilitation of ex- isting structures, grants for moderate rehabilitation, and technical assistance in establishing and operating the hous- ing and providing support services. Selected project sites are to house no more than eight handicapped homeless persons. For purposes of the program, the definition of homelessness is expanded to include handicapped persons who are currently not homeless but are at risk of becoming homeless. As defined by the program, handicapped persons are those with longstanding physical or mental impairments which impede their ability to live independently, but that ability to live independently could The BIG NEWS Breaking Tomorrow is growth... We should know. We are writing the lead story on it today! : All with the help of a qualified staff, a prominent editor and an effi- cient publisher/manager. A publisher who knows what it means to to meet a deadline. A seasoned professional who knows his business. We are ready to supply all of your printing and publishing needs—brochures, calendars, labels, church programs, cards a tificates: Baptismal, Stewardess, Steward, Trustees, Class Leaders, E ee tion, Appointment, Dedication, License to Preach, Ordination, an ant == of our unique experience in this area that we under- stand fully the complex nature of the challenge of growth. When you are ready to start thinking about tomorrow, we would like to share in your thoughts today. Write us at: A.M.E. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue, South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 Or better yet, call us at: (615) 256-5882 The sooner ; j ‘ 4 4 4 3 Z : 3 § a eh) ee ae PPA BF ee i ===== DSC05728.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder A NEW ROUTE TO GREATER UNITY COVENANT COMMUNION New Orleans—A new route to greater unity in witness, sacraments and ser- vice for more than twenty-two million U.S. Christians was called for Dec. 9, here by representatives of nine major religious bodies. In a unanimous vote, the Consulta- tion on Church Union sent to the top legislative assemblies of its members the formulation developed here. The churches are asked to approve it ‘‘as the definitive agreement for joining with other participating churches in covenant communion.’’ Action by the nine churches is not expected to be completed before the mid-1990’s, at the earliest. The covenanting proposal is the cul- mination of more than twenty-five years of study, debate and agreement in the Consultation. The plan is de- scribed by one of its principal archi- tects as ‘‘a biblical format to bring Christians together sociologically and theologically to meet today’s needs and those of the future.’’ A preliminary draft was issued in 1984 for study and response. The text adopted here was revised in light of comments received. Under the proposal, the nine churches will recognize each other’s baptism, membership and ordained clergy. Congregations in a given com- munity will celebrate Holy Commu- nion together regularly, and will plan joint mission and service. Each of the nine churches can retain its own name, form of church govern- ment, worship, and patterns of minis- terial training and placement. “Church of Christ Uniting’’ will be added to the present name of covenant churches. “The aim of this covenant commu- nion will be to make visible and practi- cable in the places where we live, what we already say with our lips,’’ Consul- tation officials said. ‘‘Some will be surprised to learn that consultation churches are not already one in these ways, but the painful fact is that they are not.”’ The Rev. David W. A. Taylor, Princeton, NJ, the Consultation’s General Secretary, said that ‘‘we be- lieve we are being led by God in a new way that has implications far beyond these nine churches—the unity of the holy catholic church.’’ Preaching is the opening eucharistic celebration, the Rev. George H. Pike, Louisville, KY, Consultation presi- dent, said that ‘‘what we have been seeking since the beginning is unity, not uniformity, in things that really matter, like membership and ministry and mission. We are not, and never have been, seeking a monolithic insti- tution.”’ The Rev. Gerald F. Moede, now a pastor in Wisconsin, and for fourteen years the Consultation’s General Sec- retary, said ‘‘This is the time we have been working and praying for—it is time to act.’’ Dr. Moede was a princi- pal developer of the covenanting con- cept. The Consultation on Church Union grew out of a sermon preached in 1960 in San Francisco by the late Rev. Eu- gene Carson Blake, a top Presbyterian official who later headed the World Council of Churches. In that sermon, which attracted wide attention, Dr. Blake called for his church and several other mainline denominations to join forces in a unique demonstration of oneness in Christ. In 1970, a plan of structural union of the participating churches was ap- Bishop Vinton R. Anderson February 6, 1989 proved by delegates to the Plenary, but it became apparent quickly that the proposal was not going to receive the necessary approval by the parent bodies. At that point, the Consulta- tion began seeking ways in which the developing agreements on theology, sharing of the Lord’s Supper, and recognition of membership among the churches could lead to greater visible unity. The covenanting proposal adopted here by the ten voting delegates from each of the nine denominations is grounded in a consensus on theology reached at the Consultation’s 1984 Plenary in Baltimore. Since that time six of the nine churches have accepted the theological agreement as the basis for the next step. The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ will vote on the Consensus statement in the summer of 1989. The 1988 General Convention of the Episcopal Church commended por- tions of the statement, but said that additional work was needed before it could be accepted as a sufficient basis for covenanting acts. Bishop Edward W. Jones of India- napolis, who headed the Episcopal delegation here, told the Plenary parti- cipants that ‘‘an uncertainty about covenanting hung over’’ his church’s consideration of the theology consen- sus. ‘‘We have a commitment to con- tinue,’’ he said. Representatives of all nine Consul- tation churches offered numerous sug- gestions here for changing the cove- nanting proposal. The Rev. Paul A. Crow, Jr., Indianapolis, who chaired the drafting committee, said that more than one hundred and fifty suggestions of ‘‘high import’’ reflecting ‘‘a lot of passion and a lot of substance’ were received, and ‘‘about eighty percent’’ were accepted. When the vote was taken, each dele- gation stood and a spokesperson re- ported support for the covenanting proposal. One called it ‘ta moment of immense consequence for the entire church and the ecumenical move- ment;’’ another said that ‘‘as one of the many who have shared the C.O.C.U. journey for more than eigh- teen years, I celebrate the fact that I can be here to share this historic movement.’’ Dr. Pike announced at 8:58 a.m. that the vote by the nine delegations had been unanimous. ‘I’m over- whelmed by this movement,”’ he told the delegates and observers. ‘‘It is a historic moment in the Christian movement.’’ The delegates sang one verse of ““Now Thank We All Our God’’ and spent the next five minutes embracing each other. An extensive set of liturgies will ac- company the consensus statement to the member churches. The rites have been developed during the past fifteen years by a committee headed by Bis- hop Vinton R. Anderson of the A.M.E. Church, In the covenanting statement, the Consultation ‘‘calls upon its member churches to confess our complicity in the sin of the church’s division, and to do all that can be done to exhibit that unity.”’ Dr. Taylor underscored that theme in his address to the Plenary saying that ‘‘If we can’t do all things, and it is clear we cannot, then in God’s name, let us do what we can.,”’ The importance of a ‘‘truly inclu- sive’ church is emphasized repeatedly throughout the convenanting state- ment. ‘‘Special concern’ is expressed “for those whom the world mistreats or overlooks: the poor, the weak, the disabled, the oppressed, those exclud- ed from full participation in society... .”’ “Racism and sexism still live at idolatries in churches,’’ the text as- serts, ‘‘continuing to divide and destroy. Handicapism marginalizes people with disabilities as the institu- tions of both church and society con- tinue to value physical wholeness in divisive and destructive ways. Rich and poor seldom worship God toge- ther.’’ Continuing support for councils of churches and world families of churches is pledged. The proposal provides for what are called ‘‘convenanting councils’’ at na- tional, regional and local levels. «« . . church unity will be neither visi- ble nor organic if it is not embodies in some tangible form,”’ the text asserts. All the churches that are together in the covenant would be represented in ordinations so that new ministers would have a common acceptability by all churches in the covenant. All, therefore, could serve in any of the congregations of these churches. Major efforts to interpret the cove- nanting proposal to the member churches are planned, Consultation officials said. The complete text of the proposal, including the accompanying liturgies, will be available from C.O.C.U. headquarters in Princeton, NJ, early in 1989. Dr. Vivian U. Robinson, Augusta, GA, a member of the Christian Meth- odist Church and a professor of Eng- lish at Paine College, was elected pre- sident of the Consultation during the sessions in New Orleans. She is the second woman, and the first lay per- son, to head C.O.C.U. in its history. She will serve until the next Plenary, probably in four to five years. Other officers elected here were: vice-presidents—African Methodist Episcopal Bishop Vinton R. Ander- son, St. Louis; and Dr. Alice Cowan, Kansas City, MO, a theological pro- fessor and member of the Episcopal Church; secretary—the Rev. Clyde H. Miller, Denver, a regional executive of the United Church of Christ. Churches in the Consultation, and their approximate membership, are: African Methodist Episcopal, 2.2 million; African Methodist Episcopal Zion, 1.2 million; Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), 1.1 million; Christian Methodist Episcopal, seven hundred and twenty thousand; Episco- pal Church, 2.5 million; International Council of Community Churches, two hundred thousand; Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), 3 million; United Church of Christ, 1.7 million; and United Methodist Church, 9.1 million. Some of the churches have regional units and congregations in other parts of the world. Department of Worship and Evangelism 2758 Major Boulevard Orlando, FL DR. Y. BENJAMIN BRUCE Director MOTHER BETHEL -A.M.E. CHURCH Philadelphia, PA ===== DSC05729.JPG ===== February 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder 13 A Legend Honored at Appreciation Celebration Dr. and Mrs. J. T. McMillan Winston-Salem, NC—Statewide repre- sentatives of Ecumenical Laypersons, human and civil rights activists, politi- cal leaders and friends, sponsored a mammoth appreciation celebration for Dr. Joseph T. McMillan, Sr., at St. James A.M.E. Church, following his superannuation after nearly fifty busy years in the active ministry in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rev. J. T. McMillan trans- ferred from the Eleventh Episcopal District (comprised of the State of Florida and the Bahamas) to the Sec- ond Episcopal District when the late Bishop S. L. Greene, Sr., was appoint- ed here in 1962, following the death of the late Bishop Frank Madison Reid, Sr. He had served for five successful years at Historic Grant Memorial A.M.E. Church in the metropolis of Jacksonville, FL, when his bishop— with whom he had served for more than twelve years in the Fourth Episcopal District as Secretary, Ad- ministrative Assistant, Confidante, and Trusted Friend—made the expect- ed call for ‘‘Mac’’ to come to St. James A.M.E. Church, Winston- Salem, NC., at once. This move began a new, miraculous ministry for the versatile, militant leader. Immediately, his broad, fear- less and effective roles caught new fire in Winston-Salem, and the State of North Carolina, and, for twenty-five years, he has been a major instrument in helping to produce desirable changes in the Winston-Salem/ Greensboro/High Point Triad Area and throughout North Carolina. In May 1988, at the closing of the annual conference presided over by Bishop John Hurst Adams, this veter- an pastor requested superannuation because of his lack of mobility. How- ever, he assured the annual conference that, while he was retiring from the ac- tive pastoral ministry, the truth is that he was broadening his parish with so- cio-religious concerns throughout the connection. The Western NC Annual Conference, under the leadership of Bishop Adams, the presiding elders, pastors and laity, gave the most mag- nanimous tribute to a retiring preach- er that has ever been given in the his- tory of the conference. The occasion netted a most liberal purse for him. The spectacular celebration, featur- ing ‘‘THIS IS YOUR LIFE,’’ under the theme ‘‘Winner of the Goal,”’ por- trayed timely expressions of appreci- ation by prominent representatives of the community and state, including the Governor’s, Mayor’s, and Con- gressman’s offices, political and civic statesmen, top educational and in- dustrial leaders, community action persons, civil rights activists, Out- standing interdenominational minis- ters and youths. The occasion was climaxed by the spectacular, honorable appearance and stimulating message of the Rt. Rev. H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Prelate of the Second Episcopal Dis- trict, who made this his first official appearance on the scene of the West- ern NC Annual Conference to give honor and respect to a humble veteran minister and friend who had given fifty years in Christian ministries. The best in music was rendered by the Mass Choir of St. James A.M.E. Church and the Gospel Choir of the Union Chapel Baptist Church, both of Winston-Salem, NC, and three uplift- ing solos that were rendered by three prominent artists: Ms. Mona Rey- nolds of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Winston-Salem; Mrs. Bert Brown of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church and Mrs. Thelma S. Robinson, representing Bethel A.M.E. Church, both of Greensboro, NC. Mrs. Frances Enzlow, Lay Activi- ties Director, et al, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Greensboro, dramatically thrilled the jubilant audience with “This Is Your Life, Dr. Mac.”’ She pointed out many of the daring ex- periences in the versatile life of this senior soldier from birth to superannu- ation (with the pledge to continue to fight for equality). This presentation had a climactic ending by twenty-six outstanding participating ministers and laypersons, who worked vigorous- ly with Dr. Mac during the revolution of Blacks in the ’60’s—’70’s and ’80’s, as they paraded to shake hands with their friend and leader. Dr. McMillan and the committee prepared and edited a journal relating his life story, which will serve as a keepsake for all who attended. The booklet contains sincere tributes by some of the most distinguished leaders in the church and nation, who have known and have been associated with him during the past half century throughout the connection where he has served. These tributes were offer- ed by political statesmen, active and retired bishops, general officers, higher education institutions and edu- cators, connectional and conference women’s Missionaries and YPD lead- ers, presiding elders, prominent pas- tors, young ministers coming into the ministry, significant lay leaders, dis- tinguished civil rights leaders, youth and senior citizens who had been helped by the honoree, as well as in- dustries and businesses and numerous friends. This masterpiece will be pub- lished in book form later. (Excerpts from a news article pub- lished from the front page of The Winston-Salem Chronicle, September 29, 1988) Ms. Mattie S. Smith, Member, Reporter The Coordinating Committee Continued from page 5 Solidarity Journey to Southern Africa stand that the struggle for liberation is in fact a regional struggle. While in Botswana, the church lead- ers met with a delegation from South Africa led by the Reverend Dr. Allan Boesak, South African church leader, Patron of the United Democratic Front (UDF), President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches, and the Reverend Frank Chikane, General Secretary of the South African Coun- cil of Churches. For one day and a half they painted a vivid word picture of the situation inside South Africa. We heard of children in detention, fami- lies scattered, leaders underground and in prison, church leaders vilified, poverty and need, limitations on speech and movement of persons, and of congregations tear-gassed during prayer. We heard of a government that has become increasingly milita- ristic and punitive toward the majority of the population. We heard these representatives of South African church people call for a campaign to tell the world the truth about South Africa, regardless of the conse- quences, and of intensive efforts to boycott the October 26 elections, that would further serve to legitimize the system of apartheid. In the midst of the storm of suffering, we saw in the South African representatives, a de- termination and a courage that speaks of a deep and abiding faith in the God of history who frees and liberates His people from oppression. Their faith- fulness and their spirituality in the midst of the struggle is a model for Christian people everywhere. They spoke of an acute situation in which they must deal daily with life and death issues. We heard their call to the Western world to support com- prehensive economic sanctions, espe- cially the United States. We heard again and again that although Black people would no doubt suffer from the effects of sanctions, this was their choice. It was their opinion that they could suffer no worse with sanctions than their present oppression at the hands of the apartheid regime. In the words of Frank Chikane, ‘‘Better to have short-term suffering than long- term oppression. If our suffering brings a better tomorrow, so be it.”’ All that was seen and heard convinced the delegation that the eradication of apartheid is more than a South Afri- can problem—it is a challenge to humanity. Apartheid is the most bla- tant repudiation of natural law and of our Judeo-Christian heritage. Chris- tians believe that there is a more com- pelling ground for human rights than natural law... . it is the relevation of God in Jesus Christ. Apartheid is the Achilles’ heel of the Western world. It is the most crucial problem, the most malignant disease and the most press- ing issue on the agenda of the civilized world. The outcome will decide what ideology will capture the minds of humankind. South Africa is unique among the nations of the world. Other nations may commit gross human rights violations, which we deplore, but South Africa is the only regime in the world that constitutionally and legally enshrines racism by denying over four-fifths of its population the right to participate in the life of the na- tion . . . solely on the basis of race. In a statement made to the delegation from South Africa, church leaders from the United States stated: 1, We express our solidarity with the churches of South Africa and all of those who are engaged in the struggle against the demon of apartheid. We identify with the South African people who live under a terrorist government and deplore the South African government’s persecution of the people of God who dare to be Christian by opposing apartheid. We pray for the White citizens of South Africa, that their hearts and minds might be open to movement of the Holy Spirit; for they too are hurt by the maintenance of the system of apartheid. 2. We express our support and soli- darity with the refugees, who are forced to live in settlements, and with the governments of the “Front-Line’’ nations who use their meager resources to care for the refugees and who in of- fering asylum risk the wrath of the South African police. We do not see that the offering of asylum is a hostile act. We are in solidarity with the families of re- fugees whose tragic disruption is caused by the apartheid system. 3. We stand in solidarity with the members of the African Na- tional Congress (ANC) both in- side South Africa and in the “‘Front-Line’’ nations. Their role in bringing freedom to the region cannot be questioned. MEETING WITH THE AFRICAN NATIONAL CONGRESS The delegation proceeded from Botswana to Lusaka where a day and a half was spent in meetings with Na- tional Executive Committee members and representatives of the Department of Religious Affairs of the African National Congress (ANC). This was the first time an ecumenical delegation from the historic Black Churches had met with representatives of the ANC. The meeting was most informative. The ANC representatives spoke of the importance of the United States in re- solving the problems of the region and of the need to build up constituency in the United States—especially in the Black community. As Thabu Mbeki said, ‘‘We count you as our own, therefore we can put burdens on you.’’ They spoke of the growing recognition of the ANC in the region. There are, in fact, two centers of power in South Africa—Pretoria and Lusaka. This fact has been recognized by the Eminent Persons Group from the Commonwealth and, in fact, by informal actions of the U.S. govern- ment. Deputy Ambassador to Bots- wana John Carson, stated, ‘‘The ANC are a reasoned people and not in any way a communist or terrorist organi- zation. In fact, the U.S. government carries on regular dialogue with the ANC.”’ The newly appointed U.S. Ambassador to Zambia asked for an informal meeting with the ANC, before he left Washington, and then a formal meeting with Oliver Thambo where he would present his creden- tials. The ANC pointed to many signs of hope in the South African situation —the resistance to conscription by Whites within South Africa; White in- tellectuals drifting toward support of the ANC and its ideals as witnessed by an up-coming meeting with eight pro- minent professors from Stellenbosch University; the formal objection on the cancellation of an anti-apartheid conference scheduled for Cape Town by executives of U.S. corporations, and a request by an outstanding rugby Please turn to page 14 SS 00 ee ===== DSC05730.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder February 6, 1989 End-of-the-Year World Council of Churches Note___ Written by the Rev. Joan B. Campbell Executive Director United States Office, WCC New York, NY—Dietrich Bonhoeffer, in despair over Hitler's inhuman poli- cies and practices, asked of the chur- ches are we still of any use?” That haunting question could be ours today as we are faced with increasing poverty here in the United States, war and fa- mine abroad, continued and increas- ingly brutal bigotry in South Africa, and a growing lack of passion about the ecumenical movement in the United States. What the World Council of Chur- ches has done in its forty years has neither banished sin and death nor created the unity of the Holy Catholic Church! Disillusionment and distress have been more evident than con- fidence and joy. Yet there are many who have given themselves to those tasks which were at hand and in so do- ing . . . set up signs! Now in 1988, in all their imbiguity and incompleteness, here are some of the signs that point to the unity of the church and the renewal of human community... 1. Responses to the BEM (Bap- tism, Eucharist and Ministry) document are being studied and compiled, Despite continu- ing differences there is a defi- nite convergence that points to an increased understanding be- tween the churches and gives reason to hope for the day when we will all be one. 2. The Ecumenical Decade of Churches in Solidarity with Women is rooting itself in the life of the churches, and on every continent churches are being challenged to take seri- ously the role of women in church and society. The fact that everywhere women are the poorest of the poor points to the need for the church to be a sign of a more excellent way. 3. The witness of the world church vis a vis Southern Afri- ca has not been all it could be but within South Africa the courageous witness of Chris- tians has earned them the title —dangerous—‘‘thou who come turning the world upside down’’ (Acts 17:6), The sup- port of these persons by the WCC is a sign that apartheid days are numbered. 4. The CWME (Commission on World Mission and Evange- lism) has chosen the United States as the venue for their World Conference to be held in 1989. This is a first for the U.S.A., and a sign that ‘‘Mis- sion in Christ’s Way’’ points to a partnership between churches in the north and the south, the east and the west—where each learns from the other and re- sources are gladly shared. 5. A spectrum of national church bodies, national church coun- cils, individual congregations and grass-roots issue groups have enthusiastically accepted the call for Justice, Peace and the Integrity of Creation, the Council’s current program em- phasis mandated by the World Assembly in 1983. From all regions, bold approaches for critical action are emerging to inform the 1990 world convo- cation on JPIC in Seoul, Ko- rea, 6. The family of the WCC, now much more internally diverse than in its early days, prepares to come together at the 7th As- sembly in Canberra, Australia, As churches around the world choose their participants in glo- bal dialogue, we will pray toge- ther, ‘‘Come Holy Spirit—Re- new the Whole Creation.”’ Are we still of any use/Yes, I think so. There are signs that point to our ability to respond to God’s eternal call to faithfulness and to unity. The WCC has been such a sign and as such de- serves and needs our generous and on- going support. In this time in history, when our world so badly needs a sign of hope, could you once again share out of your abundance and out of your love, a substantial material gift with the WCC? We are bold to challenge you to give so that the WCC might con- tinue to set up signs that point to the day when the power of the beast will be overcome by the victory of the lamb. Continued from page 13 Solidarity Journey to Southern Africa ream in South Africa to discuss with the ANC ways in which they might become non-racial, and thus be able to compete in international competi- tion. The rugby ream was feeling deeply the isolation of the world com- munity. Other signs of hope, accord- ing to ANC leaders, are. the larger numbers of young people committed to ending the long day of suffering, and the growth of the ANC inside South Africa and within the region. It was pointed out that there are at least four thousand members of the ANC in Zambia. The ANC believes that much of this is evidence that sanctions are working and beginning to bite. It became clear to members of the delegation that no journey which at- tempts to learn the truth about South Africa would be complete without listening to members of the African Dear Bishops, General and Connectional Officers: Those Nomads, Gypsies! We have moved again. Who knows, this may be it. Then to think of it, the LADY may say, “‘Let’s do it again. ”’ those DPODO DODD" LD OUR NEW MEMPHIS RESIDENCE 5565 Crepe Myrtle Drive Memphis, TN 38115 Phone: 901/794-2024 DODD? DOD DID Until you are notified again, this is it. (Maybe, hope so). Sincerely, Alonzo W. Holman National Congress. The delegation was challenged by the ANC to give full support to comprehensive sanctions, and has pledged to do so. The church leaders were challenged to form a net- work for information. We were made aware that there has truly been a dis- information campaign about the ANC within the United States. The delega- tion has committed themselves to an information campaign within the Black churches to help church mem- bers understand the ANC’s leadership role in Southern Africa, and the seri- ousness with which their work is taken. Their courage and determina- tion to bring peace to a region riddled with racism and destablized by the in- creasing militarism of South Africa is to be lauded, and deserving of our support. As a response to all that was seen and heard on this Journey of Soli- darity, the representatives of the his- toric Black churches committed them- selves to: 1. Vigorously support the people of South Africa, the church lead- ers, and the peoples and govern- ments of the ‘‘Front-Line’’ na- tions in their freedom struggle. 2. Support economic sanctions by the U.S. government, the Del- lums-Cranston Bill in particular, and to campaign within the Black churches for support of this legislation currently before the House. 3. A dialogue with Black church representatives who are mem- bers of the Coalition on Sou- thern Africa (COSA). The dele- gation expressed deep regret in a recent statement by some chur- ches that opposed sanctions without listening to the govern- mental leadership of the ‘‘Front- Line’ nations as well as to church leaders of South Africa and the surrounding area. 4. Call for economic aid for the ““Front<Line’’ nations to help free them from the economic strangle-hold of the South Afri- can government, and to off-set some of the effects caused by the sanctions too necessary to end apartheid. 5. To provide information to the Black churches on the struggle in South Africa, and increase the knowledge about the African National Congress and provide opportunities for interpretation __.. of the struggle through Black church conferences and conven- tions. 6. To provide material as well as financial support for the relief of the suffering people, particularly the refugees in the region. 7. To keep the South African strug- gle before the United States poli- tical leaders. To utilize this pre- election period and to call upon the soon to be elected President of the United States to make a broader commitment to this re- gion. 8. To create within Black churches a network of solidarity that is prepared to act quickly to sup- port the peoples and church leaders in Southern Africa. 9. To urge cooperation with all ecumenical efforts in both Black and White churches committed to ending apartheid. 10. To pray without ceasing for all the peoples of the region of Sou- thern Africa that they might be released from the bondage of hatred and racism As people who have lived our daily lives in the presence of racism, as a people who have known the ravages of slavery and bondage, we can do no less than commit ourselves—our time and our energy—to ending of the pain and suffering of our sisters and brothers in Southern Africa. We do not work against racism because we are Black people who are directly affected, but because Jesus Christ is Lord and all people are called to a life abundant, full and free. The Reverend Dr. Donald G. Jacobs—denomination: African Methodist Episcopal Church, Execu- tive Director Emeritus, Partners in Ecumenism (PIE), the Black Church Program of the National Council of the Churches of Christ, USA; Pastor, Community African Methodist Epis- copal Church, Cleveland, Ohio. The Reverend Robert J. N. Jones, Sr.—denomination: National Baptist Church, America; Pastor, Mt. Calvary Baptist Church, DeWitt, Vir- ginia; Moderator, Bethany Baptist As- sociation. The Reverend Mac Charles Jones—denomination: National Bap- tist Church, America; Pastor, St. Stephen’s Baptist Church, Kansas, City, Missouri; International Affairs Committee of National Council of Churches. The Reverend Dr. Fred C. Lofton —denomination: Progressive National Baptist Convention; President, Pro- gressive National Baptist Convention; Pastor, Metropolitan Missionary Bap- tist Church, Memphis, Tennessee. Mr. Harold Pierre—denomination: Student at Graduate Theological Union, Berkeley, California; Co- Chairperson, National Association of Black Seminarians. The Reverend Dr. Albert P. Rowe —denomination: Progressive National Baptist Convention; Pastor, Calvary Baptist Church, Paterson, New Jer- sey; City Councilman at Large, Pater- son, New Jersey. Mrs. Carolyn E. Scavella—de- nomination: African Methodist Epis- copal Church; Director of Publica- tions, United States Office, World Council of Churches; Representing the President of A.M.E. Women. The Reverend Dr. William D. Watley—denomination: African Methodist Episcopal Church; Pastor, St. James African Methodist Episco- pal Church; Pastor, St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, New- ark, New Jersey; Former Associate Director of COCU (Council on Church Union); Author. Bishop Ruben Speaks—denomina- tion: African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church; Senior Bishop, Sixth Episcopal District, AMEZion Church. The Reverend Joan B. Campbell— denomination: Christian Church (Dis- ciples of Christ); Executive Director of United States Office, World Coun- cil of Churches; Pastor, Christian Church (Disciples) and American Bap- tist Churches. ===== DSC05731.JPG ===== February 6, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder HERE-N-THERE AND EVERYWHERE—NEWS — Bethel A.M.E. Celebrates Ninety-fourth Church Anniversary Rincon, GA—Bethel A.M.E. Church will hold their ninety-fourth Church Anniversary celebration on February 19, during Black History Month. ; Giving thanks to God for helping them to hold out thus far, the church membership asked for His help as they seek to continue their journey into TOMORROW. A special anniversary dinner will be served in the Fellowship Hall follow- ing the joyous celebration. The Rev, Joseph Ward is pastor at Bethel, Sister Deborah E, Miller, Reporter Black College Satellite Network Telecast *““THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA”’ PRESS CONFERENCE The Black College Satellite Net- work telecast live the press conference on the release of THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 1989 from the National Press Club in Washington, pc. The press conference, led by John E. Jacob, President and Chief Execu- tive Officer of the National Urban League, was also received by other satellite networks, cable stations, as well as homes with private satellites with receive capabilities. THE STATE OF BLACK AMERI- CA is the most authoritative annual document examining the current sta- tus and conditions of Blacks in Ameri- ca. THE STATE OF BLACK AME- RICA is a publication of the National Urban League, Inc. Black History Comes Alive for Children Through New Product of Underground Railroad Too often Black history and the period of slavery is thought of in the most stereo-typical terms at the exclu- sion of accounts of immense human courage and resourcefulness, accord- ing to publisher Janus Adams of BackPax International. This problem is the motivation behind The Under- ground Railroad: Escape to Freedom, an innovative book/ cassette product that brings the experience of the run- away slaves to a tangible level for young people aged nine and above. “The Underground Railroad is an exciting and instructional topic on many levels,” stated Ms. Adams, who has seen the impact of the subject on children of all backgrounds at schools across the country. “It is an oppor- tunity to celebrate the depth of human resourcefulness and accomplishment against tremendous odds. At the same time, it also gives insight into a type of injustice and inhumanity that unfortunately still exists to this pres- ent day.” Through its non-traditional use of the book/cassette format, BackPax titles have been lauded by educators and parents across the country for its ability to translate history, learning skills and multi-cultural understand- ing into an entertaining and challeng- ing medium. For The Underground Railroad, BackPax traveled the actual route taken in the years leading up to the Civil War, BackPax recording its audio portion on locations such as Harper’s Ferry, Colonial Williams- burg, Jamestown (site of the first doc- umented landing of Blacks), and Canada, among many others. The voices, music, personal accounts and environmental sounds help transport the child through their imagination to that place in history. Teamed with a colorful and richly detailed non-read- along book, BackPax tells a story of courage, daring, hope and determina- tion—a powerful portrait of people in a precarious time. BackPax was created by Adams asa response to an outcry by educators for increased multi-cultural materials. In addition to its use in schools across the country, Underground and five other BackPax titles including Traveling Mark Twain’s America, Journey to the Moon and Beyond and Trailblaz- ing Yellowstone can be found in book- stores and museum gift shops nationally. For more information, contact BackPax International, Box 603, Wilton, CT 06897. “It is important to us that we depart from the stereotype of the Afro- American slave as the downtrodden object of pity and embarrassment,” Adams concludes. “It took immense courage to achieve freedom over seem- ingly insurmountable odds.” UNCEF Gets $483,900 from McDonald’s __ TO TEAM! (Left to right) Marv Roberts, representing McDonald’s Los Angeles, United Negro College Fund spokesperson Lou Rawls, and McDonald’s Licensee Leighton Hull teamed up recently to present McDonald’s system wide contribution of $483,900 to UNCF during its annual telethon. McDonald’s restaurants have supported UNCF since 1970 rais- ing over $6.5 million. A New and Expanded Church Ministry at Trinity African Methodist Episcopal Church Salt Lake City, Utah—Historical Trinity A.M.E. Church began its new conference year with a new and ex- panded ministry. On the Saturday prior to Thanks- giving Day, the Trinity Church hosted a full traditional Thanksgiving dinner for the homeless and hungry of the city. Almost six hundred people were fed. This was only the beginning of a special outreach undertaking by the church this conference year. The last Monday of November, 1988, marked the day that the ‘‘Share the Food Pan- try’’ opened at the church. Since the Pantry’s opening, between ninety to one hundred and fifty peo- ele, 4: AR setaiet ee oe +354 ele oe friendships as you “Sh support. ¢Insurance 1 language skills as you and ah Watcome a teenager from Japan, Spain, tries into your home, community and schoo ple, primarily families, have been as- sisted weekly, not only with food, but with clothing and toys at Christmas. God has touched individuals and or- ganizations from around the city in keeping the Pantry well stocked. The church’s mission of feeding the hungry and clothing the naked is, indeed, be- ing carried out by Trinity A.M.E. Church in Salt Lake City, where the Reverend Curtis F. Sewell, Sr., is pas- tor. God continues to bless those who undertake His work! Annetta Wilson Church Secretary SPRORPADAS Pear itha thd tae ates e.ee terse eye's gels ele, ele sla) eie + Pa ett hat eve ost family? AMERICAN INSTITUTE FOR FO Dept. WG, 140 Greenwich Avenue, The American Institute For Foreign Call us Toll Free or write today for infos mation on how you can become a Host Family Germany and many other coun- 1.¢ Develop wonderful global are America with the World.” ¢ Full local coordinator s provided for all students ¢Improve your foreign your children learn about other cultures® Don’t pass up this community-based international opportunity. © gsle ele ele cle ere ole ere sie ele cle ere ore ole oie ve! @ WH THE WORLD® ye REIGN STUDY SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION Greenwich, Connecticut 06830 Tel: 800-322-HOST Study Scholarship Foundation is a non-profit organization. ===== DSC05732.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder February 6, 1989 Fourteenth Episcopal District Launches Comprehensive LENTEN / WITNESS CLAY STREET HEADQUARTERS — FOURTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT Bishop John R. Bryant from his Clay Street Headquarters in Monrovia will be coordinating a massive effort to unify the ministries of the A.M.E. Church in LIBERIA, NIGERIA, GHANA and SIERRA LEONE. Pas- tors, evangelists, missionaries and lai- ty for forty days will witness under the banner of ‘‘JESUS CHRIST—The Promise, The Passion, The Pre- sence.”’ Bishop Bryant and his wife Rev. Cecelia Williams-Bryant have pre- pared a prayer and scripture study guide to be used during Lenten Season 89. The first Annual Conference in the fourteenth will open in LIBERIA on February 8, Ash Wednesday. The concluding Annual Conference in Ghana will end on March 19, Palm Sunday. _ Prayers for the Lord to raise up ministers; resources—natural and spi- ritual; transform governments; defeat witchcraft; build churches will be of- fered daily. In each country evidence will be presented that neither the Lord nor African Methodism has forgotten West Africa. The fourteenth is a district of many dialects: Bassa, Kru, Krio, Khran, Mende, Timi, Youroba, Hausa, Fan- ti, Ashanti, to name a few. It will be necessary for the Articles of Religion, History and Polity of the A.M.E. Church to be made available in the languages of our people. In his pre-conference visitations to each country—Ghana (November), Sierra Leone (December) and Nigeria (January), Bishop Bryant was able to SSS PMANNAADAAAAAAN AANA AAA AAA y> * REV. W. J. BAXTER St. Peter A.M.E. Church Cameron, SC ee iit niin a si ean aia a aia aay Z Slavery is the execrable sum ——— Of all villianies. SNA NAANAANANANA NANA AAA AANA ATT 4 assess the strengths and weaknesses of the District. As residents of Liberia he and his family are daily involved in the life of the Church. The LENTEN wit- ness will bring Spiritual encourage- ment and strength to an area of the world greatly in need of HOPE. The Lenten witness will conclude on Easter Sunday morning when a minis- try team led by Rev. Cecelia Williams Bryant conducts Worship in the Ivory Coast. This will represent our first presence in the Francophone Coun- tries of West Africa. The Abijan Commission of the Fourteenth Epis- copal District has been actively en- gaged in intercession for this effort. French Language Bibles and Christian Education materials have been se- cured for this purpose. Funds were donated for this purpose by the missionaries of Kansas City. Prior to her departure for West Africa, Rev. Cecelia Williams-Bryant attended the meeting of the Kansas City Con- ference Branch hosted by Mrs. Dora Reid and Supervisor Vivienne Ander- son. She received significant support for the Fourteenth. One thousand dollars ($1,000) was raised by the Missionaries in solidarity with the Vi- sion of a French-language ministry. This support is also making it possible for members of the W.M.S. in Liberia to study French. Bishop Bryant continues to mobi- lize West Africa utilizing a three point approach—Evangelism, Self Help and Stewardship. This Lenten Witness 789 will signal a major thrust in African Methodism’s presence in West Africa. % SS —John Wesley WAM MAMA ADA A WoW Aw Ay SSS NSS AS Continued from page 4 A Forward March on Founder’s Day 1989 divine gifts that mark her at forty- three ‘The reigning wonder of the operatic world,’’ In spite of her inter- national acclaim, singing in as many languages as there are operas, Jessye Norman is loyal to her birth- right as a native of Georgia and the great spirituals which she has woven into the theater piece with Robert Wilson, her friend. Her father in Augusta, Georgia, manag- ed the office of The North Carolina Mutual Life Insurance Company, one of the largest Black-owned cor- porations in the nation. At six years old she won a contest in her Baptist church singing ‘‘God Will Take Care Of You.’’ He has, and the rest is his- tory with the legendary Jessye Nor- man enjoying her unrivaled posi- tion, comparable to Maria Callas, as the reigning royalty of the opera world. Norman has moved from Augusta, Georgia, of course, to live in London and New York. Triumphs in the field of entertain- ment and sports are all too visible ...from the phenomenon of Michael Jackson to that of Olympic gold medallist Florence (Flo-Jo) Joiner. The all-Black revue which took Paris by storm is due to open on Broadway, New York boasting Fayard Nicholas as a_choreogra- pher who opened at the Cotton Club in 1932 at the tender age of four- teen! But where are our Lee Iaccoca’s to advance the automobile or trans- portation industries? Where are our entrepreneur computer wizards and engineers? The dynamic woman to emerge as a first A.M.E. spawned candidate to compete with Baron Hilton’s hotel empire? Where are the wizards of the unforeseeable future to colonize cities in space, food in- dustries to feed the starving plants? Scientists, inventors? Real Estate developers of the magnitude of Donald Trump? They are out there! They are within our reach, our touch, and we must inspire them to take a giant step forward in our col- lective A.M.E. Church! Perhaps we can be more pragmatic than we have in the past. Perhaps we can form those Profes- sional Aspiration Clubs, Career Clubs to foster the youth for their future. Such bread upon the waters may in- deed be the open door they need to en- courage them back into the Church... A Caring Home Under One Roof Come Home! That is our Church! The California Business magazine in its 1988 year-end issue ran a tan- talizing headline: “the Next Billion Dollar Sure Thing’? on it’s cover. What could that be? Is it something we have overlooked in our quest for building a better and bigger mousetrap? The Billion Dollar Sure Thing is on- ly for California, but what is it, we wondered. ‘‘The countdown is start- ing for the launch of a massive new in- dustry in California. Will you be part of it?’’? They asked. We found out. It’s Garbage. Garbage, pure and simple! People are going to make millions in garbage, but surely not just in California! Because there is a crisis with billions of dollars in revenue available for corporations who are able to handle waste and its overflow. Imagine being able to turn all that gar- bage into gold! What’s more only a few companies are now ready to cash in on the grow- ing need to get rid of refuse. Garbage is actually the ‘*future of fast corpor- ate growth in California,’’ and waste disposal is big business not only there but in other cities and States, too! It is incredible, isn’t it, when we can magnify our negative realities into commerical blessings wherever possi- ble. : Such a situation exists within the African Methodist Episcopal Connec- tion within our colleges and educa- tional institutions, They are in need, dire economic need, How can we establish a Think Tank, modeled perhaps after the fa- mous Rand Institute to sit down and explore the infinite fund-raising enter- prises that might put money back into our struggling colleges? A Think Tank is a collection of human beings willing to pool their col- lective heads with their experiential expertise to solve a given problem. The solution is often a viable, ongoing succession of enterprising enterprises! Let us create these! What a testimonial to Founder’s Day to move forward with spirited success born of the spiritual zeal of the A.M.E. constituencies! As we are truly inspired by our Founder’s Day legacies. We can chal- lenge ourselves to a Forward March! Let us continue to ‘‘feed the flock,’’ preparing ourselves vigilantly to use all our resources, material, spiritual, and human, to expand and fortify the Kingdom. For only in the abundance of riches, material as well as spiritual, can we pour out full benevolence upon our flocks. Our mandate is to heed the challenge. Our mandate is to Forward March. As Peter counsels us we are not lords over God’s heritage, but we must act as examples to the flock. ‘“And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.’’ I Peter 5:4 FOUNDER’S DAY 1989 ALLENITES ATTACKING AND CHALLENGING THE FUTURE Rev. Leslie White, Pastor St. James A.M.E. Church St. Louis, MO
• January 23, 1989
  ===== DSC05705.JPG ===== 9 Congressman Flake 9 WMS Meeting 10 Bishop Mayo in Texas 11 Sharpesville Six Gets Stay of Execution 12 Bishop Cousin Preaches 12 LA Mini Revival 12 Keesee Speaks Bishop Bishop Bish Vinton R. Anderson Robert Thomas, Jr. an twine menop Bishop Allen Hildebrand James Haskell Mayo Rembert E. Stokes py bie FAME Lock-in 5 tae Page 3—FIVE BISHOPS SHARE IN DEDICATION OF ‘‘NEW’’ GREATER ALLEN be . : Page 8 Bishop Vernon Byrd ITC Receives Scholarship in Honor of Dr. King | 1.35 HiLADEL! DR I hn Page 8 Well Known Clergy- man, John Ragin Weds Bernice Tillman McDaniels Vol. 138, No. 9 January 23, 1989 National Campaign Fights Birth Defects PRICE: 50 CENTS Every two minutes, a baby is born in the United States with a birth de- fect, a leading cause of infant mor- tality in this country. The U.S. infant mortality rate is alarmingly high. Ac- cording to the Marh of Dimes, more than forty thousand babies a year die before they’re a year old. This month, the March of Dimes continues its commitment to prevent- ing birth defects—and giving every baby a healthy start in life—through the annual Mothers March fund-rais- ing campaign. This national door-to- door campaign raises more than $9 million annually and funds research and prenatal care programs to prevent birth defects. This year, the Mothers March will receive a helping hand, and a fund-raising boost, from Kentucky Fried Chicken, the national sponsor of the March and long-time supporter of the March of Dimes. Kentucky Fried Chicken will under- write educational materials to be dis- tributed by the six hundred thousand Mothers March volunteers to the thir- teen million homes they will visit to re- quest donations. These educational materials, which should reach thirty- nine million American men and wo- men, will help raise awareness in this country about the need for adequate prenatal care to prevent premature birth, birth defects and infant mortali- ty. According to the March of Dimes, Please turn to page 7 ALLEN UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $100,000 GIFT Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom Bishop Frederick C. James Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom has given to Bishop F. C. James $100,000.00 for Allen University. The name of the late Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom is already prominent in the annals of African Methodism. Mrs. Ransom was a stellar daughter of the Seventh Episcopal District, born in Abbeville, South Carolina, and was the wife of the legendary Bishop Reverdy C. Ransom. She is further remembered as an active leader in the Women’s Missionary Society, as Dean of Women at Wilberforce University, and as Director of the Emma Ransom House in New York City. We praise God that she lived to see the Bicentennial of the church she lov- ed and to be a part of the Bicentennial History. We also praise God that her love for her church and her generosity have led to an act that will grant her a place in our Zion’s Tricentennial His- tory. The story begins at the 1987 Qua- drennial Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Society in Atlanta, Geor- gia. At that meeting Mrs. Ransom and another A.M.E. giant, Bishop Fred- erick C. James, had a one-and-one- half hour conversation that included much discussion of the renaissance of Allen University. That meeting prompted Bishop James to put Mrs. Ransom in touch with Dr. Collie Coleman, President of Allen Universi- ty, whose mailings and other contact further enlightened Mrs. Ransom on Allen University’s progress. Mrs. Ransom was so impressed with Allen University’s progress from Please turn to page 7 FAME’s Urban You Loder a Gang and Drug Prevention For At-Risk Youth The First African Methodist Epis- copal Church of Los Angeles sponsor- ed its eighth Lock-In On Values Semi- nar for children and young adults, ages 10-18. Approximately two hundred and fifty youth interfaced with com- munity professionals, church mem- bers and selected role models, dis- cussing ways in which they can resist the temptations of drugs, gangs and sex, as well as develop a code of con- duct that will continuously enhance their lives. A concept of Dr. Cecil L. Murray, Senior Minister of First A.M.E., Lock-In On Values is an early inter- vention program for at-risk Black Dr. Cecil L. Murray youth, designed to provide them with information, role models, strategies for developing positive lifestyles and Please turn to page 4 Bishop Philip R. Cousin Appointed to Special Committee BISHOP COUSIN TO REPRESENT A.M.E. CHURCH ON NCC REORGANIZATION COMMITTEE New York—Bishop Philip R. Cousin has been named to represent the Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church on a special committee charged with recommending a new structure for the National Council of Churches to the NCC Governing Board when it meets next May. The appointments were an- nounced by the Council’s president, the Rev. Patricia A. McClurg. Bishop Cousin, of Jacksonville, FL, is bishop of the 11th Episcopal Dis- trict, African Methodist Episcopal Church. He is immediate past presi- dent of the NCC and currently chairs the NCC Division of Church World Bishop Philip R. Cousin Service Unit Committee. The Committee of Fifteen was au- thorized by the Council’s Governing Board on November 4, in response to severe financial problems which are Please turn to page 7 ——————————————————— ===== DSC05706.JPG ===== A man happily told his friend, ‘‘I don’t have to worry about anything anymore. I have hired a person who will do all of my worrying for me.”’ “How does that work?’’ asked the friend. ‘‘Well, for a thousand dollars, he has agreed to do all of my worrying for me.’’ The friend, knowing that his pal didn’t have any money, asked, “‘Where are you going to get a thou- sand dollars?’’? The happy reply was, “That’s his worry!’ It would take a miracle for one to be worry-free as easily as that. There is no segment of society that is exempt from worry. I, certainly, have had my share—some that have almost over- whelmed me. Indeed, someone has adroitly stated that worry is public enemy number one. Psychiatrists of note report that people in the U.S.A. WORRY ABOUT WORRY! One of the popular songs of 1988 was made so by Bobby McFerrin. One of the reasons for the popularity is that people, more than anything else, would like to be able to do just what his hit song advocates: DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY. Set to a calypso, or raggae type beat, the lyrics say, “This little song I wrote, you might want to sing it note for note. Don’t worry, be happy. In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry, you make it double. Don’t worry, be happy. Don’t worry, be happy.”’ Countless numbers of books are written and crammed full with statistics on the devastation wreaked by worry. Suicide in America—and, particularly so among the youth—is on the increase. Drug and alcohol abuse has been on the increase and still gives the users the false sense of peace and tranquility in a dream world. The users too soon again discover that we all, indeed, live ina real world that will continue to stress-test us to the limit. In these times, worry is not only a serious matter, it is extremely dangerous and cannot but be considered a vital factor that undermines the health of our society. Stop Worrying and Get Well is the title of a book written by Dr. Edward Podolsky. He deals with the correlation between worry and heart trouble, worry and high blood pressure, worry and rheumatism, ulcers, common colds, thyroid malfunction, arthritis, migraine headaches, and a host of stomach disorders. It is true, worry will take your appetite, give you sleepless nights, cause you to lose weight, lose interest in your work, and lose your sense of self-worth and sense of direction. It has been suggested that, when you find yourself under increased pressure and find yourself spaced out by stress from worry, you would do well to get out to some places you don’t us- ually go and spend some time doing something new, or, better yet, meet some new people. I have often wondered how much worry did Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., experience, and how much fear possessed him during his civil rights leadership struggle. One of his characteristics was his courage to mobilize the powerless in order to effectively challenge the powerful. Dr. King was at the garbage workers’ strike in Memphis, Tennessee, on April 3, 1968, when he gave his famous last speech. He mentioned both worry and fear in a way that ROBERT H. REID, JR. . THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions _ J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr ee Grant, women’s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Berincee. Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor, Mrs. Vorheese D Jamison, Laymen's Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., vee Te Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W P. Collier, Overseas ra respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Rev Frederick Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South pte Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev le) ee e ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Dr. Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor; Dr William P, DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr, Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr, Marjorie “or Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor, Rev Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. ts readers on matters The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from i of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address ot the writer The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer ot a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space 1e- quirements. Postmaster please send address correction to A M.E. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181. The AME Christian Recorder WORRY: THE WORST ENEMY OF HAPPINESS January 23, 1989 I have, ever since, tried to understand fully. Listen to his words: ‘‘But I want you to know tonight that, as a people, we will get to the Promised Land. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.”’ The next day, April 4, 1968, the assassin’s bullet ended his life. Maybe, the glory of the Lord does, indeed, help to reduce fear and worry. It is easy to say, don’t worry, but exceptionally difficult to do; however, when you have something to have faith in, you can better discipline your emotions of worry and fear and more easily unburden yourself. In the Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the people in Philippi, he tells them he has learned how not to worry and that neither should they. (Philippians 4:11, 12, 13, 19) “Not that I speak in respect to want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: everywhere and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me, but my God shall supply all your needs according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.’’ The Book of 150 Psalms begins by saying, (Happy) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sin- ners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. Psalm 120:1 says: In my distress I cried unto the Lord and he heard me. Psalm 121:1, 2 says I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth. Psalm 100:3 is a helpful reminder: Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people . . . So, it appears, the stronger your faith and hope the less should be your worry. When worry is strong enough to override your faith, it makes you subject to any negatives, including a nervous breakdown. If an individual lived a solitary existence, there would be no cause for worry; the great problem would be an elementary one of self-preservation. The objects of concern would be food, shelter and safety. Life would be ex- ceedingly simple. However, a person does not live a solitary existence. You are born into a community which is an integral part of a complex society. People find themselves constantly in an intimate relationship with others. Others different in race, color, creed, religion and conditions of servitude. Others who are victims of crime, greed, vice and corruption, of less religious, or non-religious, persons. So, a valid concern does exist for the conditions that make worry almost a natural by-product of life. The greatest need in this world is for LOVE. Genuine love creates a bond that gives security that all but eliminates cause for major worry. That is why God gave the world a LOVE GIFT in hopes not only to save it, but to eliminate conditions that caused happiness to be superceded by worry. SO JUST YOU BE HAPPY, because you are loved; and, if it is shared according to the Master Plan, we can all sing, DON’T WORRY, BE HAPPY. BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA LETTER TO THE EDITOR NATIONAL OFFICE 1325 Walnut Hill Lane P.O. Box 152079 Irving, Texas 75015-2079 214-580-2000 Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr., Editor The Christian Recorder 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Department of the Army Headquarters Company 3rd Battalion 7th Infantry (M) Ft. Stewart, GA 31314 AFZP-VAM-CH (165) MEMORANDUM ... For: All A.M.E. Chaplains Subject: A.M.E. Christian Recorder Articles from Chaplains Dear Dr. Reid: Thank you for your excellent (edi- torial) article in The Christian Recorder, the official publication of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, The results of the National Good Turn-Scouting for Food have been ex- cellent. Scouts collected more than sixty million items . . . the largest col- lection of nonperishable food ever conducted in our nation, It was a val- uable experience for the young Scouts. Best wishes for a wonderful 1989 for you and those you love. Sincerely, Julian Dyke bem NOTICE New Office Address Effective December 1, 1988 BISHOP S. S. MORRIS P. O. Box 53539 400 East 41st Street, Suite 114 Chicago, Illinois 60653-2757 (312) 373-6587 / (312) 373-7622 1. As the Chaplains Editor for the Christian Recorder, this isa brief letter to encourage each of you to write articles for the A.M.E. Christian Recorder. The September issue presented an_ article by retired Chaplain Carroll R. Chambliss (CPT) USA (Ret.). 2. You, too, have the unique opportunity to have your opinions, insights, and messages spread across the connection, Review your files and/or write new material. Articles must be double-spaced and no more than 2 1/2 pages in length. They may or may not be accompanied by a pro- fessional photograph. Mail your cor- respondence to The Christian Recorder, P.O. Drawer 24730, Nash- ville, TN 37202. I will be happy to re- view and edit all literature. 3, We have made great progress as A.M.E. Chaplains, Do not allow this opportunity for Christian service to pass us by. Wm. Holt Liptrot, Jr. Chaplain (CPT) USA Battalion Chaplain ===== DSC05707.JPG ===== January 23, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder ———LLLL—L—L——maamnanieaGaGao_ Five Bishops Share in the Dedication of the ‘‘New’’ Greater Allen Dayton, Ohio—November 13-20, 1988, marked the Celebration and Dedication of a new 10,000 square foot education and fellowship addition and the complete renovation of the ex- isting edifice of Greater Allen A.M.E. Church in Dayton, Ohio, pastored by the Rev. Charles L. Scott, Sr. Five Bishops shared in making this a most monumental ecclesiastical ex- perience. Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, Presiding Prelate of the Fifth Episco- pal District, preached the sermon for the service of Praise and Thanksgiving on Thursday, November 17, 1988, at 7:00 p.m. Bishop Anderson electrified the whole church with his message en- titled “‘The Ability to see it Through.’”’ The Greater Allen congregation paid a special tribute to him for using his godly judgment and sending to Greater Allen the kind of pastoral leadership that made this celebration possible, while he presided over the Third. Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr., joined Bishop Anderson along with Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand, General Officers Floyd Alexander and Edgar Mack, Presiding Elder J. Allen Parker, Rev. Lyman Liggins, Rev. H. Mason Brown, Rev. C. Garnett Henn- ing and other guests in this joyous service. Bishop Thomas the Presiding Prelate of the 15th Episcopal District shared in remarks of congratulations to Pastor Scott and the Greater Allen congregation. On Friday, November 18, 1988, Bis- hop Rembert E. Stokes, was the key note speaker for an evening entitled a “Cultural Explosion”? which gave a unique celebration in art, dance, music and drama. Bishop Stokes and his queenly wife Dr. Nancy Stokes shared with the Wilberforce Univer- sity Choir who sang for the occasion. On Sunday, November 20, 1988, Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand pre- sented the Reverend Dr. C. Garnett Henning as the 10:45 a.m. worship speaker. Dr. Henning was warmly welcomed by Greater Allen where he served as a student associate while at- tending Payne and Wilberforce in the fifties. At the 4:00 p.m. Service of Dedica- Bishop Vinton R. Anderson ——— Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr. Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand Bishop Rembert E. Stokes tion Bishop Hildebrand took the church to the mountain top with his dynamic, spirit-filled sermon, chal- lenging the true purpose of the church. He then served as Chief Celebrant of the most unique Dedication ceremony designed by Mrs. Charlotte McGuire the General Chairperson of the Dedi- cation week. The Rev. Dr. Donald H. Jordan was the presiding officer and his outstanding choir of Quinn Chapel Forest Park, Ohio rendered songs. On Sunday, December 4, 1988, Bis- hop James Haskell Mayo, Presiding Prelate of the 10th Episcopal District was the guest speaker and the Chief Celebrant for the first Communion Service in the new facility. Bishop Mayo preached an outstand- ing sermon entitled “Making Prepara- tions’? which was most provocative and inspiring. Bishop Mayo also came to inspect the new Mayo Family Prayer Chapel which he is a most generous benefactor. SAMI RMTR SAITO RMSR alas onl enuaRonleasenleanenlneancnl RN Christian Trail Blazed Again After attending a series of seven (7) spirit-filled, financially sound, well- attended annual conferences, our re- cently appointed ‘‘son of the soil’’ re- turned to conduct the first Quarterly Conference of the 1988-1989 confer- ence year with New Bethel A.M.E. Church family, Jackson, Mississippi. Rev. George Willis Tyler assembled with us for the beginning of Sunday School. His main thrust is to have all churches on the Jackson-Meridian District have a well-organized, well- attended Sunday (Church) School. He continues to admonish the youth and adults to actively participate in all fa- cets of God’s services. The work of our zion can only progress with all of us working cooperatively. During the morning worship our Young Adult’s Choir was at its very best. Just before the profound mes- sage of our Presiding Elder the choir filled the sanctuary with strains from the song ‘‘Jesus You Are the Center of My Joy.”’ Reading from St. John 17:21-22. From the 17th verse he used the sub- ject ‘‘Pulling Together in Jesus’ Name.” High points from this fervent message were: ‘‘Jesus is the pause that refreshes’? Avoid misunderstandings. Pray without ceasing that we may be one together in Christ. Oppositions creep in when congregations are not founded on religious principles. There can be no kingdom building when church members are divided against each other. Let nothing separate us from the love of God. We must be de- termined that for Him we will live and for God we will die. Stewardess Board #3 spared no pains in serving a sumptous meal dur- ing the fellowship hour. Monday evening the business ses- sion of the Quarter was held. The Presiding Elder extended high com- mendations to the officers, members and Pastor Chapman for the coopera- tion and fine reports made during the Annual Conference. Each department of the church was well-represented, both financially as well as in atten- dance. We are extremely proud of our Pre- siding Elder and we are pleased with the progress we are experiencing. Bettye Jenkins Caston, Reporter Bishop James Haskell Mayo Rev. Charles L. Scott, Sr., is to be highly commended for the outstanding leadership he has given since being ap- pointed to Greater Allen in 1981, by Bishop Vinton R. Anderson. He lead the congregation in the liquidation of a quarter million dollar mortgage in 1985. His ministry has brought spir- itual growth to the congregation along with a sizeable membership increase averaging over one hundred new addi- tions each year. He has led also in the development of ten new ministries in- cluding an outreach ministry which feeds hundreds of hungry people each week. This latest accomplishment gives the A.M.E. connection one of its most beautiful, spacious and complete facilities which also included the com- pletely renovated sanctuary, seating over six hundred, with a new stain glass altar window, a new grand piano, a new organ, a new cry room, a new nursery, a new choir room, a remodel- ed ladies lounge, a new office for the Charles L. Scott associate ministers, a new and beauti- fully appointed conference room, a new glass blocked secretary’s office, a new spacious lobby, a new completely computerized Ethel C. Prear Memori- al Library, the new Mayo Family Prayer Chapel, five new Sunday School class rooms, a modern spa- cious new kitchen, a new large chair and table storage room, a new and beautiful, plush and spacious Charles L. Scott, Sr., Fellowship Hall, which is decorated with laminated timber beams and a wood decking ceiling with new “pro-gym’”’ carpet which affords the comfort of carpet with the flex- ibility of sports. The room has a hard wood floor stage with stage curtains and spot lights and a new P. A. System. The total cost of this project exceeds three quarters of a million dollars which brings the total insured value of Greater Allen to one million, six hundred and fifty thousand dollars. To God be the Glory. iE STEARNS LER SAIL * Give a Gift Subscription to a Friend * SE UR SE ER SS -. Name = = - i Address. City/State/Zip SUBSCRIBE! to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable to: A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please print. Payment must accompany order. A llow 4 weeks for first delivery. | | | Leaceceen sees emeses ——— ===== DSC05708.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder January 23, 1989 Continued from page | FAME’s Urban Youth Lock-In: Gang and Drug Prevention for At-Risk Youth A delicious meal is served to each partici- pant. Nourishment for the body as well as spi- ritual food makes a to- tal person. GENERAL ASSEMBLY—motivational workshops, resource persons Bible insights. At the conclusion of each Lock-In, youth participants are asked to sign a ten-point commitment form pledging, among other things, to remain drug free and gang free with the help of Almighty God. After a ninety-day period, another Lock-In is held as a follow-up to measure pro- gress and insure that commitments are being kept. The Foundation of the Lock-In concept is centered around the five A’s: 1. Awareness: Who Am I? 2. Assessment: What resources are available to me? 3. Acceptance: I must be responsi- ble for the purpose of my life. 4. Aims: I must set goals and limits for my life. 5. Actions: I must set an agenda of steps to become a positive member of my community. South Central Los Angeles has ex- perienced a major escalation of youth involvement in major drug distribu- tion and its use in addition to a rising gang problem. These actions stem from the absence of wholesome self- concepts, clear life goals, recognition of alternative viable options and a per- sonal relationship with God. First A.M.E. believes the temptations of youth toward negative behavior can be permanently altered through Lock-In and other programs of its type. Beginning with prayer, music and a statement of purpose by Pastor Mur- ray, the October Lock-In included se- lections by FAME’s Young Adult Choir, a viewing of Jesse Jackson’s speech directed especially toward youth, followed by a discussion of the pea RS SR SEE SS SS Pa SS Vesper Service was held in the beautiful Sanctuary of First A.M.E. Church. This group paused for a picture after a period of enlightenment. After Vesper Service, peer groups discuss vital issues. speech at dinner, workshops featuring resource persons sharing personal suc- cesses using the Five A concept, a movie, inspirational hymn singing, Vespers Service in the sanctuary, rap sessions, boys: ‘‘Becoming A Man,” girls: ‘Choices or Chances,’’ taps and bed roll, morning exercise, breakfast, general assembly: ‘*Teenage Sexuality: A Lifelong Responsibility,’ FAME A.1.D.’s project, DARE presentation, fellowship and free time, commitment forms signed and a salute to the posi- tive self: ‘‘I Am Somebody,’’ and a reunion with families. Lock-Ins are held monthly from 5 p.m. on Fridays until 12 noon on Saturdays. The youth are divided into groups, each with its own counselor who provides direction and leadership. The program has received rave com- pliments from parents, law enforce- ment and school personnel, and state government, which has funded the program so that it can be taken into areas as far as Seattle and San Diego. Perhaps the A.M.E. Church can present such a model to American so- ciety at large. Further information on Lock-in can be obtained by con- tacting: FIRST A.M.E. CHURCH (FAME) 2270 S. Harvard Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90018 (213) 735-1251 The Youth Lock-In concept is one of thirty task forces designed as part of FAME’s BEYOND THE WALLS programming. The west coast fellowship greets you all! Please turn to page 5 S00 Eee _o—or— ===== DSC05709.JPG ===== January 23 9 . , 198 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 4 FAME’s Urban Youth Lock-In: Gang and D Dp, BS te Mert RAP SESSION FELLOWSHIP AND FREE-TIME aa ar < Finer enenscineieme neinisimENE NS | a sa eS FAME A.LD.’s PROJECT Commitment forms are signed by each person for his/her total commitment for the uplift- ing of God’s Kingdom. The Lock-in concept is such a terrific experience, but we feel it should be shared throughout African Methodism and the world. The A.M.E. > Sy) School Union Has Everything For Your NDA Y SCHOOL A.M.E.C. SUNDA Y SCHOOL UNION 500 Eighth Avenue, South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 615/256-5882 ===== DSC05710.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 23, 1989 Coretta Scott King Honored by Sara Lee Corp. and Chicago United Coretta Scott King presents John H. Bryan, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Corporation, with a commemorative plaque of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s famous speech ‘“‘I HAVE A DREAM”’ Chicago, IL—Sara Lee Corporation and Chicago United, a consortium of business executives committed to im- proving social, racial and economic conditions in Chicago, co-hosted a luncheon recently, honoring civil rights leader Coretta Scott King at the Sara Lee Corporation headquarters building. John H. Bryan, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Corporation, introduced King to Chicago’s corporate and community leaders who attended the luncheon. King, who was in town for the annual Chicago Leadership Prayer Breakfast, gave guests an overview of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Nonvio- lent Social Change in Atlanta, of which King is founder and president. “Tt was, indeed, a privilege to intro- duce my business associates and com- munity colleagues to Mrs. King and to acquaint them with the work she is do- ing through the King Center,’’ Bryan said. Among the fifty-five luncheon at- tendees were talk show host Oprah Winfrey, Robert J. Brown of B&C Associates, Thomas J. Burrell of Bur- rell Advertising, Weston R. Christo- pherson, chairman and chief executive officer of The Northern Trust Com- pany, John H. Johnson of Johnson Publishing Company, John J. Nevin, chairman and chief executive officer of Firestone, and Barry F. Sullivan, chairman of the board of The First National Bank of Chicago and co- chairman of Chicago United. Prior to the luncheon, King pre- sented Bryan with a commemorative plaque of Dr. King’s famous speech, “T HAVE A DREAM.” Sara Lee Corporation is an interna- tional food and consumer products company with annual sales of more than $10 billion. ITC TO HOST CONFERENCE ON THE MINISTRY Responding to the call of the minis- try can sometimes be a perplexing situation with questions that can only be answered by one who has answered the call or by first-hand experience. To assist those who desire a first-hand experience, the Interdenominational Theologial Center is sponsoring its Annual Conference on the Ministry, January 26-28, 1989. The conference will answer questions and clarify other concerns by allowing one to meet faculty and students; attend classes and worship services; live on campus; receive information on the cur- riculum, degree programs, financial assistance, and admission procedures; as well as to enjoy the fellowship of the ITC family. Traditionally, the conference has at- tracted persons from as far away as California with many returning to ma- triculate in the fall. Each year has brought a more diverse group includ- ing college students as well as those considering a career change. If you are considering responding to the call of the ministry, contact The Reverend Oliver Haney, coordinator of the conference, ai 527-7775 for fur- ther information. Registration will be- gin in the student lounge of the jy AS Thursday, January 26 at 9:00 a.m. The conference will adjourn at 12:30 p.m. Saturday, January 28. The Interdenominational Theologi- cal Center is a consortium of six con- stituent seminaries: Charles H. Mason Seminary (Church of God in Christ), Morehouse School of Religion (Bap- tist), Phillips School of Theology (Christian Methodist Episcopal), Gammon Theological Seminary (Methodist Episcopal), Turner Theo- logical Seminary (African Methodist Episcopal), and Johnson C. Smith Seminary (Presbyterian U.S.A.). 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Please send Psycho-Spiritual 50). 1 | Power!=PSP and Basic Sunday My Name 1 | School Growth in Black Methodist 1 | Churches. Address Apt. ! | understand my cost is only $10.40 Cr: j 1 for two (2) fantastic Books. Sate Zip i | (Payment enclosed { : OPlease bill me 1 | Regular Price $11.90 Plus postage Send To | and handling. Name 1 Order from: Address Apt 1 | A.M.E.C, SUNDAY SCHOOL s | ! UNION ay ; | 500 8th Avenue, South State Zip 1 : Nashville, TN 37203-4181 J Le Ne ace ee a —<——™— ===== DSC05711.JPG ===== January 23, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder LETTER FROM WEAD & AULTMAN TO BISHOP FREDERICK C, JAMES __ ROBERT H. WEAD PHILIP AULTMAN RICHARD A WEAD ALAN G ANDERSON MARK J. DONATELL! Bishop F.C. James Bishop Seventh District Chairman of the Board of Trustees Allen University Landmark East Suite 402 3700 Forest Park Drive P.0. Box 4837 Columbia, South Carolina 29204 Re: Georgia Teal Ransom Estate Dear Bishop James: Please find enclosed a check in the amount of $100,000.00 from the estate of Georgia Teal Ransom,which represents the specific bequest set forth in Item XV of her Last Will and Testament. District of the A.M.E. Church. Allen University. ‘Never let yesterday use up too much of today”’ Continued from page 1 Bishop P. R. Cousin Appointed to Special Committee plaguing the ecumenical organization and many of its thirty-two member communions. At that meeting the Governing Board approved office clo- sures and staff cuts deemed necessary in order for the Council to balance its 1989 budget. Bishop Melvin G. Talbert, secretary of the United Methodist Council of Bishops, was named chairperson of the Committee of fifteen. Talbert heads the San Francisco Area of the United Methodist Church. Continued from page 1 WEAD & AULTMAN ATTORNEYS AT LAW ALLEN BUILDING POST OFFICE BOX H XENIA, OHIO 45385-0697 : The specific bequest provides that the funds are to be ysed by Allen University for such purposes as shall be approved by the Bishop of the Seventh This amount is the full amount of the bequest of Georgia Teal Ransom to Very truly yours, XENIA 3724436 DAYTON 426-6586 AREA CODE 513 ‘A Friend Is Someone Who Understands Your Past, Believes In Your Future, And Accepts You Today Just The Way You Are.”’ NATIONAL CAMPAIGN FIGHTS BIRTH DEFECTS adequate prenatal care is the key to re- ducing low birth weight which can lead to birth defects and infant mortality. The March of Dimes suggests the fol- lowing general advice for pregnant wo- men: e See a doctor early and often dur- ing pregnancy. e Don’t drink or smoke during your pregnancy. e Don’t take any unprescribed drugs. e Eat a balanced diet. e Exercise moderately. To coincide with the Mothers March effort, four thousand five hun- dred Kentucky Fried Chicken restau- rants nationwide will conduct a simul- taneous fund-raising drive. Restau- rants will encourage the public to par- ticipate in the campaign via window displays and canisters for customer contributions. Kentucky Fried Chick- en will also distribute public service announcements about the March of Dimes campaign to radio and televi- sion stations, as well as stage fund- raising events with local Mothers March chapters. ‘ number one child health problem,”’ said Don Solomon, chairman of the Kentucky Fried Chicken National Co- operative Advertising Program, Inc. “The Kentucky Fried Chicken family contributes enthusiastically to the March of Dimes in the memory of Colonel Harland Sanders, whose per- sonal dream was that every child have a healthy start in life.’”’ Since 1979, the Colonel Sanders Memorial March of Dimes campaign has raised more than $7 million for the March of Dimes. Nearly $2.7 million has gone to the Colonel Sanders Me- morial Endowment Fund to provide a perpetual source of funds for ongoing research grants to scientists battling birth defects. The March of Dimes—formed in 1938 to fight the polio epidemic—is the only organization which has con- quered the disease it set out to elimi- nate. In 1958, the March of Dimes re- directed its focus to preventing birth defects. Today, the March of Dimes supports prenatal care programs, ge- netic counseling and research into the causes of birth defects. Continued from page | ALLEN UNIVERSITY RECEIVES $100,000 GIFT —— July 1984 to July 1987 that she felt compelled to take part, As a result, Mrs. Ransom began sending $900.00 a month to support Allen University in its push for excellence, She was able to send four such checks before the Lord called her home. This in itself indicated Mrs, Ran- som’s love for her native State, and for the school that afforded her a high school education, but the story goes on, On October 26, 1988, Bishop James received a letter from the Xenia, Ohio, Law Firm of Wead and Aultman, ad- ministrators of Mrs. Ransom’s estate. That letter was accompanied by a check for $100,000, set aside for Allen University in Mrs. Ransom’s last Will and Testament! That check arrived just in time to purchase property on Taylor Street in Columbia, which will contain Allen University’s projected Physical Education Complex. This article is accompanied by the full text of the letter from Wead and Aultman, as well as Bishop James’ reply to Mr. Louis Ransom, Sr. This act of selfless generosity on Mrs. Ransom’s part also reflects the level of responsibility and commit- ment of Bishop James, who initiated the contact with Mrs. Ransom. It also shows the high degree of confidence Mrs. Ransom placed in Bishop James at Allen University as she directed that the gift ‘‘. . . be used for Allen Uni- Dr. Collie Coleman versity for such purposes as shall be approved by the Bishop of the Seventh Episcopal District.’’ We thank God, and thank the Epis- copal Committee of the 43rd General Conference, for seeing that, for four more years, the Right Reverend Frede- rick Calhoun James is the presiding bishop of the Seventh Episcopal Dis- trict. Let it be known to the General Church that the church in South Caro- lina and Allen University are reaching new heights, experiencing unprece- dented growth, and are quite content and pleased that Frederick Calhoun James is the presiding bishop of the Seventh Episcopal District. Rev. Joseph A. Darby Director of Public Relations Seventh Episcopal District LETTER FROM BISHOP FREDERICK C. JAMES TO MR. LOUIS RANSOM, SR. EPISCOPAL DISTRICT OFFICE: Landmark East Suite 402 Columbia, South Carolina 29204 (803) 738-9395 Mr. Louis Ransom, Sr. 321 East 2nd Street Xenia, Ohio 45385 Dear Mr. Ransom: effort successful. Sincerely, depart.”’ “Birth defects are this country’s African Methodist Episcopal Church SEVENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA FREDERICK C. JAMES, PRESIDING BISHOP It is with a deep sense of gratitude, accompanied by a like degree of responsibility that I, as Bishop of The Seventh Episcopal District of the AME Church in South Carolina, accept the role of approving the administration of this specific bequest. Since Mid-1984, when I became Chairman of The Trustee Board, and Dr. Collie Coleman became President of Allen University, we have worked in close harmony to re-build Allen University to a level of great efficiency, productivity and service. has necessitated the launching of unprecedented fund-raising. The present gift, and the former gifts, of Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom make this Bishop F. \C/ James “Tf all our misfortunes were ? heap, whence everyone must take an equal portion, most people would be content to take their own and EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE: 2522 Barhamville Road Columbia, South Carolina 29204 (803) 256-8756 (803) 256-8503 On behalf of The Allen University Board of Trustees, The Allen University Faculty, Staff and Student Body, and The African Methodist Episcopal Church in South Carolina, we acknowledge with profound appreciation, the gift check in the amount of $100,000.00 to Allen University from The Estate of Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom. The pursuit of this objective Mrs. Georgia Teal Ransom is a great Allenite whose devotion to Allen University is now immortalized by her love for others yet to come. laid in one common —Socrates ===== DSC05712.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 23, 1989 A.M.E. Church and Christian Science Church in Joint Venture > David L. Degler, Member Christian Science Lectureship Board Stuart, FL—St. Paul’s A.M.E. Church hosted a community meeting on how the teachings of Christianity can heal alcohol and drug use. The meeting was a joint effort of St. Paul, a community group fighting drug abuse and trafficking, called ‘*Con- cerned Citizens and Friends of East Stuart,’’ and the Christian Science Church in Stuart. The Rev. G. M. Champion, pastor of St. Paul, introduced the speaker, David L. Degler, of Nashville, Ten- nessee, and a member of the Christian Science Board of Lectureship. This occasion marked the first time that the A.M.E. Church and the Christian Sci- ence Church had worked together in focusing attention on finding solutions for the problems of drugs and alcohol. The speaker commented on the fact that the A.M.E. Church and the Chris- tian Science Church were each one of only a few Christian denominations founded by Americans. Many attend- ing the meeting were unfamiliar with the history of the A.M.E. Church, and the Christian Science speaker told something of the history of the Rever- end Richard Allen and his life and how he came to establish the A.M.E. de- nomination in the last quarter of the 18th century. The speaker also told something of the founding of the Christian Science Church by a woman, Mary Baker Eddy, in the last quarter of the 19th century. In a lecture entitled ‘‘Christianity and Responsible Healing for Children and Adults,’? Mr, Degler said that what is written in the Bible is a body of knowledge of God and man which anyone can apply to his or her life to heal physical illness, alcohol and drug use or other problems. He said that Jesus taught that God is Love, and that He loves everyone in the commu- nity. He said that if an individual prays, accepting the fact as real and true for each individual, it can have a significant impact on healing the prob- lems of alcohol and drug use. Chris- tian healing, he said, is characterized by Christian renewal or regeneration. He told of physical healings that have come about through prayer alone. Mr. Degler also told of an indi- vidual who had used marijuana for a long time, and who had been addicted to cocaine for two years. That person, he said, was completely healed by reading the book Science and Health with key to the Scriptures. The book is about the Bible and Christian healing by Christian Science Church Founder Mary Baker Eddy. Participants in the meeting’s agenda included Alfreda Campbell, an A.M.E. church organist, who played a prelude, and another member of an A.M.E. church, Alberta McGahae, who sang a solo. A representative of ‘‘Concerned Ci- tizens and Friends of East Stuart’’ told of the efforts of that organization in fighting drug abuse and drug traffic- king. Mrs. June Bols, who conducts services at the Christian Science Church, served as chairperson for the meeting. (Editor’s Note: David Degler’s back- ground research on the A.M.E. Church came from Irony of Afro-American History: An Overview of A.M.E. History and Related Developments, by Robert Henry Reid, Jr., AMEC Publishing House.) REV. JOHN G. RAGIN WEDS BERNICE TILLMAN MCDANIELS ___ by Monic Hargrove Newark, NJ—The Rev. John G. Ra- gin, pastor of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, married Bernice Tillman Mc- Daniels on December 17, 1988, in a morning ceremony. Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings was the officiating minister. The church was filled to capacity with family, friends, and guests eager- ly awaiting the processional of the bridal party. Although the wait was short, the guests were entertained with pre-nuptial music by Michael Jenkins, who sang ‘‘Endless Love.’’ Through- out the ceremony, selections were also performed by Kenneth Rayborn, Mi- chelle Sconier, Christine Smith and Howard Lawson. The wedding party consisted of four bride’s maids, Cynthia Avant, Clara Goyins, Shirley Saunders and Ernes- tine Druid; two flower girls, Satidra M. Barnes and Ebony Robinson; and the maid of honor, Delphine Isaac. The groom’s men were Rufus Ragin, Rev. Carl Hunter, Cornell Dixon and Elizah Lawson. Ringbearer was Thel- ton Tucker, and the Rev. Theodore R. Goyins was best man. Following the ceremony, the guests were ushered into the church’s dining ————— room, where, after the bridal party’s recessional, they received a delicious meal. The bride and groom then proceed- ed to engage in the traditional wedding rituals of throwing the bridal bouquet and the garter. The single women ex- citedly gathered around as Mrs. Ragin waited to throw her bouquet. On the count of three, it was tossed into the air. Brenda Holmes, an active mem- ber of St. Luke had the privilege of catching the beautiful bouquet. When the excitement had passed, Rev. Ragin kneeled and removed the garter from the leg of his bride. The single men were then called onto the floor to continue the tradition. The garter was caught by one of the guests. Continuing with tradition the catcher of the garter placed the garter on the leg of the catcher of the bouquet, after which the two posed for pictures with Rev. and Mrs. Ragin. The happy bridal couple then pro- ceeded to cut their cake and take more pictures, as they continued to enjoy the first day of their married life to- gether. Warm wishes, much happiness and congratulations are extended to Rev. and Mrs. Ragin. The 16th Episcopal District Reports _____ Evangelist Rev. Ann Freeland Rt. Rev. V. R. Byrd Presiding Prelate 16th District Evangelist Wessie L. Spearman GREAT REVIVAL IN PORT-AU-PRINCE, HAITI The people of Haiti were blessed through the ministry of Rev. Ann Freeland and Rev. Wessie Spearman of the New Jersey Conference of the First Episcopal District. They jour- neyed to the island during the month of August with every intention of lift- ing up the Name of Jesus! Preaching, prayer, praise and healing services were held every night. The revivalists traveled by foot to remote villages sharing the good news of God through Jesus Christ, with the help of the Holy Spirit. Many bodies were healed; faith in God was accepted; those who already believed were strengthened. Praise God for the miracles that were wrought! In an effort to minister to the whole man/woman, Rey. Freeland and Rey. Spearman also provided money for the people of St. Paul Church (the mother church) in Port-au-Prince. They spoke to the blighted situations they saw, empty clinics because people cannot afford to pay the $2.00 per visit fee. Rev. Freeland spoke of one heart- rending experience: ‘‘After walking over three miles on dusty, rocky roads and paths, we came to a village where adults were cooking in the open yard and children were playing while goats, cows, and pigs walked around them. At one time, I had three children holding to my fingers. After praying for the sick and sharing the Good News with them, it was time for us to return to the Rosetta Lee Mission in Dumarnay. All the children let go of my fingers except one little boy about eighteen months old. As I looked at his over-sized head, enlarged stomach, and huge eyes with tears, his face seemed to say what he could not ar- ticulate: Please don’t go! You have brought us hope! My heart grieved and I wept. I promised them that I would return soon, and, with God’s help, I will!’ This trip and gifts for the people of Haiti were made possible in part by donations from the churches in the New Brunswick District of the New Jersey Annual Conference. The revi- valists ‘‘grew up in Christ’’ as they walked the dusty roads of the island for eight days. God be praised that people are concerned about the less fortunate and are willing to sacrifice time and talent to bring hope and help to people who would otherwise be neg- lected. “Inasmuch as you’ve done it to the least of these, you’ve done it to me.”” LELLHHSSSHLLSLDELLEDLDSLSHSS ITC Receives Scholarship in Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. President of the Interdenomina- tional Theological Center, Dr. James H. Costen, is pleased to announce re- ceipt of a check for $12,000 which establishes the Dr. Martin Luther King, Sr. Endowed Scholarship. The check was presented by Mrs. Christine King Farris on behalf of the Farris and King Families on Monday, December 19, which would have been the 89th birthday of the late Dr. King, Sr. The ————————— award is to be given to a student at the Morehouse School of Religion of the ITC who demonstrates their interest and concern for the Parish ministry. Regarding the gift President Costen stated, ‘‘This gift will be one of the significant scholarship funds at the ITC in times to come. It will be an in- centive to recipients to emulate him and give of their time and money as did Dr. King.’ Acting dean of the Morehouse School of Religion, Dr. Edward Davie, also added that this gift represents a “tremendous invest- ment in the training of our ministers.”’ Dr. Joseph Roberts, pastor of the Ebenezer Baptist Church, where Dr. King, Sr. served more than forty- four years, stated that, ‘“We will find ways to increase the scholarship and continue the legacy Dr. King created.” Dr. King, Sr. was very much involv- ed in the founding and creation of the ITC. He served on the Board of Trust- ees of both the ITC and the More- house School of Religion. OE ___—_ _——}. ===== DSC05713.JPG ===== January 23, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder News and Views of the Connectional Debutante-Master Dedication Commission Dr. Julma B. Crawford, Administrator by L. E. Bryan Chicago, IL—Our young people dis- played many talents during their parti- cipation in the General Conference Debutante-Master Dedication Cere- mony. The requirement of submitting an essay highlighted the creative writing ability of each one and every partici- pant—debutantes, masters, sub-debu- tantes and sub-masters—a total of forty-four, met this qualification. A panel of three judges, representing dif- ferent episcopal districts, rated each essay on (1) neatness; (2) length con- formity; and (3) sincerity. The first and second best essays were selected from each of the four divisions. Receiving the highest ratings were: Debutantes and Masters: Ist Place, Belinda Robinson, Arnett Chapel A.M.E. Church, Chicago, IL; 2nd Place, Melvin L. Nays, Jr., Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church, Ft. Worth, TX; Sub-debutantes and Sub-masters: lst Place, Emmitt Wooten, Jr., Wes- ley Chapel A.M.E. Church, Houston, TX; and 2nd Place, Stacy Blue, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Milwaukee, WI. A copy of The DMC’s Bicentennial Tribute To African Methodism, Past And Present, 1787-1987, is being awarded to each of the above winners. Here printed is Belinda Robinson’s essay on the topic: My Christian Stewardship in the A.M.E, Church Praise ye the Lord, a new song, for he has done marvelous things! Make a joy- ful noise unto the Lord, all the earth sing his praises. . . One of the ways in which I exercise my Christian stewardship is through the ministry of music, by playing, teaching and singing. I grew up in a very musical, Chris- tian family, and the opened door of music has always been available to me. I started taking piano lessons and choral voice training at the age of four. I chose gospel music because I received a special calling from God to continue my gift of music for his min- istry. I strongly believe that God has sent me here to teach others and sing with others His gospel. I am currently playing for the Hyde Park A.M.E. Church youth choir, the Chicago Conference South Area youth choir, and the Fourth District Y.P.D. youth choir, where I also serve as Worship Director. I have many goals in life. I want to continue my Christian stewardship for God in the African Methodist Episco- pal Church as a musician. I want to excel in my gospel music skills and be- come more polished in my music. I also want to do some gospel music writing and producing, write and pro- duce gospel musicals, and one day soon go into the Ministry, but my main goal in life is to overemphasize the gospel of Jesus Christ and get it across to the people of the world as well as in the church. I want to let the world know that God’s grace is suffi- cient and he, through Jesus Christ, is a friend that will never forsake you if you only believe in him! “7 will praise thee, Oh Lord with my whole heart; I will shew forth all thy marvelous works. I will be glad and re- joice in thee. I will sing praise and play music to thy name, oh thou most high!” Psalm 9:1,2 ISRAELI EMBASSY TRIBUTE TO DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. ___ Congressman Floyd Flake Washington, DC—The Embassy of Is- rael in Washington, in cooperation with the Jewish National Fund of America, hosted their Fourth Annual Tribute to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., on January 9, 1989. This year’s program and reception commemo- rated the 60th birthday of Dr. King. The ceremony included a presenta- tion by the Jewish National Fund of the 1989 Civil Rights Award to two in- dividuals whose distinguished service to the Black community deserved spe- cial recognition: Althea Simmons, Director of the Washington, DC, of- fice of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), and William Taylor, civil rights attorney and counsel for the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. Congressman Floyd Flake (D-NY, 6th District), a member of the Bank- ing Finance and Urban Affairs Com- mittee and the House Select Com- mittee on Hunger, and a recipient of many awards, including the 1986 Ebony magazine Black American Achievement Award in Religion, ad- dressed the gathering with Israel’s Ambassador Moshe Arad presiding over the ceremony. A spiritual and gospel performance was given by the Metroaires of the Metropolitan African Methodist Epis- copal (A.M.E.) Church of the Rever- end William P. DeVeaux, under the direction of Daniel Hodge. Dr. King was, throughout his brief life, a strong friend of the State of Is- rael. The Martin Luther King, Jr. Forest, the Jewish State’s living memorial to Dr. King now numbers over ten thousand trees. It is our sin- cere hope that our ceremony, now in its fourth year, will not only com- memorate Dr. King’s life and his lega- cy to future generations, but, also, serve as a celebration of the goodwill and unity of people the world over. FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C, CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9-12, 1989 WMS Annual Day March 8, 1989 Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church Glebe Road ” Pembroke East, Bermuda Church Telephone (809) 292-3949 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 292-3949 The Rev. Reginald McRae, Host Pastor The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rey. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor The Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 398-4437 The Rev. Joseph Brame, Host Pastor The Rev. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone: (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rey. Millard D. Birt, Host Pastor The Rev. W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone: (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rey. Ellis B. Louden, Host Pastor The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E. Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. W. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rey. Harry J. White, Host P.E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Phone: (201) 545-3638) The Rev. H. A. Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rey. C. E. Martin, Host P.E. Attend Your i rs ee es es ee ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Annual Conference SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP V. R. BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rey. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rev. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rev. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27-30, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone: 1-809-773-6892 Pastor’s Phone: 1-809-778-9403 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Host Pastor The Rey. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 21-25, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. J. Green, Host Pastor & P.E. TRINIDAD—GRENADA— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nazareth A.M.E. Church Sunshine Avenue San Juan, Trinidad The Rev. Anderson Burkett, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Host Pastor *Date and Place to be announced SCHEDULES EXECUTIVE BOARD MEETING The Women’s Missionary Soci- ety of the A.M.E. Church will hold its Annual Executive Board Meeting and Leadership Training session for 1989, on February 2, 3 and 4, at the Camelot Hotel in Little Rock, AR. Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams President Telephone: (202) 371-8886 or (317) 283-2511 Bishop F. M. Reid, Jr. Chairman Commission on Missions Bishop H. A. Belin, Jr., Prelate 12th Episcopal District Mrs. Lucinda Crawford Belin Episcopal Supervisor 12th Episcopal District ===== DSC05714.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder January 23, 1989 Bishop Mayo Not Removing Texas Landmarks; Buttresses ‘OLD POSTS’ Bishop J. Haskell Mayo, Prelate Tenth Episcopal District by Dr. J. W. Yancy, II Waiting at the front door of Tyree Chapel, at the close of the West Texas Conference, was Rev. H. H. Jones, pastor of St. Joseph A.M.E. Church, where the Texas Southwest Con- ference would be held the following week. Rev. Jones and his San Antonio pastors had come to Bay City on Friday—closing day of the confer- ence—to invite Bishop and Mrs. Mayo to the Alamo City to enjoy a round of weekend courtesies, including some appearances by Bishop Mayo (preaching at fashionable Emanuel A.M.E. Church, pastored by Rev. Mike Gibson), prior to the opening of the Southwest Texas Conference the following Wednesday. Among the scheduled activities of the latter conference were a closed luncheon at Bethel A.M.E. Church, where the Rev. A. R. Nelson is pastor; a subsequent open-house luncheon at Bethel, and a sight-seeing tour of historic San Antonio. The Rev, O. W. Hodges was host presiding elder of the Southwest Texas Conference and the Rev. Lloyd Chenault the associate presiding elder. The Southwest Texas Conference always stages a religious fiesta, this section being the headquarters of Ca- tholicism in Texas and heir to the Spanish customs and traditions. The Annual Sermon was preached by the Rev. L. E. Ausbie and, here again, five young ministers volunteered to preach five-minute sermons each for the Hour of Power. The Missionary Meeting, staged as a Spanish garden scene, proved to be an effective session with Mrs. Theodora H. Mayo supervising. Their ‘‘Night in White’’ was as fantastic as the business meeting was effective. At Mrs. Mayo’s suggestion, the Mis- sionaries sought out institutions to which a group, headed by Mrs. Mayo, took much-needed items for the in- mates, The Southwest Texas Conference personnel do not constitute an area easily presided over (ask Bishop Joseph Gomez); nevertheless, Bishop Mayo, with his dexterity of command and compendium of A.M.E, funda- mentalism, proved himself ‘‘monarch of all he surveyed’’ in the Texas Southwest. Here, ‘‘he came; he saw; and he conquered.”’ Leaving San Antonio, Bishop and Mrs. Mayo and their ministerial cara- van sped across the vast State of Texas to Beaumont, where Rev. O. W. Johnson, host pastor at St, Paul and the Rev. X. L. Williams, host pre- siding elder, were READY for the in- vasion of the Texas Conference, While in Texas, Bishop John Hurst Adams computed that ‘‘the greatest number of ministers and laymen reside within the boundaries of the Texas Confer- ence.”’ The Reverends O. L. Dawson and L, W. Jenkins were associate pre- siding elders. Rev. M. J. Leonard preached the Annual Sermon, leaving ministerial critics admitting that they ‘‘never heard such a sermon coming from Rev. Leonard.’’ For the Hour of Power, five young preachers volun- teered and preached five-minute ser- mons, each one cutting off at the five- minute deadline. The City of Beaumont is one of Texas’ most sophisticated cities, and the constituency of St. Paul is an epitome of this rare sophistication. Have you ever witnessed Bishop Mayo giving an interview to agnostic White newspaper reporters? Well, notice him, if you get the rare opportunity. In his devasting interview, he appears to reach up into the sky, grabbing a handful of stars and pitching them over the interviewers, blinding them and subjugating them with phenome- nal oratory adeptness. So, whatever the sprawling Texas Conference in- dividuality set before Bishop Mayo, he handled it just like ‘‘taking candy from a baby.’’ The Missionaries, led by Mrs. Mayo, took gifts to the needy in several places in Beaumont. The unyielding, yet productive, Texas Conference Missionaries brought much to the Missionary meet- ing and placed it there for fruition. Mrs. Mayo presided in her supervisory position with all ease and gracious- ness. The ‘‘Night in White’’ was so huge that the men were put outdoors because of the great numbers present. (Yes, they came back into the sanctu- ary of the church for collection time!) One of the conference highlights was the recognition of a State Histori- cal Marker recently accorded St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Mother A.M.E. Church in Houston, by the Texas His- torical Commission. The affable Rev. J. W. Ford is the pastor of St. Paul. marr eet nea aE State Historical Marker of St. Paul, Houston, Texas The Texas Conference can boast of having within its personnel the best trained security for the overall facili- tating and moving of the conference, He is the Rev. W. L. Smith, jubiliant pastor of Smith Chapel, Rosenberg, Texas. His many areas of church ser- vice in this respect have given him unique experience. Fierce in his responsibility for protecting his bishop, Rev. Smith is ready for im- mediate security action. It is said that “Security Smith’? pistol-whipped an unyielding person at a General Confer- ence for invading his bishop’s environs without permission. The Sunday School Union Has All Of The Christian Resources Your Church Needs ESESLESSLESES LESSEE SLL GO SES Rev. Williard Lee Smith Texas Senior Security It is said that Dr. L. H. McCloney, pastor of St. Luke, Waco, made a special trip to Dallas to confer with Bishop Mayo on items for making him, as host to the Central Texas Con- ference, come up to the expectations of Bishop Mayo for entertaining the Central Texas Conference. If Dr. Mc- Cloney did make the trip, it all came out in the superb entertainment given the Central Texas Conference by Dr. McCloney and his valiant members of St. Luke. The Annual Sermon was preached by Rev. M. C. Cooper, who threw the conference into a spiritual fervor by the rendition of his torrid message. Rev. C. C. Johnson was host presiding elder and Rev. D. Harris was associ- ate. Again, five young ministers volunteered to preach five-minute ser- mons for the Hour of Power, and no one was set down for going overtime. The Missionary Meeting was an ex- perience in completeness and direc- tion. Mrs. Edna Grovey Walker, Epis- copal District President, always has compliments for this Missionary So- ciety for its completeness and effi- ciency of reports and records. Mrs. Theodora H. Mayo gave directions in the meeting. The ‘‘Night in White”’ was well planned, adequately rendered and staged. Three ‘‘first Ladies’’ were given a ‘‘barrage’’ of corsages in recognition of their positions in Texas: Mrs. Mayo for ‘‘First Lady of Texas’’; Mrs. DeJoyce Morgan (wife of President Warren Morgan) for be- ing ‘First Lady of A.M.E. Higher Education in Texas’’; and Mrs. L. H. McCloney for being ‘‘First Lady of St. Luke.”” In his promulgation of a ‘‘confer- ence being a learning experience,” Bishop Mayo’s admonitions always bring deep thought and meditation from the ministers. Below is the epitome of ‘‘deep meditation’’ by Rev. L. R. Emanuel during one of Bishop Mayo’s deliberations, Rev. = R. Emanuel, pastor Wayman Chapel, Temple, Texas Texans, SEARCH THE RECORD! A.M.E. connectionists come [to Texas! You'll find that during his first series of seven conferences, Bishop Mayo has not removed ONE TEXAS LANDMARK he found existing in the A.M.E. Church in Texas. From per- sonal observation by Texas Public Relations, I can attest to the fact that Bishop Mayo has not removed ONE TEXAS LANDMARK. In further observations by Texas Public Relations, Bishop Mayo has resorted to a method which an Old Farmer related to me that he used in strengthening his enclosure of his farm area. This method is hereby related below. The successful long-time Old Farmer related that, in looking over his need for strengthening his fence row for land enclosure, he never removed an old post that had given long service to the fence, but which old post was showing signs of deterioration. Here is what he would do. He would place a younger post right beside the old, decaying post for strength to the old post —allowing the old post to serve out its time of existence in the fence row. This method, the Old Farmer said, was ‘‘BUTTRESSING AN OLD POST:;” In observing Bishop Mayo’s episcopal supervision and operation in Texas, the relating of the Old Farmer’s method of ‘‘buttressing an old post’’ comes to the mind of Texas Public Relations, over and over. Dr. J. W. Yancy, I » Stationary We have the material to help you with engaged couples are looking for this type ef Christian emphasis, recognizing that the homes of tomorrow nced to be found- ed on the Lord Jesus Christ. AMEC Sunday School Union 300 Cygeth teevuee. South \aahonle, Tennessee 37203 F787 675 BSC -SOR2 ORO”? SOHO”? SOHO”? SOHO” STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE With Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries Beautiful Hardbound * Black with Gold Trim * $18.00 Please add 13% for postage and handling ===== DSC05715.JPG ===== January 23, 1989 The AME Christian Recorder 11 Sharpesville Six Get Stay of Execution SOCIAL ACTION CORNER To God be the glory for answering our prayers!! Amen!! The South African Government’s stay of execution of the ‘‘Sharpesville Six;’’ the release to house arrest of Nelson Mandella; and the restricted release of the publisher of one of South Africa’s civil rights newspapers came as very welcome news. The Olive Branch for peace that was brought to this country by Soviet Russia’s President Mikhail Gorbachev was a most welcome happenstance, the negative response from many in this country now withstanding. Our hearts, however, were saddened by the tremendous loss of lives due to the earthquake back in Russia that ne- cessitated the return home of presi- dent Gorbachev, following that his- toric speech that he made to the United Nations and to the world, but our hearts were gladdened by the im- mediate response of aid by this coun- try and many others of the world, in- cluding Israel. Thank you, A.M.E. Church, for your response to the Hurricane Gil- bert victims throughout our connec- tion; and I know more aid is forth- coming. My own bishop, Bishop S. S. Morris, has challenged and led the Fourth District in a positive response. I am encouraged by the number of Black adoptions that are being reported in our Zion. My own church, Bethel A.M.E. of Madison, Illinois, has moved to eight (8) adoptions and six (6) foster children. God Be Prais- ed!!! It is my prayer that every leader in African Methodism will encourage, support and foster this program. Bishop John R. Bryant Commission Chairman Rev. John Q. Owens, Jr. Director Please don’t forget the homeless, not only for the Holiday Season, but the entire year. Bishop S. S. Morris called the Fourth District together in support of the church that was burned in Alton, Illinois. The response was magnifi- cent, including that of the Fifth Episcopal District and persons of many different denominations. Our Senior Bishop, Bishop John H. Adams will be one of the keynote speakers for a dialogue between the religious and labor communities on social and ethical concerns in a chang- ing economy, held at the Washington Hilton, Washington, DC, on January 25-27, 1989. I have been invited to register and attend—and I plan to do so. This invitation is open to others of like mind. Registration is $50.00, which includes all materials, recep- tion, one lunch and one dinner. Please write to: Michael Szpak, AFL-CIO, 815-16th St., N.W., Washington, DC 20006, or call (202) 637-5132. I recommend it. ST. MARK BREAKS GROUND FOR $2 MILLION HOUSING COMPLEX L-R: Rev. D. C. Coleman, Rev. W. D. Davis, Bishop S. S. Morris, Rev. Lovell Johnson, special official, and the Honorable Mayor John Norquist Milwaukee, WI—The Ground Break- ing Ceremony for ‘‘St. Mark Place,’”’ 50 units of housing for the elderly and disabled, at a cost of $2,000,000, and located at N. 14th and Lloyd Streets in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, was held on a recent Sunday. The housing complex is sponsored by St. Mark A.M.E. Church Anvil Housing Corporation, the Rev. Lovell Johnson, pastor. The historic event was a day-long celebration, with the Rt. Rev. Samuel Solomon Morris, Presiding Bishop of the 4th Episcopal District, preaching in the morning worship service, and presiding over the groundbreaking, which was held in the church sanctuary due to inclement weather. Assisting Bishop Morris was Rev. William D. Davis, Host Presiding Elder; Rev. David C. Coleman, Presiding Elder of the South District of the Chicago Con- ference; and the Mayor of Milwaukee, the Honorable John Norquist. Also present were other representatives from City and County government. Officers of the sponsoring group, the Anvil Housing Corporation, are: president, Fred Carr; vice president, Arthur Lee; secretary, Jim Otey; assistant secretary, Earl Coleman; treasurer, Snow Mitchell, Jr.; legal counsel, and Lovell Johnson, Jr. Members of the corporation are: Ben- ny Ross, Hazel Howard, Willie Fells, Gilbert Jones, Verda Sayles, and Ted Osbourne. The housing component is one of twelve Outreach Programs designed to serve the Milwaukee community spon- sored by St. Mark A.M.E. Church. St. Mark Commission on Public Relations Bishop Vinton R. Anderson BOVE VE BO IC IO IO FE BO IE BO IO BE BE BO BO IO BO BO VE BO — Announcing — BISHOP’S RETREAT Bishop Henry Belin and many of the good people of the Twelfth Episcopal District, in conjunction with the Okla- homa Conference of Churches, of which Brother Gibson, one of five A.M.E. Laymen, is President. They are planning a ‘‘March On The Capi- tol’’ in Oklahoma City, January 24, 1989, in support of legislation that will impact positively on the welfare of many of the citizens of Oklahoma. I stand in support of this effort and plan to be a part of it. Bishop Vinton R. Anderson dedi- cated a masterpiece of an idea that was brought to fruition by Pastor George Reid and the forward-looking mem- bers of Bethel A.M.E., Kansas City, Missouri. The dedication took place on Sunday, December 11, 1988. The building is an addition to the church that has a drug addiction rehabilita- tion center, a tutoring section, and a food distribution center. I was most elated to have been escorted through the facility. It’s a credit to African Methodism. Please don’t forget to pray for and seek the stay of execution of ‘‘Paula Cooper’’!!! I am receiving word of a crisis in our public schools and in many of the parochial schools due to tax cuts and falling enrollment, asbestos poisoning and the cost of repairs and I am a bit afraid that we might be getting close to the time that education—at least a part of it—may have to go back to the churches, where I received some of my grade school education during the de- pression years in Inola, Oklahoma. Mrs. Owens joins me in praying to the Lord for a Happy and Joyous Holiday to All. God Bless, John Q. Owens January 30 thru February 1, 1989 ; | OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH HOLIDAY INN — BRILEY PARKWAY 2200 Elm Hill Pike Nashville, TN 37210 Phone 615/883-9770 BISHOP C. E. THOMAS, HOST Every True A.M.E. should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hymnal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly Reduced Only $5.00 CY African Methodist Episcopal Church BOOK OF WORSHIP Reduced Only $5.00 The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God's word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs and aspirations today. BOW-815 PLEASE INCLUDE 13% POSTAGE AND HANDLING $5.00 Send to: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ===== DSC05716.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder January 23, 1989 2,500 Attend Brookins Mini Revival From Left: Rev. Frank M. Reid, III, Rev. T. Larry Kirkland, Sr., and Rev. Kelvin T. Calloway Los Angeles—More than 2,500 people filled the pews of Brookins Commu- nity A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles during its Mini-Advent Revival. Aim- ed at emphasizing the spiritual side of Christmas, the four-day revival defied tradition by featuring double sermons during two services. Two dynamic evangelists attracted believers from throughout Southern California, Rallying the crowd with in- spired messages were the Rev. Dr. Frank Madison Reid, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Baltimore, MD; and the Rev. Dr. Kelvin Tipton Callo- way, pastor of Prince Chapel A.M.E. Church in LaJolla, CA. In addition, Bishop H. H. Brookins of the Second Episcopal District spoke at one of the services. Both Dr. Reid and Dr. Calloway ex- pounded and proclaimed the purpose behind the Christian celebration of Christmas and the positive response to their sermons was reflected by the overflowing audiences, said Brookins pastor, the Rev. Dr. T. Larry Kirk- land, ‘At least seven hundred people at- tended our revival each night and, be- lieve me, we had a good time,”’ said Rev. Kirkland. ‘‘I was especially pleased because many people were skeptical about presenting a revival during the height of Christmas, but I believe that it’s imperative that be- lievers and non-believers alike be re- minded that Jesus is the reason for the season. Christmas is not about giving gifts. Instead, it is a joyous, spiritual occasion honoring the birth of our Savior and Lord. Christians must un- derstand what this means in our walk with Christ,’’ Rev. Kirkland said. Echoing similar thoughts, Rev. Reid used Luke 1:37-38 to explain that the birth of Christ is not only the fulfillment of God’s Word, but also that Christ enables believers to be victorious over staggering odds. “Christ came that we might over- come the impossible. If you want to be successful, get on God’s side,”” said Rev, Reid. ‘‘God will protect you and provide for you, no matter how bad things get.’’ In a different sermon, Rev. Reid cited Matthew 1:23 to illustrate another underlying meaning of Christ- mas. ‘‘The world is full of lonely peo- ple, but the message of Christmas is that you don’t have to be lonely— you can be liberated,’’ asserted the evangelist. ‘‘When Jesus was born, it was God with us. God is with you in good times and in bad times, when darkness is all around.’’ Rev. Calloway expanded on the meaning of Christmas as well. Preach- ing from Genesis 17:15-19, the minis- ter spoke about ‘‘birth to the barren,”’ using Sarah’s pregnancy as an example of ‘‘God making a way out of no way.”’ ‘*Today, many of us are barren. We lack self-esteem because we are saddl- ed with a slave mentality. But, Christmas is a season of expectancy,”’ exhorted Rev. Calloway. ‘‘In the midst of barreness, the gift of God is given. Sarah’s story shows that God is in the business of birth to the barren. If you keep on believing, God will search and seek you out.”’ Rev. Calloway also addressed ‘‘The Second Coming’’ and its relationship with Christmas, taking his text from Revelations 1:9-18. ‘‘This season tells us that God is with us, He has not abandoned us. He lifts up bowed heads. God revives our soul,”’ said the minister. ‘‘Hold on to your faith be- cause the kingdom is near—and if there is anything to prevent you from getting into the kingdom, get rid of it! “If we knew tomorrow was our last day, we wouldn’t have so much fool- ishness,”"’ Rev. Calloway declared. “Time is valuable, so hold on to your faith. Jesus is worthy of your faith, your trust and your belief.”” Please with the outcome of the un- conventional revival, Rev. Kirkland told the audience, ‘‘I’m thankful to God for this outstanding reception. Before you were saved, | bet you wouldn’t have thought you would sit through two sermons on a weekday, but I know you're glad you came, aren’t you?’” Responding with thunderous ap- plause, the crowd rose to their feet in appreciation of the revival. Rev. Kirk- land said Brookins will hold similar revivals during 1989. Cora Jackson-F ossett, Director, Reporter Public Relations Commission Brookins Community A.M.E. Church We are clever individuals, practiced at the art of self-deception when it is too painful to face or own inner truths. 4, Lee Henderson Bishop P. R. Cousin to Preach Dedicatorial Sermon Bishop Philip R. Cousin Tallahassee, FL—Yes, it’s about to happen! After more than sixty-four months of laboring, a mighty goal has been reached. The members of Ander- son Chapel A.M.E. Church will march into a new temple. By the grace of Almighty God, plans have been made to celebrate this blessed event February 7-12, 1989. Be- ginning on Tuesday night, Presiding Elder D. H. Jamison will be the speaker, with other Tallahassee Dis- trict ministers participating on the program. Activities throughout the week will also include presiding elders from other districts. All services will begin at 7:00 EST. The Bishop of the 11th Episcopal District, the Rt. Rev. Philip R. Cousin will deliver the keynote sermon for the dedication service on Founder’s Day Sunday afternoon, February 12, 1989, at 3:00 p.m. This special service will be the culmination of the week’s acti- vities. The Rev. Isaiah Cole is the pastor of Anderson Chapel. A.M.E. Clergymen Ask Forensic Building Be Named For Former Black Prisoner Rey. R. E, Keesee Chattanooga, TN—A group of Black ministers asked the Hamilton County Commission to name the county’s new forensic building in honor of Waddie Suttles, whose death in 1983 at the city jail created a controversy that has con- tinued since. The Rev. Robert Keesee, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, was spokes- man for the ministers. “In light of this incident, the com- munity has been polarized,’’ Keesee said. ‘I come as a representative of a broad-based group of people concern- ed about it.’’ Keesee said the request is supported by the Unity Group, Ministerial Union, and PUSH. He said naming the building in honor of Suttles might “ease the pain and trauma’’ and help stabilize community relations. Suttle died of head injuries while he was a prisoner in the city jail. OOO OTOOI OO OTOL TOI) wy ©OQOQHQHOOOHOO® Give A Gift Subscription ToA Friend For the NEW YEAR! ©OGQHOOQOOQOQOOQOGHQOO®E Members of his family say that foul play was involved, although none has been proved, and that unanswered questions remain. The text of Rev. Keesee’s speech follows: “Chairman Paul A. McDaniel, County Executive Dalton Roberts, and Members of the Commission, Thanks for allowing me this privilege to speak to you this morning. I am deeply appreciative and grateful. It is my understanding that you have established, or are establishing, a much-needed forensic building in your community. You are aware of the tra- gic death of Mr. Waddie Suttles (allegedly killed in December a few years ago, in the Chattanooga City jail). In light of this incident that has caused a great deal of controversy that, in some degree, has caused dis- trust and bad feelings, especially in the Black community, I come before you this morning as a representative of a broad base that is concerned about what has happened in our community. We feel that it may ease some of the emotional trauma, pain and psychological stress and bring some sense of stability to our commu- nity if you would dedicate, in the memory of Waddie Suttle, the new Forensic Science Building. Thanks, Mr. Chairman, County Ex- ecutive Roberts, and Commissioners for your time. It is my sincere prayer that you will honor our request. OOOO OO TOT TOOT TOTO OOO)
• December 26, 1988
  ===== DSC05672.JPG ===== Vol. 138, No. 7 Bishop S.S. Morris Takes Leadership in Rebuilding New Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Godfrey, Illinois Dr. C. Garnett Henning Compiler/ Reporter I, as the Bishop of the 4th Episcopal District, am appealing to all Bishops, General Officers, Connectional Officers, Presiding Elders, Pastors, Missionaries, Laymen and friends to join us in what we are calling: Here We Stand: A Rally for Religious Freedom, Racial Equality and the Rebuilding of New Bethel, Godfrey, Illinois, in an effort to demonstrate the strength of African Methodism by a physical and monetary support. All checks should be made payable to the New Bethel Rebuilding Fund, Mercantile Bank, Alton, IL 62002, phone (618) 465-9272. You have probably heard or read in the National Media about the second arsoning at New Bethel A.M.E. age Oe E: December 26, 1988 Rt. Rey. S. S. Morris, Jr. Bishop of 4th Episcopal District Church, Godfrey, IL, in one year, and prior to these two incidents in 1988, it was bombed and defaced with racial slurs and vulgar sayings on several occasions since 1974. This historic church, which is 125 FB I PROBES CHURCH BURNING The FBI and the United States Department of Justice have entered the investigation of the fire that destroyed the New Bethel Rocky Fork A.M.E. Church in Godfrey. Frederick Hess, U.S. Attorney for the southern district of Illinois, said the Justice Department has jurisdiction in the case because of a recently-passed addition to the Civil Rights Act. The Fifth District is in Good Hands With The “A rig: i DERSON TEAM” Bishop Vinton Randolph Anderson congratulating Rev. V. L. Brenson, whom he ap- pointed to Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church for his 19th year as pastor. by Rev. V. L. Brenson Los Angeles, CA—The torch has been passed down for forty years. The “Grand Old Fifth’’ now has the ‘‘An- derson Team’’: Bishop Vinton R. An- derson, Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District, and Mrs. Vivienne L. Anderson, Episcopal Supervisor, Women’s Missionary Society. The torch has been passed since 1948, starting with Bishop Noah W. Williams. Then the torch was passed to Bishop D. Ormonde Walker. One presiding elder who was appointed by Bishop Walker is still on the job—Dr. Richard A. Washington. After the death of Bishop Walker, Please turn to page 3 PhHt OFFICIAL ORGAN AE RICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL. ¢ HUR( Hi ry ———- . PRICE: 50 CENTS 2 M Se ‘ THIS TIME THE FIRE REFLECTS ON ALL OF US This burned-out wreckage is what is left of the Rocky Fork A.M.E. Church. Godfrey fireman Mike Kasten views the fire site where a blaze destroyed the Rocky Fork Church for the second time. When the New Bethel A.M.E. Church was gutted by a second apparent arsonist in six months, much more than a building was destroyed. years old, was one of the stations for the underground railroad and six generations of African Methodist members are in this church and community. They had just finished re- building the church, which had pre- viously been destroyed by fire in April, 1988, and they were in the process of planning for a victory celebration and dedication when it was once again set ablaze, destroyed and burned to the ground by some unscrupulous individuals. Rev. Stephen Jackson, the pastor, said, “I’m shocked and disgusted that this crime would happen again, and | have to wonder is this place safe for my wife and me to raise our children?” Upon my personal inspection, I have verified the evidence and have formed a local committee to rally to the cause by: 1. Making first of all a district appeal in the 4th Episcopal District for the rebuilding of this church and to establish the fact that New Bethel is not in the struggle by themselves, but is a part of a larger body than the local church. 2. Insisting, with the local author- ities, that the investigation be con- tinued, and that the persons responsi- ble be brought to justice. 3. To call upon my colleagues and friends around our Zion to prayer- fully and financially assist and support in this great tragic hour in African Methodism. Racism of this type cannot be condoned anywhere our banner flies. We must rekindle the flame and march to the drummer’s beat when a great injustice is being done and peace-loving, God-fearing people are being harrassed and blatant racism is striking at our doors. We must attempt to redeem the integrity of the AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, and to make it perfectly clear to the world Please turn to page 9 A “FIRST’’ FOR THE VIRGIN | fr ISLAND CONFER ———— ENCE Bishop V. R. Byrd by Vineta H. Gordon Weary of their conference reputa- tion for being at the bottom of the Six- teenth District heap when it comes to bringing one of its district meetings to its shores, Virgin Islands laymen and native pastors have been pressing for change, and change they have got! A revolution is taking place in the Virgin Islands Conference, and Bethel Mother Theora Byrd members are some of the prime foot- soldiers. Although A.M.E.s in the Virgin Islands have steadily increased their membership and budget every quadrennium, thus proving in a practi- cal way their commitment and serious- ness of purpose, never have they been given the opportunity to host a district meeting during their sixty-eight years Please turn to page 7 ce 4530 uw) m Lt DR ===== DSC05673.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder The 1988 Year Will Soon Be Gone...But Never Forgotten The great wheel of the year has turned and December, the last of its months, has rolled around again. There has been much news, in varying degrees, transpiring around the world. The news incident that, no doubt, heads the list of the year happened in the U.S.S.R., the Soviet Republic of Armenia. A natural calamity, the larg- est earthquake of the century, has leveled and destroyed much property in several cities of Armenia and, as a result, the Iron Curtain has been fold- ed back to allow outside humanitarian assistance. Some seventy thousand \ people, including whole families, were buried alive, and more than a half mil. | ROBERT H. REID, JR. lion people were left homeless. A steady procession of ‘‘aid-laden’’ foreign aircraft flew into Armenia from all around the Free World. Everything was needed: medical supplies, food, clothing, money and manpower. The catastrophy was a sobering ex- perience for the rescue workers who, hour after hour, came upon agonizing discoveries in the wreckage of schools, homes, apartment dwellings and fac- tories. In one instance alone, the relief workers found a group of schoolchil- dren and their teacher crushed to death in what had been a classroom. The wintertime cold weather also contributed to the difficulty of the rescue. Mikhail Gorbachev was in the United States of America on an arms reduction and good-will mission from one world superpower to another world superpower nation. Mr. Gorbachev’s United Nations speech, by many, was suspected, as he addressed the world assembly on his intention of arms reduction. When he abruptly, and very suddenly, canceled the balance of his tour, that, too, was suspect; but very soon the world knew that he was to face a great tragedy in Armenia. The world response to the great human disaster, resultant of the major earthquake, was not only speedy, but genuine, and will not soon be forgotten. We, generally, are not aware of the geology all around us. As a result, however, of the giant earthquake that occurred in the Soviet Republic of Armenia, which destroyed some cities and took thousands of lives, suddenly makes the most innocent of us conscious of the great earth forces beneath our feet over which nobody has control. Earthquakes are generally recog- nized and accepted as the most deadly of all of nature’s forces. An earthquake is caused by a crack, or break (called a fault), in the earth’s crust. These weak places around the crack or break are jarred slightly anda portion of the earth’s crust slips along the crack until it finds another position. Deep-seated earthquakes seldom displace the earth’s surface. The quake’s damage, however, is caused, by vibrating waves radiating from the point of the quake, creating a sudden, sharp push of the rocks at the earth’s surface that disturbs buildings and other structures. It may come as a surprise to you, but earthquakes are far more numerous than most of us know; however, only a few are strong enough to be felt where people live. A great many of them happen under the sea or ocean floor. An instrument called the seismograph detects all quakes, weak, strong and distant ones, and makes a record of them. The majority of the THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Ten- nessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr Jacquelyn Grant, Women’s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev, E. L Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese D B. Jamison, Laymen’'s Editor, Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor: Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev. Frederick C Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Dr. Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor, Dr William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr. Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space re- quirements. Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.E. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 December 26, 1988 earthquakes occur along certain zones, belts, faults in the earth’s crust. The name ‘‘seismograph,’’ which records the vibrations of the earth, comes from a combination of the Greek words for ‘‘earthquake’’ and “‘write.’” Anytime an earthquake occurs, it creates vibrations in the earth that reach the spot where a seismograph is. The vibrations shake the framework that holds a cylinder, while the suspended weight, with a pen or a light, writes or registers the activity. The recording is a wavy or zigzag line that defines and determines the strength of the quake and identifies its source. The earth’s crust is in layers of different rocks. Sometimes, the layers are very uneven, or not well-balanced. Unequal pressures of these layers many times cause the crust of the earth to fold downward at a weak spot. After a long time, the continual folding at a weak spot (fault) causes an actual break in the earth’s crust. When a break does occur, the crust quakes, or trembles; and the trembling travels in waves from the quake around the earth. Other waves go to the core and bounce back; others go through the layers beneath the crust. By measuring the various waves at recording sta- tions around the world, we can learn where the quake originated and how in- tense it was. The lexicographer gives us a quick 101 capsulized course on earth- quakes. TREMORS: The quaking of the earth; vibrations. FRACTURE: Crack in the earth’s crust. FAULT: A place where the rocky layers are broken through by a fracture; and the rocks on one side of the fracture are lower than on the other. Corresponding masses do not meet. SEIS- MOLOGY: The study of earthquakes. SEISMOGRAPH: Instrument for re- cording earthquakes. EARTHQUAKE CENTER: The spot where an earth- quake starts. EARTHQUAKE EPICENTER: The spot on the surface of the earth just above the center, or focal point. CHARLES RICHTER: American seismologist who developed an earthquake measurement scale in 1935. News reporters and laymen generally use the Richter scale for determining the magnitude of an earthquake. Crash Course 201 from the Old and New Testaments offers some inte- resting earthquake information. The Holy Scriptures do, indeed, speak of several earthquakes. One of the most remarkable occurred in the twenty- seventh year of Uzziah, King of Judah; Zechariah 14:15. Another memorable earthquake was at the time of Jesus’ crucifixion; Matthew 27:51. Great alterations and changes are expressed in scripture by a shaking of the earth; Hebrew 12:26. The delivering of the Israelites out of Egypt is called a mov- ing, or shaking, of the earth; Psalm 68:8: The synoptic gospels give prophetic readings for the end of time; Matthew 24:7; Mark 13:8; Luke 21:11. The year 1988, was crammed and packed full with excitement and activi- ty that claimed attention of the whole world. It would be most difficult to prioritize, by importance, all of those events that will shape our future, many of which will never be forgotten. John Oxenham summed up my feelings, however, when he said, ‘‘Not a single day can I discern my way, But this I surely know: Who gives the day will show the way—So I securely go.” Wishing You A Happy And A Prosperous New Year! BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH San Francisco, CA SUBSCRIBE!? to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order paste A. bee Headenoa B88 Kighth Avenue, Sowih, Nesbeille, FN JTIOD4IT J H i 1 v ' t ' 1 ' ' 1 Please print, Payment must accompany order Allow 4 weeks for first delivery ' H ase f a t ' t 1 J ' Name aera pe ; ' 1 1 1 Address = 1 ' ‘ ' ‘ 1 City/State/Zip H t 4 . 1 7 1 1 ' t t 2 1 1 t 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 a o 1 + 4 + ¥ 1 1 1 ‘ 1 1 1 1 « 1 1 ===== DSC05674.JPG ===== December 26, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Doctor Kenneth David Kaunda was Elected President of the Republic of Zambia in November A.M.E. Church International Membership i in Excess of 6 Million Lusaka, Zambia—November is a full and interesting month. It is the month of presidential elections in the U.S.A. It is the month of Thanksgiving. It is the month after the sweeping vic- torious vote of confidence for Presi- dent Kenneth David Kaunda. It is a very significant month in the history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It was in November, 1787, in Philadelphia, PA, U.S.A., that a young man of African descent struck a blow for self-help, reliance and deter- mination. This revolutionary figure was none other than Richard Allen, Bishop Richard Allen Chappelle Sixth Episcopal District Welcomes Senior Bishop and Wife the founder of the now International African Methodist Episcopal Church. Born a slave, through determination and thriftness, he purchased his free- dom and converted his slave master to Christianity. Just three years after the Methodist Episcopal Church had been established, and in the same year of the signing of the U.S. Constitu- tion, this giant of African Methodism planted the seed for a great interna- tional church. Today, the African Methodist Episcopal Church boast an interna- tional membership in excess of six (6) Continued from page 1 million. The church extends from Fairbanks, Alaska, to the Golden Gate bridge at San Francisco to the oil rigs and coffee plantations of Guyana, S. America, to Crossroads and Soweto in South Africa, to the magnificent Victoria Falls of Zambia and Zimbab- we and the breath-taking Lake Malawi of Central America on to Monrovia and Sierra Leone in West Africa, then to Big Ben in London, England, and on to Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church, Philadelphia, PA. Hence, this month, we of the Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church pro- Please turn to page 7 The Fifth District is in Good Hands With The ‘‘ANDERSON TEAM”’ Bishop John H. Adams by Dorethia Livsey Atlanta, GA—At a special evening re- ception at the Herndon Plaza/ Atlanta Life Insurance Building, the A.M.E. Church in Georgia, and their friends, formally welcomed Bishop and Mrs. John Hurst Adams as the leaders of the Sixth Episcopal District. Not- ables and representatives from all levels of the A.M.E. Church and other organizations were present, including Bishop Joseph C. Coles of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME); Senator Wyche Fowler; Representative Calvin Smyre, and numerous others from across the country, and across the state, who joined in welcoming Bishop and Mrs. Adams on this very special occasion. Following the reception, there was a Service of Welcome for Bishop Adams as Presiding Bishop of the Sixth Epis- copal District. Bishop H. Thomas Primm (retired) was proclaimer of the Word for the service which was held at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church. Music was provided by the Morris Brown College Concert Choir, by Allen Temple A.M.E. Church choirs and the choirs of Big Bethel. Bishop Adams comes to Georgia with a record of success as an educator, a Christian leader, husband, father, and a concerned civic activist. Born in Columbia, South Carolina, he began his educational journey in the public schools of Columbia, and continued his studies at Johnson C. Smith, where he received the A.B. degree. Boston University School of Theology conferred upon him the S.T.B. and S.T.M. degrees, and he continued studies at Harvard Univer- sity and Union Theological Seminary. Before becoming a bishop, John Hurst Adams pastored churches in the states of Massachusetts, California, and Washington. He served as Dr. Dolly D. Adams Professor at Payne Theological Seminary at Wilberforce University in Ohio, and as president of Paul Quinn College in Waco, TX. He was elected and consecrated the 87th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church at the General Conference Session of 1972. He has given leadership that dis- tinguishes him as a Christian organ- izer, a man of business wisdom and a friend to those whom he leads. Bishop Adams has received numer- ous outstanding awards and honors, among them Man of the Year; Doctor of Divinity; Doctor of Humanities and one of Ebony Maga- zine’s “Fifteen Great Black Preach- ers.” Presently he has the distinction of being the Senior Bishop in the A.M.E. Church. He serves as president of the A.M.E. Church General Board; as founder and chair emeritus af the Con- gress of National Black Churches (CNBC); chair of the Board of Trus- tees of Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theolog- ical Center, and chair of the Board of Trustees of Morris Brown College. John Hurst Adams also serves on national boards. He is vice-president, National Coalition Black Voter Participation, and a member of American Income Life Insurance Company, Africare, Inc., Atlanta Uni- versity Center, Center for Theology and Public Policy and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Bishop Adams is married to Dr. Dolly Desselle Adams, Episcopal Supervisor of the Women’s Mission- ary Society (WMS), the Young Peo- ple’s Division (YPD), and the Ministers’ Wives of the Sixth Epis- copal District. An eminent educator and leader in civic, religious, eco- nomic, political and social endeavors, she is the recipient of the B.A. degree Please turn to page 7 ii lel at ee noe een ERE GBVVBVVVVVVVVVyywy BBVUVBVVVYVVVVVYVwy pitt tat tA ee Bishop V. R. Anderson the District was divided into three con- ferences and Bishop Joseph Gomez, Bishop Frederick Jordan and Bishop Howard T. Primm were assigned to bring the Fifth District into the General Conference. In 1956, the torch was passed to Bishop Frederick Jordan. Bishop Jor- dan was known to refer to preachers he knew well as ‘‘partners.’’ After two years, Bishop R. R. Wright, Jr., was assigned to the Fifth District and en- tertained the 1960 General Conference in Los Angeles. In 1960, the torch was passed to Bishop Howard T. Primm. Bishop Primm used to say, ‘‘Let us pray... I buy corn from everybody, but I grind it in my own mill.”’ The torch was passed to Bishop Harrison J. Bryant in 1968. Bishop Bryant used to say, ‘‘Life is like riding a tiger... hard to stay on him, but you’d better not fall off.’’ Following Bishop Bryant, the torch was passed, in 1976, to Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, who so often said, “Your title might change, but it does not change your personality. If you are on the ground, you cannot fall off the ground.”’ In 1984, the torch was passed to Bishop W. Murph, who was elected bishop from the Fifth District and re- tired from the Fifth at the last General Conference in 1988. V.L., what is your point? The point is that Bishop and Mrs. Anderson were assigned to the Grand Old Fifth in 1988, at the last General Con- ference, in Ft. Worth, Texas. They came and put their hand on the Gospel Plow and have not looked up since to mumble or complain. Six weeks after the close of the General Conference, Bishop Anderson began his series of Annual Conferences, beginning with the Puget Sound Conference, and closing out in St. Louis. He moved fif- ty preachers during the series of con- Mrs. Vivienne L. Anderson ferences, and every preacher was pro- moted, and the majority of them-are happy with their new assignments. He only brought in one preacher from another District—the Rev. Dr. John Hunter, Jr., who was assigned to St. Paul A.M.E. Church,- Wichita. Someone said, ‘‘Transfers are like birth control. People who are already born are in favor of birth control; but an unborn person would say, ‘Let me have my chance in life.’ ’’A pastor who is already stationed at a good church says, ‘‘We do not need any more transfers,’’ but let us give the new transfer a chance. Do I need to say more? If you plan your work, and work your plan, everything will go well. Mrs. Vivienne Anderson, the Episco- pal Supervisor of the Women’s Mis- sionary Society, is a leader in her own right. Mrs. Anderson uses up only seven muscles to get her message across. Someone said, to smile, you have to use seven muscles. At each conference, she used seven muscles, so she only used up forty-nine muscles, but to frown, it takes eighty-seven muscles, and seven times eighty-seven is six hundred and nine. Bishop Anderson preached at each Annual Conference. Bishop Anderson plans to do a teaching mission in all of the conferences, beginning with the Southern California Conference, Feb- ruary 8, 9 and 10, 1989, to be held at First A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles. The conference schedule has been changed to open the Annual Confer- ence on Wednesday night and close on a Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM, giving every church an opportunity to have their regular 8:00 AM and 10:45 AM services. Let me borrow a quote from All- state Insurance, which says, ‘‘You are in good hands with Allstate.’’ The Grand Old Fifth is in good hands under the dynamic Anderson Team! ===== DSC05675.JPG ===== L The AME Christian Recorder December 16, 1988 Commission on Pan-Methodist Corporation African Methodist Episcopal Church African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church Christian Methodist Episcopal Church United Methodist Church St. Louis, Missouri—‘‘Diverse, Yet one’’ was the topic of the opening message given by Mary A. Love, editor of the Department of Church School Literature for the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, at the meeting of the Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation when it organized and elected officers for the 1989-92 quadrennium in St. Louis, Missouri, recently. The Commission on Pan-Methodist Cooperation is unique in Methodism. It is the only body that has jointly been made official and mandatory by the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the Christian Methodist Epis- copal Church, and The United Meth- odist Church. The episcopal body of each of these four denominations of the Wesleyan tradition names six representatives to the Commission whose responsibilities are ‘‘to define, determine, plan, and, in cooperation with established agencies of the several denominations, execute activities to foster meaningful cooperation.”” Bishop Richard O. Bass, of the Fifth Episcopal District of the Chris- tian Methodist Episcopal Church, was elected chair of the Commission. William E. Lux, active United Meth- odist layman and poultryman from Manchester, Iowa, was elected vice- chair. Others elected to the Executive Committee are Mary A. Love to head the Curriculum/Publications sub- group; Dr. William H. Harris, presi- dent of Texas Southern University and layman of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, will continue as head of the Higher Education sub- group; Dorothy M. Taylor, United Methodist laywoman and president of the New Orleans City Council, will chair the Missions/Evangelism sub- group; and Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot, Ecumenical Officer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, is to head the Social Witness sub- group. Dr, C. Faith Richardson, lay- woman from Newton, Massachusetts, and outgoing Secretary of the General Conference of The United Methodist Church, serves as administrator, secretary, and treasurer. Three working committees were also named. Bishop F. Herbert Skeete of the Boston Area of The United Methodist Church will chair the Per- sonnel Committee which will be seek- ing part time staff. Rev. Richard Thompson, A.M.E.Z. pastor in Washington, DC, chairs the Public Relations Committee. Bishop Herman L. Anderson, of the Seventh District of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and outgoing chair of the Commission, will head the Steering Committee to plan the Fifth Consulta- tion of Methodist Bishops scheduled for March 20-22, 1991, at St. Simons Island, Georgia. Seeking to fulfill its mandate, to build on the constructive progress of the last quadrennium, and to meet the challenge of the opening message, the Commission voted to develop a Pan- Methodist Action Corps and to meet again in Nashville, Tennessee, May 9-11, 1989, at which time there will be consultation with general agency staff and episcopal leaders of the four de- nominations on how to develop fur- ther cooperation in the areas of evan- gelism, missions, publications, social concerns and higher education. Contact: C. Faith Richardson 168 Mt. Vernon Street Newtonville, MA 02160 617-332-1971 —Greetings for 1989— Best Wishes For a Bright New Year! St. Stephens A. M. E. Church Jacksonville, Florida REV. ROBERT WEBSTER, PASTOR st Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer Washington, DC 0400900000O0H0O0O0 G0 O90 HOSP OPSCSPSPHPOPOPOPOO® oe oe OOOO SOOO® S e e e Ca e C2 ° ° ° @ e @ e @ @ @ e . e @ e4 @ e @ e @ ° Sg e SJ e ° e ° e ¢ ° . ° ¢ ° ° e ° e e ° o > @ ¢ e ° oa ° C2 4 ¢ ° o ° May Your New Year Be Bright! A.M.E. FINANCE DEPARTMENT £4008b00sO0OrOrOseoeor Gros Oro sorHeOrOor srr He Ore? ererirerrrir iret erir eric et ii ere ..- Happy New Year... z “4 2s Wet Wa Rate Ra ts ta Didi Dist BQ May Your New Year a Be Filled ) Av With Peace And 4 a Happiness y ie gg a Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church 4 8 Perry, Oklahoma SY an Rey. Nancy R. Newton, Pastor ig Fs J $, * 2 RR EEE Ee eee ee ee EE EE ME MEME PEvertrerterscetrsrstststsisereriririrerrerere reese rs 22 3) * Bright New Year! PHT RIK IRR IKI IR EERRI TE Dr. Donald E. Newberry, Sr. Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church Cincinnati, Ohio Perereterereccorccocc ios s 22005 63 soe ees oo RAKE ERE PIII TI IIIA III III IIS ISIS ISIS SIS SIISI ISIS ISI SSSI SSIS SSS SSSI SII Sunday School Union and Staff Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Nashville, Tennessee ===== DSC05676.JPG ===== December 26, L988 The AME Christian Recorder Black Church Started in 1824 (Reprint from the Cincinnati Enquirer) by Linda Wright The Cincinnati Enquirer Cincinnati, OH—Allen Temple African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church, Cincinnati’s first Black church, was established in 1824, and named after the Philadelphia founder of the national A.M.E. Church, Richard Allen. Led by Pastors Philip Brodie and James King, a small band of Blacks broke with the segregated Deer Creek Methodist Church to form the first Black congregation in the Queen City. The church got its start when Isaac Jones traveled to Baltimore in 1823, and married a member of the A.M.E. Church in Baltimore. While he was there, he heard about a newly formed Black Methodist denomination where “all the officers were colored men from the bishop down . . . and where no man had to wait for the second table to commemorate the suffering and death of Christ.” When Jones and his bride returned home to Cincinnati and told the Black members of the Deer Creek Methodist Church about the new church, they were determined to form an A.M.E. church in the Queen City. February 4, 1824, the Rev. Moses Freeman traveled from Chillicothe to Cincinnati to receive the group into the Black Methodist denomination formed in 1816, in Philadelphia, and named Rev. Philip Brodie the first pastor of Allen Temple. The congregation has grown steadily since its inception, occupying four buildings in the downtown area, before moving to its present location at 7181 Reading Road in Roselawn. te Wishing Bou a ‘ Prosperous New Year! Rev. Felix D. Dancy St. Paul A.M.E. Church 5 Berkeley, California Best Wishes For a Bright New Pear! [Cem] Cems REV. H. F. DOBSON Presiding Elder Tenth Episcopal District ‘Dr. Ellis H. Casson Received Award’’ CONTRIBUTING SAN DIEGANS TO BE HONORED Enhancing the quality of life in our community was the motivating factor in the lives of the five persons honored at the Bethel Baptist, HAR- VEST BANQUET AND COMMU- NITY SERVICE AWARDS. The event was a celebration in the U.S. Grant Hotel. ‘Building A Better Community’’ was the banquet theme and the honorees were Dr. Cleo Malone, Father Joseph Carroll, Dr. Ruby Cremaschi-Schwimmer, Dr. Howard H. Carey, and Dr. Ellis H. Casson. All have distinguished themselves through many years of service and were being honored in the fields of Drug Abuse Reduction, Help for the Homeless, Improving Educational Opportunities for Underachieving Youth, Elimination of Hunger, and Promotion of Ecumenical Principles. The Palavra Tree, Inc., is based on Executive Director Dr. Cleo Malone’s Community-Social (COM-SOC) Model Alcohol Recovery Program. Through the foundation/program, individuals and their loved ones, community residents and community leaders can utilize their love, un- derstanding and technical assistance to affect attitude and environmental change concerning alcohol misuse and abuse. Dr. Malone chairs the Califor- nia Council on Alcohol Policy, and chairs Congressman Bate’s Substance Abuse Task Force. Father Joseph Carroll’s tireless ef- forts have resulted in the development of a nationally recognized shelter for the homeless. He had brought to- gether a partnership of the business community, elected officials, and so- cial service organizations in hosting a Christmas holiday event, providing shelter, food, clothing and gifts for hundreds of homeless. Father Carroll is President of St. Vincent de Paul/ Joan Kroc Center. Since the appointment of Dr. Ruby Cremaschi-Schwimmer as principal of Lincoln Preparatory High School, the school has experienced an increase in enrollment, lower drop out rate, im- proved attendance, and a rise in self- esteem. Dr. Cremaschi-Schwimmer established over forty-two tutorial programs, and brought in community organizations to ensure student suc- cess. Students say of Dr. ‘‘C,’’ ‘She treates you like family. She really cares.” Dr. Howard H. Carey, Executive Director of Neighborhood House As- sociation, has consistently provided financial support and direction for the Dr. Ellis H. Casson Neighborhood House Association Food Bank. Dr. Carey has been a po- litical and social catalyst in bringing local and national awareness to the plight of the hungry and homeless. In 1987, through the Holiday Food Drive, Dr. Carey’s efforts provided distribution of over one hundred tons of food to the needy. Dr. Ellis H. Casson serves on nu- merous local and state boards, the Na- tional Council of Churches Governing Board, and was Program Vice Presi- dent for the National Council of Churches in U.S.A., among many other national accomplishments. In 1970 Dr. Casson was selected among the Outstanding Young Men of Ameri- ca, has been selected as one of Who’s Who Among Black Americans, and has received numerous awards and cita- tions. Dr. Casson has done much in San Diego, and is Senior Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church. The five honorees have improved the quality of life for many through- out the community. Keynote speaker for the banquet was Dorothy L. Smith, president of << [>> - Happy New Year! FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT Rev. Eugene E. McAshan Philadelphia, PA —<——oo1———— =F the San Diego School Board, Mrs, Smith addressed critical issues con- fronting our community. Dr. John W. Ringgold is pastor of Bethel Baptist Church and Ambrose Brodus is chairman of the event, This special fundraiser was designed to ini- tiate the building fund for the new church home. ee a , Vay Your New Year Be Bright / c | : | | St. Mark A. M. E. Church ; Milwaukee, Wiscousin Dr. Lovell Johnson, Sr., Pastor ; eae New Year Be Bright! Dr. Carl Hunter First Episcopal District A = Dr. BR. i McCormick Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church Fort Worth, Texas ===== DSC05677.JPG ===== Internationally acclaimed conductor James DePreist hosts KING: A GLOBAL CELEBRATION, National Public Radio’s two-hour music tribute to Martin Luther King Day, January 16, 1989. Air- ing live in the U. S. and more than twenty countries in Europe and the Soviet Union, the special links live concerts of music as- sociated with King, performed by orches- tras at three of America’s top music schools. The special is a production of NPR in association with American Public Radio and WFMT-FM Chicago, Illinois. (Check listings for local broadcast times). Washington, DC—In a musical cele- bration of the life and ideals of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., National Public Radio, in association with American Public Radio and WFMT- FM/Chicago, Illinois, presents KING: A GLOBAL CELEBRATION. The two-hour special program com- memorating Martin Luther King Day on January 16, 1989, links live con- certs across the country from three leading music schools, presenting mu- sic associated with King. The pro- gram, hosted by acclaimed American conductor James DePreist, will be transmitted live via satellite to public radio stations in the U.S., and, through the European Broadcasting Union, to more than twenty countries in Europe and the Soviet Union. The first part of the program origi- nates live from the New England Con- servatory in Boston, Massachusetts, the oldest, independent music conser- vatory in continuous existence in the U. S.; it counts among its alumni Mrs. Coretta Scott King. Composer George Russell leads the New England Conservatory Jazz Or- chestra in his own composition dedi- cated to King in 1974—‘‘Electronic Sonata for Souls Loved by Nature.” Electronic tape is an integral part of the work, with sounds originating from sources including a Moog syn- thesizer and music from the Third World. The concert also includes the New England Conservatory Jazz Orchestra led by jazz legend Gerald Wilson, per- forming three of Wilson’s own origi- nal works: ‘‘Yarddog Mazurka,” “‘Calafia,’’ and ‘‘Viva Tirado.”’ The second part of KING: A GLO- BAL CELEBRATION moves from New England to California for a per- formance by the New CalArts 20th Century Players of the California In- stitute of the Arts, created specifically for students of both the visual and the performing arts. Beginning the perfor- mance is an as-yet-untitled work, also dedicated to King, by jazz flutist James Newton. Newton was voted the highest-ranking jazz flutist in Down- beat magazine polls for 1983 and 1984, and has recorded several award-win- ning albums. Following is ‘‘Magnetic Varia- tions’”’ by Ed Bland, composer of the film score for ‘tA Soldier’s Story,”’ among other well-received works, and a widely respected consultant for Black music programs around the country. He describes **Magnetic The AME Christian Recorder ‘*King: A Global Celebration’’ Marks Martin Luther King Day Variations’’ as an example of his own style of neo-impressionism. The midwest is the setting for the third and final part of KING: A GLO- BAL CELEBRATION, as members of the Indiana University Opera Theater perform excerpts of Leonard Bernstein’s ‘‘Mass,’’ conducted by Robert Porco. Bernstein composed ‘‘Mass’’ at the request of Mrs. Jacqueline Kennedy for the opening of the John F. Kenne- dy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, and it had its world premiere in September 1971. The ac- claimed work contains a wide variety of elements including folk music, blues, rock, and Broadway. Indiana University is regarded as one of the world’s leading institutions for advanced music study. Says Wesley Horner of National Public Radio, executive producer of KING: A GLOBAL CELEBRA- TION, ‘‘The concert reflects the Eu- ropean Broadcasting Union’s focus on youth orchestras this year, and also focuses on the work of leading Black American musicians. We are proud to share this very special program with so many listeners around the world.”’ Producer of the New England Con- servatory Jazz Orchestra performance is Steve Elman, NPR member station WBUR-FM/Boston, Massachusetts. Producer for the New CalArts 20th Century Players in Peter Rutenberg, KUSC-FM/Los Angeles, California. Producer for the Indiana University Opera Theater performance in Evans Mirageas, WFMT-FM/Chicago, II- linois. Funding for KING: A GLOBAL CELEBRATION is provided by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, NPR stations, and the NPR Arts and Performance Fund. NPR TRANSMISSION TIME: Monday, January 16, 1989, at 2:00 p.m. E.T. Attend Annual Conference 4 am Dr. O. H. Houston Presiding Elder QD? LOADS LOND LOAD LDA? LIND LIAS LIND LOAD LINDY Eleventh Episcopal District EE, CORY” KONO” OH wf Cortana December 26, 1988 NTE MOVING WITH THE COMPUTER AGE THE COMPUTER AGE—Carolyn Tucker, a University of Florida psychology professor, gives a computer lesson to (left to right) Monica Mims, 12; Anne Marie Mingo, 14; and Ryba Washington, 10. The three Gainesville students will participate in a new after-school intervention program Tucker has designed to help young Blacks beat the odds against academic success. (UF photo by Walter Coker) BASIC SUNDAY SCHOOL GROWTH IN BLACK METHODIST CHURCHES Regular $4 * 95 PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER ! = PSP Regular $6 - 95 Fa s Va oe a0 That Lasts $ 1 0. 40 Year After For all the special people in your life... PY WOUUYS: Avoid last minute shopping! Right now, complete the cards at the right, detach and mail Offer Expires February 1, 1989 PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP and BASIC SUNDAY SCHOOL GROWTH IN BLACK METHODIST CHURCHES this Christmas! Please send Psycho-Spiritual . Power!=PSP and Basic Sunday = \4y Name 1 | 1 I 1 1 1 | 1 1 | 1 School Growth in Black Methodist 1 Churches eS Apt. _ 1 I 1 1 1 1 | 1 1 1 i a | understand my cost is only $10.40 Oty zs Sei oS ee tor two (2) tantastic Books Payment enclosed Please bill me Regular Price $11.90 Plus postage Send To: State a ee SS and handling Name 7 Order trom Address Apt A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL re UNION 7 500 8th Avenue, South State Zip Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ===== DSC05678.JPG ===== December 26, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 1 eS ssssesessssSssssssssssssssssesssssssnssnssssssennsssssenenmmmmmeneneseeneeeennonomoooe Continued from page 3 A.M.E. Church International Members in Excess of 6 Million claim to the world community our proud and heroic heritage. We note with pride those who have been in- spired and motivated by Richard Allen, the apostle of the struggle for selfhood. To call the honor roll of those who have caught the vision and carried the torch would require a tre- mendous amount of time, energy and paper. However, inasmuch as I have been assigned by my church to super- intend the work in Central Africa, and most especially Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe—countries that have wrested their freedom and_ in- dependence from the grips of Euro- pean colonial domination—lI feel im- pelled to call to mind some of the African giants produced by the strug- gle, which was not unlike that of Richard Allen vs. The Methodist Episcopal Church. Included on the roster of African leaders are: Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda, Life President of Malawi, a product of an A.M.E. Church education, Dr. Robert Gabriel Mugabe, President of Zimbabwe, who has been a staunch supporter of the A.M.E. Church for years and Dr. Kenneth David Kaunda, President of Zambia who, during the struggle, made the A.M.E. Church his major base of spiritual and moral sup- port. The African Methodist Episcopal Church has been on the continent of Africa for over sixty years and has bred generations of Allenites who abide by the concept of self-help, self-- reliance and self-determination. Therefore, it is not surprising to find that our members without exception spiritually, physically and financially supported the Liberation movement. History must record that when others held their peace and sided with the op- pressor, the A.M.E. Church opened its doors, arms and pocketbooks and supported the freedom fighters. As the sons and daughters of Richard and Sarah Allen this is our heritage, this is just the beginning of our legacy. We have proposed a (13) thirteen point program of action for our Epis- Continued from page 3 Sixth Episcopal District Welcomes Senior Bishop and Wife from Southern University, the M.A. degree from the University of Michi- gan, and the Ed.D. degree from Baylor University. Dr. Adams has held numerous pres- tigious positions, including teacher, college dean and university lecturer. She has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), and is past president of Links, Inc. She was listed in Ebony Magazine as one of the “Most Influential Black Americans.” She is a member of the Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, and presently serves as president of the Black Women’s Agenda, Inc. Bishop and Mrs. Adams are the parents of three successful daughters: Mrs. Gaye Adams Massey, attorney in practice in Hartford, CT; Mrs. Jann Hurst Adams-Brogdon, assistant pro- fessor at Clark College; and Miss Madelyn Rose Adams, who is a second-year student at the Wharton School of Finance, University of Pennsylvania. SHOES SESE SE: copal District, which has been review- ed by our six conferences, and unani- mously approved. This program will cultivate and motivate the spirit of self-help, self-reliance and self-deter- mination. Our basic goal is to make our members and their communities models of the Allen concept. We shall obtain our God-ordained mission by power of God who keeps us from fall- ing, and presents us faultless before the presence of His glory with exceed- ing joy. Before coming to africa I was privi- leged to be briefed about each of the countries I am to serve and its leader- ship. I was moved and impressed by the caliber of leadership which has emerged her in Central Africa. I was moved further to make a tangible ex- pression of the esteem in which I hold this leadership. Therefore, today it is my honor as the 108th Bishop of the A.M.E. Church to salute the lead- ership of Dr. Kenneth David Kunda, President of the Republic of Zambia on behalf of the A.M.E. Church with the presentation of the Richard Allen award of the African Methodist Epis- copal Church which reads as follows: A Liberating and Reconciling People African Methodist Episcopal Church 1787 - 1987 Presented to DOCTOR KENNETH DAVID KAUNDA President of the Republic of Zambia for being an Outstanding Role Model of Self-Reliance as Exemplified by the Founder of African Methodism BISHOP RICHARD ALLEN Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. 108th Elected Bishop African Methodist Episcopal Church 1988 Season’s Greetings | to The Connectional Church And It’s | Leadership \ from \ : \ \ \ | | ) \ \ ) Rev. Taylor T. Thompson | and ] Officers and Members } of \ St. Paul A.M.E. Church ) Pittsburgh Annual Conference t ) Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania —- <_< oii ae a em em es es es es ae ae ae ea ea ea a ae aia se = Continued from page | A “FIRST’’ FOR THE VIRGIN ISLAND CONFERENCE of existence. With just two A.M.B, churches on the small island of St. Croix, accom- modating a population of approxi- mately fifty-five thousand persons, it was thought that the Virgin Islands Conference was unable to host a con- ference. Bishop Vernon R, Byrd and Sister Theora Byrd, upon assignment by the General Conference, wasted no time. Like the true missionaries they are, the Byrds perched on St. Croix, surveyed the field, and heard the re- quest, ‘‘Hold the organizational meeting in St. Croix, We can do it!”’ Pastors within the 16th joined in the request: ‘‘Let’s hold the Organiza- tional Meeting in the Virgin Islands.’’ Our Bishop said, ‘‘So be it!’’ His theme—‘‘Unless souls are sav- ed, Nothing is!’’—resounded through the district. October 11-13 found representatives from each of the six conferences—brothers and_ sisters from the Continental United States, including General Officers and Sister Rosetta Lee, Missionary to Haiti— participating in informative seminars and Holy Spirit-directed worship ser- vices. Setting the pace was Bishop Byrd with praises to God for His guiding hand and the riches of His grace. The audience responded when a high spi- ritual note was struck in his statement, “‘We came to hear from God, to be energized by His Holy Spirit, and to be emboldened to serve,’’ as he led in praises. Dr. William Porter of Washington, DC, preached the opening sermon, emphasizing the importance of speak- ing to God for ourselves. The seminar on soul-winning focus- ed on four main areas: The Effective Pastor. Dr. Hewley Hinds, Presiding Elder of the Guyana Conference, pre- sented the idea that the effective pas- tor must be impartial, knowledgeable and spirit-filled. The Pastor and His God. Leading the discussion was Dr. Marjorie Jones of Guyana. The pastor must constant- ly strive to know what God wants him to do in every situation. He must pre- sent himself a living sacrifice. The Pastor and His Life. This dis- cussion was led by Dr. Flemming Joseph, Presiding Elder of the Wind- ward Island Conference (including Trinidad and Barbados). The idea pre- sented here was that the pastor’s life must reflect the benevolence of God— helpful, forgiving, reaching out to the community—and that Christ’s life must permeate his entire being. The Pastor And His Mission. Rev. Saul Louis, Presiding Elder of Haiti, led the discussion. Speaking through an interpreter, Mrs. Elvira Douglas, he held that the mission of the preach- er is to preach The Word, win souls, and nurture the newborns in Christ. He emphasized that it is Jesus’ work, so every pastor should go first to Him for the message. The seminar on ‘‘Tithing’’ was as challenging as the soul-winning semi- nar. Participants in this workshop agreed that tithing is tied in with one’s salvation. If one is truly saved, he tithes fully and freely out of his love for his Lord. Tithing is a personal transaction between the individual and his God. One does not legislate salva- tion; therefore, cannot legislate tith- ing. The midday sermon was preached by Dr. Urcil Ifill, Secretary of the Church, who spoke from Acts, Chap- ter 11. He encouraged his hearers to keep identity with the Lord. ‘‘As am- bassadors for the Lord, we must walk carefully before the Lord,"’ He con- tinued: ‘*You cannot serve as ambas- sador for a country if you don’t know the country, No more can you serve as ambassador for the Lord if you don’t know the Lord.’’ Following this session, the Media Workshop was held, Delegates became involved in the technique of gathering and preparing news for a dis-- trict newsletter. Closing out the workshops at Be- thel, Bishop Byrd and his flock arrived at St. Luke A.M.E, Church, where the Rev, Louis A. C. Davis is pastor. Bis- hop Byrd preached and was at his best. His sermon: ‘‘God’s Definition of a Man vs. The World’s Definition.’’ He used as his reference the David and Goliath theme. His message evoked courage and confidence and spurred his audience not only to be fully ar- moured, but also to forward march, He reminded his hearers that victory is assured. He suggested that the reason David took five stones was that he re- membered that Goliath had four brothers. Thursday morning found all dele- gates in early morning prayer service and Holy Communion, led by our bis- hop. The sweet, sweet presence of our Lord was felt. Spontaneous prayers of adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication were offered, at the conclusion of which delegates enjoyed a sumptious breakfast before leaving for the airport. Special guests were Rt. Rev. and Mrs. Frederick Talbot; the Rev. Dr. Frederick Harrison, Secretary of Mis- sions, NY; the Rev. Dr. O. U. Ifill, Secretary of the Church; Missionary Lee; Mr. and Mrs. James Brown and Mr. and Mrs. Mosieur of St. James, Newark, NJ. Present and extending greetings to the assemblage were His Excellency, the Honorable Alexander A. Farrelly, Governor of the Virgin Islands; the Lieutenant Governor, the Honorable Derek Hodge; the Honorable Ron de Lugo, Virgin Islands Delegate to Con- gress; and, from the Senate President, Honorable Iver A. Stridiron on behalf of the Seventeenth Legislature. The prayer of the host church, led by its pastor, the Rev. Dr. Vincent H. A. Gordon, was that ‘‘Every minute would be a joyful one, blessed by the Holy Spirit of God.”’ Let’s see how the delegates summed up their experiences of the organiza- tional meeting. (Of the many here are just a few): “Stimulating! The shared informa- tion allowed us to explore various fa- cets of the pastor as a servant of the Lord.’’—Rev. Louis A. C. Davis, Presiding Elder, Virgin Islands Con- ference. “‘Educational!’’—The Rev. Leibert Dawkind, Presiding Elder, Jamaica Conference. “Fine reception! Good program- ming! Excellent food! Pleasant re- union!’”’—The Rev. Flemming Jo- seph, Presiding Elder, Windward Is- land Conference. “T am motivated to better orga- nize!’?—Rev. Emmanuel Ducase, Haiti. “‘Great!’’—Rev. E. Lester Hinds, Jamaica Conference. “Workshop very helpful; useful in- formation given.’? —Margaret Roe- buck, Virgin Islands Conference. The water has been troubled. The sail has been set. The Sixteenth has been emboldened to ‘‘launch out into the deep,’’ for ‘‘Unless souls are saved, nothing is.”’ SS eee ===== DSC05679.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder December 26, 1988 s Who Is ‘That Black Man? James Earl Jones is set to host the Story Of A People—1989 specials. Jones is pictured here with Syndicate It Productions President Robert Dockery and Story Of A People Pro- ducer Stafford Bailey. PUBLISHING MAGNATE JOHN H. JOHNSON TO BE FEATURED IN “STORY OF A PEOPLE”’ Ebony/Jet publishing magnate John H. Johnson will be featured in ‘‘Who is That Black Man?,’’ one of the two hour-long programs that make up the “Story Of A People’’ special from Syndicate It Productions, which will run nationally in January and Febru- ary, 1989. “« ‘Story Of A People’ is a profile of Black America, presented by Black Americans, that attempts to give a well-balanced appraisal of the issues and trends that affect our culture,’’ states Robert Dockery, Jr., producer of the special. Dockery says the image of the Black American is often dis- torted by the media and through the one-hour specials ‘‘Who Is That Black Man?’’ and ‘‘The Gospel According To...’’ Dockery hopes to ‘‘set that record straight.’’ ‘“‘Who Is That Black Man? is a thought-provoking special designed to refute the myths about Black men in America today. The special will intro- duce viewers to hardworking, success- ful responsible men like John H. Johnson, a Man who is an integral fibre of this nation. Voted the Entrepreneur of the De- cade in 1987, by Black Enterprise, John H. Johnson has created a pub- lishing and broadcast empire to be reckoned with. Johnson was inducted into the Publishing Hall of Fame last year and was honored as the Most Outstanding Black Publisher in History in 1977, by the National Newspaper Publishers Association. The United Negro College Fund honored Johnson for Distinguished Accomplishment. In addition to profiling Johnson, May Your New Year Be Filled With Joy! Rev. Goodwin Douglas Pastor Turner Chapel A.M.E, Church Washington, DC “Who Is That Black Man?”’ will inter- view Cliff Rocquemore and Micky Stevenson, whose latest work ‘‘The Gospel Truth,’’ is now a highly ac- claimed musical theatre production; eminent jazz producer, writer and mu- sician Billy Mitchell; and the Delphi of Louisville, Kentucky, a prominent Black men’s club started over thirty years ago, with members now located across the country. “‘Our attempt in making this special was to show what these Black men have done to preserve their culture and what they are doing now to secure their future,’’ Dockery explained. “By seeing their daily routines, listen- ing-in on conversations and watching these men with their friends and fami- lies, the audience is allowed the oppor- tunity to make a more accurate and honest assessment of the American Black Male’s achievements, contribu- tions and struggles.’’ Rev. Leslie R. White Pastor St. James A.M.E. Church St. Louis, MO 50th Men’s Day Celebration Was One Of The Greatest New York, NY—‘‘A Challenge To Christian Commitment and Service’’ was the theme for the ‘‘Golden’’ Men’s Day Celebration at St. Luke A.M.E. Church, where the Rev. S. Frank Emmanuel is the pastor. The Rev. Vernon I. Lowe, Presiding Elder of the Brooklyn/Westchester District, was speaker for the occasion, and the excellent Men’s Day Chorus attracted a crowd of worshipers. Presiding Elder Lowe inspired and challenged a receptive and responsive audience as he delivered a highly charged and motivating sermon, lift- ing and inspiring his listeners to a high- er level of excellence and spirituality. Under the divine guidance of the Holy Spirit, the excellent administra- tion of Pastor Emmanuel, and the in- spiring leadership and encouragement of the chairperson, Mr. Frank Wei- ters, and co-chairperson, Mr. Jeffrey Walley, the men of St. Luke united their hearts, their time and arduous labor, and set out to accomplish the It Is Not Be Enough To Aim, You Must Hit! SPOPSCSCS Se SseSe Se Se Ss SeSo Hoos Happy New Year! Rey. L. M. Seward Presiding Elder Spartanburg District 46 Samson Circle Columbia, SC SESS eSe Se Se Se Se So Se Se Se Se SeSs PESPSeSt SSO Se Se Ss Se Se Ss Se Sooos SOSPSOSHSHS Se Se SseSe Se Se Gese ¢ ““mpossible.’’ The events leading up to Men’s Day were planned for their spiritual value rather than for monetary gain, and in- cluded a Gospel Concert featuring the choirs of St. Luke, a Communion and Fellowship Breakfast, and a Banquet honoring a former steward and one of the oldest members of the church, Mr. Edward Bellinger. The afternoon program included Songs of Inspiration from the Men’s Day Chorus, wrapup and reporting of the captains. The consensus of all of those present was that the 1988 Men’s Day Celebration was one of the great- est events in the annals of the church’s long history, and proved that if we continue working together to ac- complish a goal, and remember to seek the Lord at all times, we can never fail. Submitted by: Ms. Davis, Public Relations Dept. St. Luke A.M.E. Church Wishing You a Prosperous New Year! REV. LEE MAY Pastor St. John A.M.E. Church St. Louis, MO May Your New Year Be Filled With Joy! DR. FRANK REID, III Bethel A.M.E. Church Baltimore, MD yy NON ) yi 4 <werTy ere ‘rs hat teal ¥ at, eek | Cae gents ated ue soe ees SE SE rete EN OE OD BO ON a Oe SS Z MWNWAV NNN NN NNW NVQ QW WNW QQ WWW W Ushing You a ; Prosperous New ; Year f Rey. J. L. Boyd, Pastor SHORTER A.M.E. CHURCH Denver, CO LWW WWW WWW NWN WN AN AANA NA NP AWG ===== DSC05680.JPG ===== December 26, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 9 Bishop S. S. Morris Takes Leadership CHURCH VOWS TO REBUILD: construction is planned for next spring. The people: saddened by the second fire, will rebuild their church on the same site where fires destroyed the building twice this year. “The decision is overwhelming. Our people want to stay at Rocky Fork. It’s been their church home for 125 years,” said Rev. Steven Jackson, the pastor, after the congregation met at Model Chapel A.M.E. Church in Alton, IL. ee KEEPING THE FAITH--members at prayer before their church was burned. They are not unmindful of the evil and hatred in the world--especially in their community. The church had been the target of vandalism many times. In 1986 vandals stole the tombstone of he F c BETHEL ROCKY) AME ( HUR te A Pictorial Review of the Sad Plight of the ‘‘Arsoned’’ New Bethel A.M.E. Church (A) The ugly handiwork of some sick mind is evident on the church building. The historic New Bethel has been the target of repeated vandalism. VANDALISM NO STRANGER TO ROCKY FORK The history of vandalism at the New Bethel Rocky Fork A.M.E. Church in Godfrey: November 10-11, 1974—Two juveniles planted two bombs in the church, causing extensive damage. June 1977— Vandals threw rocks through eight windows and knocked holes in the door. May 1982—Vandals shot out six windows. June 14-15, 1986— Vandals smashed windows, overturned pews, toppled one tombstone, stole another, and etched an obscenity into the church door. March 6, 1987—Vandals painted racial slurs and obscentities on church walls. April 16, 1988— Church destroyed by fire. Officials say the fire is of suspicious origin. October 18, 1988—Church BURNED a second time in the same year. (B) The ruins of the first fire, April 16, 1988, inspected by some of the membership. Eileen Moore, Clementine Kennedy and Susan DeBruce view charred remains instead of a white country church that had been their congregation’s home. The fire destroyed both the old and the new. The pews, pulpit, a piano, and a painting of the original Rocky Fork Church were destroyed. The first fire also destroyed an organ that had recently been donated to the church. It had only been played on Easter Sunday two weeks earlier. Erasmus Green, a freed slave and the first pastor of the church, in 1863. The Rocky Fork A.M.E. Church, a historical landmark that was founded in 1863. The Reverend Steven Jackson serves as pastor. ? An arsonist destroyed the historic church April 16, 1988, and a repeat performance came on October 18, 1988, when the church was burned down a second time in six months. There is an Illinois law that makes it a federal crime to burn a religious establishment, such as a church or synagogue. The sentence carries up to 10 years in prison and a $10,000 fine. Both fires of the church have been ruled arson. Frederick Hess, U.S. Attorney of Illinois, said, “This is no longer a local, Madison County concern. This is a concern of the US. Department of Justice. I will not tolerate these civil rights violations. They are a blemish on the Land of Lincoln.” Bishop S. S. Morris took a bold stand in a HERE WE STAND PROJECT: for religious freedom, racial equality and the rebuilding of New Bethel A.M.E. Church, Rocky Fork, Godfrey, IL.” Said Bishop Morris, “This is an effort to demonstrate, as African Methodists and the religious community, in a physical and monetary way, that this church is not standing alone in its struggle against racism and apartheid in this commuity. Here we stand together to be judged not by the color of our skins, but by the contents of our character as brothers and sisters standing up for our God-given freedom of religion in these great United States of America.” that we will not tolerate this kind of action happening to any of our churches in the Connection; for I believe if crimes of this nature can con- tinue to go unpunished and our voice is silent, our credibility in all commu- nities will be jeopardized. All of us are a part of this endeavor asa Connection and, because a sister church needs our help, we must all respond to the best of our ability. 4. I believe we should come togeth- er as a denomination on behalf of reli- gious freedom and brotherhood in this great land of freedom and opportunity. History of New Bethel A.M.E. Church, Rocky Fork by Irene Timmermiere The A.M.E. Churches in the United States originated in Philadelphia, PA. The A.M.E. Church was started in 1787 in that city by a group of Amer- icans whose forefathers came from Africa as slaves. Organizer of the orig- inal church was a 27-year-old African, a negro, Richard Allen, who believed that Methodism suited the Black race better than any other because of its simple and direct emphasis upon the Gospel. As the American people moved west, church edifices were non- existent and the early religious servic- es, when weather permitted, took the form of group meetings or camp meet- ings where people from miles around congregated for several days ina given area and listened to an itinerant minis- ter or preacher. This form of religious service was very popular in this area. Mrs. Florence Cannon could recall that there was such a “Camp Ground” on the property now owned by Urice, Wesley, Barbara and Mary Matlock, used for services prior to the erection of a church edifice. Those who participated were freed slaves or slaves who had reached “free” territory (IIli- nois being a free state) via the “under- ground railroad.” Some Negroes went onto Canada. Several remained in the Rocky Fork area and formed the nucleus of the Black community that became a haven for them. It was a community of some stature, with numerous log cabins dotting the area north of the A. Joseph Hyndman property off the Old Jerseyville Road. The name “Rocky Ford” comes from the lay of the land near the present church site where the old road made a fork and ran down the hill to the left of the church rather than to the right as it does now, meeting Rocky Fork Creek at the bottom of the hill. This area (all the land between Little Piasa Creek and Big Piasa Creek) was also known as Scarretts Prairie. This land was acquired by the Spaulding and Hawley families and later another family; and through hard and tedious work, along with prudent living, the Negroes of the Rock Fork Community were able to acquire small parcels of land for clearing and raising the food needed for their families. Much of the land in this immediate area is still owned by descendants of the original Black families who made up the Rocky Fork Community. The guiding spirit of the Rocky Fork settlement was Erasmus Green, a Methodist minister. Being a freed slave, he came to the area as a young man and it was he, along with A. J. Hyndman, who organized the A.M.E. Church at Rocky Fork in 1863. The ground for erection of the church was deeded over to the members for $1.00 by Ludun and Jane Parks. The church stood about 50 years to the left of the present church, facing south. We have been told the original church was approximately ten feet longer than the present church; it was built without a cellar, but on a stone foundation and had a vaulted ceiling. As was true of almost every rural church, it was the center of all religious and social activities. Members walked many miles to receive the Word. To ride in a wagon was a luxury. SSS ===== DSC05682.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder December 26, 1988 Christian Recorder Editor Participates in Dedication of $1,000,000 Gift to TSU Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr. TSU DEDICATES AT&T BELL LAB Nashville, TN—Tennessee State Uni- versity’s School of Engineering and Technology dedicated its new AT&T Bell Laboratory Computer-Aided-De- sign Laboratory recently, according to Dr. Decatur B. Rogers, dean of the School. The dedication ceremony began with a manifesto by Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor, A.M.E. Christian Re- corder, who also gave the Benediction. Dr. Joseph Colson, executive director for AT&T, presented a check to the School amounting to $45,000 to be used among the various engineering programs. The Lab was completed with a por- tion of a $750,000 AT&T donation given earlier this year. That donation was given to the electrical and me- chanical engineering programs and the PERRET IERIE IER IERIE RIE RPE R IORI RRR (Note: In the December 12, 1988, Issue of the Christian Recorder, we inadvertently put the wrong address on A. D. Tyson, Jr.’s Ad. We apologize for this error). ROCDME OMe ONC ONE ONE NE ENE UNG CxS Cvt CNS UNS Cs as Ser Terre Tect st... Rev. A. D. Tyson, Ill SAINT STEPHEN A.M.E. CHURCH Chicago, Illinois computer and mathematics depart- ments. AT&T’s total donation to TSU amounts to some $1,000,000. Other AT&T officials joining Dr. Colson were Michael Holmes and Jesse Russell and AT&T's visiting pro- fessors to TSU, Kenneth Schmidt and Nary Willette. TSU was one of fifty-two institu- tions of higher learning to be selected from seventy finalists that submitted proposals for the equipment grant. The equipment award is part of AT&T’s University Equipment Dona- tion Program (UEDP) that has given more than $170 million to colleges and universities since its inception in 1984. Equipment is given based on an invita- tion to submit a proposal for the use of AT&T equipment in research and instruction. The proposal from TSU was competitively evaluated for technical and educational value before AT&T made the grant. AT&T has said it will award grants only to those col- leges and universities that proposed in- novative applications to use com- puting and networking in support of research or instruction. “‘We are very pleased to have been selected by AT&T to receive this grant,’’ Dr. Otis L. Floyd, TSU Presi- dent said. ‘‘AT&T is an acknowledged leader in data networking and AT&T’s products will prove invaluable in fur- thuring our work in this area. Rey. A. D. Tyson, Jr. UNION CHAPEL A.M.E. CHURCH Newark, New Jersey (Note: In the December 12, 1988, Issue of the Christian Recorder, we inadvertently put the wrong address on A. D. Tyson, Jr.’s Ad. We apologize for this error). DAY Tues., Jan. 10th thru Fri., Jan. 13th Wed., Jan. 11th Mon., Jan. 30th thru Thurs., Feb, 2nd Thurs.-Sat. Feb. 2-4 Fri., Mar. 17th thru Sun., March 19th Mon., June 19th from the Secretariat ACTIVITY JANUARY, 1989 Dept. of Worship and Evangelism Church Growth Seminar “*Expect-A-Miracle’’ Service Bishops’ Winter Retreat FEBRUARY, 1989 Executive Board W.M.S. MARCH, 1989 Y.P.D. Executive Board and Leadership Training Institute JUNE, 1989 General Board Meeting POPP CLLLLL LL OL LL LLL LALLA LD DP ADDL ALLL DLO LE LE: AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH CONNECTIONAL CALENDAR DR. O. URCILLE IFILL, SR. PLACE Delta Court of Flags 5715 Major Blvd. Orlando, Florida Mt. Olive AME Church 2525 W. Church Street Orlando, Florida Nashville, TN Holiday Inn Briley Parkway Camelot Hotel Little Rock, AR Mother Bethel AME Church 419 Richard Allen Ave. Phila., PA 19147 Houston, Texas thru Tues., June 20th Wed., June 21st Council of Bishops’ Houston, Texas thru Meeting Thurs., June 22nd JULY, 1989 Sun., July 30th Connectional Lay Birmingham, AL thru Organization Fri., Aug. 4 Biennial Meeting — Watch For Update— Michel’s Amos ‘N’ Andy Slur by Floyd H. Flake Congressman Floyd H. Flake Floyd H. Flake, a Democrat, is a Repre- sentative from Queens and pastor at Allen A.M.E. Church, Jamaica, NY Robert H. Michel, the House re- publican leader, has apologized for bemoaning the demise of Black min- strel shows, but the insensitivity of his comments, in a television interview, and the effects of them, cannot be erased. Nostalgia for racism is scary any way you look at it. If Mr. Michel is la- tently racist, he should not be in Con- gress. If he is so obtuse that he cannot see the harm in racist entertainment, he should go back to a grade-school history class. In a court of law, if a prosecutor personally slights a defendant and makes him look bad, the judge will strike the comment from the record and tell the jury to disregard it, but the jury has heard the remark and cannot help making a judgment. It is clear from Mr. Michel’s expressed nostalgia for minstrel shows and the ‘‘Amos ‘n’ Andy”’ radio program that he doesn’t understand that stereotypes, jests and derogatory names are harmful. They do more than reflect established pre- judice: They cause new prejudice. He mimicked Amos ‘n’ Andy cha- racters and sang part of ‘‘Old Man River’’ while imitating minstrel dia- lect. He said that ‘‘we used to have minstrel shows when I was in grade school’’ but that ‘‘today you can’t do that, everybody blackfaced up,’’ con- cluding, ‘‘I think it’s too bad.”’ Talking about the lyrics of ‘‘Old Man River,’’ he said, ‘‘Now the original, you know, niggers—it’s of- fensive, so we don’t use it.’’ The word “‘niggers’’ is no less offensive or dispa- raging simply because it has a place in history. There is no place in our socie- ty for supposedly humorous carica- tures that maliciously insult a group of people and promote racial disharmony and alienation. We have seen a dramatic increase in race-related violence in New York City and across the country. Some blame must be placed on the bigoted comments of elected officials and public figures. Al Campanis, the former Los Angeles Dodgers execu- tive; Jimmy (The Greek) Snyder and Mr. Michel make racially offensive statements and racial slurs more ac- ceptable when they use them in public. Mr. Michel apparently relishes his- torical accuracy about a shameful seg- ment of our history. Does he not ap- preciate the insidiousness of his bi- zarre enjoyment of imitations and ca- ricatures that demean Blacks? Has he forgotten the roots of black-faced minstrel shows? Can he not see that they display and promote bigotry? He has apologized, but he has shown such a callous and dangerous philosophy, and insensitivity to race relations that he should consider re- signing his leadership position in the House. This would demonstrate that there is no place for bigotry and racial insensitivity in our country. ===== DSC05683.JPG ===== December 26, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder il Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church Observes Men’s Day Greater Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church of Macon, Georgia, observed Men’s Day, November 20, 1988, dur- ing morning worship. “The Search Is Still On’’ was the topic of the speech delivered by Rev. H. W. Terrell, Presiding Elder of the Griffin District of Georgia. His sub- ject was based on Jeremiah 5:1 which states: Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man. If there be any that executeth judg- ment, that seeketh the truth, and I will pardon it. The speaker stated that the search is still on in the religious world, the family circle, and in the fields of technology, medicine, politics and education for strong men, especially Black men, who have the tenacity and dedication of Jeremiah. He challenged A True Son of Allen Rev. James Z. Roberts Rev. James Z. Roberts is a Presiding Elder in the Liberian Annual Conference in West Africa. The spirit of our early church father is alive in him. He has one church on his district. To get to it, he rides seven hours by car at the end of the road he gets out and walks for another three hours. Yes, this is a true son of Allen. the congregation to search for Jesus when looking for solutions to the many crises that citizens are faced with today. Inspirational music was rendered by an Interdenominational Male Chorus. Other participants on the program were Brothers Burney Lester, James Goodrum, William Barnes, Marlon Cowan, Edgar Law, Zebede Leroy, Robert J. Williams, Walter Mathis, Terrance Jolly, Ulysses Norwood, Marion McCarthy, Charles Murphey, Rev. Alan H. Wicker, and Rev. Willie Brown. The program was chaired by Brothers Marion McCarthy and Robert J. Williams. Rev. Alan Hale Wicker is the pastor of the Historic Church. Joyce B. Simonton, Reporter Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church 291 Pursley Street Macon, Georgia Va Wishing You a Prosperous New Year! Northern California Dr. Richard Allen Washington Presiding Elder Vdd Vaud I ‘Z UWtttttie» CFE FO FO BOGE FOIE BOVE BODE IO IO IO IO IO BOW BEBO IOIWOD The Second Annual Bishop H. Hartford Brookins BOE FEF FE FETE FOIE VEIO IIE IOIOIO WIC IOI WW IW WB IE IE IE BE BE IE IE FE BED Dr. Waymon Dixon Dean of Evangelism and Church Growth Seminar Convocation on Evangelism and Church Growth Seminar THEME: Conversions/Accessions/Retentions January 10-13, 1989 COURT OF FLAGS HOTEL — ORLANDO, FLORIDA 32819 Chairman of Commission on Evangelism Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director of Evangelism Bishop Philip R. Cousin Host Bishop OE Os OSs BO IS WEIS NG 26 U6 Dh 26 26 26 06 06 26 26 BH IS 26 96 26 26 06 06 26 26 Uh NL IG Wh WIL IS Dr. Charles E. Cloy Coordinator of Evangelism and Church Growth Seminar OE 26 OE NE EAE OE OEE 96 ENE IL IEE IL IEE IE IL IE IED ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP FRANK C, CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9-12, 1989 WMS Annual Day March 8, 1989 Heard Chapel A.M.E. Church Glebe Road Pembroke East, Bermuda Church Telephone (809) 292-3949 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 292-3949 The Rev. Reginald McRae, Host Pastor The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-9, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 4, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 512 N. Church Street Moorestown, NJ 08057 Church Telephone: (609) 235-3152 Pastor’s Telephone: (609) 234-7624 The Rev. Vernal Simms, Host Pastor The Rev. John H. Johnson Jr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-16, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 12, 1989 Dickerson Chapel A.M.E. Church South Dupont Highway Millsboro, DE 19966 Church Telephone: (302) 934-6360 Pastor’s Telephone: (302) 674-0150 The Rev. James Hill, Host Pastor The Rev. Joseph D. Tull, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 26-30, 1989 WMS Annual Day April 25, 1989 Emmanuel A.M.E. Church 37-41 West 119th Street New York City, NY 10026 Church Phone: (212) 722-3969 Pastor’s Phone: (914) 636-6334 The Rev. Millard D. Birt, Host Pastor The Rev. W. Lee Freeman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 18-21, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 17, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 110 Grove Street Bridgeport, CT 06606 Church Telephone: (203) 384-9200 Pastor’s Telephone: (203) 371-0214 The Rev. Ellis B. Louden, Host Pastor The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-28, 1989 WMS Annual Day May 23, 1989 Trinity A.M.E. Church 27th and Cumberland Streets Philadelphia, PA 19132 Church Telephone: (215) 229-1652 Pastor’s ae (215) 276-1360 The Rev. E. Saunders, Host Pastor The Rev. Harry J. White, Host P.E. THE FIRST DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 8-9, 1989 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Corner of New and Neilson Streets New Brunswick, NJ 08901 Church Phone: (201) 749-8476 Pastor’s Phone: (201) 545-3638) The Rev. H. A. Hildebrand, Host Pastor The Rev. C. E. Martin, Host P.E. Attend Your Annual Conference SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP Y. R, BYRD JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 12-16, 1989 Chapel of Christ Redeemer Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston, Jamaica, West Indies Church Phone: 92-93824 The Rev. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rey. J. E. Micklejohn, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-23, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Kaiser Straat 140 Paramaribo, Surinam The Rev. Pearline E. Chaser, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 27-30, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church 12th & Queen Street U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix Church Phone: 1-809-773-6892 Pastor’s Phone: 1-809-778-9403 The Rev. V. H. A. Gordon, Host Pastor The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-7, 1989 A.M.E. Church Rue de Centre #320 Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 21-25, 1989 Bethel A.M.E. Church Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. J. Green, Host Pastor & P.E. TRINIDAD—GRENADA— BARBADOS ANNUAL CONFERENCE July 19-24, 1989 Nazareth A.M.E. Church Sunshine Avenue San Juan, Trinidad The Rev. Anderson Burkett, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. LONDON ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church Bay 624 Malton Road North Kensington London W. 10 6110 The Rev. B. K. Tweed, Host Pastor *Date and Place to be announced Happy New Year! Dr. O. L. Dawson North Houston District Houston, Texas ===== DSC05684.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder ATTEND CHURCH GROWTH SEMINAR The Department of Worship and Evangelism of the African Methodist Episcopal Church will present their Second Annual Evangelism and Church Growth Seminar at the Court of Flags Hotel Orlando, Florida, January 10-13, 1989. The planned activities are scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM. This year's theme is Conversions/Accessions/Re- tentions. The seminar will address the following areas: liturgical develop- ment/African American music, uti- lizing the Sunday School as a basis for evangelism, evangelism in view of a Black womanist theological perspec- tive, equipping missionaries for Church growth and evangelism, and : [CEES] CSSD] CD! Best Wishes for the New Qear! sige -* ™~® Dr. D. C. Coleman Presiding Elder from the Department of Worship and Evangelism DR. Y. B. BRUCE Director 8128 Banyan Blvd. Orlando, FL 32819 Fourth Episcopal District 5 equipping laity for evangelism. Also, the seminar will feature some of the renowned personalities of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (Bis- hops, General Officers, Ministers, and Lay Persons). Registration Fee; $35.00 Mail to: Dr, Y, Benjamin Bruce, Sr, Director of Evangelism §78 Major Boulevard, Suite 200 Post Office Box 690638 Orlando, FL 32819 % ASBURY A.M.E. CHURCH Louisville, KY % Rev. Willie S. Love 3 Pastor Dr. Cecil ‘‘Chip’’ Murray Pastor First A.M.E. Church Los Angeles, CA <——" December 26, 1988 COCSESESECSECSeSe Se Se Se Se eege Season's Greetings to ALL AME’S THE WORLD OVER + STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE With Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries from the Pastor, Officers and Members of EBENEZER A.M.E. CHURCH Beautiful Hardbound * Black with Gold Trim $18.00 Please add 13% for postage and handling Rev. Charles Carnell McLamore Pastor COSOSSESES ES ES ES ESE SE SES ESOS OSHS ESOS eS OSES Se Se Se Se Se SoGrGs Charleston, SC OOOO O66 SOOO SESE SESE SES ESOS ESOS ESO Se Se Ge Se Se Se Se See Ge Geo SeoGe o 4 POPPSPSO Se Se Ge Se Se SeGoSoGoos a THE NEW CATECHISM FOR YOUTH PROBATIONARIES MEMBERS OF AFRICAN METHODISM The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to youth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. Rev. Wesley I. Reid Lee Memorial A.M.E. Church Cleveland, Ohio GLC-991C RAMA KARA KA KEMAH AM KKK AR Be Properly Informed! BECOMING A MINISTER in the African Methodist Episcopal Church JOHN HURST ADAMS, Presiding Bishop Second Episcopal District Board of Examiners Walter Hildebrand, Chairman — Maurice Wilson, Editor All persons entering our ministry need to know what they should do. Assumptions have left large gaps in the support, and development of aspiring young % clergypersons. This book addresses the concerns by making clear the standards, expectations, process, mutual responsibility, and resources on becoming an Ordained Minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church; it also deals with the concern of how the African Methodist Episcopal Church relates to and works with the candidates for or- dained ministry, as well as evaluating the candidates, onLy $4.50 Rush your order to: A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION _! J 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN'37203-4181 % PLEASE SEND BOOKS ON BECOMING A MINISTER ee wacnneenasnnacanannnaeneanaansens see eee * KKKKKEKKK KAKA K Becoming WINISTER * g Be » 5 ij ca KR KA JSS SCI A RACR CH I * ete Nes 2s 6 ake ais ok * NAME 4 ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP Amount enclosed Please add 13 Percent Postage & Handling HAHA HAA IA ARTA AA AA BIR AA AAR A AARP RHEE —
• October 3, 1988
  ===== DSC05697.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder Th OFFICIAL ORGAN Hit AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH a Vol. 138, No. 1 October 3, 1988 Coalition of Black Bishops and Businessmen Opposes Bill on South Africa Sanctions WASHINGTON, DC—The following statement was issued by Bishop Richard L. Fisher, president of the Coalition on Southern Africa (COSA), an organization of businessmen, bis- hops and ministers representing 7.5 million Black church members. Bis- hop Fisher is Presiding Bishop, 11th Episcopal District, A.M.E. Zion Church, St. Louis. “The Coalition on South Africa (COSA), committed to the absolute elimination of apartheid in South Africa, calls on the people, President and Congress of the United States to encourage a re-examination of our na- tional position on South Africa. We are concerned with the evil of the apartheid system and the rightful an- ger that system engenders has often obscured the need to focus on the source of our major concern—the Black people of South Africa. *‘In our eagerness to dispense solu- tions from afar, we have not often listened to the voices of the Black workers, teachers, farmers and busi- nessmen who have been hurt by in- creased unemployment, disinvestment and sanctions. COSA reaffirms its belief that both the private and public sectors must be encouraged to maxi- mize all opportunities throughout South Africa to improve the quality of life and secure political equality for Black South Africans. It has become obvious that if this is to be done, we need a continued and vigorous Ameri- can church, corporate, university, government presence in South Africa. To that end, we encourage Congress not to place obstacles to the role which the corporate and private sec- tors are playing to bring about real change in South Africa. We encourage innovative legislation to open up South Africa to greater American in- fluence designed to bring about peaceful movement toward a non-ra- cial democracy in South Africa.”’ In addition to Bishop Fisher, COSA board members are: COSA Chairman Robert J. Brown, Please turn to page 7 Civil Rights Leader Vows Movement Still Lives WILLIAMSTOWN, MA—Rep. John Lewis (D-Georgia) claimed today that the Civil Rights movement has merely changed, not died. ‘““We have lost some of our finest leaders, but we are still very much in- volved in that same movement for liberation,’’ Lewis said in an address at the Convocation officially opening the 196th academic year at Williams College. ‘‘Our struggle is not for one day, or one week, or one year, but for a lifetime, if that is what it takes.’ Lewis, former chairman of the Stu- dent Non-violent Coordinating Com- mittee, received the honorary degree of Doctor of Laws at the ceremony along with Rosa L. Parks, whose re- fusal in 1955 to surrender her seat toa White passenger on a Montgomery, AL, bus earned her the unofficial title of ‘‘Mother of the Modern Day Civil Rights Movement;’’ the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Con- ference; Charlayne Hunter-Gault, the first Black woman to enroll at the University of Georgia; Burke Mar- shall, former head of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Attorney General’s Office; and Ruth M. Bat- son, a Boston Civil Rights activist. Parks received her honorary degree to a standing ovation from the one thousand students, faculty members, Please turn to page 7 EPISCOPALIANS ELECT FIRST WOMAN BISHOP by John Diamond BOSTON—Members of the nation’s largest Episcopal diocese elected the first woman bishop in the history of the church yesterday. Barbara C. Harris, fifty-eight, a Black priest at Philadelphia’s Church of the Advocate, was elected suffra- gan, or assistant, bishop for the eastern Massachusetts diocese, the largest in the country with one hun- dred ninety-two missions and parishes and more than one hundred fifty thou- sand members. After eight ballots, Harris defeated the Rev. Marshall Hunt, two hundred seventy-six to two hundred twenty-four. When balloting started, there were six candidates, in- cluding two women. Reached at her home in Philadel- phia, Harris declined to comment im- mediately. Later, a spokeswoman said Harris would respond after her ser- mon at the Church of the Advocate. The election marks the first time a woman has been brought into the his- toric line of apostolic succession. The Please turn to page 7 PRICE: 50 CENTS African Methodist Episcopal Church DISTINGUISHED LEADERS Playing prominent roles in the education symposium which took place at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church recently were (above) Col. William D. Brooks, Jr., Vice Chairman, Senior Board of Stewards; Dr. Herman R. Branson, President Emeritus, Lincoln Uni- versity (Penna.); and Dr. William P. DeVeaux, pastor of Metropolitan, the National Church. Fifteen University Presidents Worship and Discuss Issues at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Washington, DC—Fifteen presidents and former presidents of historically Black colleges and universities were in the near capacity audience at Metro- politan A.M.E. Church for a special education observance, recently. Designated ‘‘Emphasis on Educa- tion’’ by the pastor, the Reverend Dr. William P. DeVeaux, the two-part program/worship service featuring one of the country’s leading clergy- men/educators and a dynamic sym- posium which attracted experts and other VIPs in the field of education. Devoted to a discussion of the status of education among Blacks to- day, especially of Christian education, the symposium was attended by William Raspberry, famed Washing- ton Post writer, who devoted one of his nationally syndicated columns to it. Delivering the morning sermon at Metropolitan was Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, himself a former president of two institutions and now Martin Lu- ther King, Jr., Professor of Education Emeritus at Rutgers University. The Reverend Proctor is also pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church in New York City. Assailing the tendency of some to follow television evangelists, healers, and assorted religious pretenders, Dr. Proctor said the response of ‘“‘true believers’’ should be always, ‘‘Jesus I know; Paul I know; but who are Please turn to page 7 Second Generation ‘Black’ Soviet Woman Journalist Chronicled on ABC’s ‘‘20/20’’ New York— On September 30, at 10 p.m. (EST), the ABC News Program “20/20”? featured a unique profile of a twenty-six year old Black Soviet journalist, Yelena Khanga, (the ‘‘K’’ is silent) on her first visit to her grand- parent’s homeland here in the United States. Khanga, a second generation Soviet citizen was born and raised in Moscow. Khanga explores her Ameri- can roots, her views of this country and of Black Americans. Khanga, an atheist, encountered Black life in America through visits to Black American churches and meet- ings with a cross section of Black Americans; from Jesse and Michael Jackson to the homeless housed in shelters. It was through that ex- perience that she shaped her concept of Black Americans. Striking Class Differences Khanga said, “The word freedom... Americans like to speak about that very much...it transfers to the word indi- vidualism...but there’s no responsibility for people who didn’t find a place un- der the sun.” Her travel experiences left an indeli- ble impression on her of Black people in striking poverty and despair. She was shocked to learn that numbers of Black people in America are forgotten and are homeless, living on the streets. She also did not find brotherhood to the extent that she expected. ‘‘20/20”’ captures Khanga’s reactions to the dis- parity of lifestyles in American cities from coast to coast. Correspondent Bob Brown traveled with Khanga from the U.S. to the U.S.S.R. Their travels took them from the Statue of Liberty and a Bap- tist Church in Harlem to Moscow where ‘‘20/20’? meets Yelena’s mother, Lily Golden, Yelena’s friends and some of her favorite Moscow Please turn to page 6 SS S50 Oeoeowom—__—_—o 08-Rf9 NORRIS S vw PA RICHARD F # 4630 1135 BARRINGER PHILADELPHIA DR 19119 = ===== DSC05698.JPG ===== : ihe AME. Christian Recorder October 3, 1988 Church Extension Department Initiates Investment Broker Concept The General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in its re- cent meeting, has approved Innovative Consumer Services, Inc, (ICS) to pro- vide a special A.M.E. Church Credit Card. This program concept was in- itiated by the Church Extension De- partment as an economic development project to benefit the African Method- ist Church. The project, the A.M.E, Church Credit Card, is designed to generate several millions of dollars that will help fund many denomina- tional needs. The basic idea is that each time the A.M.E. Church Credit Card is used to purchase any items, whether ROBERT H. REID, JR. they be clothing, food, gas for your car, entertainment, travel, or any of the many purposes one uses a credit card for, a percentage of that expenditure is returned by the bank to the church. Example of usages for the church’s portion includes retirement benefits for the ministers, educational institutions, scholarships for students, and the home and foreign missions work. Officials of the denomination stated, ‘‘. . . although this fund-raising program centers around a credit card product, it is not the intent of the A.M.E. Church to encourage any indebtedness of its membership.’’ The idea is to use the A.M.E. Credit Card instead of the cards you currently have. In fact, you can transfer any balance that you owe on another credit card to the TMC/AME Credit Card, and the denomination will benefit financially from what you have already spent, as well. One of the bonuses to be derived from using the A.M.E. MasterCard is that it is customized and tailored exclusively for the A.M.E. membership. In addition, and at no extra cost, ICS will provide: a Discounted National Legal Program, an eye care plan for discounts on glasses and contact lenses, a Shop- at-Home Buying Service for major merchandise at substantial discounts and savings, a National Pharmacy Discount Program, and Home Health Nursing Services at discounted prices. The A.M.E. MasterCard is the first Master- Card ever to provide such a valuable package of consumer services and benefits to its cardholders. When the pastors of the local congregations make their members aware of the A.M.E. MasterCard, they not only provide a special service to the in- dividual member, but also help the connectional church to grow financially to better meet her 21st century needs. This new credit card program is designed to ‘take advantage of the immense buying power of the A.M.E. Church membership, without costing them any additional dollars.” This really is representative of our founder’s self-help concept that he, Richard Allen, was so respected for by all who knew him and by A.M.E.s of all succeeding generations. The Black church was, indeed, in the forefront of the struggle of Blacks to be independent, to have justice and equality, and led the fight for the real freedoms of equal access, worship, speech, the right to vote, the equal educa- tional opportunities, to be employed, to be free to be whatever one wants to THE A.M.E. CHRISTIAN RECORDER be. This great African Methodist Episcopal Church must get on the 21st cen- tury agenda to gain economic liberation, When we do, we will help not only Blacks, but all who need to find the new freedom from those ills that are plagues in this generation to so many of the people of this nation. As I stated in my book, /rony of Afro-American History, this 200-year- old African Methodist Episcopal Church must put on its drawing board some meaningful mechanics to help bring this ethnic, Black minority into a more secure relationship in this capitalistic society. We have a good chance now to let our money make more money through the brokered A.M.E. MasterCard system, which is making millions for credit card companies like American Express Company, Carte Blanche, Diners Club, Discover Card, MasterCard, Visa and countless others, Believe me when I tell you, I have lived long enough to know that you cannot ignore people with money and sense, Any power base demands that it be dealt with. We must take the responsibility for economic liberation for ourselves and our posterity, I have already applied for my TMC/AME Credit Card to let my money spent generate some relief for the Church of Allen, the church of my father and mother, the church to which I have given my allegiance, life and resources. Dr. Ralph Ellison, a Black man and author of the book The Invisible Man, wrote: ‘‘I am invisible, but I am not a disembodied spirit. I am invisible because people refuse to see me.’’ The Black society and its institutions must make sure that in the 21st century it will be absolutely impossible for this na- tion any longer to refuse to see Black people. We have been studying our problems all of these years; now let us move with determined resolution to eradicate the cause. Not only will we capitalize ourselves, but we will make a contribution toward the elimination of poverty in America. Let me congratulate Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr., Secretary/Treasurer of the Church Extension Department, for his visionary leadership over the past twelve years. I salute him for his creativity that is responsible for this fund- raising program through the Massachusetts Bank and Trust Company and In- novative Consumer Services, Inc. (ICS). This project will generate millions of dollars for Dr. Miles’ department to build lots of churches, as the entire con- nection benefits from a connectional MasterCard used by our members to the glory of God and the expansion of our mission in ministry, fulfilling our mission and purpose of the A.M.E. Church. The readership of the Christian Recorder should also be appreciative of Bishop F. C. James who was Chairman of the Commission of Church Exten- sion when this NEW SELF-HELP program was developed. The new chair- man, Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, is most enthusiastic about the program and has heartily endorsed the TMC/AME MasterCard. He has urged all bishops, general officers, connectional officers, college presidents, seminary deans, chaplains, presiding elders, pastors, and all of our members, to get on board our new self-help money-generating program to help redeem ourselves from the economic bondage that doesn’t need to be. READ THE RECORDER WITH REID The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi-weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Advertising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier’s checks payable to A.. Lee Henderson. Irony of Afro-American History An Overview of AME History and Related Developments Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Jimmy James Jr., Music Editor; Dr. Jacquelyn Grant, Women’s Ministries Editor; Rev. John Q. Owens, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Con- tributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Con- sulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Mrs. Vorheese D. B. Jamison, Laymen’s Editor; Chaplain (Captain) William Holt Liptrot, Jr., Chaplains Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Cor- respondent; Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Rev. Frederick C. Harrison, Overseas Mission Editor; Mrs. Sarah Nkele Malthare, South African Editor; Mrs. Sheridan R. Reid-Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Sheldon Davis, Archives Editor, Dr. William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis Clark Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contributing Editor; Dr. Marjorie Jones, Contributing Editor; Rev. Walter Winstead Reid, Sr., Contributing Editor; Rev. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occasionally withhold the name of a writer of a sign- ed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous let- ters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to reject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements. Robe Editor of the AY (36.95 plus 90¢ for postage & handling) ORDER TODAY Please print. Enclose payment with your order. Allow 3 weeks for delivery Ob/State/Zip._ —$_$_—__$_—5_ Send order and check to: A.M.E, Christian Recorder, Dept BKS 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Postmaster please send address correction to A.M.E. Sunday School Union, 500 8th Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181. ===== DSC05699.JPG ===== October 3, 1988 ) The AME Christian Recorder The Voice of the Episcopac During Activities of the Super Seventh Episcopal District, Bishops F. C. James, P. R. Cousin and R. A. Chappelle lead the Victory Procession. From left to right: Dr. Davis, Bishop R. A. Chappelle, Bishop F. C. James and Bishop Robert Thomas took time from the busy schedule for photo. A large crowd of youth shows that the Church will continue to grow. First Anglican Woman Bishop Lauds ‘Vision’ PHILADELPHIA, (AP)—Bishop Barbara C. Harris, the Anglican Com- munion’s first woman bishop, said yesterday her elevation is the latest step in a movement to bring the church into the mainstream. Harris, fifty-eight, a former public relations executive, was elected Satur- day to the position of suffragan, or assistant, bishop for the eastern Mas- sachusetts diocese of the Episcopal Church, The diocese, which include Boston, is the nation’s largest in ge- ography and population. “A fresh wind is blowing across this church of ours,’’ Harris said in her first sermon at Philadelphia’s Church of the Advocate since her election. Harris, who is Black, told a congre- gation of fifty people that her election “is of significance to the Episcopal Church in the United States and to the worldwide Anglican Communion,”” She likened the church’s actions to the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s campaigns for the Democratic presidential nomi- nation in 1984 and 1988. Like Jackson’s Rainbow Coalition, an attempt to reach across color and sex lines, the church’s movement gives “new hope... and new vision to hundreds of thousands’’ who have felt alienated and ignored by the church, Harris said. The Church Is Moving O In an article by Elsable Wessels published in our weekly newspaper, the Sunday Times, on July 5, 1987, en- titled, ‘‘The Right Sets the NGK Free,’’ we read about the two thou- sand members of the White-domi- nated Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk leaving their spiritual home. The cause of the walkout was the adoption by the NGK of the revised manifesto, “Church and Society.’’ This liberal policy document, ‘‘Church and Socie- ty,’’ freed the NGK from its racist past. Two thousand of an estimated 1.5 million members felt that the church should continue with its racist apartheid policy. They walked out of a church which is repenting of its apart- heid sins and seeking reconciliation not only with God but also with its Black brethren. This repenting church has purified itself of an apartheid theology which has alienated it from the Christian world for the past fifty years. Two hundred years ago in Novem- ber, 1987, Black members of the White-dominated Methodist Society in Philadelphia resigned from the said church. The cause of their resignation was the unkind treatment by their White brethren who considered them a nuisance in the house of worship. They even went so far as to pull them from their knees as they were praying. It was a movement away from an un- repenting, evil, racist church to a free, liberal, and reconciling society—a society which adopted as its motto, “God our Father, Christ our Re- deemer, Man our Brother.’’ This society, under the wise leadership of Richard Allen, Daniel Coker, James Champion, built its own church in which to worship God. These mem- bers moved out to become a liberating and reconciling people. About a hundred years ago, another ‘‘moving out’’ of racist churches took place in South Africa, This movement was chiefly from the different White churches in South Africa. In 1892, Rev. Maake Mangena Mokone, a Methodist preacher and an ex-school teacher, gathered around him all dis- contented Black preachers and formed the first Black independent church in South Africa. This movement of Black Christians moving out of White churches in South Africa became headline news in the international press and was termed the Ethiopian Movement, Because of the wise, un- selfish, and enlightened leadership of this movement, they opted to join forces with their Black brothers across the ocean in America. For the first time since our brothers and sisters left these shores under slavery in 1572, Black people of America and Black people of Africa, on July 6, 1896, join ed hands in their struggle against discrimination in the house of God, and they became a liberating and re- conciling people. With the know-how of our Ameri- can Black brothers and sisters, the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Southern Africa developed in leaps and bounds. The A.M.E. Church in South Africa started its mission as did Jesus Christ—among the poor, the down-trodden, the outcast, the for gotten, the oppressed, the sinners, and the illiterate of the Black population Its preachers were always despised, LG Bishop H. B. Senatle persecuted, and discriminated against. Regardless of all these obstacles, the Church kept on moving on, and we have come this far by faith. Glory be to God! Today, we can boast of an en- lightened leadership from both clergy and laity. Congregations have been established and churches built in every nook and cranny of South Africa. In 1984, the 15th Episcopal District was reconstructured, and from this re- structuring, new Presiding Elder Dis- tricts were created and new conference boundaries made. This resulted in the birth of the 19th Episcopal District. The 19th District is composed of the Natal, Orangia, East Transvaal, West Transvaal, and the conferences of the Northern District. Bishop John E. Hunter became its first prelate, but before he could serve this district, he was recalled to glory. May the soul of this great son of Allen rest in peace. We will always remem- ber his quiet and wise leadership. At the same General Conference a son of the soil was elevated to the bishopric of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Right Reverend Harold B. Senatle. He was sent to the 18th Dis- trict, but after the death of Bishop Hunter, he served both the 18th and 19th Districts. Unlike the former bis- hops, he was sent to serve his home district, Southern Africa. As a son of the soil, he knows our needs, strengths, and weaknesses. This know- ledge helped him to sort out the priori- ties in the long list of needs. The center for the training of our ministers has been improved. The building of epis- copal offices in the centre of the White business area of Johannesburg, at 20 Philip Street, has been started and roofed. This project alone, when com- pleted, will cost more than one million rands. Apart from serving the episco- pal offices, this four-story building has a chapel, restaurant, offices to be hired out. In the long run, this will be an income-producing project for the church, In his opening address to the South African Conference, the then General Superintendent of this conference, Rev. I. N. Fitzpatrick, on March 14, 1900, made the following remarks, ‘Lay aside petty jealousies, the thirst and inordinate desires for leadership without proper consecration to God. Lay yourselves on the altar of Christ, the Saviour of the world, to be used for His glory, and for the redemption of your brethren, and he who desires the affairs of nations, controls the mighty forces that thrust down wicked pride, sinful ambition, and prejudice, and exalts righteousness, will call on you in due time to occupy positions of Please turn to page 7 ===== DSC05700.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder October 3, 1988 General Board and Council of Bishops Support Social Action Bishop John R. Bryant The Bishops’ Council and the Gen- eral Board nominated and elected Bishop John R. Bryant (newly-elected) as the Chairman of the Commission on Social Action at their meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, which was a most welcomed and wise choice, since Bis- hop Bryant has a long history in the fields of Evangelism, Christian Educa- tion and Social Action. The Bishops’ Council and the Gen- eral Board meeting in Washington, DC, nominated and re-elected your humble servant, Rev. John Q. Owens, Jr., as the Director of Social Action for this Quadrennium. May I pause here and express my most profound and sincere gratitude for their actions, which express confidence and trust in my ability, through the offices of God’s Holy Spirit, to represent our denomination in the many arenas where social inaction need to be chal- lenged. Again, I thank you and pledge myself to be led by God, by my Com- mission and its leader, by the Board and the Council, as we try to serve the present age, our calling to fulfill. Mail reaching my desk and waiting for my response include requests for help and for funds from: The New World Society; The Rural Crisis Is- sues Team of the National Council of Churches; Project Equality; Impact; Renew Subscription to ‘‘The Wing- spread Journal’’ of the Johnson Foun- dation; Invitation to pertinent work- shops sponsored by the Oklahoma Conference of Churches; newsletter “Lights, on Christian-Jewish Rela- tion’’; the magazine ‘‘Southern Ex- posure,’’ Unsettling Images, A Por- trait of American Agriculture; ‘‘One World’ of the World Council of Churches; and many individual letters requesting information and support, The General Board and the Bishops’ Council adopted the Social Action Committee’s recommendations to: 1, Seek the support of each Episco- pal Prelate, Presiding Elder, Pastor and Layperson as it pertains to in- volvement in the upcoming election for President of the United States, by committing to voting, voter reg- istration and providing education and transportation where needed, 2. Take a stand deploring the bombing of the office of the anti- apartheid forces and, conversely, the bombing or use of violence by the anti-apartheid forces, instead of peaceful negotiations, including sanctions by the Group and her friends and supporters. 3. Seeking the stay of execution of South Africa’s Sharpesville Six (one of whom is an A.M.E.) and the twenty-six other political prisoners on Death Row. In succeeding issues of the Christian Recorder look for the resolutions presented to the last session of the General Conference pertaining to So- cial Action. There’s much to be done and we need your prayers and your support; please be liberal with both. The past support of Bishops Mor- ris, Anderson, Cummings and Chap- pelle, and General Officers Keller, Miles, Reid, McKinney and Hender- son is much appreciated and still prayed for. GOD BLESS OUR ZION John Q. Owens, Director Lay Group Honors A Charter Member at 150th Annual Conference by Jasper C. Wilder Director of Public Relations Indiana Conference Lay Organization African Methodist Episcopal Church The 150th Session of the Indiana Annual Conference was held August 18-21, 1988, at Bethel A.M.E. Church, Richmond, Indiana, with Rev. Larry Bell, Host Pastor, Rev. William Sampson Nelson, Host Presiding El- der, the Rt. Rev. Samuel Soloman Morris, Presiding Bishop. Bethel Church is one of the oldest A.M.E. Churches in the Indiana Conference. One of the most memorable high- lights of the conference was the Lay Organization Banquet held on Satur- day night, August 20, 1988, at the Radisson Hotel in Richmond. Mr. Ar- thur D. Dodson, ninety, a charter member of the forty-six-year old Lay Organization of the Indiana Confer- ence was honored for his many years of untiring service to the organization. He has been a loyal member of St. John A.M.E. Church, Indianapolis since 1926. In 1942, he organized the Lay Organization at St. John, and sub- Arthur D. Dodson Charter Member of Indiana Conference Lay Organization ty three years. Mr. Dodson helped or- ganize the Indiana Conference Lay Or- ganization and sixteen local church or- ganizations. In 1983, he received the Indiana Conference Layman of the Year award. The eighty-five member Indiana Conference Male Chorus performed a mini-concert to highlight the occasion attended by more than one hundred and fifty members of the fourth Epis- copal District of The African Method- ist Episcopal Church. 21st Century Kick Off Campaig Hen me 4 ‘SMOKE-FREE CLASS OF 2000’—Thirty new first graders came together in the shadow of the nation’s capitol this month to kick off a coast-to-coast campaign to help them—as the first graduating class of the 21st century—avoid the health risks of smoking. Sharing banners, balloons and educational materials with them are National Education Association officials Jim Williams (left) and Keith Geiger. Williams heads NEA’s Health Information Network; Geiger is vice president of the 1.9-million member organization. NEA will work with campaign sponsors, the American Cancer Society, American Heart Association and American Lung Association, in the ongoing education effort. Students participating in the launch came from schools in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. A Program of Special Tribute to Presiding Elders Jackson, MS—Who said the Presiding Elders of the African Methodist Epis- copal Church are not loved and appre- ciated? The Women’s Missionary So- ciety of the ‘‘Exciting, Energetic, Challenging’ Eighth District dispelled that myth at the ‘first-ever-of-its-kind’ “Salute to Presiding Elders—‘Those Who Serve.’ ’’ A service of Honor, Recognition and Tribute to these hard —working servants of God and His Church. A program of special tribute, with each of the seven conference branch presidents giving a poetic attribute to the presiding elders, such as Leader- ship, Service, Sacrifice, Loyalty, Praise, Prayer and Outreach, under- scored our regard and esteem for them. Mrs. Clara Barbour, wife of the host pastor, the Reverend Johnny Bar- bour, Jr., awakened anew our need to be useful in life with her lovely rendi- tion of ‘‘If I Can Help Somebody.”’ She was accompanied on the piano by Mrs. Daisy Boarden, part of the music staff of ‘‘Pearl Street.’’ Reverend Mary E. Moody lifted our hearts with her meaningful rendition of ‘‘I Trust in God.’’ She was accompanied on the organ by the talented Mrs. Florine MacDonald, episcopal W.M.S. organ- ist and wife of the Reverend J. A. MacDonald of Mt. Olive, Slidell. Mrs. MacDonald served as organist for this outstanding service. Participants for the service came from across the district and also in- cluded Ms. Eddie Mae Williams, Con- nectional Assistant Recording Secre- tary, and Mrs. Melanie Thibodeaux, Connectional Chairman of Budget and Financial Estimates and episcopal co- ordinator of the Ministers’ Wives and Widows Alliance. These, our ‘‘VIPs,’’ the presiding elders and their wives, were each given a rose boutonniere and a_long- stemmed red rose. A bevy of hostesses led them into the sacred sanctuary of Pearl Street to the accompaniment of the stately strains of ‘‘I Will Trust in The Lord.’’ The honorees were seated in the choir loft and were on view to all of us during the proceedings. In addition, every elder was spon- sored by his conference branch W.M.S. president and area chairper- son, as well as local W.M.S. president and societies through patron’s lists and other efforts. A great patron’s book, coordinated by our efficient episcopal president, Mrs. Martha Boone, was presented to the elders, as well as special gifts, cards, donations, balloons and expressions of love from the many W.M.S. and Eighth District congregants in attendance. The ‘‘Presiding Elder of the Year,’’ so named by the highest finance total, is the Rev. Dr. Joseph Cyprian, Baton Rouge District, Louisiana Confer- ence. The ‘‘Runner-Up’’ is the Rev. Edward D. Williams, Alexandria-Thi- bodeaux District, Central Louisiana Conference. Both received a generous financial award. The highlight of this exciting tribute was the presentation made by our pre- siding prelate, Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming, when each presiding elder was presented a marvelous pla- que for his leadership and service. The late Rev. R. L. Williams’ plaque was awarded posthumously and received by his widow, Mrs. Gloria Williams, episcopal district historiographer of the Women’s Missionary Society. The response to these many loving deeds was given by Reverend Joshua D. Watkins of the Natchez-Port Gib- son District, Mississippi Conference. He stated in his response that ‘‘never before in my thirty-nine years as pre- siding elder in this district have the presiding elders been set apart for spe- cial recognition. Oh, how happy you have made us!”’ Special greetings and tributes were given by Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Connectional W.M.S. Pres- ident, who was accompanied by her spouse, the Reverend Leonard Wil- liams, pastor of Allen Chapel, India- napolis; Mrs. Edith W. Ming, Episco- pal Supervisor and World President of WFMW, and Bishop Donald G. K. Ming, Presiding Prelate and Chairman of the Commission of Higher Educa- tion of the A.M.E.C. This great event, ‘‘Those Who Serve,’’ concluded with the fervent singing of ‘‘Great Is Thy Faithful- ness’? by the congregation, followed by the Choral Missionary Benediction. The honorees were escorted to the spacious dining hall, where a sumptu- ous reception was enjoyed by all. Mary Williams, Reporter SSS SSS ===== DSC05701.JPG ===== October 3, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder New York—John E. Jacob, President of the National Urban League, right, and John P. Mascotte, Chairman, The Continental Corporation, review a copy of ‘‘Career Paths,’’ a new guide that lists business internships and other educational opportunities available to minority students nationwide. Produced by the League and the Continental Corporation Foundation, the guide provides information on more than 170 organizations that offer in- ternships, work-study programs, scholarships, fellowships, pre-college and similar career preparation programs. It also provides details on grants, stipends and loans. Announced recently at the League’s Annual Conference in Detroit, the guide will be made available without charge to organizations and individuals involved in advising students on career choices. For information, write to Career Paths, c/o Education Department, National Ur- ban League, 500 East 62nd St., New York, NY 10021. National Urban League and the Continental Corporation Foundation Publish Guide to Assist Teens With Careers DETROIT—John E. Jacob, President of the National Urban League and John P. Mascotte, Chairman of The Continental Corporation announced today the publication of ‘‘Career Paths,’’ a new guide to educational and training opportunities for minori- ty students. Featuring reports on organizations that offer internships and work-study programs, the guide lists scholarships, fellowships, grants, stipends and loans as well as college preparatory pro- grams, “Inside these covers, are programs targeted for students, their parents, guidance counselors, and supervisors who help with the search for the ap- propriate educational or training assistance vehicle,’ Jacob said. “Such a vehicle is critical as we enter the 21st century.”’ Mascotte said that ‘‘CAREER PATHS is designed to help by pro- viding a roadmap to programs that prepare minority young people for business and other careers through in- ternships, work-study and related ca- reer development opportunities.’’ He said, ‘‘An early start can provide the competitive edge that minority teenagers can use in a changing work- force in which they will play an in- creasingly important role.”’ Headquartered in New York City, the Continenal Corporation is active in over 100 countries and comprises one of the largest insurance companies in the world. The guide, a joint venture with the League and initiated by the Continen- tal Corporation Foundation, was an- nounced during the League’s 78th An- nual Conference at the COBO Con- ference/Exhibit Center in Detroit, July 31-Aug. 3. CAREER PATHS will be sent, without cost, starting in September, to educators, guidance counselors and others involved in advising students on career opportunities. Education is the major focus of the Conference that is expected to attract more than 16,000 participants. One discussion group, ‘‘Educating Ameri- ca’s Minorities: Public and Private Sector Responsibilities,’’ set the tone for the several workshops and semi- nars on education at the conference. The educational and training guide, “CAREER PATHS,”’ contains more than 170 listings on programs that can benefit minority and other disadvan- taged youths. These programs have a variety of sponsors, including corpora- tions, government agencies, educa- tional institutions, philanthropic and community groups. The listings con- tain programs that are national, re- gional and local in scope. Jacob said, ‘*This directory repre- sents the League’s atternpt to light a candle in a darkened area of consi- derable importance: the future of many disadvantaged American youth.”’ bbhbohteted Prayer Does Not Need Proof IT NEEDS PRACTICE PPEPPEPFFF Reunited Civil Rights Activists of the 1960’s AGREE THE STRUGGLE IS FAR FROM OVER Mrs. Rosa Parks, Participant WILLIAMSTOWN, MA—A group of 1960’s Civil Rights activists, reunited as a group for the first time, agreed this weekend that racism still plagues the country as shown by recent events in Yonkers, N.Y. The six activists shared their views in a panel discussion as part of this weekend’s Convocation activities opening the one hundred ninety-sixth academic year at Williams College. Taking part were Rosa L. Parks, whose refusal in 1955, to surrender her seat to a White passenger on a Mont- gomery, AL, bus, sparked the modern day civil rights movement; the Rev. Ralph D. Abernathy, former president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference; Rep. John Lewis (D- Georgia), former chairman of the Stu- dent Nonviolent Coordinating Com- mittee; Charlayne Hunter-Gault, who in 1961, became the first woman to at- tend the University of Georgia; Burke Marshall, head from 1961-65 of the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. At- torney General’s Office; and Ruth Batson, a Boston Civil Rights activist. The packed crowd of one thousand two hundred stood to cheer Parks as she arrived on stage. Afterward, a large number of students crowded around the panelists to ask further questions. “Everybody keeps talking about how the issue (in Yonkers) is eco- nomic,’’ Hunter-Gault said, ‘‘but there have been many instances of middle class Blacks attempting to move into the predominantly White side of town only to be steered to other communities.”’ The Yonkers City Council has re- sisted a court-mandated housing-de- segregation order. For Hunter-Gault racism also strikes closer to home. “‘On any night that I walk out of my office, and I’m fairly well-known in New York, I still cannot get a cab often to my home on the West side six blocks from Lincoln Center,’’ the na- tional correspondent for The Mac- Neil/Lehrer NewsHour said. Batson said that one needs only look at the poverty in Roxbury, a predominantly Black section of Boston, to realize that the country still has racism to fight. Many panelists said that race relations now in some ways are worse than in the 1960’s. “The thing that worries me the most is that I see a mean-spiritedness today that I didn’t see even with the re- treat from the long history of the struggle against oppression and degra- dation because some of us feel we have it made,”’ she said. Another problem in the 1980’s, ac- cording to Parks, is complacency within part of the Black community. “It is incumbent on us as a people not to retreat from the long history of the struggle against oppression and degradation because some of us feel we have it made,’’Parks said. An even greater difference between then and now, the panelists agreed, is in the amount of support from Wash- ington for the civil rights movement. ‘“‘When we were in the streets in Selma, in Birmingham, at least we knew we could pick up the telephone and call someone at the Department of Justice,’’ Lewis said. ‘But if you were in the streets today, | don’t know who you would call.” He said resolution of these prob- lems requires ‘‘massive, aggressive in- tervention on the part of the govern- ment.”” This was the first time these acti- vists, several of whom worked together closely in the 1960's, had been reunited as a group. All six received honorary Doctor of Law degrees at the main Convocation ceremony. The weekend festivities were the first in a series of events at Williams during this academic year commemorating the 100th anniversary of the graduation of it first Black graduate, Gaius Charles Bolin. VIP’S Visited National Urban League THREE LEAGUE SUPPORTERS— Actor Danny Glover, center, chats with Mollie Moon, left, Founder, Chairman and President of the National Urban League Guild and Horace W. Morris, Executive Vice President, United Way of New York City, during the recent National Urban League Conference in Detroit. Glover was nominated for an “Emmy” recently for his role in the Home Box Office television movie, “‘Mandella,”’ and has been critically acclaimed for other motion picture starring roles in ‘‘Places In The Heart,’ “The Color Purple,”’ ‘*Silverado” and ‘Lethal Weapon.”’ He was also featured in the Broadway play, ‘Master Harold and the Boys.’’ Morris had been President of the New York Urban League prior to joining United Way in 1983. ===== DSC05702.JPG ===== 6 The AME. Christian Recorder ee October 3, 1988 NCC Executive Committee Asks **All Possible United States Church Action’’ on South Africa NEW YORK—The National Council of Churches Executive Committee Friday (Sept. 16) called for ‘‘all possi- ble action’’ by American churches in response to the crisis in South Africa. The Executive Committee directed NCC officials to ‘‘consult with the leaders of American churches, con- vening them if necessary, to take all possible action, in solidarity with the churches and Council of Churches in South Africa.’’ Willis Logan, director of the NCC’s Africa Office, told the Executive Committee that ‘‘the situation in South Africa has never been more ur- gent.’’ Logan pointed to the August 31 bomb blast at Khotso House, where the South African Council of Chur- ches has its headquarters; to threats against top church leadership, includ- ing Archbishop Desmond Tutu, SACC General Secretary Frank Chikane, and Reformed Chureh leader Allan Boesak; to the banning earlier this year of most anti-apartheid groups, and to the continuing state of emer- gency, and said, ‘‘The situation in South Africa is deteriorating by the hour. ‘*People are at risk. The churches in South Africa are being persecuted because of their understanding of the Gospel. They remain among the last organized bodies in that society to op- pose apartheid. It’s the most oppor- tune time for the world’s churches to really take the lead in the fight against apartheid. Over the past fifteen years or so, we have said about everything we can say. The critical situation in South Africa calls us beyond resolu- tions at this point. It calls for action.’’ Logan noted intensive work by the NCC and its churches in favor of U.S. legislation that would impose heavy economic sanctions against South Africa, and NCC and other churches’ endorsement of the Shell boycott, also designed to pressure South Africa to end its apartheid system. Those efforts must continue, Logan said, but he added, ‘‘With all we have done it’s simply not enough.’’ He challenged U.S. churches by quoting an interview in which Frank Chikane said, ‘‘It seems the international com- munity doesn’t respond unless we die in great numbers.”’ St. Paul Church Holds Cornerstone Service Leesburg, FL—A large crowd was on hand to witness the Sunday, 4:00 p.m., Cornerstone Ceremony at St. Paul A.M.E. Church. The choir—the L. P. Richardson Ensemble—and the Strut- ting Ushers, of which George Round- tree is president, are to be highly com- mended for the services they rendered. Following the opening hymn, ‘‘O, Thou in Whose Presence,’’ prayer was offered by the Rev. Robert Jackson. Others participating in the preliminary services were Reverends David Con- nelly, Richard Daniels, and J. D. Howard, as well as David Sims, Hayward, Ferguson and J. F. Fer- nandez. Rev. B. F. Lemon of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Ocala, presented the guest speaker for the special occasion. Rev. G. L. Champion of Jacksonville, left his hearers spellbound. His sub- ject, ‘‘Thank God for the Crisis’’ was taken from the Book of Numbers and he reminded the people of God’s goodness to them, pointing out that the law was not given to the Greeks or Gentiles, Black or White, but to the Israelites. We all, he stated, have problems, but the art of living is to stay on top of the problems. If we did not have crises, we would have nothing to pray for; crises drive us to think... to become unified...and keep us on our knees. The Masons and the M.W.M. were in charge of the cornerstone laying. Documents and subscriptions were placed in the excavation by the pastor of St. Paul, Rev. Sylvester Andrews. Final adjustment of the cornerstone was made by Abraham Conner, a mason by trade as well as affiliation. Inscriptions on the cornerstone reads: St. Paul A.M.E. Church Educational Building TRUSTEE BOARD Clyde A. Dabney (H.M.) Jesse Adams (Vice Chairman) Lonza James Berry Clarence Arnold H. O. Dabney Louise Owens Gertrude Williams Phillip Williams Lawrence Bolden Philip R. Cousin, Bishop L. L. Johnson, P.E. Rey. Sylvester Andrews, Pastor In the name of the Triune God, the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, we lay this stone for a foundation of a house of worship to be consecrated to His service. In so doing, we acknowledge His all ruling providence and pro- claim Jesus Christ as the great corner- stone of His church, and the founda- tion of all our hope of salvation in time, and eternity; and may the God of all grace hear us, sanction our work and at last, accept us through the Son of His Love, our only Lord and Sav- iour. Jessie P. Glymp, Reporter NOTICE Every Clergy And Layperson Should Send A Black And: White Photo Along With A Resume To: A. LEE HENDERSON 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203 SANNA AANA ANA Continued from page 1 Second Generation ‘Black’ Soviet Woman Journalist Chronicled on ABC’s **20/20”’ sites, **20/20"’ segment producer Karen C. Saunders said, ‘‘The story is an ex- traordinary profile of a soviet woman who reveals a part of the Soviet and Afro-American history that is not widely known, Very few people are aware of the number of Black Ameri- cans who opted to journey to the Soviet Union in the 1930’s to flee ra- cial persecution and prejudice in America.’’ Khanga, a featured columnist at the Moscow News, a popular weekly pub- lication geared toward Soviet tourists, participated in a journalism exchange at Boston’s Christian Science Moni- tor. The program was sponsored by the New England Society of News- paper Editors and the Union of Soviet Journalists as part of the Kremlin policy of glasnost. Background In 1925, Khanga’s grandfather left the U.S. to study for two years at the Communist University of Eastern Workers in the Soviet Union. He re- turned to Leningrad in 1931, just four- teen years after the Russian revolu- tion, this time with fourteen other - American Blacks, and a White wife, enroute to Uzbekistan, Soviet Central Asia—a place, they thought—was free from racial discrimination. However, upon arrival some members found a different kind of oppression and per- secution inherent in the Communist system and experienced racial preju- dice born out of nationalism, religious preference and class differences. Some Black emigrants who felt exploited by the Soviet government—for the sake of promoting racial harmony—re- turned to the United States. Khanga’s grandfather, Oliver John Golden, the son of former slaves, was not among the returning American Blacks. He remained in Uzbekistan and worked at the Institute of Irriag- tion and Mechanization as a cotton specialist and was later elected to the post of deputy of Tashkent. During his stay in Uzbekistan, Golden was visited by Americans Langston Hughes and Paul Robeson. In 1937, Golden and Paul Robeson met again at a resort in Kislovdsk. An angered Robeson told Golden of an ongoing purge, and the sudden disappearance of some of his friends. After this revelation, Golden became despon- dent at life in the Soviet Union and had no intention of remaining, but died in 1940, before his return to the States. Bertha Golden remained in the Soviet Union because ‘‘she didn’t want to deal with racism...she was the mother of a Black child.’? Bertha taught English and died in the Soviet Union in 1985. Yelena’s mother, Lily Golden, was born in Tashkent, the Uzbek Capitol, and was a tennis champion before at- tending Moscow State University. She married an African Government min- ister from Tanzania, who was killed in a coup when Yelena was very young. Lily Golden works at the institute of African Studies at the Academy of Sci- ence in Moscow. THE A.M.E.C. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION Can Fill All Your Religious Literature Needs. Ministers’ Wives and Widows Hold Family Outing Fayetteville, NC—The Ministers’ Wives and Widows Alliance of the North Carolina Conference held its Family Picnic on a recent Saturday. Mazurik Park, in the City of Fayette- ville, was the site for the day of fun and fellowship, which began at ten o’clock in the morning, Mrs. Leigh Hendrix was on hand in the parking lot to greet all arrivals and to direct them to their reserved tables. Each family, upon arrival, added their specially prepared dishes and con- diments to the picnic tables. By the time all had arrived, the tables were filled to overflowing with some of the most delectable dishes to be found anywhere. The president, Mrs. Bernice Mason, called for the blessing, which was given by the Rev. Walter Howard, pastor of Galatia A.M.E. Church, Nashville, NC. Presiding Elder H. L. Ingram of the Central District had opening com- ments. What followed was feasting and fel- lowship and everyone shared in the fun! The children played and, as usual, had a good time. While some of the ministers were busy playing horse- shoes, others were busy discussing the recent planning meeting called by the newly-appointed bishop, H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Prelate of the Second Episcopal District. The Wives and Widows kept themselves enter- tained chatting and exchanging ex- periences. In spite of the ninety degree weather, there was fun to be had by all. A new member was introduced to the Alliance. Mrs. Lavonia Brown, whose husband, Rev. Casimir Brown, was recently appointed pastor of St. Mark A.M.E. Church, Rocky Mount, NC, comes from the Western North Carolina Conference. She was received with open arms by the members of the Alliance. Rev. W. T. Holland, Presiding Elder of the Southeastern District, thanked the members of the Alliance for their prayers, cards and gifts dur- ing his recent illness. In all, it was a most enjoyable day and a delightful diversion! Behold How Good And Pleasant It Is To Dwell Together In Unity! Marion Denese Howard, Reporter STRONG’S EXHAUSTIVE CONCORDANCE OF THE BIBLE With Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries Beautiful Hardbound Black with Gold Trim $18.00 Please add 13% for postage and handling, -_ oe ow ow awe ae as ae ===== DSC05703.JPG ===== October 3, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page | Fifteen University Presidents Worship and Discuss Issues at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Dr. Samuel D. Proctor, (second from right) Martin Luther King, Jr., Professor Emeritus, Rutgers University, and pastor of Abyssinian Baptist Church of Harlem, was guest preacher and chief consultant for a symposium on the status of Blacks in higher education at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, Washington, DC, recently. Also taking part were Dr. James Donaldson, Professor and Chairman of the Department of Mathematics, Howard University, left; Dr. William P. DeVeaux, pastor of Metropolitan; Dr. Proctor; and Dr. O. Jackson Cole, Professor and Dean of the School of Human Ecology, Howard Univer- sity, and a member of Metropolitan’s Senior Board of Stewards. you?”’? He spoke from the subject, “Recognizing the Real Thing.’’ A number of Metropolitan’s own educational experts and educators were hosts for the luncheon sympo- sium, which had the presidents and former presidents as honored guests and Dr. Proctor as senior consultant. Chairing this session was Ambassador Horace G. Dawson, Jr., a Senior Ste- ward, and overall chairperson for the Emphasis on Education Program. Various point of views were aired during discussion, ranging from the need to provide greater support for the historically Black institutions to the possibility of strengthening some of them through consolidation. And as Columnist Raspberry indicated in his column, considerable attention was given to the various factors involved in the choices Black students make in de- ciding to attend predominantly Black or White colleges. Mrs. Lula C. Dawson was organizer and official hostess for the luncheon, ably assisted by Mr. Herbert Smith, representing Club 100. The A.M.E. Church Treasurer, Dr. Joseph McKinney, contributed sig- nificantly to the discussion, which was launched by Dr. Elias Blake, Jr., former president of Clark College. Some of the other presidents and for- mer presidents participating were Dr. Alvis Adair, Allen; Dr. J. Max Bond, University of Liberia; Dr. Herman R. Branson, Lincoln University (PA); Dr. William Butts, Kentucky State; Dr. Joseph C.McKinney Dr. Rutherford Atkins, Knoxville; Dr. James E. Lyons, Bowie State; Dr. Samuel P. Massie, North Carolina Central; Dr. Robert Owens, Knox- ville; Dr. George B. Thomas, Voor- heesp; Dr. Reginald Wilson, Wayne County Community College; and Mrs. Amy Billingsley, representing Dr. An- drew Billingsley, Morgan State Uni- versity. Dr. Nira Long, President of the Board, University of the District of Columbia and Ms. Caren Peterson of Los Angeles; Dr. Mahlon R. Griffith of the Benjamin F. Mays Education Resource Center; Mrs. Julia Jones Hyson, long-time educator in Wash- ington; and the Honorable George L. P. Weaver were among special guests. Members of Metropolitan’s Senior Board of Stewards and the Board of Trustees were represented respectively by their vice chairpersons and various other members of both boards. ee ee Continued from page 1 Coalition of Black Bishops and Businessmen Opposes Bill on South Africa Sanctions president of B&C Associates, Inc., High Point, North Carolina; COSA Secretary Gideon Clement, director of operations, World Con- ference of Mayors, Washington, DC; Barry Baszlle, president, Baszlle Metal Services, Palos Altos Estate, California; Bishop Cecil Bishop, Presiding Bis- hop, A.M.E. Zion Church, Temple Hills, Maryland; Bishop John Bryant, Pastor, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Baltimore, Mary- land; Henry E. Isaccs, executive direc- tor, African Research & Communi- cations, Inc., Washington, DC; Joseph Jeffries-El, FES Sports Academy, Brooklyn; Frank C. Kent, publisher, Black Family Magazine, Reston, Virginia; Whitman Mayo, president, Mayo Travel, Inglewood, California; Bishop Donald G. Ming, Presiding Bishop, 8th Episcopal District, A.M.E. Church, New Orleans; Dr. Ronald A. Sacher, Georgetown University Hospital, Washington, DC; The Reverend Albert Sampson, president, Council of Black Churches, Chicago; Bishop Harold B. Senatle, Presiding Bishop, 18th Episcopal District, A.M.E. Church, Lesotho, South Afri- ca; Dr. Jewett L. Walker, Home Mis- sion and Brotherhood, Pension and Relief, Charlotte, North Carolina; William T. Wallace, president, En- vironment Seven, Chicago; Judge Ruth V. Washington, White Plains, New York. Continued from page | Episcopalians Elect First Woman Bishop lineage of bishops is traced back to the time of the apostles through laying on of hands in the worldwide Anglican Communion—which includes the U.S, Episcopal Church—the Roman Cath- olic Church and Eastern Orthodoxy. The Episcopal church first approved the ordination of female priests in 1976. Women were increasingly being nominated for bishop in the episcopal church, but until Harris, none had been elected. Earlier, in a statement distributed to delegates, Harris said that if elected, she would contribute “‘my peculiar gifts as a Black woman and as a woman priest. Moreover, I would bring a sensitivity to the needs of different kinds of people including minorities, women, the incarcerated, the poor and other marginalized groups.”’ This summer at the U.S. Episcopal Church’s General Convention in De- troit, a resolution was passed to aid the transition of women into the posi- tion of bishop. At a once-a-decade worldwide conference in England later in the summer, a resolution was pass- ed that asks each province in the Anglican Communion to respect the views of other provinces on issues, in- cluding consecrating women as bis- hops. Harris became a priest in 1980 in Norristown, PA, and served as chap- lain of the Philadelphia County Pri- sons. From 1968 to 1980, she was an executive in various positions for Sun Oil Co. Since 1984, Harris has been executive director of the Episcopal Church Publishing Co. “The whole question of women participating in the ordained ministry is finally settled,’ said Byron Rushing, a state representative and a voting delegate in the church. Rushing said that when the final vote was an- nounced, the delegates burst into ap- plause. About five delegates left the cathedral and when the call came to elect Harris by acclamation, there was a scattering of ‘‘no’’ votes, Rushing said. Several of the roughly five hundred delegates insisted yesterday they were voting strictly on each candidate’s merits. But it was clear both in the nominating speeches and in the com- ments of several of those assembled at St. Paul’s Cathedral in downtown Boston that many participants were al- so thinking of history. Local Church Happy for its Achievements Amite, LA—I am happy to report the progress our church, Greater Grant Chapel A.M.E., has achieved. With the help of God, we were able to put new roofing on the entire church and pay cash for the repairs. We have also had the pews covered with a fine, soft padding, and this, too, has been paid for. For forty years, I have been super- intendent of the Sunday School, and I am proud to report that, in the last twenty days, we have received eighteen new members. Our pastor, Rev. C. P. Coleman, is doing a splendid job. When our presiding elder, Rev. T. C. Johnson, held his final quarter for the conference year, our reports re- flected the wonderful job—spiritually and financially—the church has done. We are on the move and we thank God for all the goodness He has shown and given to us. Bernard Lawson, Church Reporter Continued from page 3 The Church is Moving On honour and trust. We cannot reach these great stations by climbing over the dead bodies of our murdered brethren and seeking emoluments and gain by unholy alliances. If you con- tinue in this way, your progress will be slow, if any; friendly hands will be withdrawn and Christian fellowship denied you. It is now said publicly and privately that you cannot be trusted, We don’t believe all this is true.’’ Eighty-seven years later, the 19th District, a district in South Africa, trusted Bishop Senatle with more than $500,000, and he has built a four-story administration building of which all Black Methodist throughout the world can be proud. I am sure that Rev. I. N. Fitzpatrick in heaven has been re- assured and that St. Richard Allen, with a pat on his back, assures him that his sons and daughters did not make a mistake in elevating Rev. H. B. Senatle to the bishopric of this great church. We want to thank the General Con- ference of 1988 for sending Bishop H. B. Senatle to the 19th District to come and continue doing good work, to pro- mote love and peace, to lead God’s lambs to greener pastures. Humbly submitted by Rev. S. M. Koloi, B.Th.,M.Div. Continued from page 1 Civil Rights Leaders Vows Movement Still and administrators in attendance. This was the first time these acti- vists, some of whom worked together closely during the 1960’s, had been re- united as a group. Lewis said that peo- ple often ask him if the Civil Rights movement is dead and that his answer was no. “The nature and the character of the movement has changed, but these changes are merely part of a natural process and do not spell doom for our hopes,’’ he said. ‘‘It has been a long road,’’ he added, ‘‘littered by the bat- tered and broken bodies of the name- less martyrs who paid the ultimate price for a precious right.’’ Lewis himself was jailed forty times and severely beaten during the 1960’s for leading peaceful marches and demonstrations throughout the South. He restated, however, his belief that the movement must progress through nonviolence. “If we are to merge from our strug- gle unscared by hate and bitterness, we must learn to understand and forgive those who have been the most hostile and violent toward us,’’ he said. The techniques of the movement, he said, are what has changed and need to continue changing. ‘‘We must find a way to inject the ethics, morality, dis- cipline, and commitment of the Civil Rights movement into the political arena,”’ he said. ‘‘We must find and support a new breed of candidate for public office—men and women of vi- sion, politicians, with the moral capacity of a Martin Luther King, Jr. i And he expressed optimism. “There are going to be some set- backs,’”’ he said, ‘‘but we are going to move toward the Beloved Communi- ty; we are going to make it as a people and as a nation.”’ This Convocation on Civil Rights was the first in a series of events at Williams during this academic year commemorating the 100th anniversary of the graduation of the college’s first Black graduate, Gaius Charles Bolin. EE ===== DSC05704.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder EXCERPTED FROM EDITOR REID’S BICENTENNIAL BOOK Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr. Chapter Caption RELATED DEVELOPMENTS “Origin of Free Masonry”’ The author of Irony of Afro-Ameri- can History now calls for an attentive ear of Masters, Mark Masters, pre- sent, past and future Masters, all most -excellent Masters and brethren of the Noble Order, along with all others who will hear and listen to receive more light, instruction and informa- tion to read with new pride this his- tory. Who is it that is not aware that one of the privileges of the democratic process is the right to dissent, to disa- gree and the right to render a minority opinion? Who is it today that is un- aware of the civil commotion, rioting, holding of hostages, Ku Klux Klan gangland-type shootings, protestings, dissenting and confusion, with general unrest in the whole wide world? Who is it, now reading this book, that will not become more sensitive and more aware of the meaning of the term and the word ‘‘freedom’’? Who more than American Blacks can truly cherish the word ‘‘freedom’’? Blacks have been victimized by social evils, colonialism, imperialism, tyranny, bondage, servi- tude and slavery. When I think about liberty, I think about freedom: Na- tional, Institutional and Individual Free- dom. These freedoms are obtained by many means: by birth, by purchase, emancipation, war and decree of courts. Prince Hall was free born and was never a slave. He owned property in Boston, Massachusetts. He was, also, a Methodist preacher and the founder of Free Masonry in 1787, in America, for Black men, by special charter from London, England. Richard Allen was born a slave, paid $2,000.00 for his freedom, was con- verted and called to preach. In 1787, he, along with Absalom Jones and others, organized the Free African So- ciety, which led to Allen’s organizing the independent African Methodist Episcopal Church in America. The good works of Richard Allen and Prince Hall, begun nearly two hundred years ago, yet live. Blacks, particular- ly, cannot think or talk about patrio- tism, Americanism, religion or frater- nalism in America without stumbling over PRINCE HALL and RICHARD ALLEN, both of whom were Method- ist preachers and Free and Accepted Masons. Fourth Quarterly Conference Convened at Allen Chapel, Baton Rouge The Fourth Quarterly Conference at Allen Chapel, Baton Rouge, Louisi- ana, convened Wednesday, September 7, 1988, at 6:00 p.m., with the Rev. Joseph Cyprand presiding. He com- mented on God’s watchful care over us, and continued by saying that no earthly person could have done the things that God has done for us. He also emphasized our responsibility to give God honor and praise for His great blessings. Rev. Cyprand continued the session by calling for reports from auxiliaries, and inquiries were made concerning various procedures and activities. Our church has sponsored several projects and programs this quarter, that have been a tremendous success. Among them was the church carnival. It scattered a joyous feeling over all who attended. The colorful balloons, games, rides, tasty foods, refreshing drinks, and the mixing and mingling of friendly voices, all contributed to the jubilant occasion. The sixty-first anniversary of the church aroused our appreciation for God’s guidance and provision in the past. As the poet so beautifully ex- claims: Through many dangers toils and snares, We have already come; ’Twas grace that brought us safe this far, And grace will lead us on. Our attention was called to the founding fathers of the church, who struggled amid trying circumstances to pave the way for us to have the spa- cious edifice and other comforts that we enjoy today. We exclaim with pride! ‘‘Praise God from Whom all blessings flow.’’ : The speaker for the occasion was Rev. Nelson Taylor, pastor of St. John A.M.E. Church, Biloxi, Missis- sippi. He lifted us all to a state of spiritual exultation as he expounded from the word of God on the anniver- sary theme, ‘‘God Has Done Great Things For Us.”’ The Boy Scouts Program is bringing hope and inspiration to many boys, some of whom might have drifted into delinquency. Through this program they are taught responsibility, rever- ence for God, respect for parents, the elderly and other people in authority. These are essential qualities of finer manhood. We commend the Scout Masters and all others who are associ- ated with the supervision of the troup. Our church program this quarter has been filled with enthusiasm and most of our efforts were crowned with success. We are grateful for the dedicated leadership of our pastor, Rev. Banks, and we feel that by trust- ing in God our Christian attainment will be greater in the future. Eliza I. Barnes, Reporter Rev. Larry M. Banks, Pastor Clarence Pendleton Dies New York, NY—The Anti-Defamation League ‘‘noted with sorrow the un- timely passing’? of Clarence Pendle- ton, chairman of the United States Ci- vil Rights Commission, and issued the following statement: “A man of strong convictions, Clarence Pendleton was a forceful figure on the civil rights stage who had a commitment to the goal of equality of opportnity for all Americans. His presence will be missed.” October 3, 1988 CAPE TOWN’S ST. MATTHEW A.M.E. CHURCH CONTINUES TO GROW Cape Town, SA—St, Matthew A.M.E. Church, Cape Town, has a history of buildings, people and progress. It all started in the year 1920. . . For a few years, services were held at the homes of members. Later, a member of the church donated a plot of ground on which they erected a wood and iron shack which was called ‘‘Die Blik Kerk’’ (The Tin church). Afterwards, they started to build a better house of the Lord at its present location, On its completion, in the year 1932, a dedi- cation service was held and a stone- laying ceremony took place. Forty- five years later, in 1977, a new church was built right next to the ‘‘old’’ church, and, with only seventy-three rand (+ $38) in hand, the congregants, with the miraculous hand of God, managed to complete it within a year. At present, we are privileged to have Reverend Lionel R. Louw as our pas- tor and continual guiding hand. It is rather interesting to note that just about twenty years ago, his father was pastor of this congregation, and even more so since it is in this church that Rev. Lionel Louw received his first Local Preacher’s License. Presently, the membership stands at unnecessary stress. defeat!” God’s salvation. CITY/STATE/ZIP Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP The Book everyone is looking for! The Book everyone reads over and over again! This book is a thought provoking plan that will help rid your life of “A wealth of entertaining stories plus visualization techniques for Self-renewal! Everyone must read it! Old Age Is Contagious BUT You Don’t Have to Catch It! “A thoughtful entry in the field of self-realization and self- actualization; inspired by A. Lee Henderson’s synthesis of personal experiences, secular research, and spiritual resources. He joins Peale, Benson, Cousin, Siegel, and many 12-step programs in charting a route toward overcoming stress, hopelessness, and Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP satisfies the heart yearning for an antidote to anxiety. A. Lee Henderson has combined spiritual, biblical and psycho-social insight with a rare gift for direct soul communication. PSP is designed to fill the hole in your soul with substance of spirit. At last preachers and psychologists join hands to snatch the faint- ing psyche back from the edge of abyss of pain and worry, and to restore it to the joy of Cecil L. Murray, Ph.D., Th.D. Senior Pastor First African Methodist Episcopal Church Los Angeles, California Best Seller... a: ascae Only $6. 95 PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP Send Check or Money Order Payable to: A. Lee Henderson PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER!= PSP 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 NAME ————_—___— ee ———— ee ADDRESS ————__$_$ ———— — — — — — — — — — —————— eight hundred and eighteen and con- stantly more people are joining the congregation. There has also been a steady increase in the number of ac- tivities which take place at the church, As a result, the need for more space in which to carry out activities has become desperate, which eventually led to our building project. It was of- ficially started by the Rev. H. G, Carelse, who served this congregation before the Rev. L. R, Louw, The church has been extended at its side, providing more space for Y.P.D. (Young People’s Division) activities, recreational activities and lots more activities, especially those directed at the community. Besides this, the par- sonage has also been extensively reno- vated. It is now double-storeyed, has four bedrooms, kitchen and dining room, family room, lounge, maid’s quarters, as well as two offices—one for the pastor and the other for the church secretary. The project has not been fully com- pleted as yet, as all the finishing touches have still to be done; but we trust in the Lord that He will do the same for the church as he did in 1977. And so the project continues . . . only *G** Eve Blake Screenplay writer and author (Lee Publishing) Kenneth Robinson, M.D. Vanderbilt University of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee a SSSSSSS—morn—_o_o—mov
• July 11, 1988
  ===== DSC05558.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 21 July 11, 1988 William Paul Quinn, 1788-1873, Focus of Bicentennial Symposium ky Bishop William Paul Quinn Bishop S. S. Morris St. Louis, MO—The Bicentennial Year activities, May 13-15, 1988, focused on Bishop William Paul Quinn, the great expansionist, who extended the African Methodist Episcopal Church westward and beyond the Mississippi River. Appropriate activities were held on both sides of the Mississippi River, which now represent areas of the 4th and Sth Episcopal Districts, presided over by Bishop S. S. Morris, Jr., and Bishop H. W. Murph. The Bicentennial Chairman, Bishop V. R. Anderson, with his committee, planned well for this last of the Four Horsemen who were recognized for their outstanding contributions to the development of African Methodism. ; Historical bicentennial markers were dedicated on both sides of the river. In Lovejoy, Illinois, the dedication services were held at Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, where the Reverend Leroy Henry is pastor. The Missouri-side dedication celebration was held on the promenade at the Jefferson National Memorial Gateway Arch. The symposium lectures were given at the St. Paul A.M.E. Church in St. Louis, Missouri, where the Rev. C. Garnett Bishop V. R. Anderson Henning is pastor. The lectures were given by Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr., Dr. Henderson S. Davis and Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson. They spoke on the life and work of William Paul Quinn. On the closing day, the services were held at St. Luke A.M.E. Church, East St. Louis, Illinois, where the Reverend Emmanuel Leake is pastor, and at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, where Bishop Vinton R. Anderson delivered the closing sermon of the celebration. The St. James A.M.E. Church, where the Reverend C. W. Howard is pastor, hosted the fellowship luncheon. Tri- Union A.M.E. Church, on the first day, provided special activities and fish dinners. General Officer Hercules Miles is the pastor of the Tri-Union congregation. The governor of Illinois issued a special proclamation for the celebration: “I, James R. Thompson, Governor of the State of Illinois, salute the Bicentennial Celebration of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and ask that all citizens of this state recognize this special event coordinated by Bishop Vinton Anderson and hosted by Bishops Please turn to page 7 ECORDE THE OFFICIAL ORGAN A ™ PRICE: 50 CENTS Methodist Episcopal Church The Seventh Episcopal District Requests the Return of Bishop and Mrs. F. Resolution TO THE ENTIRE FAMILY OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH: WHEREAS, the Super Seventh Epis- copal District gives thanks to the 42nd General Conference for sending us Bishop and Mrs. Frederick Calhoun James, and, WHEREAS, Bishop James’ emphasis on Evangelism and Membership has led to the return of many congrega- tions, the renewal of all congregations, the founding of new congregations, and an unprecedented growth in mem- bership, and, WHEREAS, the Self-Help Rallies ini- tiated by Bishop James enabled Allen University to clear old debts, renovate and build new buildings, purchase new property, hire new faculty, and come from the brink of extinction to the doorstep of accreditation, and, WHEREAS, a revamped Leadership Congress and Debutante Showcase ini- tiated by Bishop and Mrs. James built new pride and respect in our young people, and, WHEREAS, the Youth For Christ Turn-Ons initiated by Bishop James have caused over one thousand young people to come to Jesus, and, WHEREAS, Bishop James has led in the reestablishment of Dickerson The- ological Seminary through a series of regional extension schools, and, WHEREAS, the kind, fatherly con- cern of our Prelate has brought a new spirit of love and unity to South Carolina, and, WHEREAS, the African Methodist Episcopal Church has reclaimed its leadership role among the churches of South Carolina, and, WHEREAS, these and other innumer- able signs of progress directly relate to the leadership, dedication, and deter- mination of an Episcopal team that we cannot afford to lose, BE IT NOW HEREBY RESOLVED, that the elected Delegates to the 43rd A.M.E. Minister’s Daughter Heads Nashville, TN—Those who believe that a sign of God’s presence in our lives is that “we are led where we did not plan to go” will find the story of Laura Little Okumu’s career a good illustration of this concept. In fact, Ms. Okumu’s life is filled with many surprises, several firsts, and an abundance of mind-expanding experiences that have culminated in what may be her biggest professional challenge yet. Laura Little Okumu is the daughter of a prominent AME minister, the Rev. John F. Little, pastor of New North Street AME Church, Springfield, Ohio, and Mabel Little. Today, Ms. Okumu sits in the editor’s chair of the most widely read and used publication in the United Methodist Church. Named in January, 1988, as the editor of The Interpreter, the denomination’s program journal, Ms. Okumu finds herself energized by the challenge of providing practical assistance for local church leaders of the 9.1 million-member denomination. But, if you’d asked her five years ago where she expected to be in 1988, it’s unlikely she would have accurately predicted her present situation. In 1983 Ms. Okumu return to the United States after living and working in several African countries for more than 20 years. She settled in the Dayton, Ohio, area and began a new career with United Methodist Communications, the denomination’s communications arm and publisher of The /nterpreter. The first surprise in Ms. Okumu’s career came in 1955, following her graduation from Duquesne University (Pittsburgh), where she majored in biology. Although she fully intended to pursue graduate study in microbiology, those plans were sidetracked by an irresistible offer from her parents for a trip to Africa. In 1952, her father, then a pastor in the CC» James Bishop F. C. James General Conference, as well as those in attendance at the Mid-Year Convo- cations of the Seventh Episcopal District, rejoice in and express thanks for the progress made in this quadren- nium, under the leadership for Bishop Frederick Calhoun James and Mrs. Theressa Gregg James. BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the aforementioned persons, on behalf of every A.M.E. in South Carolina, do emphatically and without equivoca- tion ask the 43rd General Conference to reassign Bishop Frederick Calhoun James to the Seventh Episcopal Dis- trict. Let the Connectional Church take note that the preceding Resolution was passed unanimously by the Palmetto and South Carolina Annual Confe- rences’ Mid-Year Convocation on April 28, 1988; by the Northeast and Central South Carolina Annual Con- ferences’ Mid-Year Convocation on May 5, 1988; and by the Columbia and Piedmont South Carolina Annual Conferences’ Mid-Year Convocation on May 12, 1988. Those in attendance at these Convo- cations represent the leadership of African Methodism in one of the A.M.E. Church’s largest Two Episco- pal Districts, both in membership and in contribution to the Connectional Budget. The sentiment expressed in the preceding Resolution is the united sentiment of South Carolina as we move towards Fort Worth, Texas. Rev. Joseph A. Darby Director of Public Relations Seventh Episcopal District United Methodist’s Publication Pittsburgh area, was asked to take a special mission assignment in Monrovia, Liberia, where he served until 1963. At that time, the church’s school — Monrovia College — was in need of someone to oversee the construction ofa new building and the re-establishment of the school after a fire had destroyed the college. Finding her parents’ offer too good to refuse, Ms. Okumu headed for Liberia and ended up teaching for five years at Monrovia College — something she hadn’t planned to do at all. And, because “working with words” was a hobby for Please turn to page 7 ————————————————__.____ 10-88 i's] #* A71i3 NORRIS INGER ST. RICHARD F. DR. a] 1135 BARE 19139 PA. PHILADELPHIA, ===== DSC05559.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder July 11, 1988 Has This World Improved Beyond That Of Pre-Noah Days? The first people whom God created were laymen. Neither Adam nor Eve was a preacher. There were no preachers on the earth for more than a thousand years; in fact, the earth was in existence for a thousand fifty-six (1,056) years before the first preacher came on the scene. From the creation of Adam to the birth of Noah, who became the first preacher, one thou- sand fifty-six (1,056) paternal years and seven thousand six hundred twenty-five (7,625) generational years passed. Noah was 600 years old when the flood came, and had_ preached repentence for 120 years before the na- ROBERT H. REID, JR. tional disaster. One thousand five hun- dred thirty-six (1,536) years passed before Noah began preaching. Eight thou- sand one hundred and five (8,105) years had passed when the flood came. Noah had been instructed by God to take on board the ark seven each of the male and female of every clean beast. Of the unclean beast he was to take on- ly one pair each of the male and the female. This first preacher, Noah, was the oldest son of Lamech. He was a just man who walked with God. Because the people on earth were so corrupt, God told Noah to preach righteousness and repentance. God instructed Noah to build an ark and to populate it with animals, fowls and every living thing that crept or crawled upon the earth. Noah spent one-year-and-ten days in the ark, which was three stories high, 450 feet long, 75 feet wide and 45 feet tall. It rained 40 days and nights, and the table or not, as the work of the devil, and vigorously attacks it. “Charity is timid and always passing the collection-box; justice is unafraid and asks no alms, no patrons, no benevolent support. Conventional charity piously accepts things as they are, and helps the unfortunate; justice goes to the legislature and changes things.’’ The comparative question remains: Could the world then have been any worse than what we know it to be in this period of its existence? The contem- porary question is, since God has decreed that he will no more destroy the world, what is the method for correcting or adjusting a world gone mad? Is the answer couched in the promise of God to Noah when he came forth from the ark and proceeded to worship? Genesis, Chapter 8: ‘‘And Noah builded an altar unto the Lord;. . .and the Lord said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more everything liv- ing, as I have done. While the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.’’ During my research, I ran across an interesting bit of wisdom. This comes from Mr. Charles Hendrickson Brower after 43 years in business. He says: Honesty is not only the best policy, it is rare enough today to make you pleasantly conspicuous. (2) The expedient thing and the right thing are seldom the same thing. (3) You cannot sink someone else’s end of the boat and still keep your own afloat. (4) If you get a kick out of your job, others will get a kick out of working for you. (5) Chicken Little acted before her research was complete. (6) A man of stature has no need of status. (7) Many people know how to make a good living. Few know what to do with it when they have it made. There have been priests, prophets, preachers and teachers since the days of Noah. Does this fact provide us with a hope that the world will not again be destroyed by an act of God? One thing remains sure: the message must be a call for righteousness and repentance. earth was flooded and covered with water for 11 months. When David, in the 8th Psalm, described man as being a little lower than an angel and crowned with glory and honor, he was talking about him before his fall — before there was a preacher. In the 144th Psalm, David again describes man, but as being like a breath and his days as a shadow that passeth away. This is how he saw man after his fall and separation from God’s will. The Scripture teaches that mankind fell. In the Genesis story man blamed woman and woman blamed the serpent. There are those who yet contend that the woman brought the fall upon the human race; however, when, theologically, we look more closely, we discover the problem which precipitated the fall is a human problem and not one of gender. That fall caused not only a separation between God and mankind, but, also, between man and woman. When Adam and Eve discovered their com- monality, they realized that they were capable of exploiting each other as well as loving each other. Human beings, however, exploit more than they love. This failing, indeed, is responsible for the human tragedies, bloodbaths and sufferings of the people of the world, brought about through chicanery and connivance, as well as through the manipulation of the world’s resources. It yet appears that the attitudes of the past continue to operate constantly to enslave the present. Someone wisely said, ‘‘Whoever does something that makes the souls of men and women sing within them does more to make this earth habitable and this life tolerable than all the army of them that widen our comforts and increase our luxuries.’’ One anonymous writer said, ‘‘Charity is man’s kindness, justice is God’s. Charity sends surgeons and ambulances and trained nurses to the war; justice struggles to secure that internationalism that will prevent war. . .Charity scrapes the soil’s surface; justice subsoils. Charity is affected by symptoms; justice by causes. Charity assumes evil institutions and customs to be a part of ‘Divine Providence,’ and tearfully works away at taking care of the wreckage; justice regards injustice everywhere, custom-buttressed and respec- Letter To The Editor Southern University At New Orleans 6400 Press Drive New Orleans, LA 70126 (504) 282-4401, Ext. 301 June 6, 1988 Dr. Robert H. Reid THE A.M.E. RECORDER 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 Dear Dr. Reid: Do you remember the article which appeared in the RECORDER on January 12, 1987 and titled “Special Funded Project to Study Single Parents”? Well, that study has been completed, and | will be presenting the results at the Louisiana Sex Equity Conference in Baton Rouge on June 7-8. Enclosed is a brochure which summarizes the results of the study. I hope that you will be able to publish the information which appears in the brochure in the RECORDER soon so that the people who read about it last year can have the follow-up. I received many telephone calls concerning my articles on “The Machete Culture.” Some were as far away as California. I sure wish the caller from California would get in touch with me again to let me know if they still want me to prepare a workshop for them. I have made several presentations here in New Orleans which covered the same areas, so please let the readers know that if anyone else would like me to prepare a seminar, lecture, or workshop centering around contemporary issues impacting African-American culture, they can get in touch with me at the above address. Although I am currently involved in research on computer uses in Louisiana post-secondary schools, my schedule is rather flexible. If you would like me to write an article about the study on computer uses, then please let me know Thank you for the opportunity to publish in your paper. It has brought much attention to my work and to Southern University at New Orleans. I am enclosing a check for $15 for a subscription renewal. Again, thank you and let me hear from you soon. SNA NANA NANA NA NANA NAN AANA The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver tising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Very sincerely yours, Lillian W. Clarke, Ed.D < 3S Yepartment Head Dr. J. W. Yancy, tl, The Roving Editor; Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr, H. L. Felix Professor and Departmer Special Editor; Dr. Jimmie James, Jr Music Editor; Rev. Miss Nurjann Govan, Women Ministries Editor; Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor, Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor, Mrs Thelma A. Wills, Contributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams General Features Editor, Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones Consulting Editor, Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional! Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor, Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor, Or. J W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent, Or. W. 0 Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr, Kenneth S Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt . . Dr. Jamye C. Williams Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. O ' . . Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor, Or, William P, DeVeaux Editor, TF 1.M.E. Review Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson Contributing Editor; Rev, Cecil Murray, Contribut Ing Editor Is Doing A Fine Job The A.M.E. Christlan Recorder welcomes letters fron) \18 readers On matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa * Re-Elect Her ke sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given No defamatory libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves (he right to re style and space requirements. Dr. Jamye C. Williams ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste SNANANANANANANANANANA NANA NANA NANA ATTA —— S68... ===== DSC05561.JPG ===== July 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Revive Us Again with Richard Allen’s Self-Help Concept Bishops, General Officers, Delegates and A.M.E. members, Greetings! It is important that we re-examine the concepts of Richard Allen—such as ‘‘self-help,’’ which proved to be the bridge over troubled waters for us in some very troublesome times. From that idea there were established reli- gious, economical and educational foundations through which African Methodists have grown to become a great people in this twentieth century. Let us revive that idea of ‘‘self- help,’’ and build an economical foun- dation and finance our own Building Fund Programs. From this fund, local congregations could borrow money to rebuild, repair or build new structures. Each loan would be repaid within five years, with 5 per cent interest to cover operational expenses. The money would never be used up, and the funds would continuously increase. From this base, the next step would be to establish an African Methodist Group Fire Insurance. With approxi- mately 2,000 A.M.E. churches paying into a group fire insurance fund, it could grow into millions of dollars ina few years. The replacement cost will not be that great for our churches. From the above financial base, we could build retirement centers in each episcopal district for bishops, minis- ters’ wives and ministers’ widows with- out a home during the time of their re- tirement. We could also help local churches build pre-schools and day care centers, where the environment would be safe and secure, with a Chris- tian atmosphere. We could also build educational centers in each episcopal district to train A.M.E. ministers, yoy te] ed oe ae By Rey. Phillip B. Griffin Dr. A. Lee Henderson In the few years of my ministry I have heard people say that there was a need for improvements within the ranks of this Church. Now as things are today we are on the right track to do so. After Dr. Henry A. Belin built such a fine edifice for the operation of our Publication Department and was elevated to the office of The Episcopacy, the church saw fit to replace him with Dr. A. Lee Henderson. This was indeed a wise choice, for the expertise of Dr. Henderson is well needed to continue the progress of this division of Africian Methodism. Dr. Henderson has modernised the publishing house and it now offers first rate service to all its patrons. It is imperative that this type of action continue. Dr. R. H. Reid, Sr. in speaking of appointment changes once said “It’s not smart to change Horses in the middle of the stream.” I strongly agree! Then another forward step was made after the death of the great pulpiteer Dr. G. H. Thibodeaux. The church chose Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce to take his place as the Director of Worship and Evangelism. Dr. Bruce has served in the teaching the A.M.E, doctrines. Addi- tionally, we could train Christian edu- cators, superintendents, teachers, mis- sionaries, stewards, stewardesses, trus- tees, etc. We need uniform knowledge to build this generation of A.M.E, Christians. Pray that this General Conference will approve this new legislation; 1. There will be an African Meth- odist Episcopal Church Building Fund. 2. Each local congregation will re- port $1.00 per member at the Mid- Year and at the Annual Conference for the next four years. 3. The General Board (or a Special Committee) approves all applications and directs the treasurer to pay the same: to any local A.M.E. Church that needs to repair, build, etc., with a maximum interest rate of five per cent, repaying the loan in five years. Using this procedure, I believe by -he turn of the century, African Meth- odists would have built a financial base of more than $50,000,000, and all we are doing is reviving the old idea of Richard Allen. All great revivals have praying people who see the need. Therefore I ask you to pray with me this General Conference will approve the bill. And Delegate to 43rd General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Fort Worth, Texas July 6-14, 1988 Your Brother in Christ, Reverend Earl Anderson, Pastor Saint James A.M.E. Church 1916 East San Antonio Street San Jose, CA 95116 appointed position very well and even at holiday intervals he was on the job. He has made his presence known in every Episcopal District, and has interjected new methods of Evangelism. There is more than can be offered by him, but he must be given the opportunity to do so. The church has found gems in these two servants along with several others within their ranks. We cannot turn back now, We've only just begun. ONY OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH WITH BY HISTORICAL C. M. TANNER, PREFACE Babe AND NOTES 1917 Second Printing A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 1985 PLEASE ADD 13% POSTAGE and HANDLING Order Now! $6.50 Reverend Felix Delano Dancy A Dynamic Community Servant and Leader Rev. F. D. Dancy The leading candidate for the office of secretary/treasurer of the Church Extension Department, Reverend Felix Delano Dancy, is a man who is prepared, ready and able to provide the kind of leadership that is needed for the latter 20th century and that the African Methodist Episcopal Church is demanding for its third century of ministry. Reverend Dancy is known for always being at the forefront when decisive leadership and action has been called for. In Springfield, Missouri in 1959 he led the successful movement to in- tegrate hotels and downtown res- taurants which until that time had denied services to Blacks. A rally and boycott organized in the Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church under Reverend Dancy’s leadership, produced a change within 72 hours of the announcement. The chain of events that were set into motion soon led to the adoption of new policies by all hotels and restaurants. Reverend Dancy not only helped to secure ac- commodation in public business establishments for minorities; he also led the struggle to change hiring prac- tices, thereby providing access to posi- tions and job opportunities that had previously been denied the Black com- munity in Springfield. In Emporia, Kansas where he served as pastor of Mount Olive African Methodist Episcopal Church, Reverend Dancy lobbied for the in- tegration of the city’s public swimming pools from which Black children had been excluded. Following his organiz- ing a successful demonstration in the summer of 1961, the Emporia branch of the N.A.A.C.P. elected him presi- dent. Six months later, Reverend Dancy was assigned Williams Chapel AME in Oakland, California where he paved the way for the relocation of the church and purchased its first par- sonage. Reverend Dancy is also credited for purchasing the land in Riverside, California where Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church con- structed its new sanctuary and par- sonage. While pastoring Price Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Los Angeles, California, Reverend Dancy raised the major portion of the downpayment of the church’s first parsonage. During his tenure at First Church by the Sea in Santa Monica, California, Reverend Dancy made significant con- tributions to the local community. He remodeled the old parsonage adjacent to the church for use as a child care center and purchased a lovely, four- bedroom house for the parsonage. Ad- ditionally, Reverend Dancy was highly involved in the Venice-Santa Monica community action program. He served two terms as president of the area eight E.Y.O.A. Council and from there was elected to the Board of Directors of the Greater Los Angeles County Com- munity Action Agency (GLACAA), GLACAA was the fiduciary agency that managed and distributed over $44 million annually. Reverend Dancy served as chairman of the Board of GLACAA for some two years, during which time he headed the selection committee responsible for hiring a full-time director for the agency. Having given a good acount of himself on the GLACAA Board, Reverend Dancy was invited to serve as the interim director of $.C.L.C’s operation breadbasket. Reverend Dancy’s effective ministry continued with his move to First African Methodist Episcopal Church in Pasadena, California. One of his first tasks was to conduct a study that confirmed the urgent need for child care facilities for working mothers. He addressed this need by purchasing land and building a child care center capable of accommodating up to sixty children. The facility, which includes kitchen and office space, cost over $200,000 to construct and was valued at completion at approximately $500,000. The Fifth District Economic Development Fund collateralized $50,000 of that amount. The operation of the center is completely operated by the church. Throughout the years, Reverend Dancy has responded whenever and wherever he has seen a need. This has led to his involvement in campaigns to elect candidates who are concerned about and committed to improving conditions in their communities. He has joined in the fight against the pro- liferation of drugs in society, with their destructive effect upon our youth. His voice has been raised in address- ing the miseducation of youth in public schools, and the tracking and suspen- sion system which contributes to the drop-out rate and disqualifies high school graduates from entering quality colleges and universities. He served for three years as president of the Board of Directors of a consortium that pro- vided undergraduate and seminary training for ministers in the field who had demonstrated successful leader- ship and administrative abilities. He has held membership in both rotary and Kiwanis Clubs. During his current pastorate at St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in Berkeley, California, Reverend Dancy has initiated pro- grams to meet the needs of the hungry and homeless. Vouchers for accom- modations at local hotels are given to persons for shelter. The church has been approved as a center for the distribution of surplus food com- modities. In addition to its food pantry, St. Paul has available supermarket gift certificates for purchasing food for in- digent persons. The church is a member of operation safety net which contributes, fund, food, supplies, per- sonnel and other resources for serving hundreds of hot meals weekly. The ex- tended ministry of St. Paul also in- cludes the preparation of home-cooked meals for two hundred homeless peo- ple in an inner-city park. The ministry of Reverend Dancy has been one of service, outreach and building that has helped to make the gospel real and relevant in the lives of people. His experience, skills, abilities and knowledge qualify him to be presented to the connection as the can- didate that is best able to provide the necessary leadership for one of the Please turn to page 4 ===== DSC05562.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder Tribute to Reverend Daniel W. Pinkard Rev. D. W. Pinkard The Pastor is supposed to be the human leader, the shepherd of the flock of the people of God, the church. He is supposed to have received a definite call from God, commissioned by the church, trained for leadership, preaching and saving of souls. First of all he must be a preacher! He is called, commissioned and trained to preach! And to succeed effectively in the ministry he must be able to preach. The pulpit is the minister’s “throne.” Whatever he does or does not do, he is a preacher first, last and always. If a man cannot preach, he is not a preacher. He is something else. Pastoral visitation, love for the people, courtesy, kindness and even godliness are all essential concomitants but none of these things can ever take the place of preaching to the people from the pulpit in the church. God speaks to the people through the voice of the preacher. After the labor and toil of the week, people come to the house of God for a message from heaven. (They do not come from their burdens, tensions and wearisome loads on Sunday to be bombasted, scolded or “skinned peeled.”) They must pray and study in preparation to stand before the people. Second, a preacher must be a specialist in religion or the spiritual life. It is required of him that he influence others by living the gospel that he preaches. It is one thing to preach, it is something else to live it. The preacher must preach high spiritual standards, and he must live those standards in his own life and possess them in his own character. Third, the preacher must be a financier. The idea so often abroad that the preacher knows nothing about business is unjust and _ indefensible. During the Great Depression years, there were fewer churches that “went under” financially, than any other business, And the Pastors were carrying the burden and the responsibility for it all. The preacher is a businessman, Regardless of the ability of the church board and financial committee, the preacher must create the atmosphere in the church and among the people that makes it easy to give money to the Lord through the church. It is even recorded during the Great Depression that preachers made a much better financial showing than even the bankers, Sad to say, (but true), the last thing people consecrate is their money, And it is usually the first thing they take off the altar of consecration. It is easy to offend people regarding money and the church, But talk itand do it, the preacher must, with tact, skill and courage and love. Fourth, the preacher is a business administrator. This is more than raising money, while in a sense it includes that, but this is guiding the whole administration affairs of the church, even if and when he does it through a close man on the board. Why care who receives the credit, as long as the JOB gets done? There is the entire church program to plan and then sce that the proper committees carry it out and get it done Fifth, the preacher must be a soul winner. He is a worker sent into the harvest field of ripened grain (of souls), to reap the harvest and “bring in the sheaves.” If the preacher does not save souls, then he is only a leader of a religious club. He dare not fail to lead souls to Jesus Christ, the Saviour. Humanity is sick physically, mentally and spiritually. Few people are absolutely well. Sometimes we have wished we were a doctor, psychiatrist and preacher all rolled into one. The body is diseased. The intellect is darkened, the emotion is deadened, the will degraded, the soul, sinful and lost. People need the Great Physician. Many times a preacher is dealing with sick people (and doesn’t know it), rather than stubborn or “cantankerous” people. The man of God must be patient, kind and compassionate and this will often take him through a hard place rather than being legalistic and condemnatory. Sixth, the preacher must be a counselor. People come to the preacher for help concerning almost everything except the removal of the appendix. The most intimate things of life are revealed to the pastor, and we believe is told more secrets than even a doctor. The average city pastor especially, sees more of life in a week than the doctor in a month. The counsel given by the preacher must be sound. He may not always be correct, but he must always be good. He must succeed more often than he fails in telling the person what to do, in helping them to solve their most delicate problems. It is a high compliment to the pastor for the people to feel safe in revealing to him their needs, spiritual or otherwise, and know that he will keep their confidence. They believe that he will keep their secret as a sacred trust and therefore also believe that he can and will help them. It is the highest breach of ethics for a pastor to break the confidence of any person by telling others the secret told in confidence. The Ministry is no place for a hermit or an introvert. He must be enough of an extrovert to make him a balanced man. He must feel at ease and live with those outside the church and his own home as well as those within. In his study he can be a student and there enter into the holy of holies with the Lord, When he leaves his study he must mix with the multitude, weeping with those who weep and rejoicing with those who rejoice, A man who is liked in the pulpit should be liked on the street An unfriendly preacher will not win friends for the church and the Lord. In reality, friendliness should come before personal evangelism The preacher must be able to maintain a right relationship between the people he serves and himself. He must guard his spirit and possess the right attitude at all times, toward all people Rev. Daniel Pinkard, Pastor of Grant African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles possesses these special features as a pulpiteer Rev, Charles Brooks, President of the A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance of the Los Angeles/ Southern California Area Continued from page 3 REVEREND DANCY most crucial areas of the African Methodist Episcopal Church—the Department of Church Extension, He has the vision, the program and the plan for the future. YOUR VOTE FOR DANCY WILL ENSURE THAT ‘“‘CHURCH EXTENSION” WILL GET “‘ATTENTION.” by Elwyn Buz Golphin Campaign Finance Committee July 11, 1988 (Right to Left) John H. Bryan, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Cor- poration; The Honorable Andrew Young, mayor of Atlanta; The Honorable Judge Abe Marovitz and John Johnson, chairman and chief executive officer of Johnson Publishing Company, gather at the United Negro Collge Fund’s 16th Annual Benefactors’ Luncheon in Chicago. Chaired by Bryan, the fund-raising event saluted Johnson for his support of UNCF. The United Negro College Fund Honors John Johnson CHICAGO, IL—John H. Bryan, Jr., chairman and chief executive officer of Sara Lee Corporation, recently chaired the United Negro College Fund’s 16th Annual Benefactors’ Luncheon to raise funds to support Black higher education and to salute one of the country’s most prominent businessmen and UNCF supporter, John Johnson. Recognized for his company’s philanthropic support of UNCF and Black higher education, Johnson re- ceived the organization’s coveted Harold H. Hines, Jr., Benefactor’s Award, which bears the name of UNCF'’s former Illinois fundraiser. The Honorable Andrew Young, mayor of Atlanta and graduate of former UNCF school Howard University, was guest speaker. Bryan served as chairman of the event for the second consecutive year. The Annual Benefactors’ luncheon, one of the UNCF’s most important fund - raising events in Chicago, generated more than $162,000 this year and $125,000 last year. The contributions benefit 42 historically Black UNCF colleges and universities across the country. UNCF data show that a majority of the 45,000 students currently enrolled at UNCF schools require full financial aid to attend college. More than 65 percent of Chicago’s UNCF students are the first in their families to attend college across the country. Sara Lee Corporation is an international food and consumer products company with annual sales of more than $9 billion. Headquarter- ed in Chicago, the corporation has operations in more than 30 countries and markets its well-known brand name products in more than 145 countries around the world. Sisters, Bonded With Christian Love Dr. Dolly D. Adams Penne teletientoni, Sete takers SSS SESS Greensboro, N.C.—The Western North Carolina Conference Ministers’ Wives and Widows Alliance of the 2nd Episcopal District, held their farewell luncheon for Dr, Dolly D, Adams, Supervisor, WMS-MW, during Annual Conference Week. The Conference was held at Bethe! A.M.E. Church, pastored by Rev, Maurice Wilson The site for Wednesday's luncheon was the Burlington Room at the Ramada Inn, Greensboro, Greetings were given by our gracious president, Mrs. Pearlie Humphrey, followed by the invocation from our hostess, Mrs. Wanda Wilson, We enjoyed an attractive and delicious — buffet-style lunch Afterwards, we sang a song written by the Activities Committee; using the tune from “We Are Climbing Jacob's Ladder,” we sang “We Are Sisters United Together, Bonded With Christian Love.” Mrs. Robbie Coble, a dedicated member, introduced our speaker, the elegant Dr. Dolly D, Adams. Mrs. Adams spoke to us on “My Favorite Minister's Wife.” All that she told us was useful information to help us to be better ministers’ wives, as well as to develop ourselves individually. Highlights of her speech were that as a minister’s wife, one must understand the A.M.E, “system,” which is an itinerancy system; one should make the acquaintance of the bishop and his wife; should understand the work of the Lord and the service one’s spouse gives; and, also, should believe and understand in godly judgment, the appointment of the church or churches given to one’s spouse by the bishop, Dr. Adams's speech was designed to encourage and enlighten. Earlier, on Monday night, a banquet was held at the Ramada Inn in honor of Bishop and Mrs. Adams. The Alliance presented Mrs, Adams with a plaque, which stated her tenure of service to us trom 1980-1988, our love for her, and our thanks for organizing us, thereby strengthening the bond of Christian love between the sisters of the Alliance. Lastly, other presentations were made at the luncheon and the revealing of “Seeret Sisters,” by the exchanging of gifts, or in some other creative way. All wished Mrs. Adams good cheer and thanked her for her dynamic leadership to the Ministers’ Wives and Widows Alliance of the Western North Carolina Conference. Maxzine L. Robinson, Reporter ===== DSC05563.JPG ===== July 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 13th District Pastor Pursues Shelbyville, TN—The Reverend Pam- ela C. Miller, pastor of Mullins Chapel A.M.E. Church, was graduated, recently, from Fisk University with a degree in Religion and Philosophy and received an award for Outstanding Achievement in religious studies. Rev Miller, holder of a Master’s degree in Guidance and Counseling from Wayne State University in Detroit, anda BA degree in English, continues to pursue educational excellence. She will enter the Vanderbilt Divinity School in January, 1989. Her goals for the ministry are to continue to pastor and, eventually, to become qualified to teach religion in a seminary or university. Rev. Miller encourages both men and women in Christian ministry to “set no limitations in your preparations to serve humanity, as learning is a continuous process.” She cites the greatest Rev. Pamela C. Miller encouragement to her Christian ministry as coming from Dr. Emmanual Twesi- gye, Head of Religion and Philosophy at Fisk, and Rev. Flora Bridges, in- terim chaplain, because of their dedi- cation in challenging and encourag- ing Black men and women to reach their potential and give all that they have to serve the present age. She will be forever grateful to them. St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church St. James A.M.E. Church, Kenans- ville, North Carolina, having ended a most successful year, highlighted with the dedication of our fellowship hall on April 2, 1988, by our most Honor- ed Bishop John Hurst Adams, held its first Quarterly Conference for the new year on Sunday, June 5, 1988 with Rev. L. O. Saunders, Presiding Elder, bringing the morning message. Our most capable pastor, Rev. Alexander Davis presided over the service. Rev. Saunders brought a most elec- trifying sermon, choosing as a subject, “A Look in Glory’’ using as back- ground scripture, the third chapter of John. In the Quarterly Conference, he spoke highly of Rev. Davis and the work he is doing at St. James. We at St. James, too, are proud of Rev. Davis and his leadership and hap- py that the Bishop saw fit to send him back for his ninth year. We have begun the new year on a high note both spiritually and finan- cially and feel that under the guidance of our pastor, will have another suc- cessful year. J. J. Best, Reporter Rev. Alexander Davis, Pastor Service Of Triumph And Thanksgiving For The Late Bro. Cornell Loyd Wilson Wednesday 23 March 1988 8:00 P.M. Greater Powell A.M.E. Church Plum at Gerard Street Grenada, Mississippi Rev. Ernest Hargrove, Pastor, Officiating Rev. James Cornell Clarke, Co-Officiant Rey. Weakly Chapman, Co-Officiant Arrangements: Clarke Funeral Homes, Inc. Interment; Haen Rest Memorial Gardens Cornell Loyd Wilson was born November 21, 1900 to David and Leala Wilson in Grenada County, Mississippi. He received his formal education at Union Hill School in Grenada County. He professed his faith in Christ at an early age, first attending Union Hill A.M.E. Church, then continuing to acknowledge his Christian faith at the Greater Powell A.M.E. Church. He met and fell in love with Hattie Ann Taylor and married her on December 25, 1923. This marnage produced two lovely daughters, Essie Mae and Ophelia. During his Christian discipleship at Greater Powell A.M.E. Church, he served as a steward, Treasurer of the church (25 years) and superintendent of the Sunday School (35 years). He was also a Mason and member of the M, W. " The Conscious Mind Can Make Choices The Conscious Mind With God’s Help Can Make MIRACLES! Stringer Grand Lodge F & A.M. of Mississippi-Prince Hall Affiliation. Bro. Wilson was a loving husband, and a cherished and understanding father and grandfather, known as “Big Daddy” to his grandchildren. He was one of the “pillars” of the community and the church, and he helped the preachers to preach with his words of “Fix it,” “Take your time,” “Watch ‘im,” “Well,” “Uh-huh,”“Glory,” and “Mighty God.” He possessed a character that was beyond reproach and an unusual spiritual power. He had committed to memory most of the Biblical scriptures. Above all, he loved Powell Church. He leaves to mourn and cherish his memory, his wife, Hattie Ann Wilson; two daughters, Ophelia McNeil of Detroit, Michigan, and Essie Mae Mayers of Memphis, Tennessee; three brothers, Thomas Wilson and Walter Wilson of Grenada, and David Wilson of Atlanta, Georgia; a son-in-law, Alphonsia Mayers of Memphis; two sisters-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Wilson of Grenada and Mrs. Hattie Wilson of Atlanta; a sister, Mrs. Idell Weathers of Grenada; six grandchildren, Ralph Edward MeNeil, Elizabeth MeNeil Moore, Linda MeNeil, Hattie Mane McNeil Dishmon, Phyllis Booker and Anita Fay McNeil Morrison Submitted by James C, Clarke (member of the family) —A, Lee Henderson The Church Needs A ‘‘David’’ Evelyn Jefferson It is often said that if you want to see what a person will be like when she/ he get where they are going, look at what they are like where they are now. So let us look at Rev. D. C. Coleman, now. He is a powerful deliverer of the Word. He would be a Bishop who understands the rich depths of God’s Word and could deliver it with fervent belief and delivery. He would be a representative on par with the rest of world Christian leaders. He represented, along with others, the AME Church recently at the Aldersgate Celebration commemorating the beginning of Methodism. He presently is a member of the World Council of Churches, the Chicago Federation of Churches, and the World Council of Methodists. He is sensitive to the many facets of discipleship, for he emphasizes that the Church is the place where we work out our soul’s salvation, from the pulpit down and the pew up. Then we go to seek others to become disciples. He is in tune with the needs of people in general and in particular. He has, for years, worked with the Department of Human Resources to help establish day care centers throughout Chicago, sponsored neighborhood get-to- gethers, conducted seminars in mental health and in infant care. On a per- sonal level, he is never too busy nor “too big” to stop to greet those whom he knows. He accepts the fact that others have opinions which may vary from his, so he is willing to listen without rancor or retaliation. In fact, this writer has discovered that when Rev. Coleman does disagree it is most likely with a gentle smile and a soft-spoken “all Rev. D. C. Coleman night”, and he moves on. A bishop should be a man respected in his own household. It is certainly evident that Rev. Coleman is respected by his household for he has no more ardent boosters than his wife, Mrs. Geneva Coleman, his daughter Linda, and his grandchildren. They are at every meeting and gathering to support and en- courage him. Rev. Coleman invited those around him to grow on a higher plane. So, looking at Rev. Coleman where he is now, we know that the Church needs to help him realize his dream to go to the bishopric. For it is sucha David as this and for such times as these that the Church needs a man who has (and can) walked with kings and yet kept his heart and mind fixed on God so that he can serve those out in the fold. So, “get on board”, all you delegates, there’s room for many more. The Coleman train is coming, we don’t want it to leave you behind. In Memory of the Late Dr. Benjamin Franklin McLaurin Dr. B. F. McLaurin Benjamin Franklin McLaurin was born in Prentiss County, Mississippi, to the late Reverend Vert T. McLaurin and Mrs. Jessie Ratliff McLaurin. He was one of 8 sons and 3 daughters who made up a closely knit and religious family Dr. McLaurin matriculated at several institutions of higher learning across the country, including his beloved alma mater, Alcorn A&M University in Lorman, and Mississipp) State University, He held several graduate degrees, including the doctorate of philosophy. His tenure as president of Coahoma Junior College in Clarksdale was unsurpassed not only in years served, but as a hardworking administrator who improved the physical plant, teachers* salaries, student enrollment and academic excellence Dr. McLaurin came to Clarksdale (Coahoma County) in 1935 and joined Friendship AME Church, He served in many capacities within the local church as well as Deputy-Chairman of the Trustee Board and lay president The Northeast-West Mississippi Conference of the AME Church elected him as conference lay president from 1980-1984. As the son of an AME pastor, Dr. McLaurin had genuine concern and compassion for the ministry. He encouraged and supported an “educated ministry” in the A.M.E. Church by contributing one thousand dollars annually to the 8th Episcopal District Ministerial Scholarship Fund. At the side of the late Mr. McLaurin in compassion, understanding, devotion and affection was his wife, Mrs. Sezzie Mae Weakley McLaurin, who preceded him in death. Divine Providence filled this family with the perfect love of two sons, Lt. Colonel Benjamin F. McLaurin, Jr., and Dr. Johnnie W. McLaurin, M.D., of Los Angeles, California. Wherever the late Dr. McLaurin looks out from eternity, he will beam with pride at his family who shared with him in life his joys, his sorrows, his power of persuasion, his courage of conviction, his life. He loved the A.M.E, Church just as he loved his family, and he was always willing to defend the church for its integrity and preservation. It is a consolation for us all to know that the passing into eternity of this blessed soul does not mean the end of his services to humanity, but commits and challenges those who survive to new responsibilities, wide energies and exceptional abilities to show others the way, not to fortune and fame, not how to win laurels or praise for their name—but show the way to spread “The Great Story,” that “Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory.” May His Soul Rest In Peace ===== DSC05564.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder Sy 11, 1988 July 11, 1988 Special Report From COCU Princeton, NJ—The Consultation on Church Union, a nine-church effort to manifest visible unity among American Christians, has worked for more than twenty-five years to discover and articulate theological agreement among its members. This theological agreement, entitled THE COCU CONSENSUS, is now before the nine churches for acceptance. As part of this effort, COCU has intentially sought the insights of Black and feminist theologians. The thinking of disabled Christians has also been incorporated into the CONSENSUS. In this continuing dialogue, a group of persons with disabilities has been brought together to study the healing stories of the Bible, and to reflect on this part of the biblical witness from their own experience. People without sight or hearing, with cerebral palsy and Guillain/Barre Syndrome, cancer, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis, among others, were included. These meditations have been edited by Gerald Moede, the general secretary of the Consultation, and are published with the title”. . . Like Trees, Walking.” Copies of this booklet may be ordered directly from the office of the Consultation on Church Union at 151 Wall Street, Princeton, NJ 08540. ae “T wish every child and adult could carry the blessings of Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP into their lifetime. We could, with PSP, prepare ourselves to achieve our impossible dreams and re- joice!”’ —Cecelia Nabrit Adkins, LL.D. Executive Director Sunday School Publishing Board of the National Baptist Convention U.S.A. “PSP is a very necessary break- through long overdue! Before Dr. A. Lee Henderson’s book, the marriage of the mind and the Spirit seemed im- possible. He married them well in a brilliant fashion. PSP is a must for every Psychoanalyst, Minister and Layperson.’” —Herman W. Hyatt, Sr., M.D., J.D. San Jose, California NAME (SISIAD SASS SSDS SSSSSSSSSSS SSS ISIS SL, PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP A. Lee Henderson F THE BEST SELLER THAT KEEPS ON SELLING! The Author has managed to synthesize, summarize, and clearly communicate a broad body of knowledge . . . into one volume, a fascinating synthesis of psychology and spirituality to help us face critical issues that can strike us suddenly in day-to-day living. Scientific and spiritual evidence is given to you, mapping an adventure you can take to cope with your inner Self to overcome fears, pains, rejections and defeats. PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER! = PSP Send Check or Money Order Payable to: A. Lee Henderson PSYCHO-SPIRITUAL POWER!= PSP 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 The nine communions who make up COCU are: African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episcopal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ and United Methodist Church. HORE REE SERRE EN EREBKEME EEE HD WAGreetings! KA Dr. David C. Coleman Candidate for the Bishopric Riad eee RTERSRRHERARARE (SLALADALSASAS AS LSAD Only $695 “A thoughtful entry in the field of self-realization and self-actualization; inspired by A. Lee Henderson’s syn- thesis of personal experiences, secular research, and spiritual resources. He joins Peale, Benson, Cousin, Siegel, and many 12-step programs in chart- ing a route toward overcoming stress, hopelessness, and defeat!”’ —Kenneth Robinson, M.D. Vanderbilt University School of Medicine Nashville, Tennessee ““Psycho-Spiritual Power! =PSP satisfies the heart yearning for an antidote to anxiety. A. Lee Hender- son has combined spiritual, biblical and psycho-social insight with a rare gift for direct soul communica- tion. PSP is designed to fill the hole in your soul with substance of spirit. At last preachers and psychologists join hands to snatch the fainting psyche back from the edge of abyss of pain and worry, and to restore it to joy of God’s salvation.’” Cecil L. Murray, Ph.D., Th.D. Senior Pastor First African Methodist Episcopal Church Los Angeles, California (SLSLSLLSLLLLS LL SSA LISS LLSLSSSISSISPSLSILSPILSLS SSL ALLLS LAA LAL AL SASLSALASSSASSA Sa ADDRESS CITY/STATE/ZIP a ODD IDI III II IIPS SL ASA LSSLS SS SSS SS SSS SS LSS LISSA SS SSSLSS SSS SSL SSS SSLLSS SSS 4 Me see sey es pees ten ee pes gs ie el ees ee ee Raleigh, NC—(From left) Dr. J. J. Sansom, a member of Saint Augustine’s College’s Board of Trustees, and Dr. Prezell Robinson, president of Saint Augustine’s College, congratulate Marshall B. Bass, senior vice president of RJR Nabisco, Inc., on becoming the first person in the school’s 121-year history to receive a second honorary doctorate degree from the college. Bass was awarded the Doctor of Civil Laws degree during the school’s 1988 Founders’ Day Observance. In 1981 Bass received the Doctor of Humane Letters degree. Bie sii See You At The GENERAL CONFERENCE Cee BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION COMMITTEE of the African Methodist Episcopal Church THIRD DISTRICT BICENTENNIAL COMMITTEE The Rt. Reverend Richard Allen Hildebrand Presiding Prelate, Chairman The Reverend Dr. Donald Jacobs, Director The Reverend Taylor T. Thompson, Coordinator Ms. Ruth G. Dalton, Secretary ORDER YOUR HISTORY BOOK NOW! THE LEGACY OF AFRICAN METHODISM IN THE THIRD EPISCOPAL DISTRICT To Order, Remit Twenty-five Dollars ($25.00) per book to: Third Episcopal District Bicentennial History Book Committee c/o THE REVEREND TAYLOR T. THOMPSON, COORDINATOR 00 Sylvania Avenue Pittsburgh, PA 15210 Make Checks or Money Orders Payable to the A.M.E. Bicentennial Committee Published By: THE A.M.E. SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION Available July 1988 PII IRR RI IRR TR RR TOTTI ROR TTT ROT I TT TOA TTR TTA TTR TRAIN Dr. Anderson Todd Candidate for Secretary/Treasurer Pension Department Dedicated to Service, Committed to Excellence Qualified Candidate for Pension Insuranceman - Educator — Businessman — Pastor ¢ Vice Chairman, Pension Commission for 12 years ¢ Administrative Assistance to Dr. Joiner during his illness ; ¢ Your support of “TODD” will be a vote for total security and improvement ¢ Your vote for “TODD” will be bringing new sound innovative programs ba a . a ba * a * » » » bg » a » 2 : Ps pet : | * »| * » » * * » » » ba > » » | | »| » * » | » e Mature Administrator HERA EME ERR RARE RARER RARER PPE PERE R KSEE REE EEF APRA FREER eS ee ee oe ===== DSC05565.JPG ===== July 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Tee eee Continued from page | A.M.E. Minister’s Daughter Heads United Methodist’s Publication her, something she did for fun, she found her interests taking her in another direction as well: “I really got interest- ed in publishing (while in Monrovia) because the books we were using were rather inappropriate. They were American textbooks, and I found it very difficult to accept that the books and teaching materials couldn't be more relevant to the local setting.” Resolving to learn more about how educational materials were developed and published, she returned to the U.S. and enrolled in the African Studies program at the University of California at Los Angeles, earning the M.A. in comparative education in 1962. She married in October 1962, and ina few short years returned to Africa — this time to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania — along with her husband and daughter. While her husband taught political science at the University of Dar es Salaam, Ms. Okumu was an instructor in the teacher education department, offering courses such as..curriculum development, psychology and com- munications skills. “But I was again primarily interested in developing appropriate teaching materials and I worked very hard with those in curriculum development to determine what materials could be adapted.” Future years (1967-72) found her in Kenya where she was an editor for the East Africa Publishing House and worked on their East Africa Journal. Following a year as visiting lecturer at Grinnell College (Iowa), it was back to Dar es Salaam, then on to the Sudan, and back to Kenya, all the time being involved in publishing and looking for ways to produce materials appropriate to’ the local scene. Her work experience in Africa led toa two-year appointment (1981-1983) as a Regional Delegate for the International Red Cross. The first woman appointed to this field staff position, Ms. Okumu was assigned to their Southern Africa program to develop community health facilities and first aid classes, work on disaster relief preparedness in anticipation of the conflict that was being predicted for the region, and implement disaster relief activities. She worked with national Red Cross societies to set up regional workshops and training facilities in Angola, Mozambique, Swaziland, Lesotho, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Tanzania and Zambia. At the end of her contract with the Red Cross, she felt it was time to return to the United States. While visiting her daughter — then a student at Wittenberg College in Springfield, Ohio — she heard about an opening as an editorial assistant with The Interpreter, located in Dayton. “Are you sure you know what this job is?” was the question she was asked in an interview with editors. An entry-level position after more than 20 years of international teaching and publications work may have seemed incongruous to the editors, but for Ms. Okumu it brought together her journalistic interests with her commitment to the Christian faith. Working with the Red Cross had helped her understand that a Christian commitment gives a different perspective to doing “good works.” Many people work to relieve suffering, but Ms. Okumu believes that “when you do good works out of a Christian organization, youre doing it as part of your responsibility, as part of your definition of yourself as a Christian.” Impressed by the purpose of the magazine and with a longstanding appreciation for the social justice August 1983. But, soon things started happening that would again affect the course of her career. In September, the magazine’s managing editor resigned because of illness in the family. The associate editor, Leonard Perryman, died in November, 1983, after an extended battle with cancer. In April 1984, Laura Okumu was named associate editor, a position she held for four years. A year after the move of the magazine’s offices to Nashville, Tenn., Darrell Shamblin, who had been editor of The Interpreter since 1967, was promoted to the position of associate publisher, and Ms. Okumu was named editor. One might wonder how a person with Ms. Okumu’s years of international experience understands the task of editing a magazine whose purpose is to provide the “nuts and bolts” for local church leaders in the U.S. Ms. Okumu responds: “I see this as a coordinating job. The national agencies of the church develop and implement programs on behalf of the total church. The magazine’s task is to interpret the programs clearly and as interestingly as possible, so that church members have a feeling of belonging, of having a part of this exciting and good enterprise.” She adds: “We constantly have to be aware that we are a link between the local church and the national church and to help people at the local level be aware that they are a part of this larger body.” Her vision for the future of The Interpreter includes more emphasis on telling the stories of how local churches are carrying out denominational programs, “starting from the standpoint of the local church rather than from the perspective of the national agency.” This sharing of ideas and experiences from the grassroots level will encourage other local churches to adapt programs to their particular needs, Ms. Okumu believes. In emphasizing the practical nature of the magazine, Ms. Okumu cautions: “We must keep our eye continually on the fact that we’re dealing with the local church, so that we don’t get swept away in worldwide issues. We’re bring- ing those issues in, but we’re really talking about what you can do in your church, your community, your neigh- borhood.” Ms. Okumu says she hopes to increase the number of human interest stories in the 31-year-old magazine. “We want to tell about members’ journeys of faith and what they’ve done in their local church. She also believes that “telling real stories of how people and churches have overcome difficulties — whether a small membership church, an_ inner-city church, a church in transition — can encourage churches in similar situations.” In carrying out her commitment to highlight stories from churches from all groups, Ms. Okumu notes “There are program ideas in every kind of church that need to be shared with everybody.” For Laura Okumu, editing The Interpreter is a challenging call to ministry and an opportunity to communicate with local church leaders. In a time when so many values are in transition and there are so many needs for the church to meet, Ms. Okumu believes the church has a responsibility to provide stability for the people, and she believes the church’s leaders look to The Interpreter to help them deal with some of the difficult issues in society — issues such as child care, homelessness, child abuse, the needs of the elderly and changes in values. Her hope is that church leaders will see The Interpreter as commitment of The United Methodist Church, she plunged into the job in “a friend to hold their hand as they go along.” The Interpreter, with a circulation of 300,000, is published eight times a year by United Methodist Communications (UMCom). In addition to publishing The Interpreter, UMCom’s activities include the production and distribution of audiovisuals, interpretation and promotion of general funds, news dissemination, and a television and telecommunications ministry. Continued from page 1 William P. Quinn, Focus of Bicentennial Symposium IV Samuel S. Morris, Jr., and Henry W. Murph, with support from the Bench of Bishops of the A.M.E. Church.” A very special cultural event, called “A Cultural Extravaganza Honoring William Paul Quinn,” was held Friday night at the downtown St. Louis American Theater. It was a _ very engaging and entertaining affair and a full house applauded the performers. The many participants included Bettye Luster, Executive Director of the St. Louis Repertory Company; the East St. Louis Area Choir; St. Louis Jazz Tappers; Fourth District Jubilee Choir, Beverly Thomas, director, and Sylvia Hollifield, accompanist, from Detroit, Michigan; the Anmobo Dancers; the First A.M.E. Church Choir of Los Angeles, California, and the special play written and directed by Ernestine Harbour. “The Cultural Extravaganza” was a dramatization of the Westward Movement of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, depicting William Paul Quinn as missionary, evangelist, organizer, expansionist and powerful leader of the A.M.E. Church. The format was multi-faceted, consisting of drama, music and dance performed by talented artists. The performers were primarily of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and represented a wide geographical area and symbolized the vision of William Paul Quinn, whose ministry was not limited by boundaries. The territories opened by Quinn, inclusive of the 4th and Sth Districts, are comprised of Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, South and North Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Nevada and California. Mayors who shared in the celebra- tion included the Honorable Carl Of- ficer of East St. Louis and Acting Mayor Robert Boatner of Brookline, Illinois, both trustees of A.M.E. Churches. There were many choirs and Boy Scout units and bands that celebrated with the hundreds of A.M.E.s and their Bicentennial leaders. A more detailed report should appear in these columns at a later date. Suffice it to say, all succeeding generations will be indebted to the Great Expansionist and churchman, William Paul Quinn, and to the Bicentennial Committee, chaired by Bishop Vinton Randolph Ander- son. The church’s thanks go to all of the area pastors, presiding elders and A.M.E.s of the 4th and Sth Districts who worked untiringly to make the celebration one long to be remembered. Dr, U. A. Hughey Leadership for the THIRD CENTURY — Elect — Him Bishop in et Wei tee Wek ieee eee — ELECT — Albert D. Tyson BISHOP ee DR. ALBERT D. TYSON 3rd Century Candidate The Man For All Seasons and For All The Right Reasons He Qualifies At Every Level Keep The Church Safe— e. ELECT TYSON PERBRERERE RRR R RE PAAR KKKKKKKKK KKK ¢ee eee ELECT DR. A. W. HOLMAN eeeeeue ee Department of Minimum salary JULY tn 1988 \ ee eee tt et tt PZT LELLLCLLL LLL LLL eee eee eee ———— ===== DSC05566.JPG ===== 8 Rey. C. Garnett Henning SY | aaa allen “Nothing has made me more con- scious of God and the deep spiritual needs of life than those occasions when I saw my people, His people, brutalized by the pervasive racism of our society. Nothing has called forth prayer and fasting more than those times when my life was threatened, or I faced bricks, bats, or was jailed. When you are serious about that kind of commitment, your spiritual roots grow deep. —The Rev. C. Garnett Henning, Sr. The Rev. C. Garnett Henning, Sr. remembers some disturbing days. Pastor Henning can remember the ‘‘hambone’’ pictures on the front pages of the commercial appeal news- papers. He can remember the ‘* Blacks go to the back”’ signs on public trans- portation. He remembers ‘‘Whites only’’ signs on lunch counters. But the depression of oppression failed to quell his spirit, which had been forged and honed in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The son of an A.M.E. Church minister, Pastor Henning has known since his earliest years growing up in the South, that the extreme forces of evil can be opposed only by the extreme forces for good, the force behind our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Naturally, virtually genetically, Pastor Henning hitched his yoke to the wagon of African Methodism, The rich traditions of America’s oldest Black church were his roots; the spirit of Christ the strength that girded his confrontations with satanic bigotry. But Pastor Henning has been recog- nized as a leader even in his pre-teen years in the South. Even then, his theological and social challenges to his elders raised some eyebrows, but caught the attention of many of the church elders. He has held numerous positions in the church and in the community. He most prides himself in his leadership role in the Southern Christian Leader- ship Conference. In his home in St Louis, he had often been called upon to provide strong and fair leadership to solve seemingly unresolvable prob- blems. His involvement has been the result of years of careful consideration in his direction, From his earliest years, he has asked, ‘*What will I do; what am I to do?’’ The question was easy to answer simply by returning to the Christian African Methodism founda- tion that had cultivated him. He followed the lead of those who had most inspired him in his youth Bishop E, C. Hatcher, the gospel preacher who never let his office lead him too far from his steeling in the pulpit; Bishop S, L. Greene, the em- bodiment of the power of the highest office in African Methodism; Dr Charles Leander Hill, a superior intel- lect of insight and courage; Bishop H Thomas Primm, an awe-inspiring mystic; Dr. Andrew White, who taught me to tithe; Bishop F, D. Jor dan, who taught me the value of education; Dr, Elmer Martin, a confi dant and dignified district leader and a The AME Christian Recorder a ——————_—_—X¥«¥«¥KwX=_—s—— Ts — A Profile in Leadership — friend to youth. I was humbled by their selfless cour- age. A day with either of them was a day with the genius of African Meth- odism. But most of all, he remembers his father, the Rev. H. W. Henning, a rock of a man, a premier preacher, strong in his convictions, yet gentle and compassionate to those who depended on him for the spiritual healing that he could bring with a few well-spoken re- minders of the Glory of God. Maybe one of his best products was his son, Garnett, a son to whom he be- queathed an outspoken spirit, a brave nature that would rather stand before danger than kneel before racism. A leader who takes a rightful place at the front of the picket lines, in the seats at the lunch counters, the head of the ne- gotiating tables, or the front porch of a public figure who has failed his duties and needs to be reminded of his direc- tion. The Rev. Mr. Henning has dedi- cated more than three decades to a long and consistent record of activism and involvement. To know him is to know more than his long list of ac- complishments and credentials; more than his hands-on, strong-willed ap- proach to the problems that try the human soul. To know him is to know a man who has lived by a short and simple code: to leave his community better than when he found it. In the numerous communities where he has carried the word of Christ into the streets and turned the Gospel into social policy, his Christ-driven acti- vism wins favor from people of truth; opposition from those who would op- press Christ’s children. And his dedi- cation is the result of sipping many wa- ters from one well: the Gospel of Jesus Christ. His personal code, and his ad- herence to the Gospel has given him an uncomplicated approach to the pro- blems that face mankind; the same challenges that will face him if he is elected Bishop of the African Method- ist Episcopal Church. Henning himself is a graduate of Wilberforce University. He holds a master of divinity degree from Payne Theological Seminary and is approach- ing his doctorate degree after com- pleting his post-graduate studies at Eden Theological Seminary He is an independent thinker and an activist who will work one day for the social changes of a community leader, but is unafraid to challenge that leader for reneging on a promise He is a strong believer in the team approach of church administration His belief in unity of the Gospel has placed him in leadership and con- ciliatory roles in interclerical groups in all of his homes over the decades. In St. Louis, where he resides now, he helped to found the St, Louis Clergy Coalition and the Clergy-Superinten- dent Committee And still he is a strong family man **! am the husband of one wife and the father to three children. The Black family is the key to the survival of Black people, If the Gospel is my fuel, my family is my motivation, My chil dren are growing up in the world that I leave for them,”” But he believes in the universal fa mily of humankind, That family in cludes the rich, the poor, the educated, the illiterate, the many-colored people, the north and the south, He is as com fortable at a table with the Jewish dialogue programs of Los Angeles as he is with the ministerial coalitions in Please turn to page 9 Gathering of Christians “Something To Celebrate,” Planners Say By Carol Fouke Arlington, TX—“The Gathering of Christians is like a dream come true.” So said the Rev. Dr. Robert W. Neff, who chaired the special National Council of Churches panel which, three years ago, called for the Gathering. As this first-of-its-kind event neared its conclusion, Neff said, “It’s met all our expectations.” He added, “Usually when we wake up from our dreams, we say, “How can I get back to that?’ In this case, the reality was far better than the dream itself.” Nearly 1,500 people from the Dallas- Fort Worth area, across the United States and around the world participated in the May 21-25 Gathering of Christians. “The fact that Evangelicals, Roman Catholics and members of National Council of Churches’ communions are here together is something to celebrate,” continued Neff, of Huntingdon, PA. “I know there are people who say ecumenical life is languishing. On the contrary, there are so many new ways emerging this decade on how the people of God are relating to one another. For me it’s a cause of great excitement.” The Rev. Kenneth C. Senft of Gettysburg, PA, who chaired the Gathering’s Planning Commmittee, also said he “really enjoyed the Gathering. I think people have gotten excited about each other's worship, “One of the goals was to have interaction among the different faith groups and I think it’s happened in a variety of ways and places. One of the places that happened was in the early morning worship services. I have participated in those and | intentionally chose different kinds. My experience was one of joy. “Many of the so-called liberal types are finding a new mch experience in the Evangelical preaching and singing,” Senft said. “This morning | heard a number of persons who, one might say, are associated with more Evangelical churches, expressing appreciation for the sermon by the Rev. Stanley Harakas, an Orthodox priest.” The Rev. Dr. Eileen Lindner, NCC associate general secretary for unity and ecumenical development who has served — Re-Elect — Dr. Edgar L. Mack Executive Secretary The Christian Education Re-Elect Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer The Financial Affairs of the A.M.E. Church have always been haralied in a business way. Joe McKinney is a man of integrity, honesty and is accountable, as staff to the Gathering Planning Committee, commented, “Our job was to make a context where the speakers and participants could be their best selves. “I do feel satisfied that we made that context,” she said. “I do believe people were their best selves. The encounter of the various Christian traditions has been very important.” Neff said that for him, the “variety of voices” leading worship “created a magnificent symphony. It’s for me an illustration of what the church is becoming in our time—showing less a concern for monolithic structure, more a concern to hear the gifts God has given each of us and allowing those gifts to enrich our common life without necessarily coming to rest on the same spot. “Another thing that’s true for our time,” Neff said, “is theology is more a conversation than it is a declaration. It’s not a shying away from credal formulation—simply saying that’s a point of departure. I saw that happening here.” Senft said it will be his recommen- dation that another Gathering of Christians be held. “We are pleased with the number of people who have come,” he said. “We are certainly happy with the way in which the local church groups, congregations, synods, conferences and ecumenical experience that gives hope for the future of the ecumenical movement.” Enjoy The General Conference ; Session In ; i Ft. Worth, Texas } Dr. Joseph C. McKinney ===== DSC05567.JPG ===== July 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Continued from page 8 — A PROFILE IN LEADERSHIP — always be physical or militaristic, it may be economic or it may be educa- tional, it may be political or it may even be social, but it will always exist. When an irresistible force meets an im- movable object, something’s got to give. Racism in America is an im- movable object which must be met by an irresistible force. It is the beginning of the unending demand of duty; the unsilenceable voice of vocation, the crisis of conscience.’’—Pastor Henning St. Louis as he was with the civil rights marchers of the mid-1960s. His powerful messages each Sunday possess contemporary relevance, historical values and the power of the Gospel — food for the soul, for daily living. His global perspective was gleaned from extensive worldwide travel. He has visited nations from Cuba to Israel and throughout Africa. “*To be Black and determined to be free in America is to be forever under a threat. To be sure that threat may not ers ta ah They Need Your Support ee eB ee ae ew aa ae aa a Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce FPEPFFFEFFEFFFEFEFRFEFERFEVEREFFFFEVEVYRERERFYSHRERHERPERS HS OPI KI IKK KKK KKK KK KK Elect A Man Who Is On The Job Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director, Worship and Evangelism *— ELECT—*« Dr. O. U. Ifill, Sr. Third Episcopal District KKK KKK KKK Secretary of the Church ae OO EEE Dr. John R. Bryant Second Episcopal District Re-Elect Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr. Editor, A.M.E. Christian Recorder His Record of the Past Speaks for him! Let him Continue the Work of Making a Greater A.M.E. Recorder Cecil W. Howard IS The Choice For General Secretary : Rev. Lewis E Grady ’ “THE BETTER CHOICE’ —ELECT— Rev. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. B.S., M. DIV. For The Record Shows That HE IS ASERVANT PREACHER Ready For Service As Bishop In The Third Century Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. Fourth Episcopal District To the Bishopric Elect Editor of Religious Literature IN FORT WORTH JULY 1988 When Elected... e] will move to Nashville and work there eI will give you Bible base literature eMy writing will be of the highest quality ePublisher will have material on time eDevelop a ‘Bank of Writers’ across the Connection eImprove literature and work hand in hand with the Publisher 28 Years Experience As A Writer Of Church School MS Literature For The African Methodist Episcopal Church De, ===== DSC05568.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder July 11, 1988 office of the MAYOR 4 YUP NEWARK Ne y PROCIAMATION PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER DAY JUNE ll, 1988 The most important role a minister plays is that of the good and faithful shepherd to his flock. The Pastor must follow the path our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ, trod, comforting and ministering to the poor, the very old, the sick and shut in; and For nearly 40 years, PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER has been that good shepherd to God's flock. During his time as the head of the Israel Memorial A.M.E, Church of Newark, he has tirelessly and faithfully served his congregation and his community; and Over the span of his illustrious 38-year ministry, PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER has witnessed many changes. He has seen many turn away from the Lord's holy word. But one thing always remains the same, his unwavering committment to delivering the message of Jesus Christ to his great tabernacle and to the Newark community; and PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER has indeed enriched the lives of the many fortunate people he has touched. In addition, this man of God has won the respect and admiration of his fellow clergyman for his outstanding work in the community and as the spiritual leader of Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church; and WHEREAS: For all these splendid things and more, it is truly an honor and a pleasure to salute PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER for diligent labors as the good and faithful shepherd to his flock. THEREFORE, I, SHARPE JAMES, MAYOR OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY. do hereby proclaim Saturday, June 11, 1988 as PASTOR CARL F. HUNTER DAY in the City of Newark and I urge all citizens to join me in paying tribute to such a tirelessly dedicated servant of our Lord and to his people. “‘One May Live As A Conqueror, A King, Or A Magistrate; but He Must Die As A Man.” —Webster 00008 000O6OSO0 OH HSOTHEDEOEOSOSHEDPDEDSO OPO PH PDHDOD OOOH IOUS? “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, ihe Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to: “This Week in African-American History’ Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part II For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘The A.M.E. Church is the See REC organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world. 09494500000900060 00 OS O0OCOSOSOEOOHSOLOSOSOSOSOSHEOHOP OI OIE? » FAMILY BANQUET ® Tuesday, July 5, 1988 — 7:00 P.M. Tarrant County Convention Center 1111 Houston Street Ft. Worth, Texas Please plan to attend this exciting feature. We’re looking forward to seeing you. Reservations are already being made. Tickets are in the hands of each Episcopal District Bishop. Ticket donation $50.00, fe fe Mrs. Izean F. Davidson, Chairperson 4509 Rolling Hills Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas 76119 Reverend W. D. Turner, Co-Chairperson he Mrs. Nancy P. Stokes, Advisor + + The Right Reverend R. E. Stokes, Bishop of Tenth Episcopal District >> SENSES ELECT Dr. Carl Hunter Dr. C. Garnett Henning St. Paul A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri Henning was born in an A.M.E. parsonage. He and his family have served the Church through four generations. CHURCH ceezxzEx gexxs EXPANSION DEPARTMENT Ezz Garnett will make ELECT a good Bishop Elect Him in 1988 er a a a a Sk ddd Sipe ATs SERED eS EES LS SLD EE TEES eS T Ss eB ld eB Ad | D OFS. SP PEELE LE BES Se Es ie ike ler ese RRS Ne eee ee (ene eee cnn snneswesaanennenesssosssssssessssessusesscsosas) SUBSCRIBE to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable ‘9: A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please print. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. Name Address. City/State/Zip - RW RRO ROD USAAF O HHO ON OSB OnsS SO NSSoe Sewanee wes LS, I TS a . S a ae ===== DSC05569.JPG ===== July 11, 1988 the AME. Christian Recorder Special Study Completed VOCATIONAL EDUCATION, FEDERAL ASSISTANCE, AND THE SINGLE PARENT IN LOUISIANA Purpose The purposes of this study were: to provide information on the linkage be- tween vocational education and federal assistance programs and the at- titudes of single parents; and to rec- ommend public policy changes which will improve current vocational edu- cation and federal assistance programs designed to help single parents. Method The methodology of this study con- sisted of: (a) developing, pilot testing, and revising a questionnaire; (b) de- veloping and implementing an inter- view scheme; and (c) processing and analyzing the data. For each variable on the questionnaire, a frequency analysis was performed and chi-square were calculated to test the hypotheses. Results of 560 questionnaires were in- cluded in the findings. There were 431 Black, 86 White, 276 single, and 209 married respondents. Discussion In this study, the vocational aspira- tions of single parents were investi- gated, and the role of federal assistance was assessed. The conclu- sions from this research can only be tentative because of its exploratory nature and the limitations of the sam- ple. More research is needed using other measures with other samples before definite conclusions can be possible. However, the study yields in- formation valuable to counselors and vocational guidance practitioners about single parents in Louisiana. Results e The number of single parents and homemakers has increased dramatical- ly and most of them are teens. © Most single parents and homemakers did not attend high school and only six percent attended vocational-technical school. © Most Black single parents and home- makers are relatively poor and White single parents are even poorer, but many are not receiving federal assis- Dr. James Baldwin Candidate for Worship and Evangelism tance. * Most single parents and homemakers have more than four children, * Most single parents and homemakers did not plan their pregnancies. * Nearly half of the single parents need a job to achieve their goals. * Nearly a quarter of the single parents want to attend school, but need trans- portation in order to do so. * Most of the single parents are in- terested in vocational-education pro- grams. Nursing, office occupations, and cosmetology were the top choices. ® Seventy-one percent need child care. ¢ Seventy-eight percent need financial aid in order to attend school. Policy Implications * Vocational education and federal as- sistance outreach programs should fo- cus largely on teenagers ¢ Vocational programs should provide for basic skills training components and for increases in enrollments. e Federal assistance information should be provided through a compre- hensive public awareness campaign and coordinated by a public informa- tion officer. eJobs should be a component of fed- eral assistance. Vocational-education satellite programs should be expanded into high-density single-parent areas. °Vocational-education programs need close tie-in with labor market. Courses desired should be increased. Other of- ferings should be studied. A child care component is needed. Tuition funds should be provided through federal as- sistance programs. Vocational Implications Based on the data available, it is ap- parent that attitudes about vocational education are significantly different among Black, White, married, and single parents. Thus, vocational educa- tion programs need to be adjusted to accomodate the different groups. The majority of single parents focused on HAMPTON is the Man for the Holy Office of Bishop KKeKKKKKn —Elect Him— nursing. When educational levels are taken into account, we believe that single parents might be successful in training programs such as nurses aide or licensed practical nursing with pro- visons for upward mobility for those who show promise. Therefore, we rec- ommend that program offerings in nursing be expanded and to a lesser ex- tent increase offerings in office occu- pations and cosmetology. Since other vocational education of- ferings seemed unappealing to study participants, further study should be conducted to determine who the parti- cipants are and the reasons that single parents did not choose other areas of study. Federal Assistance Implications Federal assistance programs for single parents were judged to be ineffective since very few of the study participants received assistance even though their income levels indicate that they were eligible to receive it. Since single pa- eeeeeeee eee eee tt + 0 —ELECT— For the Bishopric DR. PRESTON WILLIAMS Sixth Episcopal District +See E HEE SE tee ee Candidate for Secretary/ Treasurer Pension IN 1988 Reverend Floyd Alexander SKIRT RRR RAR RRR RRR IIIS IRI AIR IID IIB IIIIIIISAI IIA SS. Eee e CTO C OCS CCTCCSSSCCCOSSSSSSCOSSOOSSOCSS SS SCCSSS SESS SSS) rents had the lowest income level and were younger than all other groups, this problem seemed particularly acute, The reasons they are not re- ceiving aid need to be examined. It is the policy of Southern Univer- sity at New Orleans not to discrimi- nate in education and employment on the basis of sex, race, national origin, ancestry, creed, marital or parental status, or sexual orienta- tion. The study was conducted during 1987 by Lillian W. Clarke, Ed.D., and Tenpao Lee, Ph.D., of South- ern University at New Orleans, Di- vision of Business, 6400 Press Drive, New Orleans, LA 70126. Rev. A. R. Polk to the Office of Church Extension pews eee ius xs UN ¢ He served the Church as General Secretary and did a good job. Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. Candidate for the Bishopric He’ll make a good bishop Elect Him in 88 EI IN EGS MES EY, ===== DSC05570.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder July 11, 1988 Raekeeteeeeee f nbalaiabelahahabahchaiahaiabalabaiehshahsinielabslchlaiieisicisicileiidaiitldidditdih tit LLLLLLLLLELLEL CTCL CCT TCT TT er C Tete TTT eee es * » » * * * * a a * * as > * * * » » a = * * * * * = Ps * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * » * * Ls * * * * * * * » * ba * * * » * * * * * * + * * * * * * * * * * * * + * * * * oe * * * * * * * * * * * ba bd ba * * ba * * * * * * * * Pa * * * * e a + * * * * * * * + PS * * > * * * * * * * * * Ps * * * + + * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * + * * * * * * * : ; * * * * * * * * CANDIDATES FOR THE BI Se I IA IH IIIA AIA II ISI ISSISISSSISISISIS IAN y Z O, Thomas Austin Clarence V. Boyd, Sr. Dr. Thomas Brown Dr. John R, Bryant 10th District > 12th District &th District —~ 2nd District Dr. G. L. Champion Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle William L. Cody Dr. D. C. Coleman Ith District General Officer Ist District 4th District Picture Not ; ‘ i Available " Rev. Albert Dunn R. L. Evans O. B. Gillespie Dr. John H. Gillison 10th District 6th District 12th District 7th District Dr. Z. L. Grady Dr. R. J. Hampton Dr. David F. Harris Rey. Louise Harris 8th District 12th District 10th District 3rd District b st a3 - Picture Not " j ; ee Available Dr. C. G. Henning Hewley E. Hinds, Sr. Dr. Ira Hinson Rev. Carrie Hooper Sth District 16th District 1th District Ist District ' s Picture Not ; . ‘ Available LA ae 5 - Dr. U. A. Hughey David H. Jackson Dr. Lovell Johnson Dr. Robert Keesee 3rd District 15th District 4th District 13th District ee BRET ee PIER : : s 3 : * , Picture Not Dr. R. J. King Charles Lucas ndy W. M. Makhene H. Benedict Mason Issac S. Motha Hilliary L. Parks, Jr. M. D. Phetlhu rt Pi 18th District 13th District 19th District 4th District A. Joseph Reddick Willfred Reid Rev. Elizabeth Scott David K. Simfukwe Ith District 4th District 3rd District 17th District Picture Not faz * i bie 8 é Dr. A. D. Tyson Dr. Jno. Walker Frederick D. Smith Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. at ya District 4th District Ist District 10th District oe ia ‘ Dr. Robert Webster Dr. G. E. West Dr. Preston Williams Dr. a ee istri istrict 6th District 6th District vt weiss Geese EASES SII III IIIT III I IOI I III ISI SIS IIS IIS ISS EIST III IAAI HOPRIC 1988 x A Oth District Sth District District 14th District J * Picture Not | ‘. pee” ~: Available _ wea Arthur L. Maura Dr. E. E. McAshan P. J. Messiah Clement N. Mkwanzi 3rd District Ist District 15th District 17th District Picture Not : : y ES ; he ie | Available 5 Dr. Robert Phillips * + EY Sn eae oe eee Danae eee LOTT Cott LTS fC CT ToL LOSS See e LSS SESE S SSS SSS SESS SS SSCS PEE SSS Tee SSeS ECS ES TOSS CSCCOSCCOCCCTOSTOSCCSCSCCOSCCCCCOCCCOSOCCCOCCOSTOCCCO SSC SCC CCCOSCCOCCSCCI CS CS. ===== DSC05571.JPG ===== July 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Bishop F. C. James Keynote Speaker at Mill Branch A. M.E. Church Bishop F. C. James Pamplico—The Right Reverend Fre- derick Calhoun James, Presiding Bis- hop of the Seventh Episcopal District, was Keynote Speaker at Mill Branch A.M.E. Church’s morning worship during a special service on May 22nd. From the subject, Spiritual Naked- ness: Are You Outfitted for Christian Service? He said, ‘‘Christians should put on a new outfit, should have a per- sonal testimony, then you can be a soldier in the army.’’ He said those who are ready should put on the basics: an open mind; a helping hand; and a loving heart. ‘‘To put on the whole armor, a Christian needs the belt of truth, the breast plate of righteousness and regular reading of the Bible.’’ Bishop James advised, ‘Cover your head with the helmet of salvation, pray on a regular basis, then outfit yourself for Heaven by putting on the crown of faith, ready to be robed.’’ A digest of A.M.E. history and a special luncheon followed, during which the Rev. Alonzo L. Nichols, Presiding Elder of Florence District and Sumpter District, Elder L. J. Hyman, were recognized. Mrs. James also gave brief remarks. The Reverend W. T. Peterson is pastor. NIZTIAIZTNI ZT TAI TINICINICTN I TINIZTN| (—-NOTICE— C Every minister and layperson 4 should send a black and white glossy photo and a resume to: \ DR. A. LEE HENDERSON AMEC Sunday School Union 500 8th Avenue, South INITIO NIA NITY NEE NEA INI) SIN SQ SSK WSN NON ENS NESSES epee Nashville, TN 37208 J] IN LAIN] AME Members, Teachers and Students Service Award Pins Now there is an on-going service award pin system especially for your Sunday School teachers! And it is a great way to say “thank you” to the people who make up the backbone of Christian education in your church. Like the popular attendance recognition system, there are different pins according to length of service. To begin present all with 1 to 4 years of service with the 1-Year-Pin and give the “Welcome Aboard” pin to new teachers. Welcome Aboard. 22 karat gold pin. Plastic box. RA4-2180813 6 or more . each 4.25 . each 3.75 1-Year Pin. Gold plated with Blue Sapphire. RA4-2208092S . each 9,00 5-Year Pin. Sterling Silver with Ruby. RA4-228104S ... each 13.75 10-Year Pin. Sterling Silver with Emerald. RA4-229126S ... each 13.75 15-Year Pin. Gold filled with Gold Sapphire. RA4-223236S ... each 17.95 20-Year Pin. Gold Filled with full cut Diamond. RA4-224247S ... each 29.75 These are designed especially for AME Members and the Sunday School with AME Church symbol. A CHURCH IS BORN by Maxine L. Wallace Baltimore, MD—A vision was made a reality in a Baltimore community when a new church recently began its worship srvices at the facilities of the James D. Gross Recreation Center, 4600 Lanier Ave. Agape Fellowship African Methodist Episcopal Church, a new addition to the Park Heights community, claims to have an answer to the problems that plague urban society. According to Rev, Eleanor Bryant Graham, the founder and pastor, ‘*Agape,’’ the god kind of love, is the answer. “We are blessed to come into the community at a time that the people of the community are rising up to show serious concern about what seems to be malicious attacks against the community,” Graham said. Recent reports indicate Northwest Baltimore, the larger community has one of the highest crime rates in the city. Rev. Graham said Agape Fellowship’s goal is to minister to the whole man; this includes his spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. “We’re convinced that the Lord wants to set the whole man free by the power of the Holy Ghost,” she said. According to Graham, Agape Fellowship’s first three worship services were held at the Park West Multi-Purpose Center, 3319 W. Belvedere Avenue. Graham’s initial pastoral sermon was “Saved to Serve.” “The Lord doesn’t call us to salvation just for the purpose of us going to heaven, but He saves us to reconcile us unto Himself . . .He cleanses us that we might function again as sons of God,” she said. He commissions us to go and reconcile others unto Him.” Honorary guests at the first service were Graham’s parents, Bishop Harrison and Mrs. Edith Bryant, members of the Bethe] AME Church, Agape Fellowship’s mother church, as well as local guest ministers were present to share in the celebration. While the church began worship in March, having Rev. Graham as its pastoral candidate, Graham was formally appointed the pastor of Agape Fellowship by Bishop John Hurst Adams, presiding prelate of the Second Episcopal District at the recent 172nd session of the Baltimore Annual Conference. Graham said while the church is under contract to convene at the Recreation Center one year, efforts are already underway to obtain a building. On Sunday, May |, recognition was given to invited city officials and community persons instrumental in Agape Fellowship’s birth. Present was the Honorable Iris Reeves, City Council; James Grant, Department of Recreation and Parks; Jacqueline Fuqua, director of the James D. Gross Recreation Center; Maryann McCann, Northwest Baltimore Corporation; Janie Gear, Cylburn Neighborhood Association; Mary K. Sollers, principal Edgecombe Circle Elementary School; Lester Wallace, Bethel AME Church; Allen Bennett, Park West Medical Center; Dr. Grady and Mrs. Helen Dale, Bethel AME Church. Graham said several ministries have already been instituted at the church, which to date has more than 100 members. A Children’s and Youth Ministry is Rev. Eleanor Bryant Graham headed by Dr. Marsha Clinkscales; a Married Couple’s Ministry by husband and wife William and Delores Rock; a Women’s Ministry by Minister Minnie Cutler, a minister on staff; a Men’s Ministry by William Rock and Tyrone Nunnelly; and Family Life Ministry is headed by husband and wife Morris and Sandy Sessoms. Agape Fellowship targets to make disciples. Graham said impressing the principle of discipleship upon new members and new believers allows them to receive proper teaching immediately after conversion. According to Graham, this allows them to carry out the teachings of Jesus in every aspect of theirlife . . . including their finances. “Agape Fellowship is a tithing church,” said Graham. Agape Fellowship grew out of the historic Bethel AME Church, 1300 Druid Hill Avenue where the Rev. John R. Bryant is pastor. Rev. Graham was formerly on the Ministerial staff at Bethel, where her brother is pastor. Graham said she knew a year ago that she was going to pastor a church in Baltimore City. “I went to the pastor . . . He knew another church would issue forth out of Bethel,” she said. Graham said while driving in the area near Sinai Hospital on a Sunday after church services, the Lord showed her that the areas of Cylburn, Strand, Virginia Avenue, and Edgecombe Circle was where the church was to be. Graham said Agape Fellowship would not be confined to the walls of a building, but it will reach out to the people in the community. Graham has been in the preaching ministry nearly eight years. She attended the Baltimore City schools, received her Bachelor’s and Master’s in Social Work from Howard University, Washington, D.C. She later earned her Master’s of Divinity at Howard Divinity School. She is currently enrolled in a doctoral program with Oral Roberts University, Tulsa, OK working on her Doctorate of Ministry degree. Prior to finishing her Master’s at Howard Divinity School, Graham took Seminary courses at ORU. ‘‘Cer- tain truths came to me,’’ said Graham. “Many churches fell into one of two categories . . . either they were all spirit with no sense of responsibility of applying that divine energy to human life, or they were all social action/social justice with no divine power,” she said. “We're convinced that the Lord wants to set the whole man free by the power of the Holy Ghost,” she said. Graham is currently the dean of the Please turn to page 10 ===== DSC05572.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder July 25, 1988 Woman Wins Civil Rights Case Washington—The District of Columbia's Office of Human Rights found probable cause to decide that the J. W. Marriott Hotel and the Marriott Corporation violated the D.C. Human Rights Act by threatening a Black Hotel employee with discharge for wearing a cornrow hair style. Pamela Mitchell has worked asa part- time reservations agent at the J. W. Marriott Hotel in downtown Washington, D.C. since February, 1987. In November, Ms. Mitchell had her hair braided in a cornrow style. This hotel gave Ms. Mitchell three written warnings advising her to remove her braids or face discharge. On January 4, 1988, Ms. Mitchell was forced to leave the hotel for refusing to restyle her hair. Ms. Mitchell returned to work two days later after Marriott rescinded its decision to discharge her on the basis of her hairstyle. According to the Office of Human Rights, Ms. Mitchell was adversely treated in that she was threatened with termination, forced to leave the work- site, and subjected to a hostile work environment. The Office of Human Rights also found that because the cornrow hair style tends to be worn almost exclusively by Black Americans and is closely associated with African heritage and racial pride, Marriott's grooming policy had the effect of discriminating against any black female who chose to wear her hair in cornrows to work. “This is a landmark decision—one that will affect not only black women in Washington D.C., but throughout the entire country. The message that this sends to all employers is clear—Black women will not just sit back and let their rights be trampled on,” said Eric Steele, Ms. Mitchell’s attorney. “We hope that Marriott will rescind this type of racially and sexually discriminating policy and fully compensate Ms. Mitchell and other women employees who have suffered damages as a result of it,” he added. VA Physician To Receive Top AMA Award Harriet P. Dustan, M.C., internist and clinician at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Birmingham, has been selected to receive the American Medical Association’s Scientific Achievement Award. The award, which is given annually to outstanding scientists who have contributed to the field of medicine, was presented during the Association’s board of delegates meeting at the Chicago Hilton on June 26. Dustan is being recognized for her lifelong clinical and experimental treatment of hypertension. Widely known for her studies on the role of salt in hypertension, she was the first person to give sodium nitroprusside (an intraveneous drug used to control severe hypertension) to humans and among the first to use thiazides in the treatment of the disease. With hypertension being among the leading causes of death in the United States, Dustan’s studies focused on the pathophysiology of the disease. From 1948 to 1977, with the help of the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, she made a number of scientific discoveries that today influence the everyday practice of internal medicine. Founder of the Hypertension Research Program at the University of Alabama, Dustan also was the principal investigator of the Specialized Center of Research in hypertension. She is a past president of the American Heart Association and is the first woman regent in the history of the American College of Physicians. In 1987, she was appointed to VA’s Distinguished Physicians Program in which renowned scientists, educators and administrators serve as advisors in such areas as medical education and research. Larry Lundy Promoted by PizZa.Hut to..V .P. ae Larry Lundy Wichita, KS—Larry Lundy has been promoted to vice president of restau- rant development for Pizza Hut, Inc. In his new position, Lundy will be re- sponsible for all real estate, construc- tion and property management pro- grams in support of the company’s tradition, delivery and new concept unit development goals. Formerly vice president and con- troller for Pizza Hut, Lundy came to Pizza Hut in July 1983 as controller. His promotion recognizes the numer- ous and considerable contributions he Restaurant Development has made to the company over the past five years. Prior to his employment by Pizza Hut, Lundy directed the internal au- diting function for ARA Services, Inc., and before that served five years with the public accounting firms of Peat, Marwick, Mitchell and Alexander Grant & Company. Additionally, Lun- dy gained real estate and acquisitions experience while at ARA. Lundy holds a bachelor of account- ing from Dillard University and an M.B.A. in business administration from Pepperdine University. Continued from page 9 A CHURCH IS BORN Bethel Bible Institute, 1232 Druid Hill Avenue which is noted as a school of Christian discipleship. Graham includes in her resume experience in psychiatric social work and also administration. She is the mother of Chere M. Graham, who has started a children’s choir at the church, and Kia E. Graham, who is a soloist and has held leading parts in several local plays. The Silent Moment IT’S A MIRACLE At the AMEC Publishing House, ask and you shall receive. In fact, you'll receive a very attractive book and the best Daily Devotional Guide that is on the market today. The Silent Moment is a miracle! It gives you daily moments of inspiration and strength for the day. It is Biblically based! It is written for the young and also for adults. Reading The Silent Moment not only enriches your day. It can enrich your weekly Bible Study, too—espe- cially when you're studying AMEC’s Sunday School material. Price $1.15 per quarter or $5.75 per year. You have been praying for a MIRACLE, The Silent Moment is one. SOSOSHOSSH SHH HHSOSOHSSOHOOHHSHOOHOSSSHOSOHHSOOOHSOOSOSOEEOEEEEEEEEOOESEEES Yes! I’m interested in a “MIRACLE” in my life. Please send me The Silent Moment right away. INVA | Eee CHURCH GUEST SUBSCRIPTION ADDRESS CITY STATE PHONE TITLE ZIP Please add 13% postage and handling THE SILENT MOMENT AMEC PUBLISHING HOUSE 500 EIGHTH AVENUE NORTH NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37203 So, You Want To Be A Christian! by Edith Hol- land Bryant. We are living in a period of revolution where there is a broad feeling of rejection to some of our most cherished ideals. Among these the teachings of the Church have not escaped and this points to the real necessity of emphasizing conver- sion through the means of the ministry of evangel- ism for our young people. RA1-200121 Please add 13% postage and handling. PASTOR’S MANUAL A.M.E. CHURCH G. Lovelace Champion, Editor The Pastor’s Manual, Volume I & II by G. L. Champion provides helpful, ‘‘how-to’” methods and techniques to be employed in the pastorate ofa church, large or small. RA1-46880 (Vol. I) RA1-46881 (Vol. ID : Please add 13% postage and handling. Black Methodism Basic Beliefs, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. The book, in catechismic form, I serves as an instructional instrument for all youth, probationaries, laypersons and clergy of the church- es of Black Methodism and Methodist everywhere. 487-12347 Please add 13% postage and handling. AN INTERMEDIATE RELIGIOUS, READER AND STUDY GUIDE wl Sey , EDITH HOLLAND BRYANT BLACK METHODISM BASIC BELIEFS By @. Lovelace Champion, Sr. C.0.B.M. as one” With feature Article—"The Future: A Congress Of Biack Methodism” ===== DSC05573.JPG ===== July 25, 1988 WU Breaks Ground for Alumni Multi-Purpose Center Wilberforce, OH—Wilberforce Uni- versity broke ground for a new 2.2 million dollar multi-purpose facility at a special ceremony held June 30, 1988, at 10:30 a.m. across from the Stokes Learning Resources Center. The Alumni Multiplex, named in honor of the Alumni Association which pledged one million dollars to- wards the project, will include a gym- nasium and facilities for a wide variety of student and community activities. The Multiplex will seat up to 3,000 people for convocations and 1,500 for athletic events. This will allow the university to revive the intercollegiate sports program, host community events, theatrical productions and con- vocations. These activities are current- ly held in Hill Gymnasium, better known to the students as ‘‘The Barn.”’ The construction of the Alumni Multiplex is the result of a capital campaign which began in the spring of 1987. The goal for the campaign is four million dollars and, as the univer- sity nears this mark, ground will be broken for a new academic support center. The completion of these build- ings will geographically consolidate the campus for the first time since 1967. The Wilberforce administration is still housed on the old campus which was sold to the State of Ohio in 1982 and is now the site of the National Afro- American Museum and Cultural Cen- | = NOW 43rd JSouvernur Booklet BY POPULAR DEMAND Theme: Retooling with Christ for The Third Century July 6-14, 1988 Tarrant County Convention Center Fort Worth. Texas ONLY $500 Please add 13% postage and handling. ¢ Order Today . . . First Come... First Served! ORDER FROM: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 (615) 256-5882 Quantity 43rd Souvenir Booklet(s) ' Name Address City, State The AME Christian Recorder ANNUAL CONFERENCE FIFTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A. M. E,. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP VINTON R. ANDERSON PUGET SOUND ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 9-14, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 5828 N. E. 8th Avenue Portland, Oregon 97211 The Rev, Milton Green, Pastor Church Phone:(503) 288-5429 Pastor’s Phone: (503) 282-0067 The Rev. Jewel B. Dewitty, Host P.E. CALIFORNIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 15-21, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 2024 Ashby Avenue Berkeley, California 94703 The Rey. Felix Dancy, Pastor Church Phone: (415) 848-2050 Pastor’s Phone: (415) 632-3156 The Rev. R. A. Washington, Host P.E. SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 22-28, 1988 Ward A.M.E. Church 1177 W. 25th Street Los Angeles, California 90007 The Rev. Frank M. Reid, III, Pastor Church Phone: (213) 747-1367 Pastor’s Phone: (213) 732-5284 The Rev. J. Austell Hall, Host P.E. The Rev. E. P. Williams, Co-Host P.E. The Rev. A. A. Morgan, Co-Host P.E. COLORADO ANNUAL CONFEREN CE September 6-11,1988 Campbell A.M.E. Church 1500 E. 22nd Avenue Denver, Colorado 80205 The Rev. Ezekiel Habersham, Pastor Church Phone: (303) 839-5058 Pastor’s Phone: (303) 751-0653 The Rev. M. L. Shakespeare, Host P.E. The Rev. L. K. Williams, Co-Host P.E. KANSAS/NEBRASKA ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 12-18, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 2402 North 22nd Street Omaha, Nebraska 68110 The Rev. Dorsey McCullough, Pastor Church Phone: (402) 345-1070 Pastor’s Phone: (402) 451-3733 The Rev. T. R. Evans, Host P.E. Rey. A. T. Taylor, Co-Host P.E. NORTHWEST MISSOURI ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 19-25, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 2329 Flora Avenue Kansas City, Missouri 64141 The Rev. George R. Reid, Pastor Church Phone: (816) 231-3555 Pastor’s Phone: (816) 474-6722 The Rev. E. Lewis Branch, Host P.E. The Rey. P. A. Williams, Co-Host P.E. MISSOURI ANNUAL CONFERENCE October 3-9, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 1908 North Kingshighway Blvd. St. Louis, Missouri 63113 The Rev. Lee Norris May, Pastor Church Phone: (314) 361-8236 Pastor’s Phone: (314) 361-6487 The Rev. Grady Brown, Host P.E. The Rev. O. H. Brown, Co-Host P.E. FIFTH DISTRICT EVALUATION/ PLANNING MEETING October 10, 1988 — 10:00 a.m. Wayman A.M.E. Church Rey. Lonnie C. Wormley, Sr., Pastor Church Phone: (314) 361-4123 Pastor’s Phone: (314) 991-0966 ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT FUND MEETING October 10, 1988 TENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE i fi ja BISHOP J. HASKELL MAYO NORTHWEST TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 9-12, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 2200 Southeast Drive Lubbock, Texas 79404 The Rev. D. A, Smith, Host Pastor 806/744-7552 Rey. I. C. Cooper, Host P. E. NORTHEAST TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 16-19, 1988 Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church 710 West Elm Street Denison, Texas 75020 The Rev. C. O. Epps, Host Pastor 1-214/463-5084 The Rev. A. L. Brown, Host P.E. The Rev. L. E. Reid, Associate P.E. The Rev. G. B. Bailey, Sr., Associate P.E. WEST TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 30-September 2, 1988 Tyree Chapel A.M.E. Church 2519 Avenue B Bay City, Texas 77414 The Rev. Roy Brown, Host Pastor 409/245-2800 The Rev. F. D. McDonald, Host P.E. The Rev. Bennie Wilson, Associate P.E. SOUTHWEST TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 6-9, 1988 St. Joseph A.M.E. Church 506 Montana Street San Antonio, Texas 78203 The Rev. H. H. Jones, Host Pastor 512/223-1574 The Rev. O. W. Hodges, Host P.E. The Rev. Lloyd Chenault, Associate P.E. TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 20-23, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 3320 Waverly Street Beaumont, Texas 77705 The Rev. W. O. Johnson, Host Pastor 409/842-1080 The Rev. X. L. Williams, Host P.E. The Rev. Leland Jenkins, Associate P.E. The Rev. O. L. Dawson, Associate P.E. CENTRAL TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 27-30, 1988 St. Luke A.M.E. Church 117 Church Street Waco, Texas 76704 The Rev. L. H. McCloney, Host Pastor 817/752-0502 The Rey. C. C. Johnson, Host P.E. The Rev. Duyber Harris, Associate P.E. NORTH TEXAS ANNUAL CONFERENCE October 11-14, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church 711 N. W. 29th Street Fort Worth, Texas 76106 The Rev. W. B. Langham, Host Pastor 817/626-1985 The Rev. John D. Walker, Host P.E. The Rev. H. F. Dodson, Associate P.E. The Rev. F. D. Thomas, Associate P.E. PLANNING MEETING October 20-21, 1988 Budget Report—February 16-17, 1988 May Day Report—May 10-11, 1988 Convocation ’88—July 27-29, 1988 Attend Annual Conference ELEVENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E., CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP P. R. COUSIN SCHEDULE OF ACTIVITIES 1988 August 1-4th 11TH DISTRICT Christian Education Congress Hyatt Hotel, Orlando, Florida FLORIDA CONFERENCE August 17-21, 1988 Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church Lake City, Florida The Rev. Charles Graham Pastor Church Phone: (904) 752-1930 Pastor’s Phone: (904) 755-6674 WEST FLORIDA CONFERENCE August 25-28, 1988 Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church Panama City, Florida The Rev. F. C. Griffin, Pastor Church Phone: (904) 763-3536 CENTRAL FLORIDA CONFERENCE September 8-11, 1988 New Bethel A.M.E. Church 4202 Columbia Street Orlando, Florida 32811 The Rey. R. D. Daniels, Pastor Church Phone: (305) 299-3792 Pastor’s Phone: (904) 787-1720 ORLANDO FLORIDA CONFERENCE September 15-18, 1988 New Bethel A.M.E. Church 2122 Martin Luther King Drive Lakeland, Florida 33801 The Rev. Jimmy Thompson, Pastor 2104 Martin Luther King Drive Lakeland, Florida 33801 Church Phone: (813) 687-1994 Pastor’s Phone: (813) 687-1671 SOUTH FLORIDA CONFERENCE October 5-9, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 405 N. W. 3rd Avenue Pompano Beach, Florida 33060 The Rev. F. R. Satchel, Pastor Church Phone: (305) 943-6220 TAMPA FLORIDA CONFERENCE October 13-16, 1988 Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church 919 20th Street South St. Petersburg, Florida 33712 The Rev. Sam Green, Pastor Church Phone: (813) 894-1393 Pastor’s Phone: (813) 894-3835 EAST FLORIDA CONFERENCE October 26-30, 1988 St. Stephens A.M.E. Church 913 W. 5th Street Jacksonville, Florida 32209 The Rev. R. V. Webster, Pastor Church Phone: (904) 354-5201 Pastor’s Phone: (904) 764-3771 BAHAMA ISLANDS CONFERENCE November 11-13, 1988 Robinson-Morris Chapel Nassau, Bahamas The Rey. Howard Williamson, Pastor 1-809-323-7637 PLANNING CONFERENCE November 18-19, 1988 JACKSONVILLE HOTEL 565 South Main Street Jacksonville, Florida (904) 398-8800 ‘‘People Can Alter Their Lives By Altering Their Attitudes.”’ William James ===== DSC05574.JPG ===== 12 the AME Christian Recorder _ July 25, 1988 Traveling with the Presiding Elders Thomaston, GA—The recent Fourth Quarterly Conference for St, Mary A.M.E. Church was presided over by the Rev. H. EB. Terrell, pastor of Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church of East point, GA. The Rev. E. L. Martin is pastor of St. Mary. Following the death of the Rev. A. G. Conyers, former Pre- siding Elder of the Griffin District, Bishop Frederick H. Talbot appointed Rev. Terrell to take the District to the annual conference. The quarterly conference, held ona Friday evening, noted the deaths of Steward James Ellerbee, Sister Carrie Marshall and the late presiding elder. The organizations of the church, in ad- dition to submitting their written reports, made a financial contribution to Mrs. Conyers. The reports—written and oral—re- flected a wonderful three months for the church family at St. Mary. Sister Lorraine S. Drake, Reporter Newton, AL—The Pinckard Circuit of the Ozark District was convened at the St. Mark A.M.E. Church where Rev. W. D. Flowers was host pastor and Presiding Elder J. F. McCloud of- ficiated. Pastor Flowers presented an eager audience of worshippers to the elder, who set free the souls of the members of the congregation through powerful preaching on the ‘‘Christian Life Style’? and responsiility to God. He brought fresh heavenly manna to God’s people. Though many members were ill, the conference was very well attended. Bobbie Grubbs, Reporter Tuckerman, AR—Presiding Elder M. H. Elliott of the Newport District pre- sided over the First Quarterly meeting at St. Paul A.M.E. Church. Reports revealed the fact that the official busi- ness of the church was in very good shape over the past quarter. Rev. O. T. Davis is pastor of the church, and both he and the congre- gation are already looking forward to the next quarterly session. We thank God for giving us the vic- tory. Rev. O. T. Davis, Reporter Bonifay, FL—An exciting Third Quar- terly Conference was held at New Bethel A.M.E. Church under the di- rection of Rev. C. E. Nichols, Presiding Elder of the Pensacola Dis- trict. During the business session, ste- wardship reports were received and ap- proved by the conference. At a spirited eleven o’clock worship service, the Senior Choir sang as if they did, indeed, know the One about whom they were singing. A fervent prayer was prayed by Brother Henry Myrick, which, together with the en- thusiastic singing of the choir, pre- pared the congregation for the presen- tation of Rev. Nichols by the pastor of the church, Rev. Sylvester Jones, for the sermon of the morning. Using a text from St. Mark 10:47-48, the Elder warmed the hearts of his audience, as he addressed the one-word subject ““Mercy.”’ In an afternoon session, the Youth Department of the church presented their annual, seasonal program, with Miss Kimberly Farrow in charge. Assisting were Ms. Barbara Farrow and Mrs. Rosalie McClain. The congregation of New Bethel A.M.E. Church had cause to thank God for a beautiful day. Mayola Gearing, Reporter Gainesville, FL—The members of Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church gave honor and glory to the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for the accomplishments made at their church this conference year, In a prelude to the Third Quarterly Conference (Mother's Day), Presiding Elder Horace E. Hill preached at the morning worship on the provocative subject ‘‘See-Saw Love.’’ His Scrip- ture text was from St. Luke 22:31-34, **See-saw love’’ Elder Hill described as that type of love which ‘‘sees’’ another and call him/her friend when all is going well, but a love that quickly becomes ‘‘saw love’’ (past tense) when all is not going well for that ‘‘friend.’’ Rev. Thelma Shaw Young and the members of Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church have epitomized the words spoken by the Apostle Paul: ‘‘I can do all things through Christ which strengthened me.’’ (Philippians 4:13, The Open Bi- ble, KJV). Reports made to Presiding Elder Hill and the Third Quarterly Conference reflected some of the ac- complishment of the church under the pastorate of Rev. Young. Under the direction of Sister Cyn- thia Mingo, the Y.P.D.ers have used their talents to the glory of God during the Third Quarter. They participated in many activities and won several awards. February, 1988, twenty-three participants attended the Black Poetry Contest in Leesburg, FL. Winners in the different grade levels were: Head- start, Lanetta Parker, Honorable Mention; Kindergarten, Tiesha Perry, First Place; 4th grade, Gerald Mingo, Honorable Mention; 6th grade, Tia Wilson, Honorable Mention; 6th grade, Katrina Smith, First Place; 9th grade, Annie Marie Mingo, First Place. : Greenwood, Ms.—Turner's Chapel A.M.E. Church, where Rev. John W. Jenkins, Jr,, is pastor, was the site of the combined Quarterly Conferences of Turner's Chapel, Heard’s Chapel and Allen Chapel A.M.E. Churches, presided over by Rev. E. A, James. The Elder’s inspirational sermon was much enjoyed by the host of persons in attendance, In the business session, following the routine questions relative to the progress of the church and the reports of auxiliaries and boards, Rev. Dr. James updated events regarding the General and Annual Conferences, as well as relating other news items of in- terest to the A.M.E. constituency. Dr. James concluded the session with highly gratifying comments and an expression of appreciation for the very fine conference. Mrs. N. B. Jackson, Reporter Ozark, AL—The presiding elder of the Ozark District, Rev. J. F. McCloud, held the Second Quarterly Conference of the Pinckard Circuit at the Friend- ship A.M.E. Church, where Rev. W. O. Flowers serves as pastor. The Sunday morning worshipers were spiritually fed with manna from on high, as Presiding Elder McCloud broke the Bread of Life. Having greeted the congregation with praises and thanksgiving to God for all of His wonderful blessings, the Elder preach- ed from the subject ‘‘The Ten Rules For Living.’’ His text was selected from St. Luke 15:8-10. The message was truly spiritual bread for the soul. Bobbie Grubbs, Reporter God Loves A Cheerful To be sure you do not teach the wrong thing, make sure you order your material from the AMEC Sunday School Union TODAY. Simply ask for a free beautiful Catalogue so you can be sure. | cages SARIS CRUEL CCERBOED CTSNET. [CARRE] | BORED SERRE eM i oi Mi ANALYSIS OF BAPTISM ¢ By Edward W. Lampton, D.D Analysis Of Baptism, by Edward W. Lampton. Although profound and long discussions have been maintained concern- ing the nature of baptism, Lampton, in this exposition, attempts to give an analysis of baptism from Moses to John. Please add 13% for Postage and handling. OF THE FIRST EDITION OF THE DISCIPLINE OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH WITH BY HISTORICAL C. M. TANNER, PREFACE AND NOTES Second Printing A. Lee Henderson, Publisher 85 Raise Your Hand If You Are Sure
• June 13, 1988
  ===== DSC05542.JPG ===== ie aS IHER Gop OUR FA we Vol. 137, No. 19 June 13, 1988 All Night Prayer Vigil PRE-GENERAL CONFERENCE ACTIVITY by A. Lee Henderson Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church will be the site of the “ALL NIGHT Prayer Vigil.’’ The ‘‘Prayer Quake’’ will start at 12 midnight and end at 6:00 a.m. Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church is located at 116 Elm Street, Fort Worth, Texas, the Reverend W. L. Davis is the Pastor. The Right Reverend V. R. Byrd is the Coordinator. Bishop V. R. Byrd Rev. W. L. Davis Pastor Fort Worth, Texas. The Prayer Quake July 3, 1988, midnight to 6:00 a.m. proposed by Bishop Vernon R. Byrd may well turn out to be an earth- shaking event! In the true spirit of prayer our eminent Bishops, General Officers, Deans, Presiding Elders, Connectional Officers, and distin- guished Delegates can achieve their goals. In a telephone interview Bishop Byrd said, ‘‘first, we focus on Jesus. He is the magnet that prepares and draws men and women to God. Apart from Him, the Word becomes word. In Him, the Word becomes flesh. He is the center of the center. He fuels our faith.’ ‘‘Many meetings take place, Please turn to page 7 Delaware Conference Addresses Social Issues for Today Bishop Frank Cummings Chester, PA—The 65th session of the Delaware Conference convened at the Murphy A.M.E. Church with the host pastor, the Rev. Andrew T. Holtz, Jr., and congregation. The pre-conference service began with the conference evangelists’ ser- vice, led by the conference Director, Rev. Sherry Harmon. Seventy-six- year-old Eastern Shore Baseball Hall of Famer Condonsal Walters led the Dickerson Chapel Male Chorus in “This Old House.’’ The Rev. James Hill is Pastor of Dickerson Chapel Church. Rev. James K. Baldwin, the next Director of the A.M.E. Church Department of Evangelism, preached from II Kings 6:16, asking, ‘‘Do You Know Your Strength?’’ In a high-spirited and loving atmos- phere, the Conference Branch of the WMS elected a slate of new officers. Thus, the tone of the conference was set. The Rt. Rev. Frank C. Cummings, Presiding Bishop of the 65th session of the Delaware Conference, organized the conference, which was visited by five bishops: Bishops Huff and Poin- dexter of the U.A.M.E. Church, the latter delivering Friday’s noonday ser- mon; Bishop D. Ward Nichols; Bis- hop Vernon R. Byrd, who delivered the Ordination Sermon; and Bishop Donald G. Ming, who preached the closing sermon. In a sermon following the conference organization, Rev. Charles Dennis stood before the con- gregation, took a text from Deuteron- omy 6:3, and told us the Lord said, “Tell Them About Me.’’ The conference did its work, re- Please turn to page 7 ECORDE THE OFFICIAL ORGAN “A “ PRICE: 50 CENTS Methodist Episcopal Church 1787-1987 Great Throng in South Africa Invades a City in Jubilate! By Rev. Daniel S. Modisapodi Bishop Henry A. Belin Bishop Harold B. Senatle South Africa—A crowd of 2,000 loyal and faithful members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, in joint Bicentennial Celebrations by the 15th, 18th, and 19th Episcopal Districts, in- vaded the City of Bloemfontein, South Africa, on Wednesday in jubilate! Bicentennial Celebrations went on for five days, under the leadership of Bishops Harold B. Senatle and Henry A. Belin, Jr., accompanied by their queenly wives and families and follow- ed by district leaders—both clergy and laity—young people, and children. It was a great event and an extraordinary occasion, depicting a history unfolding the beginning, organization, propa- gation, and continuation of the life and activity of a religious movement, which God alone purposed, led, and moved into being, using man as His in- strument. Undoubtedly, Richard Allen was the man, and the early pioneers and the faithful in America, in Africa, and throughout the world became countless witnesses. Celebrations, as an event, come and go, but memory lingers, and happen- ings become memorable and enduring. Such was the impression gained by those who attended the Bicentennial celebrations in Bloemfontein. The opening day started at 9 a.m. with a procession of witnesses starting from Frazer Square, three quarters of a mile distance to the City Hall, and arriving at 11 a.m. The City of Bloem- fontein was quiet; the procession of witnesses moved the city to enquire about what was happening. The people of God had entered a city! Walls of divisions were shaking, and God had ushered peace and reconciliation, and every hotel and Holiday Inn inthe city was open, and the reception was too wonderful for words. The spirit of celebrations was high and enthusiastic, and the theme, “‘A Liberating and Re- conciling People,’ became real and relevant to a part of the world fraught with disease of hatred, divisions, and violence. Our celebrations brought hope and renewed faith and strength for our people in South Africa. As we worshiped on the opening day, the Rev. Dr. James A. Blake, pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church, Charleston, SC, delivered an edifying sermon that brought many near the cross and set the occasion glowing on a high and appreciative note. FIVE DAYS Invariably, the five days were used for combined workshops, separate Please turn to page 7 Member Churches Voting On COCU Document During Quadrennial Session Princeton, NJ—The United Methodist Church, meeting in its Quadrennial General Conference in St. Louis, became the third church to accept the COCU Consensus, a theological agree- ment worked out over twenty five years by the member churches of the Consultation on Church Union. In its decision, the United Methodist Church stated that it recognizes in this Consensus an expression of the apos- tolic faith, order, worship, and witness of the Church. It further declared that it recognizes in the Consensus a suf- ficient theological basis for the COCU covenanting acts that will be brought to the 1992 General Conference for discussion and action. The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and the International Council of Community Churches had already claimed the COCU Consensus at their national assemblies. Four other churches will vote on this agreement in the summer of 1988, with the final two member churches of COCU voting in 1989. The covenanting document referred to above will be the center of attention at the December, 1988, Plenary meeting of COCU, to be held in New Orleans, Louisiana. The nine member churches of the Consultation are: African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Episco- pal Church, International Council of Community Churches, Presbyterian Church (USA), United Church of Christ, and United Methodist Church. ee ===== DSC05543.JPG ===== » The AME Christian Recorder In one chapter of Donald Regan’s recently-published book, he states that after the assassination attempt on President Reagan, his wife Nancy be- gan checking regularly with astrologers to determine the best and safest times for his personal and presidential activi- ties. I do not know how valid that report is, but it does bring to mind a fact of history. It has been pointed out that beginning with the election of U. S. President William Henry Harrison in 1840, each president elected in a year ending with the symbol digit ‘‘0”’ has died while in office. For 120 years, the established historic pattern remained unbroken. Seven successful candidates who ran in the years 1840, 1860, 1880, 1900, 1920, 1940 and 1960, and became President, died while holding that of- fice. Since President Reagan was first elected in 1980, and was shot in an assassination attempt, subsequently, it might be a little difficult to ignore the “0”? pattern of the past. It might even be natural for dormant superstitious in- stincts to stir somewhat uneasily over this pattern—whether it be coincidental or otherwise—and lend significance to the fact that every twenty years a presi- dent has been elected who was either assassinated or died from other causes while in office. This editorial is written for the 13th day of June. I do not, however, suf- fer from ‘‘TRISKAIDEKAPHOBIA,”’ the fear of the number 13. Tradition has it that 13 people dining, or just sitting, together is very unlucky. One version of this superstition has it that the first to rise will suffer death or serious misfortune before a year passes. Another puts the last to rise in danger. The third version says that any one of the 13 may suffer, or all of them. Superstitions, like phobias, are based on ignorance and fear of the unknown. Egyptians buried food and wine with their dead, thinking they would be on a long journey. The American Indians buried their dead with bow and arrows because they were thought to be going to another hunting ground in another world. Originally, the use of tombstone was for the purpose of keeping the evil spirits in the grave. Pebbles that the mourners put on graves gave further evidence of this superstition. Though we call the firing of guns at military funerals a last salute, it is the same symbolic ritual of the American Indians, who shot their arrows or threw their spears into the air to frighten off evil spirits. Primitive religions focused on the power to bring a curse on people. The greatest power in primitive religions is the power of curse, to create spells, and engage the superstitious. Their effectiveness resided in their ability to control men and their minds under the threat of curse and bad luck. Since the begin- ning of recorded time, trying to solve the mysteries of life and death have pro- duced soothsayers, seers, medicine men, witch doctors, and magic makers. Primitive man thought that by observing a fetish, performing some ritual, or by having it done for him, he would placate a hostile spirit. Has 20th-century man really progressed beyond primitive beliefs? Many customs, rituals, and traditions that mold and influence our practices originated far back in time before recorded history. These traits do not con- fine themselves to any particular culture, ethnic group or academic communi- ty. A cleric—superstitious or a victim of triskaidekaphobia—would be hard pressed to preach from First Corinthians, 13th Chapter and 13th Verse—the last in the chapter. Some people are that fearful about the number 13, especially when it falls on a Friday. What charm are you carring or wearing on your person—and for what reason? I once asked my daughter, Sheridan, what superstitions and phobias The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver- tising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor, Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. H. L. Felix, Special Editor; Dr. Jimmie James, Jr., Music Editor; Rev. Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor; Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor, Mrs Thelma A. Wills, Contributing Editor; Or. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L Blankenship, Regional Editor, Rev. W. J Jackson, Regional “Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent; Dr. W. 0 Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Or. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Capt Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor: Dr. William P. DeVeaux ting Editor, Rev. Cecil Murray, Contribut- Career Development editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contribu ing Editor The A.M.E. Christlan Recorder welcomes letters trom its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa- sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements June 13, 1988 she had and, much to my astonishment, she said, ‘‘None! Christians are not superstitious.’ What could I say to that? What can you say? Our environmental influences do contribute to what we become, think and believe, and, ultimately, to the way we live. A very intelligent old woman told me, many years ago, this little verse of unknown origin: ‘‘Monday for health; Tuesday is for wealth; Wednesday is the best day of all, Thursday is for crosses; Friday is for losses; and Saturday, no luck at all. Somehow, I still wonder why Sunday was not included in the verse. Astrology is a pseudoscience to foretell the future by studying the sup- posed influences of the relative positions of the moon, sun and stars on human affairs, The word ‘‘horoscope’’ is taken from the Greek word horoskopos, meaning one who observes the hour of birth. This also relates to the position of the planets and stars with relation to one another at a given time, especially at the time of a person’s birth, and regarded as determining his destiny. A zodiac is an imaginary belt in the heavens, extending for eight degrees on either side of the apparent path of the sun, and including the paths of the moon and the principal planets. It is divided into twelve equal parts, or signs, each named for a different constellation. The twelve signs are Aquarius, January 20-February 18; Pices, February 19-March 20; Aries, March 21-April 19; Taurus, April 20-May 20; Gemini, May 21-June 21; Cancer, June 22-July 22; Leo, July 23-August 22; Virgo, August 23-September 22; Libra, September 23-October 23; Scorpio, October 24-November 22; Sagittarius, November 23-December 21; Capricorn, December 22-January 19. President Ronald Wilson Reagan’s zodiacal sign is Aquarius, and his wife Nancy Reagan’s zodiacal sign is Cancer. The Tennessean newspaper (5-8-88) says, ‘‘Ronald Reagan was sworn in as governor of California at 12:01 a.m. after carefully examining the alignment of the stars. He carries charms in his pocket, considers 33 his lucky number, and often says Lincoln’s ghost stalks The A.M.E. Christian Recorder the White House.’’ Special to the Christian Recorder Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. AN OPEN LETTER FROM THE REV. ROBERT THOMAS, JR., PASTOR EBENEZER A.M.E. CHURCH DETROIT, MICHIGAN Dear Co-Laborer in Christ: I am an aspirant for Episcopal ser- vice in the African Methodist Episco- pal Church. My Record will show thousands of souls saved, the building of two Chur- ches and one Educational building, paying off of mortgages, purchasing of parsonages and involvement in many civic and outreach enterprises. Many of my supporters have ex- claimed that ‘‘Bob has paid his dues and deserves to be elected.’’ While I : SUBSCRIBE! to the Christian Recorder Please print. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. am grateful for those sentiments, I do not believe that effective pastoral leadership need be rewarded with the Bishopric. To be able to fulfill one’s calling successfully is, in itself, great reward. I do, however, feel that pas- toral accomplishment may give some indication as to what kind of Bishop a person would be, if elected. Frankly, the same skills in admin- istration and the spiritual maturity which makes for strong pastoral lead- ership should qualify one for the office of Chief Pastor. Also, the ability to relate lovingly and respectfully to the people of God, both ministerial and lay, is a priority for the bishopric. I believe I qualify on all of the aforementioned statements. I cannot give a platform of what I would do if elected. I would simply be one in a system with many. I do, however, promise to work under God with other persons, both ministerial and lay in progressive ministry for the advancement of our Zion. Thanks for your prayers, support and vote. Sincerely in Christ, Robert Thomas, Jr., Pastor Ebenezer A.M.E. Church The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable to: A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Name Address. City/State/Zip Jee aa D 2 eS Ss eSee2eaEsoam ===== DSC05544.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder “Seventh Episcopal District Min $e fe Rev. Laddie N. Howard We praise God Almighty for giving us the determination, faith, and trust that we were able through prayer to reach this level of accomplishment. For the past three years, the Rev. Laddie Nathaniel Howard traveled from his home in Sumter, SC, pastored Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church of Greenwood, SC, and attained the Interdenominational Theological Cen- ter of Atlanta, GA. We count it a blessing to be a mem- ber of the African Methodist Episco- pal Church in South Carolina, under the direction of Bishop F. C. James, Presiding Prelate of the 7th Episcopal District. Rev. Howard is a member of the Piedmont Annual Conference ser- ving in the Greenwood District where the Rev. G. T. Devlin is the Presiding Elder. As if the afore mentioned of travel- ister Earns Master’s Degree”’ ing every week was not enough, Rev. Howard found time to serve as the president of the Turner Seminary Fel- lowship. He was the winner of two awards during his senior year, the Dean’s Award, and the Bishop William Alfred Fountain, Sr., and William Afred Fountain, Jr., Award for Academic Excellence. He was also a member of the Student’s Life Com- mittee, Campus Security Committee, Member of the Executive Committee of the Student Christian League, and many others. ried to the former Katherine Rivers of Bamberg, SC, and the father of two teenage children. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert N. Howard of Sumter, SC. The struggle for Rev. Howard paid off May 7, 1988 as he was awarded the Master of Divinity Degree in Psychology of Religion/Pastoral Care. Very important in the struggle, Rev. Howard was able to maintain a 3.23 G.P.A. Rev. Howard says he credits first of all his success to God’s blessings and the prayers of the many who kept en- couraging him to keep on keeping on. We encourage all ministers to accept the challenge which Paul gave to Timothy, to study to show thyself ap- proved, a workman who need not be ashamed rightly divining the word of truth. 43rd General Conference to Convene in Fort Worth, Texas, July 6th thru 14th By The Connectional Christian Debutante-Master Commission, A.M.E. Church The 43rd General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church will convene in Fort Worth, Texas, Ju- ly 6th thru July 14th, 1988. The Right Reverend Rembert E. Stokes of the 10th Episcopal District will be Host Bishop to the thousands of clergy and laity who will gather for this Quadren- nial legislative assembly. Dr. Nancy P. Stokes, Episcopal Supervisor of the District, the First Lady and official hostess, is assisting her husband in planning to make this Quadrennial meeting especially memorable. One of the numerous highlights of the meeting will be the 10th Quadren- nial Christian Debutante-Master (DMC) Dedication Ceremony at the seat of the General Conference, 4:00 p.m., the first Sunday afternoon, July 10, 1988. Unmarried young people en- tering adulthood (ages 17-20) will dedicate their lives for a greater Chris- tian witness, in an inspirational reli- —ELECT— Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. Fourth Episcopal District gious service involving pageantry, music, choral readings and prayers. An elaborate reception will follow the dedication. Professional video taping of the entire activity will enable in- terested persons to possess a lasting remembrance of the occasion. Honorees who will be selected to participate by their Pastors or youth leaders will engage in preparatory stu- dies to deepen their knowledge of the Christian faith, denominational history, Black studies and brother- hood awareness. The young person re- porting the highest amount of money over the participation quota will be crowned “Mr. or Miss Bicentennial A.M.E. of 1988’. There is no limi- tation on the number of qualified young people who may participate in the Dedication from a local church, area, Presiding Elder District, or an Episcopal District. For further information, write to: DMC Headquarters P.O. Box 497125 Chicago, IL 60649 Dr. J. B. Crawford To the Bishopric 3 UM Senior Lee Richard Coleman Set to Study Medicine Lee Richard Coleman, Jr., 21-year- old senior at the University of Miami, who graduated May 6 with a Bachelor of Science degree, has an interesting di- lemma: six medical schools have ac- cepted him. Which one should he pick? Coleman, class representative for the UM College of Arts and Sciences, sent off applications last fall to medical schools in the East. So far, six have said yes, several offering full four-year tuition scholarships. The schools that are seeking Cole- man include Yale, the University of South Florida, Johns Hopkins Univer- sity, University of Pennsylvania, Duke University, and the University of Said Coleman, ‘‘Yale, John Hop- kins, the University of Pennsylvania, and Duke are considered to be among the top 10 medical schools in the coun- try. I need to decide which one offers the best financial deal. It’s a good feel- ing to be wanted. “Tf I accomplished anything in my years of study, I hope that it is a state- ment and a good example for the young Blacks in my community, because Blacks need more positive role models.”’ Coleman is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Coleman, Sr., of 13810 Harrison St., Richmond Heights. His parents and sister, Sandi, 8, watched him graduate. At the UM, Coleman majored in bi- ology and minored in chemistry in the pre-med program, which included or- ganic chemistry, physics, biology, and eight years weekly of independent re- search in platelet activation factor with the Florida A&M School of Pharmacy extension lab at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Coleman worked with Dr. Gershwin T. Blyden, learning about research techniques and various instru- mentation, including the gas chroma- tographer and high pressure liquid chromatographer. Coleman wants to specialize in cardiovascular or neuro- surgery. “Someday, I’d like to be involved in academic medicine, affiliated with some university, and possibly work in the field of cancer research. Since I was a kid, I heard how terrible cancer is. I’d like to be on the team that someday could eradicate this killer. They need to find that one factor that is common to all cancers. If they can do it, they can find a way to battle it.”” Coleman was born in Miami’s Bap- tist Hospital September 16, 1966. He studied at Leewood Elementary School, Arvida Junior High School, and Miami Killian Senior High School. At Killian, he found his scientific in- terest, and was in the science honor society. He also was a member of the Civil War Roundtable, ‘‘which was fascinating. I learned that it was a di- vided war, but one with a great pur- pose—ending slavery.’’ At 220 pounds and 5-feet 10, Cole- man was asked by the football team coach if he wanted to play, but Cole- man told him tongue-in-cheek that he was more ‘‘academically inclined. So I went to the games and rooted for my buddies instead of playing.’’ But he keeps in good health by playing bas- ketball and fishing in the Everglades off the Tamiami Trail. His high school record helped him to win a four-year, full-tuition Golden Drum Scholarship to study at the Uni- versity of Miami, At the UM, he played four years for living expenses. It will help tremendously,’’ he said. Another welcome surprise: his aunt, Barbara Nickerson, is taking him on vacation this summer to Germany, Ita- ly, and France for four weeks as a graduation gift. They have relatives in the military stationed in Germany and will visit them. ““Someday,’’ said Coleman, ‘‘I hope to help my sister go to college, in case she is not as fortunate as me.’’ Now, in the spring, a few people around his neighborhood tease him by calling him ‘‘Doc.’’ Said Coleman, with a big smile, ‘‘I tell them they’re a few years early and to wait until I pass the gross anatomy course in medical school.’’ Dr. U. A. Hughey Leadership for the THIRD CENTURY — Elect — Him Bishop in Dr. Carl Hunter CHURCH EXxEEEE excay EXPANSION DEPARTMENT Egy ELECT ===== DSC05545.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder June 13, 1988 Ms. Cooper-Blair Joins Agency Board THE MINORITY VIEW—Cesar A. Perales, right, Commissioner of the New York State Department of Social Services, discusses New York City’s human care services agencies with Ms. Antoinette Cooper-Blair, a manager for Citibank, center, and with Horace W. Morris, Executive Director of United Way of New York City, during a reception at Con- tinental Insurance Corp. Perales and Morris organized the Minority Board Placement Project last year to recruit Hispanic and Black corporate executives to the boards of private agencies. This followed a United Way study that revealed minorities made up fewer than 15 percent of the boards of directors of such agencies, while clients served by these agencies come to more than 80 per- cent. One of 45 Black and Hispanic business executives honored at the reception, Ms. Cooper-Blair recently joined the board of the Louise Wise Services agency in New York City. THE TENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT African Methodist Episcopal Church Presents “PROFILES IN FAITH” DIANNE TUCKER, Director Friday, July 8, 1988 — 8:30 P.M. Saturday, July 9, 1988 — 2:00 P.M. William Edrington Scott Theatre 3505 W. Lancaster Avenue Fort Worth, Texas BENEFIT FOR PAUL QUINN COLLEGE Donation — $15.00 43rd Quadrennial Session yA of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church FAMILY BANQUET Tuesday, July 5, 1988 — 7:00 P.M. Tarrant County Convention Center 1111 Houston Street Ft. Worth, Texas Please plan to attend this exciting feature. We’re looking forward to seeing you. Reservations are already being made. Tickets are in the hands of each Episcopal District Bishop. Ticket donation $50.00. Mrs. Izean F. Davidson, Chairperson 4509 Rolling Hills Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas 76119 Reverend W. D. Turner, Co-Chairperson Mrs. Nancy P. Stokes, Advisor The Right Reverend R. E. Stokes, Bishop Tenth Episcopal District Elect Editor of Religious Literature IN FORT WORTH JULY 1988 When Elected... ¢] will move to Nashville and work there e] will give you Bible base literature eMy writing will be of the highest quality ePublisher will have material on time Develop a ‘Bank of Writers’ across the Connection eImprove literature and work hand in hand with the Publisher 28 Years Experience As A Writer Of Church School ‘ae Literature For The African Methodist Episcopal Church De, Edward W. Jackson (% Henderson A Man of experience A-1 Publisher _ Candidate for Re-Election ‘ Secretary-Treasurer The Sunday School Union African Methodist Episcopal Church Dr. A. Lee Henderson July 1988 “I will try to do my duty when re-elected July 1988 in the same spirit exemplified in the past. I promise to do justice, show mercy and to walk humbly with my God. JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI and EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Right Reverend Donald G. Ming, Presiding Bishop Present Twelfth Annual Church Music Workshop Music Ministry in the Contemporary Urban and Rural Church JUNE 28 - JULY 1, 1988 Outstanding Consultants / Excellent Workshop Experiences ROBERT RAY — St. Louis, MO WORKSHOP EXPERIENCES Instructor of Music, St. Louis Conservatory Selecting, Analyzing, Interpreting Spirituals Minister of Music, West Side Baptist Church _—_ Structuring The Church Music Program Composer: Gospel Mass The Children’s Choir: Handle With Care ELLA WASHINGTON Milwaukee, WI Service Music Supervisor of Music Education, Milwaukee Spirituals and Hymns of the Black Church Public Schools Interpreting and Teaching Gospel Music Director of Music, Calvary Baptist Church The Minister and the Music Program ROBERT L. MORRIS Jackson, MS Rehearsals Techniques Director of Choral Activities, Jackson State University Director of Music, Central United Metho- dist Church JIMMIE JAMES The Workshop Director is Professor and Chair of the Department of Music at Jackson State University. He is Minister of Music at Pearl Street A.M.E. Church and former Director of Music for the Eighth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. TUITION / FEES HOURS GRADUATE CREDIT HOURS UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT HOUR GRADUATE CREDIT HOUR UNDERGRADUATE CREDIT NON-CREDIT NON-CREDIT (10 or more from one church) SPECIAL CHILDREN’S WORKSHOP (Ages 6-12) For Information, Please Write Or Call The Workshop Director DR. JIMMIE JAMES, JR., CHAIR DEPARTMENT OF MUSIC JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY JACKSON, MISSISSIPPI 39217 (601) 968-2141 ===== DSC05546.JPG ===== The AME. Christian Recorder June 13, 1988 a ee | loa News From The Northwest Texas District 2 Presiding Elder 1. C. Cooper, Jr., pictured with his constituents. ‘Charges: Bethel, Lubbock, Reverend D. A. Smith; Greater St. Luke, Midland, Rev. S. V. Ferguson; Visitor's Chapel, El Paso, Rev. Caiaphas Cain; Johnson Chapel, Amarillo, Rey. C. L. Boyd; Greater St. Paul, San Angelo, Rey. E. L. Wright; Johnson Chapel, Odessa, Rey. W. T. Wright; Lee Chapel, Brownwood, Rey. Clinton Roberts; Bethel, Abilene, Rey. D. Edwin Johnson; Baker Chapel, Big Spring, Rev. M. L. Goffney; Bethel, Sweetwater, Rey. Vera Clay; Simms Chapel, Stamford, Rey. Floyd Green, Jr.; Gospel Chapel Slaton/Hester Memorial, Brownfield, Rev. O. V. Harris; Allen Chapel, Snyder, Rey. Floyd Green, Sr.; Brooks Chapel, Crowell, Rev. J. F. Fletcher; Sherman Chapel, Vernon, Rey. R. D. Green; Brock Chapel, Borger, Rev. Phillip Randle; Smith Chapel, Eastland, Rev. Mary Lyles; Sims Chapel, Coleman, Rev. L. B. R. Walker; Cole Chapel, Faben/Hobbs Chapel, McCamey/St. Matthew, Monahan, Presiding Elder I. C. Cooper, Jr. Big Spring, TX—The Northwest Texas District Ministers and Laity met with the capable Presiding Elder of the district, the Rev. I. C. Cooper, at Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church for the yearly Planning Meeting. The Saturday morning registration began promptly at 9:00 A.M., with the General Session scheduled for 10:00 A.M. The laymen of the district conducted a spirited devotional period, setting the tone for the meeting, which was presided over by Presiding Elder Cooper. In addition to other matters of business, host churches were elected for conferences and conventions, including the District Conference to be held at Greater St. Paul AMEC, San Angelo, Texas, Rev. E. L. Wright Pastor; Sunday School Convention, Greater St. Luke AMEC, San Angelo, Texas, Rev. E. L. Wright, pastor; Sunday School Convention, Greater St. Luke AMEC, Midland, Texas, Rev. S. V. Ferguson, Pastor; and the Annual Conference, Bethel AMEC, Lubbock, Texas, Rev. D. A. Smith, Pastor. Those attending the business session also heard Mr. Worthy Gilbert, the newly-elected Lay President, introduce his officers for the conference year and state, briefly, some of the work that would be on the agenda for the year. The Conference President of Ushers, Mr. W. I. Graham, also gave a summary of plans for the conference year and read the Ushers Budget for each church. Rey. C. L. Boyd, Pastor, Johnson Chapel AMEC, Amarillo, presided with distinction over the highly spirited Noon Worship Service, assisted by some of the pastors of the district. The speaker for the hour, the Rev. Floyd Green, Jr., Pastor of Simms Chapel, Stamford, Texas, was presented by Elder Cooper. In a probing, stirring discourse, Rev. Green preached on the subject “There Is a Hell.” His selected scripture reference was St. Matthew’s Gospel, Chapter 18. The message was superbly delivered, and the Green Trio was excellent. Other participants for the Planning Meeting included Rev. E. L. Wright of Greater St. Paul, San Angelo, Chairman of the Tutorial Program, who gave remarks concerning the program and its goals. Mrs. Anna D. Jones, President of the District Missionary Society, presided over an afternoon assembly with charm and poise. Mrs. Ora Jean Wilson, Conference Worship Director, led the group in a devotion that was a spirited challenge of faith, hope, love and devotion. A moving rendition of “I Surrender All” was sung with the warmth of love and faith in Jesus. Mrs. Jones outlined in detail projections for the new year and introduced the offi- cers elected to serve during the confe- rence year. The Standing Committee Chairpersons for the year were named by Mrs. Anna J. Lowe, Second Vice President. Elected to fill the vacancy of Treasurer was Mrs. Catherine Robinson, Bethel, Lubbock, and Mrs. Ronetta Howard of the same church was elected Parliamentarian. In the morning’s business session, Mrs. Leola Jones William was elected Vice Chairman of Stewardesses, and elected marshals were Rev. Floyd Green, Jr., Rev. Richard Green, and Willie I. Graham. Rev. M. L. Goffney and the members of Baker Chapel merited the appreciation and sincere thanks of Presiding Elder Cooper, district officers, Pastors, and laity for the kind hospita- lity extended those visiting the church and the city of Big Spring for the an- nual Planning Meeting. Naomi L. Graham, Reporter MAACO ¥% Dr. Fred Harrison * Elect * A Man With A Cause For Missions Dr. Fred Harrison eigen: PRI II IIA AIA I IAI AAAI A IAA ASSIS ISAS III AAI ASSIS ASD SI SII SSIS S SISA III SSI SASS * SESS SCCSSTCCSSSSCCCCSSSSCCSOSSSSCCSSSSSCSOSCOSCOCCCST CSS COS SSS * Dr. Jamye C. Williams Editor, The A.M.E. Review Is Doing A Fine Job * Re-Elect Her « — Re-Elect — Dr. Joseph L. Joiner Pension Department Mb ‘A Faithful Servant’’ Dr. Joseph L. Joiner Annual Conferences Schedules MICHIGAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 6-7, 1988 WMS Conference September 8-11, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 505 Beechwood Street River Rouge, MI 48218 Church Phone: (313) 386-2288 Pastor’s Phone: (313) 861-0281 The Rev. Armistice R. Polk, Host Pastor The Rey. Martin L. Simmons, Host P.E. The Rey, J. Allen Parker, Assoc. P.E. SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 16-18, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church Druid Hill & Lanvale Streets Baltimore, MD 21217 The Rey. John R. Bryant, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (301) 523-3273 Pastor’s Telephone: (301) 542-2902 CHICAGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 20-21, 1988 WMS Conference September 22-25, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 142 South Fourth Street Aurora, IL 60505 Church Phone: (312) 898-5333 Pastor’s Phone: (312) 896-0696 The Rey. Jesse Hawkins, Host Pastor The Rev. W. D. Davis, Jr., Host P.E. The Rev. Roy L. Miller, Assoc. P.E. The Rev. David C. Coleman, Assoc. P.E. FOURTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE PLANNING COUNCIL October 14-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 414 West Vermont Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 Church Phone: (317) 634-7002 Pastor’s Phone: (317) 2514777 The Rev. W. W. Reid, Sr., Host Pastor BISHOP S. S. MORRIS CANADIAN ANNUAL SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT INFERENCE August te 1988 ANNUAL CONFENa conta WMS Conference August 12-14, 1988 Tanner A.M.E. Church 727 McDougall Street Windsor, Ontario, Canada Pastor’s Phone: (517) 752-0474 The Rev. McKinley F. Tyler, Host Pastor The Rev. Lloyd O. Jenkins, Host P.E. INDIANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 16-17, 1988 WMS Conference August 18-21, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 200 South 6th Street Richmond, IN 47373 Church Phone: (317) 962-7241 Pastor’s Phone: (317) 962-6763 The Rev. Larry J. Bell, Host Pastor The Rey. William S. Nelson, Host P.E. The Rev. Handley A. Hickey, Assoc. P.E. BISHOP F. H. TALBOT POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. ILLINOIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 30-31, 1988 WMS Conference September 1-4, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 1130 South 16th Street Springfield, IL 62703 Church Phone: (217) 522-4769 Pastor’s Phone: (217) 529-4053 The Rey. J. S. Benn III, Host Pastor The Rey. Ivan J. Johnson, Host P.E. The Rey. Richard D. Smith, Assoc. P.E. ATTEND YOUR ANNUAL CONFERENCE! ===== DSC05547.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder June 13, 1988 Historiographer Candidate Discovers Gra John M. Brown George R. Ferguson is a quiet and unassuming man who has lived in Charlottesville, Virginia, for nearly all of his 77 years. Only when you press him does one discover his important achievements and distinguished line- age. Mr. Ferguson has been a leading Charlottesville mortician for over 50 years, and the courageous leader of the local NAACP during his city’s tough fight to desegregate the public schools during the 1950’s. His daughter, Olivia, was the principal plaintiff in the federal courts which started the inte- gration of the Charlottesville schools. Yet, Mr. Ferguson is most proud that his social action involvements do justice to the memory and example of his distinguished grandfather, Bishop John Mifflin Brown, the eleventh Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ferguson, his sister Mrs. Louise F. Bolden, a retired Cleveland librarian, his daughter, Olivia Ferguson McQueen, and her children Tomya and Bandelia, all o- Washington, DC, are the only living descendants of this pioneer A.M.E. prelate. ' Born in 1817 in Odessa, New Castle County, Delaware, Bishop Brown was educated by the Quakers, Presby- terians, and Roman Catholics. He also attended Wesleyan Academy in Wil- braham, Massachusetts, and Oberlin College in Ohio. Although he initially worshiped at Philadelphia’s St. Tho- mas Colored Protestant Episcopal George R. Ferguson Church, he joined Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church. After his ordination, he pastored Allen Church in Pitts- burgh. Soon he accepted a challenge from Bishop William Paul Quinn to build the A.M.E. mission in the slave territory of New Orleans, Louisiana, in 1852. He was jailed once for teaching Blacks how to read and write. After other pastorates in Louisville and Baltimore, and in Virginia and North Carolina, Brown served the general Church as editor of the Christian Recorder, head of the Financial Board, and secretary of the Parent Home and Foreign Mission Society. He became the eleventh Bishop of African Metho- dism in 1868. He organized the Alabama Annual Conference in Selma in 1868 and other conferences in Texas, Arkansas, Ten- nessee and South Carolina. Before he died in 1893, he presided over the Fifth ndson of Bishop Episcopal District, which embrace the western states from Missouri to the Pacific Coast. His eleven children included two ministers, one a Presiding Elder in the Illinois Conference and the other a Pastor in the New England Con- ference. They were Reverends George L. Brown and Daniel Payne Brown, respectively. Two children became physicians: John M. Brown and Mary Louise Brown. Bishop Brown’s youngest daughter, Louella Brown, married George R. Ferguson, Sr., a graduate of Howard University Medical school. He set up practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 1904 and became the city’s only Black doctor. Their children were Louise and George, Jr., born February 16, 1911. Though Bishop Brown died in 1893, and his wife, M. L. Lewis, died in 1910, their children had matured and were engaged in chosen vocations. Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, candidate for Historiographer, met George R. Ferguson, Jr., through the Reverend Jackson Harbert, a retired A.M.E. minister living in Charlottesville. Mr. Ferguson learned that Dickerson aspired to be Historiographer in the church that his grandfather served and gave him his support and formal en- dorsement! Dr. Dickerson has already gotten the Bishop John M. Brown story from his proud grandson. That story has been recorded and the important memorabilia about Bishop Brown has been located. Bishop Brown would be pleased!! Salter’s Chapel Youth Goes To Washington Ms. Lucretia Johnson Waverly, TN—Ms. Lucretia Johnson of Salter’s Chapel A.M.E. Church was selected as one of two youths to repre- sent the State of Tennessee as par- ticipants in the Presidential Classroom Program in Washington, D. C. An active member of Salter’s Chapel, Ms. Johnson attends Sunday School and church services regularly, serving as a class leader for her peer group and as a member of the choir. She also served as president of Area 6 of the Young People’s Department un- til, at the last Tennessee Annual Con- ference session, she was elected Presi- dent of the Tennessee Conference YPD. Lucretia was nominated for par- ticipation in the Presidential Classroom Program through her school, Waverly High. While main- taining a grade point average of 3.6, she is a member of the Student Coun- cil, President of the Sophomore Class, a member of Law Enforcement Ex- plorers, the Spanish Club, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the Winter Guard. These and other involvements qualified her to take part in the prestigious program in Washington, Ms. Johnson was supported in her efforts to attend the Washington- based programs through the sponsor- ship of her church and the assistance of Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church, Nashville; Sulphur Spring A.M.E. Church, Cunningham; McGavock Chapel A.M.E., Charlotte; Wayman Chapel, Columbia; and Brother and Sister Dashielle of Mullin Chapel in Shelbyville, Tn. While in Washington, Lucretia at- tended seminars, visited landmarks, and talked with legislative represen- tatives. She returned feeling that she had been greatly enriched by her ex- perience and was elated over the op- portunity to meet and talk with Presi- dent and Mrs. Reagan. Ms. Johnson describes the unique experience in her own words: My trip to Washington, D. C., was a very enriching experience. I had a wonderful time. There were many great seminars that were given by many distinguished leaders, To my surprise, the seminar that | liked best was about military spending. General Gray did a fantastic job answering questions and explaining to us where the taxpayers’ money goes. During that seminar, we were filmed for a segment of **60 Minutes.”’ We had group discussions called Crossfires, Crossfires gave us a chance to voice our opinions and listen to others’ opinions. | attended the *‘Just Say No”’ Crossfire, We came to a deci- sion that the ‘‘Just Say No’’ program isn’t very effective if you hire actors or actresses to speak to the young people about drugs. It’s up to us—the older teenagers—to tell the younger kids that it’s okay to say ‘‘no’’ to drugs. The young kids look up to us as role models. If we don’t set good examples for them, who are they to look up to? People who have actually overcome their addiction are effective also. Parents need to stress better values and rely on the Lord more these days, because fighting this problem and Others starts at home, and a home without God is a problem within itself. I got the opportunity to visit Capitol Hill, I met with my Representative, Don Sundquist, and talked with one of my Senators, also. While I was on the Hill, I got to sit in on a session of the Supreme Court. Friday, we visited Arlington Cemetery, where the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and the Kennedys’ graves are located. It was really ex- citing to see the changing of the guard. We conducted a wreath-laying ceremony. It was really special because it was pouring down rain, but everyone stood there with ‘‘American Pride.”” The Vietnam Memorial Wall sent chills up my spine, As I looked at all the names on the Wall, | thought about all the soldiers who gave up their lives for their country. I would just like to extend my thanks and gratitude to all the chur- ches and individuals who contributed to my trip and to those who said a special prayer that helped me make it there and back safely. But, most of all, to my pastor, Rey, Webbie Ross Rogers, for caring and sharing his love for me and all the other children of our church. Extremely Disturbing New York, NY—The Anti-Defama- tion League today described as ~ex- tremely disturbing” the U. S. Supreme Court’s decision to consider overturn- ing a 1976 civil rights ruling that protects minority rights. In a statement issued here, Abraham H. Foxman, ADL’s national director, said that reversing the ruling in Runyon v. McCrary would be a “severe setback to the hard won civil rights progress in this country.” ADL had filed an amicus brief in the Runyon case 12 years ago urging the Court to recognize Con- gress’ intent to provide statutory pro- tection for minorities. Mr. Foxman noted two related cases last year in which ADL had also filed friend of the court briefs. In one the high court explicitly reaffirmed the rights of minorities to sue private per- sons for racial discrimination under S 1981, the same 1866 statute at issue in the Runyon case. The case upheld the rights of an Arab Moslem to sue an employer for racial discrimination, citing the Runyon decision as prece- dent. In the other, the Supreme Court held that Jews could invoke the 1866 statute to protect them against dis- crimination. The Anti-defamation League, Mr. Foxman said, “supported the rights of the victims in both of these cases. We believe that the post-Civil War laws provide an effective remedy against in- vidious and stigmatizing discrimna- tion. “The vote by the five justices to hear new arguments on the viability of the Runyon decision places that legal remedy in jeopardy.” Dr. R. J. King Bishop July 1988 —=A— = A— Candidate for the Bishopric i * l x t t l % il ===== DSC05548.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 7 SSS SSS SSS Continued from page 1 Great Throng in South Africa Invades a City in Jubilate! district meetings, and noonday wor- ship services. Sermons were delivered by the American guest preachers, among them, Drs. James A. Blake, pastor of Morris Brown A.M.E. Church, Charleston, SC; T. B. Brown, pastor of Union Bethel A.M.E. Church, New Orleans, LA; Preston Williams, pastor of St. Paul’s A.M.E. Church, Atlanta, GA; and young Minister Roderick D. Belin, assistant pastor of St. Phillip A.M.E. Church, Decatur, GA. Other visitors who par- ticipated in the celebrations were Mrs. Delores Kennedy Williams, Connec- tional President of WMS, Mrs. Irene Bennet Reid, Episcopal Supervisor of the 9th District, Henry Allen Belin, Ill, and Ms. Toni L. Belin, also children of Bishop Henry A. Belin, Jr. THE BANQUET A sumptuous meal was served to an audience of more than 1,000 in the Ci- ty Hall, with all the wings of the hall open, on Thursday evening. The Rev. Frank Chikane, General Secretary of SA Council of Churches, gave a keynote address focused on ‘‘Political human rights and Christians vs. Chris- tians in a period of social change.’’ His eloquence and challenge claimed the audience’s applause and standing ova- tion, and cheers were heard from over the four corners of the City Hall. The Rev. Chikane vehemently opposed vio- lence from all quarters and found no justification for it as a Christian. The Rev. Lionel R. Louw, President of the Western Cape Region of the Council of Churches and Director of World Vision, responded in a few well chosen words, thanking the speaker. During the interval, music was rendered by the Swaziland A.M.E. Church Choir, which visited the USA in Septem- ber/October, 1987. THE FEAST OF MUSIC Saturday evening was programmed for the feast of music by selected choirs from Worchester and Kimber- ley in the 15th District and other choirs from the 18th District, including the famous Swaziland A.M.E. Church Choir, and the 19th District—in all, about nine choirs fed the audience with memorable melodies. The combined selection on ‘‘Richard Allen And Other Leaders’? was a masterpiece. It kept the audience rocking in shouts of Alleluia and Amen! Concluding part of the feast was a real feast for the soul in song. What a great evening! A dramatic presentation depicted the history of the A.M.E. Church, both in the United States and in South Africa, written and directed by Mr. David J. Antjies, with a cast of the bicentennial celebrations. Fraternal greetings were appreciatively received from the SA Council of Churches, Bis- hops of the Roman Catholic Church, Bloemfontein, Church of the Province (Anglican), Bloemfontein, and the President of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa. SUNDAY—THE CLIMAX The closing worship service marked the climax of the celebrations. At 10:30 a.m., choirs, presiding elders, and pastors led the procession, fol- lowed by the two prelates. Bishop Senatle conducted the service, and Bis- hop Belin preached the closing sermon on the subject ‘‘God Is,’’ with empha- sis on power given by the Lord Jesus Christ in commanding His disciples “to go and teach all nations’’ with a promise of His abiding presence. A ceremony of renewal of membership vows followed, also pastoral appoint- ments in the 15th District, as part of their unfinished business. The bicen- tennial celebrations closed with a deep sense of spiritual renewal for retooling our membership commitment for an- other 100 years. This was a real jubilate! 20 PHILLIP STREET PROJECT JOHANNESBURG My account of the bicentennial cele- brations would not be complete without mentioning the fact that the building of Headquarters for the 19th Episcopal District has been completed and that, to date, the project costs 1.4 million Rand, and of this amount 250,000 ($500,000.00) remains as in- debtedness. An appeal for 3,000 memmbers to make a pledge at R30.00 has been made by Bishop Harold B. Senatle, and report for this special EFFORT is expected on 13th-15th May, 1988, dur- ing the joint Midyear Session of the five annual conferences. But the fi- nancial appeal still goes to members and friends throughout the connec- tion. Please send your contributions and donations to: Bishop Harold B. Senatle c/o Wilberforce Institute P. O. Box 12 Residensia 1980, South Africa on Continued from page 1 ALL NIGHT PRAYER VIGIL but the General Conference will never open and carry out the business of the Church without prayer. Things go bet- ter with prayer,’’ Bishop Byrd stated. I know we have a lot of business that we have to do during the General Conference; however, we must remember that Jesus Christ is the con- tent. He incarnates the character of God. His Holy Spirit is at work in the world through His word and through His body the Church.”’ The energy, as we know is released in prayer, should fuel us to accomplish beyond our own limitations. The im- possible dreams become possible and through prayer we are able to reach the unreachable stars. One of the great Corporate Execu- tives of America, Charles O. Ander- son, initiated prayer meetings in his own business which became the giant oil and energy conglomerate we know as ARCO. Even in business meetings we can advance the word of God through heartfelt prayers as a beginning of the agenda we have before us. By describ- ing this venture as the Prayer Quake, Bishop Byrd has exalted simple prayer into an instrument of the highest power through which our collective objectives will blossom. Sons and Daughters of Allen will act out their faith by attending the Prayer Quake. Prayer changes things! Prayer upon the knees is a means of traditional humbling and an added exercise for the body as well as the spirit! —A. Lee Henderson Continued from page | Delaware Conference Addresses Social Issues for Today ceived all reports, set its goals, and closed with the following statement: Strong prophetic preaching and Af- rican Methodism have always been sy- nonymous, and the people for two hundred years have turned to our Zion for interpretation of current social problems, to assess the viability of community and national movements, and for the equivalence of dependa- bility in time of crisis. Always ready to stand tall, criticize, evaluate, and pro- pose solutions to problems in the per- formances of politicians, educators, and labor and business leaders, is Af- rican Methodism. And as we here in the Delaware Conference retool for the third century, we must continue as never before to, through the preached word, analyze and criticize the evils of the day, but not to stop there. For the theme of hope must continue to be in- herent in the Gospel, and there can be no qualms about God’s power to de- liver, as we proclaim to the waiting congregation the powerful message of hope. We shall, through the leadership of the Church, provide the retooling of the third century by developing edu- cational programs to help our people to really learn, and grasp not only the facts but the concepts that tie them to- gether. We shall help them to learn to think instead of memorize; we shall develop learning centers in our chur- ches for our youth, centers that will go beyond traditional formulas and regu- lations that are the enemies of good and creative teaching. Our goal shall be to find better ways to teach and help our children learn more. The stakes are high. We cannot afford for our youth to graduate and not have the skills they need to hold a job. We can- not afford for even one student to drop out or to fall along the wayside. The Delaware Conference of the Af- rican Methodist Church joins with The National Coalition for the Homeless in their plan to ask presidential can- didates this year to back a three-point plan that would restore federal bud- gets to pre-Reagan levels, proclaim federal guarantee of decent emergency shelters, and issue an executive order enforcing existing programs like those provided for in the McKinney Act. We need programs comparable to CORPP in Philadelphia, not crash courses in reading want ads or a tutorial on resumes, but instead, help in develop- ing self-portraits. Many are in need of what Tolstoy called ‘‘spiritual food,” and what social workers call ‘’support systems.’’ We must offer the help that we have, where they are. We (the Church) can stop the revolving door, seal up the cracks, and offer some pro- spects for progress. Every church may not be able to be a job training, learn- ing center, but they can become sup- port centers. That one place that says to the down-and-out, to the working poor, to those who are despondent and feel unloved, you are somebodv. We need to develop the programs that at least speak to people. We believe that the federal govern- ment must play a much stronger role in directly financing long-term care through a social insurance program. While it encouraged the development of private insurance, many proposals for tax subsidies for the purchase of such insurance may not benefit large segments of the population. The na- tion’s new long-term care program must rely primarily upon expansion of Medicare and cannot expect private in- surance to carry the burden alone. We (the Church) must build a consensus among our members about the need to pay. Until they understand what it will take to finance a long-term care pro- gram, and let Congress know they are willing to pay for it, we will face an uphill battle to secure the necessary fi- nancing for an adequate program. Every A.M.E. Church in the Dela- ware Conference will become a voter registration center. For many in our congregations, perhaps, AIDS may be little more than a curiosity or a horror story appearing on nightly TV news. The public was at first indifferent to the malady, thinking it was a ‘‘gay disease,’’ but that per- ception has changed dramatically. People now know that AIDS may be contracted through infected blood transfusion, intravenous drug use, and heterosexual intercourse. The fact is that AIDS ‘‘is not only a public crisis of global magnitude, it is a crisis for the Church.”’ As believers in Jesus Christ, we can rest in the Lord and trust in Him. The Bible tells us that perfect love casts our fear. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love. (1 John 4:18) As for changes in sexual behavior it- self, we hope there will be a significant increase in selectivity and a decrease in extreme indulgence and experimenta- tion, that new dangers in non-mono- gamous sex will prompt couples to make a greater effort in maintaining their marriages. As we retool for the third century, we shall continue to grow in grace and as people of thought, word, and ac- tion, each of these intimately related in our being. We realize there can be no dissonance between what the A.M.E. Church says and does if it is to main- tain any credibility as a transformative influence in our world. This is at the heart of what the gospel requires of us and emphasizes the dynamic relation- ship between action and reflection upon that action. Rev. James Hill, Reporter Wuvartn oo © © 6 @.0.0,0.0,0,0.0,0.8.0e! *—ELECT—« Dr. O. U. Ifill, Sr. Third Episcopal District KKK KKK KK KK Secretary of the Church POPPI III IAI SSA IIIA IIA Ce ee eee en cee emesis iain ===== DSC05549.JPG ===== 8 June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Opening Reception For Service And Development Agency Front Row (From Left to Right): Ambassador Margaret McDonald, Bahamas; Ambassa- dor Tolo Beayogui, Guinea; Ambassador Nalumino Mundia, Zambia; Ambassador Eugenia Wordsworth-Stevenson, Liberia; Ambassador Timon Mangwazu, Malawi; Am- bassador Sahr Matturi, Sierra Leone; Ambassador W. T. Van Tonder, Lesotho. Second Row (From Left to Right): Dr. Paulette Coleman, Member of the SADA Board of Directors; Rev. Jonathan Weaver, Executive Director, SADA; Dr. Cyril Ifedigbo, Information Attache, Embassy of Nigeria; Dr. Joseph McKinney, Treasurer, African Methodist Episcopal Church and Member of the SADA Board of Directors; Rev. William Deveaux, Member of the SADA Board of Directors; Ms. Delores Kennedy Williams, President of the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Member of the SADA Board of Directors; Bishop James Haskell Mayo; Member of the SADA Board of Directors; Bishop Donald George Ming, Chairman of the SADA Board of Directors; Mr. James Parker; Member of the SADA of directors; Mr. Carlton Dlamini; Head of Chancery, Embassy of Swazi- land. Conference Theme ‘‘The Year After: Forward With The Future’’ A.M.E. Tulsa/Muskogee District Conference Touches All Bases Tulsa, Ok.—The theme for the Tulsa/Muskogee District Conference, of the 12th Episcopal District, meeting at St. John A.M.E. Church, was ‘‘The Year After,’’ with emphasis on the topic ‘‘Forward With The Future.”’ The first session opened ‘‘with a bang’? in an ecumenical fellowship that brought many churches, ministers and choirs together. The dynamic Rev. James McGriff, Hosley Chapel C.M.E. Church, brought tire from heaven as he spoke from St. John 3:8, on ‘‘Winds of the Spirit.’’ Every soul left the service eagerly awaiting the re- mainder of the conference. After breakfast and registration on Thursday morning, the Love Feast filled all hearts with love and inspira- tion. Chieftain of the District, Presid- ing Elder Rev. B. S. Roberts, then pro- ceeded to set the house on fire as he presented to the body ‘‘What Jesus Can Do For You.’’ After the ad- ministering of the Holy Communion, the stage was set for the educational workshops and institutes that were to follow. Spiritual food was in abundance for every minister, layman, and missionary present, from the youngest to the oldest. The afternoon institute, “‘Membership On All Levels,’’ was in- structed by Rev. Melvin Felton, Pastor of Wharton Chapel, Red Bird, Oklahoma. The evening worship found melodious tones flooding the sanctuary, as the Vernon A.M.E. Church Mass Choir prepared hearts for their Pastor, Rev. David R. Stuckey, who spoke from I Kings:18 on ‘‘Go Again...Sometimes Once Is Not Enough.’’ A very special guest, Mrs. Simmons, recommended to us by Presiding Elder Roberts as ‘‘our adopted daughter,’’ provided soul- stirring gospel tunes each night as a special added incentive. The entertaining pastor, Rev. Tilford C. Owens, saw to it that each session was executed in a timely man- ner, and each Devotional Service was conducted by Rev. Lula Adams, Pastor of Allen Chapel, Boynton, Oklahoma. Friday’s institutes focused on such key issues as ‘‘Social Action and Rules of the Church,’’ instructed by Rev. T. G. Allen, pastor, St. Paul A.M.E.; ‘‘Church Administration,’’ instructed by Rev. Robert Peoples, Pastor, Christ Temple C.M.E.; and “‘The Danger of Neglecting Appoint- ments,’’ instructed by the host Pastor, Rey. Owens. Following the break, everyone was in place for the ‘‘Hour of Power.”’ Rev. W. T. Erby, Visitors Chapel, Nowata, delivered a moving message from St. Matthew, 14th chapter, on “Jesus Is in the Miracle-Working Business.”’ The institutes continued after lunch with a continuation of ‘‘Church Ad- ministration,’’ led by Rev. Russell Cephas, assistant pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Through the use of visual aids and audience participation, Rev. Cephas delivered a _ captivating workshop, which benefitted both laymen and ministers. Friday afternoon found the mis- sionaries ‘Empowered by Christ,’’ as District Supervisor, Mrs. O. L. Roberts, and District President, Mrs. Warnetta Barnett, presented a highly informative ‘‘special program.’’ With a panel of speakers—all expert in their specific fields—timely topics were thoroughly covered, including ‘‘Elder- ly Care,’’ ‘‘Child Care,’’ ‘‘AIDS,”’ and ‘‘Financial Aid for Scholarships.’’ The closing worship was in step with the rest of the conference when Rev. Pollie Wallace, Pastor, Bethel, Mus- kogee, accompanied by her Senior and Youth choirs, brought us a spirit- filled sermon from Joel 2:17, entitled “Attempting to Build on Shaky Ground.”’ After two days of well-planned workshops, institutes, and soul-stirring services, it was evident that Presiding Elder Roberts had orchestrated one of the best conferences ever held. The members of St. John A.M.E. and Rev. and Mrs. T. C. Owens left no stones unturned in providing the finest service and hospitality imaginable. Souls were filled and hearts were inspired to go “‘forward with the future.’’ Reporters: Fannie Hill, Chairperson Beatrice Owens LaJuanta Young Is The Choice For General Secretary Dr. David C. Coleman Candidate for the Bishopric Z. L. GRADY The Record Shows That HE IS ASERVANT PREACHER Ready For Service As Bishop In The Third Century ELECT “Eyes on Buffalo” for EPISCOPAL LEADERSHIP ELECT A Man that you can respect ELECT |} A Man that will respect you ELECT McASHAN BISHOP 41 years of experience in the Ministry ——————— ===== DSC05550.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Black Church Seeks Historic Designation Reprint From The Tampa Tribune By Lynn Afendoulis Tribune Staff Writer St. Petersburg—At ¥, the Rev. Way- mon Dixon says he finds it humbling to be the Pastor of a church ‘‘with such a history and such a rich ex- perience."’ He also finds it compelling enough to push for historic designation of Bethel A.M.E. Church at 912 Third Ave. N., a Gothic-revival structure and the oldest surviving Black church in the city. Today, the City Council is to vote on a recommendation to name the church a local historic landmark. It also is to vote on a proposal to make Granada Terrace, a northeast neigh- borhood, the city’s second historic district. “This is the first step toward a long journey for national recognition,’ Dixon said. He hopes to get the church on the National Historic Register. Dixon, pastor of Bethel since 1986, speaks with pride about the congre- gation’s past and with enthusiasm for its future. While the church is striving for historic designation, it is planning a $250,000 renovation that would make the church’s gathering areas more modern and comfortable for the many social and educational programs it hosts. “‘We’re preserving our past and building for our future,’’ he said. Bethel A.M.E. Church, a_ brick building with two towers, arched stained-glass windows, and heavy woodwork in its sanctuary, looms over neighboring warehouses. Its lower level contains a room of carefully kept books, newspaper articles, photo- graphs, reports, and other documents that chronicle the community’s history. The archives are tended to every Tuesday by the same five-mem- ber committee that submitted the pro- posal to the city of historic designa- tion. The church’s past dates to 1894, when the local African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) community built a small wooden church. A masonry church, then called the ‘‘Stone Church, was later built in its place and, in 1922, the present building was con- structed over the stone structure. Since its early days, the church has played an important role in the social, cultural, and educational developments of the area’s Black community, according to Dixon and reports prepared by the church and by city staff members, *‘Bethel A.M.B. was located in the midst of a thriving business area and many activities were given at Bethel for the purpose of uplifting the spirits of its members and people in the surrounding community,’’ states a report to the City Council. “The community surrounding the church was named ‘Methodist Town’ in honor of the church,”’ it adds. The surrounding neighborhood now is primarily industrial and commercial, but Bethel A.M.E. still sponsors com- munity programs such as Blacks Against Dangerous Drugs (BADD) and tutoring sessions for students, Dixon said. And the young pastor sees a historic designation as being influ- ential in the future of the congrega- tion. As the country’s A.M.E. church grew, ‘‘we became all that America is. In fact we became so Americanized that we almost forgot our heritage.’’ “The (historic) recognition is an at- tempt to focus on that, to recover that,’’ Dixon said. If Bethel A.M.E. Church gets his- toric designation, it will become the 11th structure to win that status since the city’s Historic Preservation Or- dinance was adopted in September 1985, and Jan Norsoph, the city’s manager of urban design and develop- ment. And if Granada Terrace, the north- east neighborhood also seeking his- toric designation, wins its approval, it will become the city’s second historic district after Roser Park. All but one of the homes in Granada Terrace, plat- ted in 1924 by local developer C. Perry Snell, date to the 1920s boom era. “Tt is the handsome, well-preserved period structures, often built on the most prominent lots, that dominate the character of the subdivision,’’ wrote Junerose Wissker in the applica- tion to the city. Wissker is president of St. Petersburg Preservation and lives in Granada Terrace. Granada Terrace is a seven-block area of wide, brick streets and Medi- terranean-revival architecture on the west side of Coffee Pot Bayou. It is bounded by Coffee Pot Boulevard, 26th Avenue Northeast, 22nd Avenue Northeast, and First Street North. Tribune photograph by BRITT LAUGHLIN Bethel A.M.E. Church, which dates to 1894, now sits amidst warehouses. SOI III IIe * Elect * FOR BISHOPRIC DR. ROBERT WEBSTER FOI IOI III II IOI TOT TA TOTTI IAA III AI AAI A ISAS ISAS AIA IA IAACACDC Ae tee * Re-Elect x Henderson Davis Historiographer If its authentic historical materials that you seek, then Henderson Davis is your man! Dr. Henderson Davis DEES A AE A RAN AEN A A NN EY EY, He served the HA Ms TON Church as A General Secretary the Man for the Holy Office of Bishop KKKKKKKK —Elect Him— and did a good job. Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. Candidate for the Bishopric He’ll make a good bishop Elect Him in ’88 SOAS IN NE Me Dr. R. J. Hampton NONYRY Re-Elect Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr. Editor, A.M.E. Christian Recorder His Record of the Past Speaks for him! Let him Continue the Work of Making a Greater A.M.E. Recorder AN i oe Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr. < ===== DSC05551.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder June 13, 1988 Foster For Historiographer— His Hat Is Still In The Ring Dr. J. Curtis Foster, Jr. J. CURTIS FOSTER, JR., who has been an A.M.E. minister for 40 years, often jokes with his colleagues about how they are now the “Fathers of the Church.’’ As the years have gone by, he has kept track of them all, watching how the Church has grown and chang- ed with the passage of time. A candidate for Historiographer since 1964, after the bill he authored was ratified to open up the office of Historiographer for anyone interested in running, Foster takes the subject of history seriously: if you dont keep a record of what has happened, you will forget where you came from. He has pastored churches in Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, and California during his career, which is still smokin’ down the tracks of takin’ care of business. He is now pastoring First A.M.E. Church in Santa Monica, California. Though he has never held the office of Historiographer, he has kept himself busy as though he has. Foster has been collecting the Church’s history since 1946; has authored the book, The A.M.E. Church Makes its Mark in America, published in 1976, which is available through the A.M.E. Publishing House, and can be found in libraries and schools; and has just co-authored a new, more comprehensive work about the Church, entitled The First Black Church—The A.M.E. Church in American History. Foster is carrying the torch of our Church’s history, determined to keep the flame burning and to pass it on when the time has come. But he’s not through yet! Distinguished Leader Will Extend African Methodism into the Third Century! Dr. John H. Gillison Dr. John H. Gillison is the eminent Pastor of Mount Pisgah African Meth- odist Episcopal Church from the Sumter District of the Seventh Episco- pal District. He has a great ministerial heritage and 30 years of very successful pastoring in our Zion. He has great qualifications and skills for the ex- tension of the great A.M.E. Church in the third century of existence. Dr. Gillison has represented the A.M.E. Church on the highest levels, including the 7th Episcopal District State Congress President, President of the Christian Action Council of South Carolina, and is now serving as Active Dean of the Northeast Conference Theological Extension School spon- sored by the 7th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church. He is an international traveler. Re- cently his travels included Nairobi, Kenya; Maseru, Lesotho; Capetown and Johannesburg, South Africa. He toured the 15th and 18th districts, however, he likes Africa in general. His recent article was titled, ‘‘Here Am I, Send Me to Africa, I'll Go Gladly.’’ Since Dr. John H. Gillison is a candidate that likes Africa, please join with us in the 7th Episcopal Dis- trict and others in electing him a Bis- hop in the 43rd Session of the 1988 General Conference. He is the man and is ready now. He is married to Mrs. Jean Waymer; they have two daughters, Alfreda Melessa and Gloria Louise. The Sumter District Booster’s Club Dr. L. J. Hyman, Presiding Elder RRRRRRRERRRRR RR RRR RRR RAR RIAA RISK IIIA IIIS IIS ISI IIIA I SA Elect_A Man Who * Is On The Job Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director, Worship and Evangelism Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce SnunsssnnennnnssssssnnnnnnteyssnennennTSTeeses Penn eee yey MEMREURERENEEREYREYAERDNEYEDYREREREYELESY ELH EY EYES ESV EYES 4 The Best Man For x. The Job Is On The Job — Re-Elect — Hercules Miles The Church Extension For Zo? My Friend, Dr. G. Edward West by Dr, Ruth Akins Dr. G. Edward West 1 am proud to recommend to the delegates of the forthcoming General Conference G. Edward West for the Office of Bishop. Dr, West is a dedicated and wholly- committed servant of God, the A.M.E, Church, and all her members. During his time as a Pastor and Presiding Elder, Dr, West has built an excellent record of service in dispatching the duties of his office and building churches, In addition, Dr, West, while on the Fort Smith/ Little Rock Dis- trict, was the impetus behind several older churches being remodeled, He is a man of impeccable honesty and forthrightness. Those in the Twelfth District will attest to the fact that he is kind and unselfish in sharing his resources with the needy as well as with the Episcopal District and Shorter College. And he has done so consistently across the years. I am honored and delighted to call Dr. G. Edward West my friend. Reverend Lewis E. Grady, Jr.— Secretary of Miss Dr. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. Greetings, Christian Friends! The Seraphic Renaissance Singers were presented in concert at Allen Temple A.M.E. Church, Detroit, Michigan, officially announcing the candidacy of Rev. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. for Secretary of Missions. The concert, sponsored by the Committee to Elect Grady For Missions, was a rousing success and brought spiritual uplift to all in at- tendance. Thanks to the Seraphics for a job well done! In pursuing his candidacy, Rev. Executive Secretary Department Re-Elect Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer The Financial Affairs of the A.M.E. Church have always been handled in a business way. Joe McKinney is aman of integrity, honesty and is accountable. — Re-Elect — Dr. Edgar L. Mack The Christian Education 10nS Grady expresses confidence that he can “make a difference.” “Treating social ills encompasses many concerns that need to be addressed in order to effectively deal with the many prob- lems of our society. At a time of yielding pressures from every aspect, we must maintain wholesome, dis- ciplined avenues of relief for those in need. We can’t reach everyone, but we must work intensively with those in need. We can’t reach everyone, but we must work intensively with those who can be reached to teach and help them become the most they can be. With the many problems pervading society here and abroad, we must continue with positive minds so that there can be a brighter outlook tomorrow. We must work not only to correct yesterday’s errors, but we must also look toward tomorrow’s needs to make a dif- ference.” Lewis E. Grady, Jr., can and will make a difference with the help of our Lord and Saviour and your prayers and support. VOTE FOR REVEREND LEWIS E. GRADY, JR., FOR SECRETARY OF MISSIONS. HE CAN MAKE DIFFERENCE! Dr. Edgar L. Mack WISIN INN IANANIINIANA ===== DSC05552.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Center, Bishop Frank C. Cummings, Ist Episcopal District; L-R, Mr. Cancion Brown, Trustee; Presiding Elder Herbert L. Eddy, Boston-Hartford District; Rev. Edward L. Green, pastor; Mrs. Pearl Brown, Program Director, Dedication. IFILL GAINS SUPPORT The City of Philadelphia joins the First Episcopal District in supporting Dr. O. Ureille Ifill, Sr., for General Secretary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, at recent Service of Appreciation for the Candidate. an , *, Fo we = Left to right: Dr. O. U. Ifill, Sr., Pastor of A.M.E. Union Church, Philadelphia, and candidate for General Secretary; the Rev. Lester A. Ifill; Hon. W. Wilson Goode, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia; Presiding Elder Harry J. White, Sr., of the Philadelphia District; Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District; and Dr. J. Jerome Cooper, Pastor of Berean Presbyterian Church and official of the Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity. Left to right: TOP: Hon. Lucien E. Blackwell, Chairman, Finance Committee of the City Council of Philadelphia; Dr. Ifill; State Representative, David P. Richardson, Jr., of Pennsylvania, President of the National Black Caucus of State Elected Officials, and member of A.M.E. Union Church. BOTTOM: Hon. Onah Weldon, member of the Civil Service Commission of Philadelphia and President of the National Political Congress of Black Women; Mrs. Eleanor Ifill, First Lady of A.M.E. Union Church, wife of Dr. Ifill; and the Hon. C. DeLores Tucker, former Secretary of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and President of the Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association. KKKKKKKKKKEKKEKY For the Bishopric KAKKKKKKE | Dr. John R. Bryant Second Episcopal District OO OO DR. PRESTON WILLIAMS Sixth Episcopal District +e tt tt t+ ++ + +4 +e E INNA — Elect — Third Century Leadership To The Bishopric In July 1988 HE IS A CHRISTIAN DR. DAVID HARRIS Candidate for the Holy OFFICE — BISHOP NAINAINYY SCHOAAZM KAM UKE — Elect — General Secretary Nt JONES in ’88 Tenth Episcopal District x. See Pe ran PL ELLELLLLELCLLLA LEC eee ee Elect DR. THOMAS BROWN Eighth Episcopal District Edward West Camden District Twelfth Episcopal District Rev. T. B. Lamb Rev. C. D. Willis Rev. T. A. Broomfield REV. DENNIS C. DICKERSON, PH.D. Preacher, Professor, Author From 13th District CANDIDATE FOR HISTORIOGRAPHER ===== DSC05553.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder June 13, 1988 ——— ‘ohty Tt +e FRONTLINE with Judy icc Black students at the University of Michigan protest the growing number of racial in- cidents on their campus. ‘‘Racism 101,’’ a FRONTLINE with Judy Woodruff, explored the disturbing resurgence of racism at some of the country’s most prestigious universities. February 4, 1986, University of Michigan—A campus radio station airs a program of racial jokes touching off confrontations between Black and White students. March 23, 1987, Columbia Univer- sity—An early morning brawl between Black and White students prompts of- ficials to announce a full scale review of race relations on campus. February 12, 1988, University of Massachusetts—After White students assault a Black student and his White girlfriend, Black students stage a sit-in, demanding the administration deal with racism on campus. “Racism 101,’’ a FRONTLINE with Judy Woodruff documentary aired Tuesday, May 10, and examined the disturbing increase in racial in- cidents and violence on America’s col- lege campuses. “The Justice Department reports that there have been more than thirty major racial incidents on American campuses in the last three years,’’ says producer Thomas Lennon. ‘‘Each in- cident, when taken alone, could be dismissed as freakish. But when we began to look at these incidents collec- tively, we found an alarming pattern.”’ The list of campuses that have been District Conference Re-Evaluates Goals of the Christian Community Rey. Benjamin R. Booker, Sr. Nashville, TN—The challenge to revive church expansion, revive the ACE Fel- lowship League, and to become con- scious of the Christian responsibility to be the bearer of each other’s crosses, highlighted the opening of the South Nashville District Conference by Reverend Benjamin R. Booker, Sr., host presiding elder. As this year’s District Conference convened during the Season of Lent, the themes of repentence, fasting, pre- paration, and spiritual renewal per- meated the heart of the convention ac- tivities. Relevant workshops and pre- sentations, addressing crucial social and religious issues, held the attention of many and motivated others toward a re-evaluation of the goals of the Christian community, as Rev. Edward Thompson conducted a Love Feast and Rev. Kenneth Robinson conduct- ed a workshop on Temperance, fol- lowed by The State of the Church by Rev. Howard S. Clark. the Church by Rev. Howard S. Clark. ~ Rev. Edgar Mack, General Officer and Director of Christian Education, led a discussion on the Allen Christian Endeavor Fellowship. The Role of Ste- wards and Trustees in the Local AMEC, led by Rev. L. H. Sykes, was followed by a presentation on The Role of Commissions in the Local AMEC by Rev. Edward Thompson. The timely and informative work- shops led the way from educational en- lightment to spiritual awakening when Rev. Spencer L. Booker, a graduate student at ITC in Atlanta, Georgia, elevated the District Conference to a spiritual plateau and excited our spiri- tual imaginations. He brought all of his hearers into a oneness with God and all His creation, as he spoke for the Friday evening service from the text of 2 Corinthians 5:20, and chal- Ikenged both clergy and laity to be- come ambassadors for Christ and to be reconciled to God. On Saturday noonday service was also a time to be remembered as cups overflowed with Christian joy, when Payne Chapel A.M.E. Church Choir sang ‘“‘Don’t Wait Until the Battles Over: Shout Now!’’ Rev. Dr. Kenneth Robinson, Pastor of Payne Chapel and preacher of the hour, took his text from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-11 and chal- lenged both ministers and laity to “Study to be Quiet; and to Work with Your Own Hands; and to Mind Your Own Business.’’ Rev. Robinson’s moving and charismatic preaching style set the conference ablaze with spiritual fervor. The Committee on Admissions made their report and recommended to the Committee on Admissions that the following ministerial candidates be admitted on trial and passed to Annual Conference: Keith R. Mays, Joan Mc- Glouckton, and Henry Allen Belin, Ill. In the final session of the confe- rence, Presiding Elder Booker reflect- ed on the fine reception and job that St. Phillip Church family and host Pastor, Rev. Eddie Marshall, did in feeding and hosting the District Con- ference. marred by racial unrest in recent years reads like a higher education honor roll and includes: Columbia, Smith, Swarthmore, Dartmouth, Purdue, the University of Michigan, and Harvard. ‘Black students have come to ex- pect that in society as a whole, racism is always going to be a factor,’’ ex- plains FRONTLINE co-producer Or- lando Bagwell. ‘‘But when they go off to college, they just never expect it will be a major problem. But it is.’’ At the University of Michigan, where the racial radio broadcast led to demonstrations by Black student acti- vists and calls for increased Black enrollment, FRONTLINE found that today’s racial hostilities are rooted in the scars of old civil rights battles. “It’s generally assumed by all the White students that your presence here is a function of affirmative action,’’ says Black undergraduate Dave Col- bert. ‘‘That’s pretty much taken as given. And they’re wondering if you’ re going to be as stupid as all the rest of them.’’ At Dartmouth College in New Hampshire the confrontation between Black and White students has been particularly intense. Led by the con- servative student-run newspaper, THE DARTMOUTH REVIEW, White students have openly challenged any special allowances for Blacks in enroll- ment, housing, and the political life of the campus. Review editor Chris Bald- win says the Afro-American society at Dartmouth is ‘‘the only....racist in- stitution at Dartmouth.’’ Two years ago, students affiliated with the Review destroyed shanty style structures built for an anti-apartheid demonstration. Editor Baldwin says the aim was to show the fallacies of campus demonstrations. ‘‘Banging a bongo, dancing to bongo music, screaming into a microphone is not im- portant. The world doesn’t care.”’ “‘T believe that confrontation is ne- cessary,’’ replies Charles Wynder, Jr., a Black student leader at the Universi- ty of Michigan. ‘‘Power concedes nothing without a demand. In order to make people share power, one has to take power. And those things are not done quietly.” ie ie ae Lig "s Leadership a for the x Third Century é hi v vv ry 4 v ®, 4 > > > x x : x x ® Dr. Jno. D. Leon Walker : & é for the 3 Bishopric 2 B Px PAM a 4 vi : Candidate x **This is a disturbing portrait of ra- cism and prejudice among young peo- ple whom we expect to be the leaders of the future,’’ says FRONTLINE ex- ecutive producer, David Fanning. ‘‘It is a national tragedy that twenty years after the death of Martin Luther King, Jr., and after all the gains of the civil rights movement, such fundamental chasm between Black and White still exists.’’ FRONTLINE is produced by a consortium of public television sta- tions and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. FRONTLINE is close captioned for the hearing impaired. The anchor for FRONTLINE is Judy Woodruff. The executive producer for FRONTLINE is David Fanning. 3b) SAN Dr. James Baldwin Candidate for Worship and Evangelism * Elect x Dr. Cyrus Keller Editor Religious Literature a ===== DSC05554.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 13 JBOSS nS EISISIDOIIE INTIS SIIEIOINISINISEIN ISI SINSISEISISISISISIN CII ISIS III ISI ISI RTI TORT TI I I TT TO TT TT TTT TTT AIOE : x CANDIDATES FOR THE BISHOPRIC 1988 x QO. Thomas Austin Clarence V. Boyd, Sr. Dr. Thomas Brown Dr. John R. Bryant = * * * * . x » z 7 » . 5 * 10th District 12th District istri : 8th District 2nd District * » 6 * j » > 4 » * Aa : Dr. G. L. Champion Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle William L. Cody : 11th District General Officer Ist District : i - om * Picture Not ? i * Available " > h ba » $ : * Rev. Albert Dunn R. L. Evans O. B. Gillespie cS 10th District 6th District 12th District * : ay bs Bs t , oy t ao » » i iad sg * . . * ae Grady Dr. R. J. Hampton Dr. David F. Harris Rev. Louise Harris t istrict 12th District 10th District 3rd District * F * \ = \y ’ icture 7 * Pict Not bs 5 * - Available <i, * * > . : : . * Dr. C. G. Henning Hewley E. Hinds, Sr. Dr. Ira Hinson Rev. Carrie Hooper * Sth District 16th District 11th District Ist District * a4 - i Picture Not * 3 x Available . * > a * A r. U. A. Hughe: avid H. Jackson r. Lovell Johnson * D A id * 3rd District 15th District 4th District i re * , ’ * ‘ at t < a ® = Dr. R. J. King Charles Lucas Andy W. M. Makhene H. Benedict Mason * * > a a * 2 Pes * : 4 rhs > a * * * » * * * * ba ba * ba * * * * ba » * * Pa Pa » * + * * * * * * ba * * x * * * * * * * * * * * * * + * * * » * * * » * * * Fs co * * * * ia pereeteccercccccreecesessrre rss Dr. D. C. Coleman 4th District A Dr. Robert Keesee 13th District Picture Not Available HP * PESECTICTCUT SSSI SUC TETTTCT CUT TT TT UC STU STC CCV OUC TTT CUT CTT OCCT TST esses tess er rosso tsetse seestsececoessetssesetesceccoussccecceces ooo SS S22 S36 oso 8S SS Se ee ee ee ee 9th District Sth District Disirict 14th District Picture Not Available Arthur L. Maura Dr. E. E. McAshan P. J. Messiah Clement N. Mkwanzi 3rd District Ist District 15th District 17th District Picture Not Available 3 ; Issac S. Motha Hilliary L. Parks, Jr. M. D. Phetlhu Dr. Robert Phillips 18th District 13th District 19th District 4th District me a te fs Picture Not raat a Available A. Joseph Reddick Willfred Reid Rev. Elizabeth Scott David K. Simfukwe Ith District 4th District 3rd District 17th District oe. ow t Picture Not \ 3 be aes \ ; Available f “a + J ree Frederick D. Smith Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. Dr. A. D. Tyson Dr. Jno. Walker District 4th District Ist District 10th District % ace Dr. Robert Webster 1. W Ith District 12th District SEE IC III IOI SII II ASIII ISI IA IS ISI SI SSI SISS ISIS IA a) de at ; wa Dr. G. E. West Dr. Preston Williams Dr. McKinley Young 6th District 6th District FOI IR RRR SII KI IAIIISSISISISSISIISIIISI SSI SSN eH II HI AAA IIIA IISSS SSIS ===== DSC05555.JPG ===== i4 The AME Christian Recorder Candidate For The Bishopric Look at an outstanding candidate for the Bishopric from Africa in the Great African Methodist Episcopal Church by W. N. Nduna South Africa—As a layman, he was one of the organizers of the Lay Or- ganization is the Orangia Conference and became its first secretary. Later, as Pastor, Rev. M. D. Phetlhu became instrumental in the organization of the 1Sth Episcopal Lay Organization, and here, he was elected its first Chaplain. He has served in three of our conferences: the Orangia Conference, the Natal, and the West Transvaal Annual Conferences, which were formally in the 15th Episcopal District and later known as the 19th Episcopal District. In the Orangia Conference, he served both as teacher and Pastor simultaneously. It was in this area that he was instrumental in the building of the church at Hoopstad. In the Natal Conference, he served as secretary for five years; became chairman of the school board at a place called Ladysmith; and, during this period, was able to place the image of the church at a very high standard by opening a night school, which has helped in the improvement of the literacy of the community in the area. Our church membership grew tremendously. Because of the great need at one of our major churches in the Transvaal, he was moved to the church called Ebenezer, in the then West Transvaal Annual Conference, which, today, through his initiative, hard work, and effectiveness, is known as the “Great Cathedral.” There, he increased the membership and again was made chairman of the school board, a position he used for opening and establishing more schools for our people. By improving the knowledge of our people in the general administration of our church, he paved the way for that church to be served by Presiding El- ders up to the present time. Another need arose when the Pastor and Pre- siding Elder of our main church in the West Transvaal Conference felt he could no longer stay in a place called Potchefstroom. The church looked around to see who would be best suited for this place, and he was then asked to serve this church, where he has now been for a number of years. As Pastor, he completed one of our biggest churches in the district and increased the membership from a small membership to a very large one. In this place, he brought about a great revival, not only in membership, but inspired the biggest number of young men to join the ministry, who were sent to our college, completed their studies, were ordained, and now are serving many of our churches in our various conferences. Here, again, he was elected chairman of the school board, and, under his chairmanship, a night school was opened that has since been turned to an adult centre with over eight hundred students, twenty teachers, and a full-time principal. In this place, he has opened three higher primary schools and one high school. It is from this place that he was appointed First Mofolo, and Westonaria—churches District and, later, the Presiding Elder of the Johannesburg District. Both of these districts are in the Johannesburg area. Under his Presiding Eldership in both districts, great effort was made to increase our membership and build three parsonages, e.g., Orlando West, Mav. M. D. Phetihu Mofolo, and ‘Westonaria—churches Randfontein, Tlado Moletsane. He has been Presiding Elder for many years and, because of his sacrifice, dedication, and commit- ment, was made leader of the West Transvaal Conference, appointed administrative assistant of both the late Bishop John Hunter, and now, Bishop Senatle. Under his leadership of the Conference of the West, when the District was divided, his conference gave birth to a new conference—the North Conference— to form what is now knownas the 19th Episcopal District and a whole district to the 15th Episcopal District. It is my belief that the division has been possible through the hard work of men of this caliber. Rev. Phetlhu is presently working ona half-million-dollar multi-purpose centre which will accommodate a variety of community projects, such as day care centre, cripple care, technical and commercial classes, recreational facilities, and many others. As layman, he taught both at higher primary schools and high schools. He also became both Tutor and Dean at our theological college in Evaton, South Africa. Now is the time for such a man to be given the highest honour of service. We ask the church to elect him a bishop to enable him to use his talent and experience on a wider scale. W.N. Nduna Episcopal President of the then 15th Episcopal District Currently, Episcopal President of the 19th District School Inspector, later Secretary of Education to the Office of Church Extension June 13, 1988 eR RRR RR RRR RET ED * ELECT * Dr. Wilfred Reid Lk CANDIDATE FOR BISHOPRIC x 1988 * FOR TOTTI OI IIA TIA IAS IA IOK Rev. Lewis E Grady SRHESBET PERIGHOIGEs Grady, Jr. For DR. A. W. Department of Minimum salary JULY 1988 ‘er EREELELELLE LEE LECCE EECEEEEEEeerLe rrr LOAD MOHD ALOUD LOM LOND { GREETINGS ff ¢ REVEREND O. THOMAS AUSTIN, SR. Candidate For The Bishopric — 1988 ..NOT TO BE MINISTERED UNTO, BUT TO MINISTER“ —Matthew 20:28 OHO” FOU SOHO” KOHOY* | } | | | : | a LOAD? AOA? LOH? LOND? ADAG? LOND? AOS? AO) FI II ADA ISAS ASIAN AISI AAN SSAA AS %& Elect * Rev. Felix B. Bancy Candidate for Secretary Church Extension Office POI III I SAI IIIA II IIIA II III III III SII III IISA ISA SISAA Se te Se CeCe eS e CeCe SS CCCCC CCST CCT CCC CCC CSCC Teese sete s reese peeeeessetescorsecocess oes 3 Dr. C. Garnett Henning St. Paul A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri Henning was born in an A.M.E. parsonage. He and his family have served the Church through four generations. Garnett will make a good Bishop Elect Him in ===== DSC05556.JPG ===== June 13, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Social Action Corner Rev. John Q. Owens, Jr., Director I have received a letter requesting my support and the support of the Church for a planned National Anti- apartheid Action Lobby Day, to be held on June 16, 1988. This date marks the anniversary of the Soweto Upris- ing, a day on which hundreds of children were gunned down by the South African Defense Force. To commemorate the deaths of these children and thousands of others throughout Southern Africa, there will be a National Day of Lobbying for the passage of H.R. 1580 and S.B. 556, bills which would impose Comprehen- sive Sanctions against the Government of South Africa. The many groups supporting this ef- fort, of which the African Methodist Episcopal Church is one, are calling for a national day of demonstrations, prayer, candle-light vigils, letter writing campaigns, teach-ins, rallies, and visits to Congressional offices, in support of these bills. The situation in South Africa is rapidly deteriorating and sanctions are necessary for the dignity of the majori- ty that suffers oppression, among whom are distinguished African Methodists, Bishop H. B, Senatle and Pastor Lionel Louw, both of whom have been arrested in the struggle. There is increased repression as the South African Government has outlawed all remaining voices of peaceful democratic opposition inside the country, and forcibly took into custody Archbishop Desmond Tutu, the Rev. Allan Boesak, Roman Catholic Archbishop Stephen Naidoo, along with twenty other religious leaders, on February 29th, this year. Hundreds of children have been in- carcerated by the Apartheid regime and thousands more are condemned to living in squalid conditions in ways that accelerate malnutrition and infant mortality rates. Over 9,000 South African troops have invaded Angola and have helped create a humanitarian crisis which in- cludes the highest infant mortality and amputee rates in the entire world. All of this is happening while South Africa is occupying Namibia with over 100,000 troops and supporting the Ter- rorist Organization Renamo in destabilizing Mozambique. I strongly urge the Episcopal District Director of Social Action to seek the support of the Episcopal Prelate to lobby his Episcopal District in support of this effort, and that the Connectional Missionary Society, Y.P.D., Lay Organization, and Sons of Allen will join in this movement. Our church would be well represented if each Episcopal District would sup- port this effort in its major metropolitan areas. Continued on page 16 Jordan Moves Forward We the members of Jordan A.M.E. Church, Denver Colorado, are ex- ceedingly grateful to our illustrious Presiding Prelate, The Bishop Henry W. Murph, for his expertise in the use of his Divine Judgement with regards to the magnanimous appointment of our present Pastor, the Rev. H. Charles Farris to our distinguished church. We feel that Bishop Murph truly al- lowed the spiritual guidance from the Lord God Almighty to aid him in mak- ing this dynamic decision. From this perfectly placed union, we the members of Jordan A.M.E. Church are proud to say that under the new leadership of Pastor H. Charles Farris endowed with the power of the Holy Spirit we are doing as Philippians 3:13. states, ‘“‘Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: But this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before.”’ In the words of a favorite selection, “I Said I Wasn’t Gonna Tell Nobody But I Couldn’t Keep It To Myself.’’ Things are happening at Jordan we must tell. Jordan has taken on a new name, a new spirit, a new attitude and a new motto, Ordinary People Doing Or- dinary Things In Extraordinary Ways. We wish to share with you our cele- bration of the Easter Season. We began on Palm Sunday one of our Assistant Ministers, Rev. George B. Bailey, Jr., preaching from Mat- thew 14:55-65, taking the subject, ‘‘I Stand Accused.”’ On Good Friday, our pastor, Rev. H. Charles Farris shared in the Seven Last Words services by preaching the First Word taken from Luke 23:24, “Father Forgive Them For They Know Not What They Do’’ at our sister church Shorter A.M.E. under the pastorate of the Rev. J. Langston Boyd. Our Maundy Thursday service had to be canceled and rescheduled due to inclimate weather. But we were de- termined not to be defeated, therefore we went forward and held this spirit filled reinactment of the Last Supper on Pre-Easter Saturday night. We continued our Easter celebra- tion with Sunrise Service which in- cluded another one of our ministerial staff, Rev. Jeffrey D. Hampton preaching from Luke 23:40-43, using the subject ‘‘The Glory of Being Saved While Dying.’’ Followed by a con- tinental breakfast prepared by The Brotherhood Organization. Our Easter Morning Worship Ser- vice proved to be spirit-filled with se- lections from our Mass Choir and the Sermon ‘‘Calvary’’ taken from Mark 15:22-23 from our own Pastor, Rev. H. Charles Farris. We concluded our Easter celebra- tion with an afternoon program spon- sored by our Y.P.D., including skits, speeches and of course an Easter Parade followed by an Easter Egg Hunt. God has truly blessed us with His Holy Spirit and the enthusiasm along with the love from our Pastor, the Rev. H. Charles Farris and family, who in the short time they have been at Jordan, have begun teaching us the true meaning of loving each other and becoming a family church. Again, a Special Thanks to Bishop Murph for through him, with God, All Things Are Possible. Please look forward to hearing again from us soon! Jeri Rose, Reporter 15 Chicago Conference Lay Organization Holds Spring Forum and Brunch The Chicago Conference Lay Or- ganization climaxed its years activities with a Forum and Brunch recently at Coppins A.M.E. Church in Chicago. Ever mindful of the leadership role the church has always played in the area of Social Action as well as Re- ligion and Education and dedicated to continuing that tradition, the Social Action Committee and the Ways and Means Committee teamed up to spear- head that conscious raising Forum. The theme for the program was Black America At The Crossroads: Facing The 2Ist Century, Panelists were the Honorable Timothy Evans, 4th Ward Alderman, Mr. Russ Ewing, Veteran Journalist/Newsman with the local ABC TV News station and Rev. Dr. Charles Spivey, erudite pastor of Coppins. They addressed such issues as Poli- tics, Religion and the method of disseminating news as relates to Blacks. The large crowd of Laity and Clergy were enthusiastic in their response and interrupted the speakers frequently with loud applause. Mr. Sterling Sut- ton, moderator of the program, echoed the sentiments of the audience when he stated that the Forum would become an annual event. President Willie Thompson expressed his appre- ciation to the Panelist, Audience and members fro their contribution and support. Words of commendations were given by Mr. Morris L. Williams 4th District President and Presiding El- der William D. Davis of the St. Paul Milwaukee district. A delicious Catered Brunch was en- joyed by all. Mrs, Rita Williams 3rd Vice Pre- sident serves as coordinator for the Social Action Committee, Mr. Jerry Davis, Ist Vice President, is the coor- dinator for Ways and Means. Chairperson for the affair was Mr. Ray O’neal 2nd Vice President of the 4th District Lay Organization. The Hospi- tality of Pastor Spivey, host President Mrs. Willa Dawson and the members of Coppins will be long remembered and appreciated. Mrs. Jacquelyn Ford, Conference Parliamentarian, was the very efficient program coordinator. Next on the agenda for the Organi- zation is the Annual Convention which will be held at Bethel in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. President Thompson anti- cipates a large turnout of Delegates and Observers at the 2 day session. Submitted by Ruth E. Sanderson Director of Public Relations Chicago Conference Lay Organization Is Experience Really That Important? Washington—I have received a plea from a man in Bethesda, Md., asking me to come out against Jesse Jackson for president. He asks this because “this particular Black man is without a single day’s experience in govern- ment at any level or in managing a large organization of any sort.’’ Jackson has countered complaints about his inexperience by saying that all people in public office are not leaders, and all leaders are not in public office. In that context, let’s look at some of the presidents of my lifetime. Harry Truman—People noted that the former haberdasher had minimal credits in domestic affairs and alleged- ly had no experience in foreign policy. But he had leadership qualities, and the guts to gamble, socially as well as internationally. Truman’s ranking grows higher every year. Dwight Eisenhower—He was a war hero, so few people asked whether he knew anything about a federal budget or how to deal with the Soviet Union. Eisenhower turned out to lack both experience and the qualities of leader- ship. He turned foreign and domestic policy over to aides and gave us eight years of lackluster mediocrity. John Kennedy—Experience lim- ited; qualities of leadership great. No great legislative achievements, but he brought us vision. He shaped the legislative agenda that became vital after his death. Lyndon Johnson—Lots of ‘‘experi- ence’? as the virtual dictator of the Senate. Knew where the bodies were buried, and whose arms to twist, and thus got through Congress an incredi- ble array of social legislation. But he had no foreign policy expertise, this No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent. leading in part to his destruction by the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon—A wide range of ““experience,’’ some of it in offices gained ruthlessly. Great qualities of leadership in foreign policy, but fatal blind spots in terms of the meaning of the Bill of Rights or the needs of America’s underclass. These blind spots caused him to resign. Gerald Ford—Years of ‘‘expe- rience,’’? but no vision, no sense of leadership; thus a ‘‘caretaker.”’ Jimmy Carter—A nice, smart man whose four years as President illus- trate the folly of assuming that ‘‘expe- rience’ as a governor has anything to do with success in the White House. Carter campaigned as an ‘‘outsider,”’ against the ‘‘Washington establish- ment,’’ and he left Washington as an ‘“outsider.”’ Ronald Reagan—Lots of ‘“‘expe- rience”? as governor. Clear ‘‘leader- ship’? qualities based upon assorted conservative ideologies. Yet, his policies of ‘‘economic voodoo”’ have produced a sea of red ink and lingering misery. His lack of experience in foreign policy has led to a debacle in Beirut, the Iran-contra scandal, and an explosive mess in Israel and the territo- ries it occupies—plus woeful situa- tions in central America and Africa. I am not endorsing or attacking Jackson on the issue of ‘‘experience.’’ The lessons of history make it clear that ‘‘experience’’ is not nearly as im- portant in a presidential candidate as high intellect, a sense of compassion, integrity, mental toughness, vision and the energy and eagerness to do the homework that is required to deal with crises that no task force can predict. a __s ===== DSC05557.JPG ===== Historiographer Dr. J. S. Benn, II As I write this article, I cannot help but think that the church of my life is a church where preparation and expe- rience count. The Rev. Dr. J. S. Benn, III has well prepared himself to serve in our Zion. I have found him to be a man of many natural talents, most especially in the area of professional writing and re- search. He is the author of 14 books and booklets and has contributed many ar- ticles to newspapers and magazines on various occasions. Four of his books have been professionally prepared and distributed internationally, and can be found in Christian bookstores across the nation—Cokesbury, Baptist book stores and our A.M.E. Christian Edu- cation bookstore. Most independent bookstores also carry his books. He has authored and independently pub- lished two historical titles, The Achievements Of A Race Across The World, which profiles special persons of color, and Historical And Pro- phetic Perspectives Of A Black Church Serving A Great People. Specifically are two research studies, ‘‘The Needs Of The Black Elderly’’ sponsored by Indiana/Purdue University, and the City of Indianapolis, and ‘‘The Cha- racteristics Of Black Americans’’ done at the School of Sociology, University of Michigan. These are two of the re- sults of diligent research. In addition, Dr. Benn is a well- rounded pastor and administrator. He has built two churches, Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church, Peoria, Illinois and Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in In- dianapolis. These are not ordinary ac- complishments, and need to be recognized for their merit in furthering the development of the African Meth- odist Episcopal Church in the unfold- ing future. Dr. Benn now pastors the St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Springfield, Illinois The AME Christian Recorder 16 June 13, 1988 Dr. J. S. Benn, III is Ready to do a Good Job in the Office of known as the ‘‘Friendly Community Church,’’ pastored at one time by William Paul Quinn and George A. Singleton. He has become involved in the mainstream of community activi- ties in Springfield, serving in a leader- ship capacity to bring about social change in the public interest. For ex- ample, the recent class action suit against the councilmanic government at Springfield has now been changed to an aldermanic system which has resulted in placing two Black aldermen and eight White aldermen in city government for the first time in Spring- field. Because of Dr. Benn and other leaders, Blacks now have representa- tion where it counts. A Benn Community Committee is sponsoring a city-wide Reception/Tri- bute on June 18 at the Springfield Hilton Hotel to support Dr. Benn’s candidacy for Historiographer of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Educationally, Benn holds the Bachelor of Arts degree from Wilber- force University and the Master of Arts from Columbia University signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He has done graduate study at Garrett Theological Seminary on the North- western University campus at Evans- ton, Illinois, Research Interviewer stu- dies, University of Michigan School of Sociology, and Manpower Manage- ment Studies at the University of Utah. In addition he holds honorary degrees from Edward Waters Semi- nary and Monrovia College, West Af- rica. Dr. Benn, our candidate, is the pro- duct of four generations of preachers. Is he a man of experience in a Church where experience counts? When the ballots are cast, he should not be for- gotten! Isabel K. Patrick, Life Member Women’s Missionary Society Secretary, Benn Community Committee PRIA “‘Cosmetics Prevent People From Reading Between The Lines.’”’ ON EN EN Noa Week-Long Celebration Set Spiritual High For Anniversary Tampa, FL—\n a week-long series of spiritual worship services, Pastor James P. Mitchell and the members of Greggs Temple A.M.E. Church set in motion the observance of their 38th anniversary. Under the theme “Increasing Unfeigned Faith Through the Knowledge of God," the congregation heard sermons delivered by such great speakers as Rev. Charles Edwards, pastor of St. Mark Baptist Church, Port Tampa, Florida; Rev. Sammie McQueen, pastor of Highland MB Church; and Rey. ~ Moses Anglin, pastor of Mt. Sillia MB Church. At an II a.m. worship service presided over by Mrs. Mercedes Maddox of Eastgate Community Church, members and visiting friends heard an inspiring message delivered by Rev. Willa C. Martin of St. Peterburg, wife of the Rev. B. H. Martin, Presiding Elder of the Tampa District. The afternoon speaker was Rev. William F, Stokes II, pastor of Brownsville Baptist Church, Savannah, Georgia. At the afternoon assemblage, which was presided over by Rev. M. Mason Walker, pastor of Moore's Chapel AMEC, Mrs, Estella Blakely was presented a plaque by Mrs. Cynthia Mitchell. The plaque was in recognition of Mrs. Blakely’s loyal and dedicated service to the church Mrs. Doris L. Anderson served as chairperson for the anniversary celebration, and Mr. Rufus Knighten, Jr., was co-chairperson. Doris L. Anderson, Reporter Poet Inspired by G. Edward West Dedicates Poem by Annie M. McKnight Dr. G. Edward West WE ARE HIS WITNESSES Written especially for and dedicated to Presiding Elder West on Sunday, April 10, 1988, after being inspired by God and him for his message taken from Acts 5:20 at Free Union A.M.E. Church in Eldorado. His performance of the entire services made an indelible impression on me, and the fact that he is a family man, in the truest sense of the word, reminded me of my own father, Rev. J. H. Flint, now deceased. May God continue to bless you, your ministry and your family; may your every work prosper ‘‘In the Name of Jesus.”’ This verse has made an impression on my life Because the words are quite true. No matter what good you might try to do, Someone is always after you. When you let the devil come in He fills your life with hate. The apostles were persecuted by the Sanhedrins; And jail was their cruel fate. We are imprisoned by many things; Some by marriage, some by dope or lust. Evil is present on every hand, But in God we must always trust. Enemies will persecute and em- barrass you; But God sends an angel to prevail; No matter our prison conditions, God will deliver us, without fail. Too often we forget what God has done; But He tells His people what to GO uss Go, stand in the temple, speak all the words of this life, We owe Him, each and every one of you. We are His witnesses and must tell the story. It must be told by each of us. It is a personal responsibility to witness, To His peopk, it is a sacred trust. Go, tell my people. Stand up, let your presence be known. Be courageous, stand firmly! He will protect His very own. We don’t believe the promise of God No matter what in this life we see. We must believe if He watches over the sparrow Surely, He watches over you and me. We have a word of hope He gives, That we are His witnesses on this earch. We must be revived and come to God, Who was humbled, even from His birth. This life, for a Christian, is rough; We are consumed by guilt and sin, The problems can all be solved If we let Jesus abide within. The blood can wash away our sins And make us whole and complete; Only Jesus has the power to cleanse us; We must kneel humbly and meekly at His feet. No matter the trials and tribula- tions in this life, We must stand firm, and tell what Godis... That He is a Rock, He’s Living Water, He’s everything If He is ours and we are His. Continued from page 1 Social Action Corner Come on, Church of Allen, let us mobilize for our Brothers and Sisters overseas. God be with us in this endeavor. I applaud the Connectional Bi- centennial Committee for the positive fall-out that has come after the celebration of the Paul Quinn focus. The public relations for our Zion was impressive. The American Theatre presentation by both the Fourth and Fifth Episcopal Districts was outstand- ing; the television appearances by members of the Local Bicentennial Committees and the Connectional Committees have illicited a great amount of response from non-African Methodists; the symposiums at St, Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Louis, were of the highest quality and most infor- mative for those of us who are African Methodists; and the laying of the pla- ques commemorating Bishop Paul Quinn will give us continuing scrutiny as to our contributions and for the leadership that we now give in the areas of religion and social action. I am sure that a complete article is forthcoming on the event. “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the tree and every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.’’ Luke 3:9 P= +4 =f 4h =-+4 >t 4} > WRU OZ MAIZYZ, ON See ee, pet nF je 4 Sea ls Prayer is the exercise Of the spirit, the stretching and flexing, the aerating and cleaning, and active outreach, lifting us from our limits toward the limitless. A. Lee Henderson
• May 30, 1988
  ===== DSC05526.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 18 May 30, 1988 Senior Bishop of Methodism Fea ¥ A sume Bishop D. Ward Nichols (Senior Retired) Preached ‘‘Sermon of the Century”’ Charleston, SC—The Bicentennial pro- grams in Charleston, South Carolina, honored the life and works of Bishop Henry McNeil Turner. Bishop F. C. James and South Carolina were won- derful hosts to the Connectional Church. One of the highlights of the meet- ings, held at Emmanuel A.M.E. Church, was the sermon preached by the Senior (Retired) Bishop of the A.M.E. Church, and, perhaps, the oldest living senior bishop of all of Methodism. Unique was the fact that Bishop De- catur Ward Nichols preached from the pulpit of great Emmanuel, the church tured as Bicentennial Preacher that his late father built. Bishop Nichols, sensing, perhaps, the spiritual presence of his father, as he related the accomplishments of the giant of a preacher, was caught up in the Holy Spirit, and, no doubt, delivered the “Sermon of the Century.” Bishop Nichols has always been re- spected as a great pulpiteer. and preacher; that greatness, however, ex- celled when he delivered the South Carolina Bicentennial Sermon on his family’s home grounds. In fact, people are yet congratulating him, and I am sure that sermon will long be remem- bered as a classic. The occasion will become historic because the Connectional Church had gathered to honor the late Bishop Turner as one of the Four Horsemen of African Methodism. A dedicatorial plaque in his memory was dedicated and affixed to the wall of Emmanuel Church. Bishop Nichols preached the dedi- catorial message from Judges 14:4. His sermon subject was ‘‘From Frustra- tion To Achievement.’’ He preached to the evident delight of his audience. I am sure his late father peeped over the banister of heaven and said, ‘‘Amen,’’ to the occasion and to his son who, on this day, gave himself up to the Spirit TO DO THE LORD’S WILL. Exhibition on Black Churches Extended Through Oct. 30 at Anacostia Museum Washington, DC—‘‘Climbing Jacob’s Ladder: The Rise of Black Churches in Eastern American Cities, 1740-1877,”’ on view at the Anacostia Museum, has been extended through Oct. 30. This historical overview of churches established by ex-slaves has been ex- tremely popular, attracting groups of visitors from the metropolitan area as well as Harrisburg, PA; Petersburg, VA; Philadelphia; Wilmington, DE; Richmond, VA; Baltimore, MD; and New York City. Anacostia Museum historian Ed- ward Smith, who spent three years re- searching the subject, says that Afri- cans who survived the horrors of the slave ships sought to make some sense of order out of the chaos surrounding them in this strange and hostile new land and chose a spiritual path as a means of seeking relief. Covering 13 cities—Baltimore, MD; Charleston, SC; Petersburg, VA; Richmond, VA; Wilmington, DE; Boston; New Orleans; Philadelphia; Savannah, GA; Brooklyn; New York City; Providence, RI, and Washington, DC—‘‘Jacob’s Ladder’’ includes more than 150 artifacts, documents, and photographs. On view are photo- graphs of many of the ministers who were responsible for making possible this early period of spiritual develop- ment in Afro-American culture. A pew dating from the 1840’s and the 1801 Hymnbook of Richard Allen, founder of Mother Bethel Church in Philadel- phia, are two of the artifacts on display. ‘“Jacob’s Ladder’’ has three audio- visual presentations: a five-minute program on abolitionist churches in Boston; a 15-minute sacred music video produced by Horace Boyer, pro- fessor of music at the University of Massachusetts, and a five-minute record segment from a workshop in early African Methodist Episcopal songs taken from Allen’s Hymnbook. The workshop was performed at the National Museum of American His- tory and was conducted by pianist, vo- calist, and composer, Evelyn Simpson- Currenton, with the assistance of the vocal ensemble OPUS I. The Anacostia Museum is located at 1901 Fort Place S. E. Daily hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Free audio tapes for self-guided tours of the ex- hibition are available at the security desk. Reservations for the guided tours given from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on weekdays can be made by calling (202) 287-3369. Methodist Episcopal Church “« 1787-1987 PRICE: 50 CENTS First Grants by Union Carbide’s New Hexagon Trust to Provide Scholarships and Community Development Funds PROMOTING EDUCATION—Robert D. Kennedy, chairman of Union Carbide Cor- poration, right, chats with two Black South African college students during the business executives’ fact-finding trip to South Africa. Following detailed talks with more than 200 anti-apartheid Blacks, Kennedy led Union Carbide to set up the Hexagon Trust. The Trust is a foundation supervised by five Blacks, one Indian and one White, that will use dividends from Union Carbide’s remaining two business organizations in South Africa topay for scholarships, and for community and business development programs for Blacks. Grants of $280,000 Announced for South African Blacks Danbury, CT—Blacks in South Africa will benefit from an award of $280,000 from the Hexagon Trust for scholar- ships and community development projects. Developed last year by the Union Carbide Corporation, the Trust is being built with dividends from that company’s two remaining in- vestments in South Africa, and it is currently funded at $3.5 million. The award was approved by the Trust’s board, which is made up of five South African Blacks, one Indian, and one White. The money will be used for college-level scholarships, community development programs, and programs to improve the skills of teachers. Leaders of the Trust are cur- rently working out programs to in- volve the foundation in making loans to Black South African business per- sons and to establish a teacher training center. “‘We believe that this is a far more constructive way to work toward social change in South Africa than a largely symbolic and ineffective with- drawal,’’ said Robert D. Kennedy, chairman of Union Carbide Corpora- tion. He said: ‘‘We do, however, retain the right to divest our remaining assets in South Africa at any time if we deter- mine that doing so will hasten the end of apartheid. There should be no mis- understanding of our basic position. Union Carbide abhors apartheid. And we are particularly concerned by the South African government's recent re- pression of church and Black activist groups.”’ The establishment of the Hexagon Trust followed a fact-finding trip to SIX OF THE SEVEN TRUSTEES of the Hexagon Trust are: (a) Leslie Peters, principal and rector of education; (b) Joyce Siwani, research evaluator; (c) M. Nathaniel Mkhaza, businessman; (d) Sebolelo Mohajane, education specialist; (e) Peter Motale, transportation fleet owner; and (f) Paul Zulu, lecturer and re- searcher. South Africa by Mr. Kennedy in 1987. While there, he sought out the views of more than 200 South African Blacks involved in the anti-apartheid struggle. The trustees of the Hexagon Trust are M. Nathaniel Mikhaza, a Port Elizabeth township businessman and current president of the Eastern Cape Chamber of Commerce; Sebolelo Mohajane, chairwoman of the Soweto Parents Crisis Committee, an organi- Please turn to page 3 10-88 it 4784 DR. NORRIS RICHARD F. BARRINGER ST. 1135 L929 PA. PHILADELPHIA, ===== DSC05527.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder May 30, 1988 A New Focus on an Old Issue I have five granddaughters—no grandsons. Lauren Reid Banks, a 5-year-old this month, was sitting in the company of her parents and their friend at a softball game when she made this rather interesting statement for her age. She said to her mother, ““Before you can go to third base, you must go to second base; and before you can go to second base, you must go to first base.’’ Then, in Lauren’s own dramatic style, including hand gesticulations, she added in a tone of acceptance, ‘‘That’s the way life is!’’ Sometimes, when you miss the first base in life, you don’t go anywhere else. Many things are, indeed, very es- sential to learn, do and experience, early in one’s life. Thank God for this editorial caption, ‘‘A New Focus On An Old Issue,’’ because children are the precious promise of the future. Children are, or should be, our highest pri- ority. Infants, babies and older children are naturally curious. That is a part of their growth experience. Have you ever, as an adult, noticed the power of the imagination of chil- dren? Has anyone of them ever offered to sell you an invisible doll, or an imaginary dog, or some make-believe candy? Did you not play the game with them, and play with invisible or imaginary money? There is power in reading and writing and thinking. Without the ability to read, write and do arithmetic, one is seriously handicapped from the ‘‘get go.’’ A new focus on an old issue is that children may best learn to read through writing; however, when Francis Bacon said, ‘‘Reading makes a broad man; speaking makes a ready man; writing makes an exact man,”’ it seems that he put reading before writing. Jill Waddell, a public school teacher in Tennessee, has a new focus on this old issue of teaching. She has said children begin to experiment with let- ters, letter-like shapes and figures at a very young age by writing on dirty cars and moist windows; yet, when children enter school, they often lose this en- thusiasm for their marks on paper. Ms. Waddell said, ‘‘I was not trained to allow this inquisitive nature to continue.’’ A one-time kindergarten teacher says, ‘‘By allowing kindergarten children’s invented spelling, I saw them learn to write before they learned to read, and I saw how learning to write helped them learn to read then zero in on what he or she was ready to learn.”’ I saw an exciting cartoon, recently, of a primary child at church, scrib- bling on the drawing paper the teacher had given him. The pastor and Sunday School superintendent came to the teacher’s class and asked, ‘*What is the student doing?’’ The teacher answered, ‘‘I’m not sure. It started out as ‘David and Goliath,’ but, at last report, it’s ‘Jesus Feeding the 5,000,’’’ Well, I am sure that it was the power and potential of a child’s mind at work. I was told of another church school pupil who had drawn a crude picture of a limousine, replete with a chauffeur and two passengers in the back seat. When asked to explain, the student said, ‘‘God is the chauffeur, driving Adam and Eve out of the Garden of Eden. The United Negro College Fund uses well, as its national campaign slo- gan, the words of Adolph Caesar, ‘‘A mind is a terrible thing to waste.’’ The violation of the prohibition in America against slaves being taught to read and write was a crime punishable by law. I keep thinking there must have been a powerful reason for attempting to waste the mind power and potential of a transported people, while denying them the use of their former language skills, religion, family and history. There is, indeed, power in the ability to read and write, and think and or- ganize, and to be producers as well as consumers. It is essential—and must be a priority—how we relate to the nation’s children. It is important to have The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi weekly by the AME C. Sunday Schoo! Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The A.M.E, Christian Recorder was esiablisned in 185- Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, vasnviile Tennessee 37203-4181 Adver tising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mai! Make ali money orders and cashier's checks payable to A Lee Henderson ROBERT H. REID, JR. Or. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor EDITORIAL STAFF Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, |, The Roving Editor, Or Cyrus Keller Religious Literature Editor, Mr MH. L. Felix Special Editor; Dr. Jimmie James Jr. Music Editor, Rev. Miss Nurjann Govan, Women Ministries Editor; Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor, Rev. W F. Ball, Jr, Public Relations Editor, Mrs Theima A. Wills, Contributing Editor; Or, Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones Consyiting Editor, Rev Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor, Rev EL Blankenship Regional Editor, Rev, W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner Basic Law Editor, Dr J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent, Or WD Jonnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Or Kenneth § Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt Carroll A. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev, O Urcille Ifill, Sr, Contributing Editor, Dr Henderson Davis, Archives Editor. Or William P DeVeaux Career Development editor, Dr. Dennis C Dickerson, Contributing Editor, Rev. Cecil Murray, C ontribut ing Editor The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters trom its readers on matters of general interest, All letlers must be signed and contain the address of the writer The A.M.E, Christian Recorder will occa sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given serves the right to re No defamatory libelous or slanderous letters wil! be printed and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder 1e ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste style and space requirements economic and political power to develop and guarantee opportunities for all children, especially the handicapped and underprivileged. A familiar Chinese proverb says, ‘‘The journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”’ That one step—a child’s first learning— may be the determining factor of the suc- cess of a new focus on an old issue of this nation, to avoid the ignorance that may survive to curse the world. Let me get back to my granddaughter’s statement, which she concluded by saying, “‘That’s The Way Life Is!’’ Yes, before you can go to third base, you must go to second base; and before you can go to second base, you must go to first base; but, before you get to first base, you must start at “Home Base.’’ To be privileged to head for first base, the batter must hit the ball fair- ly or be walked by the pitcher. Not only must one go to the proper base, he or she must be declared safe at all bases by the umpire. One is then prepared to go safely to the home plate, allowing the next player a proper opportunity to repeat that success. Tennessee teacher Waddell says, writing empowers the children, because what they write is meaningful to them. They know their writings will be ac- cepted and we will work on fixing the mistakes together after their meaning has been established . . . [while they are yet children]. That will certainly help make life the way it should be. Let the new focus on all issues be for the good of children first. Thank you, Granddaughter Lauren, for helping your Grandpa, Editor Reid, to write another editorial. I am sure that life for you will be more beau- tiful because you seem to know already that you must get on the bases in pro- per order. We shall try to give you sufficient training to be able to hit a home run; then all of the bases will be yours, if you will only touch each one as you move from home to the applause of all who appreciate Home Runs. Don’t forget the GENERAL CONFERENCE ALL-NIGHT PRAYER QUAKE Fort Worth, Texas Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, Chairman SUNDAY, JULY 3, 1988 12 MIDNIGHT TO 6 A.M. Praising, Preaching, Prayer — All Night ah Bishop Vernon R. Byrd Bishop F. C. James Bishop Vinton R. Anderson The idea was humbly suggested at the Bishops’ Council last February in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and concurred by Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, chairman of the General Conference Commission. Bishop F. C. James, Commission on Evangelism, gave a resounding YES to the idea of the Church engaging in FASTING and PRAYER for the next twenty-two Fridays, from February 19, through July 15, 1988. This effort is designed to seek the face of GOD in the spiritual stabilization of the CHURCH, the NATION, and the WORLD. Prayer services held at Allen Chapel A.M.EB. Church, Ft. Worth, Texas, Rev. 9 W. L. Davis, Pastor. e s FOOSE OEE ES ESE SE SESE SES ES ESE SESE Se Se Se Se See Se Ge Se Ge Ge Ge Heese “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story’Color Videotape n VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson. Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACC URACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name address, zip, phone number to ‘This Week in African-American History Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part u For phone orders ONLY call (215) $48-5897 (incoming calls only) Th W.E.B. Di ts ef Black Folk) “The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the wor be powerful Negro rulers in the world prewererererertr ert st tt ist tr tt ae ===== DSC05528.JPG ===== May 30, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder a eEeEeeeEeEeEeQuaeaReeooeeeeeeeeeeeee NCC Testifies in Support of Proposed “Act for Better Child Care Services”’ Washington, DC—In testimony on child care legislation to a U. S. House of Representatives subcommittee to- day, the National Council of Churches expressed its support for the proposed “Act for Better Child Care Services,”’ Saying it ‘‘addresses most of our con- cern about child day care.’’ “The ABC bill would increase the supply of quality day care available to children in low-income families,’’ Au- drey Russell, representing the NCC’s Child Advocacy Working Group, told the Subcommittee on Human Re- sources of the House Committee on Education and Labor. ““The lack of affordable child care is one of the main factors that keeps wo- men in families on welfare from work- ing outside their homes,’’ said Russell, of Philadelphia, recently retired as director for church and community in- volvement, Lutheran Church in Amer- ica. ‘‘With 75 percent of its funds tar- geted to families with low and mode- rate incomes, this bill would make a tremendous contribution to the well- being of the working poor.”’ The proposed ‘‘Act for Better Child Care Services’? would authorize $2.5 billion for fiscal Year 1989 and in- creased sums for each of the next four years. It has been endorsed by more than 120 religious, educational, wo- men’s, labor and child advocacy or- ganizations. The NCC, through its Division of Church and Society, has long been ac- tively involved in concern for quality child care. In a survey published in 1983, the NCC’s Child Day Care Pro- ject found that churches are the single largest provider of center-based child care in the United States. In 1984, the Council initiated an Ecumenical Child care Network to stimulate an exchange of ideas among church-housed child care providers. And in November 1984, the NCC Governing Board, made up of 260 representatives of the NCC’s 32 Protestant and Orthodox member churches—adopted a compre- hensive ‘‘Policy Statement in Child Day Care,”’ calling for, among other things, establishment of a national child care policy. The NCC submitted the policy as part of its testimony to- day. iN BLACK METHODIST CHURCHES by A. LEE HENDERSON BOBBYE J. HENDERSON Basic Sunday School Growth Basic Sunday School Growth In Black Methodist Churches by A. Lee Henderson and Bobbye Henderson, is a rare approach to communicating fundamentals of Sunday School growth and the making of disciples. The book ap- peals to pastors and laypersons. They will be challenged, inspired, and encouraged to implement a growth-oriented Sunday School program. ALH-061587 .......----0005+ Russell told the subcommittee that the NCC is ‘especially pleased with the provisions in the ABC bill related to standards and licensing for child care providers. In order to receive funds under this bill, a state must adopt and enforce limited national health and safety standards over a five- year period—one set for centers and one for family day care homes, “Although we know that some states exempt churches from comply- ing with their existing child care stan- dards,”’ Russell said, ‘‘we have urged the churches in our member com- munions not to apply for exemption but to comply with their state regu- lations, because we believe churches should not be in the business of pro- viding unregulated or inferior child care.”” By using both certificates and con- tracts to pay for care, ABC would give families the ability to choose either fa- mily day care or center-based care, Russell said. Since the bill also pro- vides funds to upgrade facilities and train providers, it would improve the quality of care, she said. “*Because providers will be reim- bursed at market rate, they will be able to increase the wages they pay to child care workers, a matter which is of par- ticular concern to us because many of these individuals are women who are themselves heads of low-income fami- lies,’’ Russell continued. In 1984, she said, more than 90 percent of private household child care workers and 58 percent of all other child care workers earned less than poverty-level wages. “This situation must be corrected both in the interest of equity and for the good of our children,’’ Russell said. ‘‘The current high turnover in child care providers deprives young- sters of the stability in relationships which is so important to their develop- ment.”” NUL Hosts Conference On Male Responsibility The National Urban League hosted an invitational conference on Manhood and Fatherhood: Adolescent Male Responsibility in Black Families in Atlanta, GA, at the Radisson Hotel in March, 1988. The conference addressed one of the most critical issues facing the contemporary black family and was planned as a forum to explore the strategies that black organizations, such as churches, civic groups, fraternities, youth services programs and community-based agencies can and do employ, to ensure the survival of young black males. On the second day of the conference, five top black leaders participated in a leadership dialogue panel moderated by Tony Brown of “Tony Brown’s Journal.” Participating on the panel were John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Urban League; Dr. Dorothy I. Height, President of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc.; Carl Holman, President of the National Urban Coalition; Dr. Benjamin L. Hooks, Executive Director of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; and Dr. Joseph Lowery, President of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Peacemakers, Inc. Announces Global Peace Conference ‘Global Peace. . .From Vision to Reality: An International Women’s Conference’’ will be held on the cam- pus of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX, U.S.A. Its mission will be to create paths of peace through en- couragement, communication, educa- tion, friendship, and positive action. A minimum of two women from every country/nation will come together to think about the most compelling issue of our time—Peace. There will be a full conference agen- da, pre-conference activities and plans to carry on the conference mandates beyond the closing celebration on August 12th. Pre-conference activities will include an orientation and a week- long International Festival. The conference will begin on Mon- day, August 8, 1988, and will feature speakers, workshops and participant meetings which will help to define peace objectives and how to achieve them, Total attendance is expected to be around 2,000. On the last day, results and program activities will be reported and the conference will con- clude in the evening with a final rally and celebration of peace. New NEA Training Materials Geared to Enhance Parent-Teacher Relationships Washington, D.C.—The National Education Association is now offering America’s schools the first thoroughly researched program ever developed to help teachers help today’s parents become involved in their children’s education. Recent opinion polls dramatize the urgent need for this new NEA program, “Schools and Parents United: A Practical Approach to Student Success.” Parents and teachers, the polls show, share an eagerness to join together to help children succeed in their studies. But working parents often have little time to visit their children’s schools, and, all too often, parents and teachers find it difficult to effectively communicate with each other. “School and Parents United” offers practical, proven methods for breaking down barriers to parental involvement. Through a series of 12 skill-sharpening workshops, teachers develop techniques to effectively encourage parents to better motivate their children and to support their schools. The program is already in use in hundreds of schools around the nation. “We must seek to strengthen the bond between home and school,’’ says NEA President Mary Hatwood Futrell. “Together, parents and teachers can form a vital partnership in helping children reach their fullest potential. “The educational process begins in the home,” adds Futrell. “Parents are their children’s first teachers. That teaching role need not end at the schoolhouse door when their children begin their formal education.” Seventy-five percent of parents and teachers polled by the Metropolitan Life Survey of the American Teacher 1987 supported additional parental involvement in the public schools. The developer of the new NEA training package, Dorothy Rich, who developed the training materials, emphasizes that “school districts should empower teachers with the knowledge, strategies, and skills to reach out and work with parents.” Rich is the founder and president of the Home and School Institute, a nonprofit educational organization, and innovator in home and school relations since 1964. For information on ordering these new materials, write to the NEA Professional Library, P. O. Box 509, West Haven, CT 06516. St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church The second quarterly conference of the 1988 Conference year was held from the lower auditorium of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, Richmond, Kentucky, Monday, Feb- ruary 22, 1988. Rev. H. L. Parks, Jr., Presiding Elder of the Lexington Dis- trict (Kentucky Annual Conference) presided. Following the devotional period, Pastor John Thomas Ballew, Jr., presented Presiding Elder Parks who proceeded immediately with the busi- ness of the quarter. One death (Mrs. Sarah B. Blyth) was reported by the memorial committee. Although death invaded our church family, we were blessed to have added other members by affiliation. Mrs. Carol Parks, wife of our Presiding Elder, was welcomed very graciously Continued from page 1 by the pastor and members of the church and 2nd Quarterly Conference as well as members of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church (White Hall) congregation. Members of Bethel, White Hall were transferees as a result of the dis- banment of the society of White Hall Church. Thirty persons answered roll call. The Presiding Elder expressed his thanks and appreciation for the atten- dance and participation of each mem- ber. Pastor Ballew also expressed his ap- preciation to all officers and members for being present and giving him sup- port; and to the Presiding Elder for a most informative quarter. Jean Pinkston, Reporter Rev. John T. Ballew, Jr., Pastor Grants of $280,000 Announced for African Blacks zation formed last year to address an elementary and secondary school boy- cott in Soweto, and director of the Soweto Careers Center; Peter Motale, a Guguleto, Cape Town resident and transportation fleet owner; Leslie Peters, principal and rector of Spring- field College of Education for Indians in Durban; Joyce Siwani, a research evaluator for the Witwatersrand Cen- tre for Continuing Education and a tutor for the University Cadet pro- gram; Paul Zulu, formerly of the Uni- lever Corporation and currently lectur- er and researcher at the University of Natal’s Centre for Applied Social Sciences; and Robert Hart, vice presi- dent of Union Carbide Corporation’s Carbon Products Business Group. ===== DSC05529.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder May 30, 1988 “OF the Increase of his Government, There Shall Be No End”’ Dr. Walter Reid Indianapolis, IN—The severe ice storm that gave Indianapolis a most devasting blow during the first week of Spring seemed to have no adverse effect upon the planning for the District Confe- rence by the administration of the South District of the Indiana Confe- rence, led on by the tall, determined, unrelenting and faithful Presiding Elder William Sampson Nelson. Nothing seemed to have any nega- tive effect upon the illustrious Pastor Wesley C. Gordon of St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church, nor upon the dedicated members there when the South District Conference began with a 12:00 Noon coffee hour on a most beautiful Spring day. After the coffee hour and fellow- ship, registration and worship led by Pastor Leroy White of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Seymour, Indiana, the sereni- ty of the flowing chain of events, under the direction of Pastor Walter W. Reid, Sr. (Program Chairman), of Bethel, Indianapolis, so overwhelmed the delegation with joy that no ap- pearance of a desire for an ending was present. “Back To Basic African Method- ism’’ was the theme of the conference. The Reverend Wendell Abel, pastor at St. John A.M.E. Church, Indianapo- lis, conducted the workshop on “Local Church Structure and Organi- zation.’? Rev. Reid conducted the workshop on ‘‘The Quarterly Confe- rence; What does It mean to You?’’ The manner in which the workshops were conducted, and the material pre- sented, served well their purpose for re-orientation and for Christian Edu- cation. Presiding Elder Nelson re- minded the conference that we had been blessed with the presence of the presiding bishop at sometime when the South District Conference was in ses- sion during each of the eleven years that he has served as presiding elder of the district. Distinguished guests visiting the con- ference included Dr. Henderson S. Davis, Historiographer of the A.M.E. Church, and Presiding Elder William D. Davis, Jr., of the St. Paul, Mil- waukee District, Chicago Conference. At the close of the business session of the first day of the conference, the attention of all persons in attendance was focused on the worship that was scheduled for 7:00 PM, at which time Bishop S. S. Morris, Jr., the compe- tent, creative and caring Presiding Bishop of the Fourth Episcopal Dis- trict was the announced preacher. And PREACH! he did; he was ‘‘Born to Preach.’’ The influence of the outstanding and dynamic leadership of the bishop upon all whom he touched when he served as pastor in the 4th Episcopal District was evident in the result of the work done by those who put the ideal District Conference together. Clearly, it is evident that the dedicated leader- ship and administrative power of Bis- hop Morris ‘‘has no end.’’ The power of delivery and the impact of his ser- mon gave proof of that. Bishop Morris lifted his subject out of the last verse of the text that he read from the Book of Acts, Chapter 27:44 ‘‘And the rest, some on boards and some on broken pieces of the ship, And so it came to pass that they escaped all safe to land.’’ His subject: ‘‘When Life goes To Pieces.’’ If life should ever go to pieces for those who sat under the sound of the voice of the great pulpiteer, they will remember and forever feel challenged to mount up on the pieces and press on to perfection in Jesus the Christ. For “of the increase of His government and peace, there shall be no end.”’ Isaiah 9:7. On Friday, the closing day of the conference, the seminar topics were “Concerns of Pastors,’’ and ‘‘Con- cerns of Lay Persons.’’ The South District Conference, under the leader- ship of Presiding Elder Nelson and his staff, provided an experience in church orientation and Christian education that was invaluable. Host Pastor Gordon, with the loyal dedicated members of St. Paul AME Church, left no stones unturned in making provisions and demonstrating royal hospitality for all. ‘‘The song is ended, but the melody lingers on.’’ The African Methodist Episcopal Church is in good hands, and we must pray, ‘‘Of the increase of his/her government and peace, there shall be no end.”’ Thomas Turner, Director Public Relations, Indiana Conference Bethel Quarterly Conference Bethel A.M.E. Church held its third quarterly conference April 15-17, 1988, with Presiding Elder C. E. Nichols. The conference was opened with Pastor McNealy lining Hymn #50, followed with prayer by Bro. Wilmer Briggs. Presiding Elder Nichols select- ed the 25th Psalms for scripture, fol- lowed with a congregational song “Precious Lord.”’ Pastor McNealy presented Presiding Elder Nichols for order of business. At the close of the business Elder Nichols expressed his concern about people and the Churches. He encour- age each of us to pray for one another, and pray for the welfare of the chur- ches. He said, ‘‘Christians are to love one another, and bear one another’s burdens. Sunday, April 17, 1988, 8:00 A.M. Service, Rev. W. E. McNealy presid- ing. Music was rendered by the Gospel Chorus, with Mrs. Eunice Davis as or- ganist, and Mr. Darrel Gettis as pianist. The morning hymn was #1, “© For A Thousand Tongues To Sing.”’ Prayer by Bro. Sam Huff. Presiding Elder C. E. Nichols deliver- ed a soul stirring message. Five people accepted Christ, four came for Bap- tism and one Christian experience. Mrs. Irene M. Blackmon, Reporter 0 everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted. A time to kill, and a time to heal. A time to break down and time to build up. A time to weep, and a time to laugh. A time to mourn and a time to dance... Ecclesiastes:3 _saedehtl Take time to consider ou and Piel lamily's future. Join the Pension Fund today: Discuss your plans now with a member of the AME Pension Fund. We take the Tension out of Pension. AME Pension Department 500 Eighth Avenue Nashville, Tennessee PNORC eee ONE ONS ONS He served the Church as General Secretary and did a good job. Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. Candidate for the Bishopric He’ll make a good bishop Elect Him in ’88 LIN BIN IN IY EY REY. Revive Us Again! Bishops, General Officers, Delegates and A.M.E, members, Greetings! It is important that we re-examine the concepts of Richard Allen—such as ‘‘self-help,’’ wherein was the bridge over troubled waters for us in some very troublesome times. From that idea there were established religious, economical and educational founda- tions, in which African Methodists have grown to become a great people in this twentieth century. Let us revive that idea of “self-help” and build an economical foundation and finance our own Building Fund Programs. From this Fund, local con- gregations could borrow money to re- build, repair or build new structures. Each loan is to be repaid within five years with five percent interest to cover operational expenses. The money would never be used up, and the funds would continuously increase. From this base, the next step would be to establish an African Methodist Group Fire Insurance. With approxi- mately 2000 A.M.E. churches paying into a group fire insurance fund, it would grow into millions of dollars in a few years. The replacement cost will not be that great for our churches. From the above financial base, we could build retirement centers in each episcopal district for bishops, minis- ters’ wives and ministers’ widows with- out a home during the time of their re- tirement. We could also help local churches build pre-schools and day care centers, where the environment would be safe and secure, with a Chris- tian atmosphere. We could also build educational centers in each episcopal district to train A.M.E. ministers, teaching the A.M.E. doctrines. Additionally, we could train Chris- tian educators, superintendents, teachers, missionaries, stewards, ste- wardesses, trustees, etc. We need uni- formed knowledge to build this gene- ration of A.M.E. Christians. Pray that this General Conference will approve this new legislation: 1. There will be an African Method- ist Episcopal Church Building Fund. 2. Each local congregation will re- port $1.00 per member at the Mid- Year and at the Annual Conference for the next four years. 3. The General Board (or a Special Committee) approves all applications and directs the treasurer to pay the same: To any local A.M.E. Church that needs to repair, build, etc., witha maximum interest rate of five per- cent, repaying the loan in five years. Using this procedure, I believe by the turn of the century, African Meth- odists would have built a financial base of more than $50,000,000.00, and all we are doing is reviving the old idea of Richard Allen. All great revivals have praying people who see the need. I, therefore, ask you to pray with me this General Conference will approve the bill. Your Brother in Christ, Reverend Earl Anderson, Pastor 1916 East San Antonio Street San Jose, CA 95116 And Delegate To 43rd General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Fort Worth, Texas July 6-14, 1988 ‘‘Never let yesterday use up too much of today”’ ===== DSC05530.JPG ===== May 30, 1988 The AME. Christian Recorder African Methodism and What it Means to Me by Dana Ferguson Gaston Chapel A.M.E. Church The African Methodist Episcopal Church was begun in 1787 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania by a group of northern free Blacks led by a man of sublime courage and indestructive and passionate faith, Richard Allen. The need to organize a church separated from the White church came about because Africans, as they were so called, were beginning to under- stand the desire to have self-expression and a fuller involvement in the worship of our Lord. Allen and his followers wanted social recognition as human beings that the White man _ had somehow taken away. Allen especially realized this when in November 1792, he and his followers were forced out of their seats in St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. He had encouraged worship at this Philadelphia organi- zation but soon realized it as a mis- take. His departing from the church em- phasized his belief that Methodism was the religious system best suited to the needs of Black people. It had emphasis upon the plain and simple gospel which the unlearned could understand and the orderly system of rules and regula- tions which the underdeveloped des- perately needed. Allen felt that Methodism had what the African need- ed to encourage him to make progress and worship freely. Allen organized night schools in which his people could learn how to help themselves. From these programs came about the church’s philosophy of education and self-help. Most religious groups originated from some theological, doctrinal or ideological dispute or concern, But the A.M.E. Church originated as a protest against the inhuman treatment which the helpless people of African descent were forced to accept from the White people of the Philadelphia church. Richard Allen died on March 26, 1831, at the age of seventy-two. His A.M.E. Church, which he founded with only four hundred members, had spread throughout the North into New York, New England, and westward in- to Ohio. Membership figures for the A.M.E. Church, during this period of time, are difficult to find. The avail- able figures show that expansion was rapid, but the growth was fraught with problems arising from internal con- flicts as well as external pressure. In some of the border states, ex- pansion was difficult. For example, in 1832, Delaware would not permit A.M.E. ministers from the non-slave- holding states to take charge of its Black congregation. Because of this conflicting law, all of those ministers appointed to go to Delaware that year were sent elsewhere. Before the Civil War the A.M.E. Church was banned from the South by slaveholders who feared that it would serve as a catalyst for slave revolts. The Civil War and Reconstruction gave northern free Negro religious or- ganizations an opportunity long denied, a chance to work with their formerly enslaved church brothers. The African Methodist Episcopal Church was the first Black religious institution to send missionaries south, and the church’s assumption of this vanguard position was consistent with its early history as a champion of Negro rights in antebellum America, When the war was over, the A.M.E. Church began a highly needed cam- paign for winning of the Southern Neg- roes, Large numbers of Negroes formerly members of Southern White Presbyterian Churches, also went into independent Methodist or Baptist churches. Today there are a number of various Black Methodist churches in the United States. The largest of these groups are the African Methodist Episcopal; African Methodist Epis- copal Zion and the Christian Metho- dist Episcopal Churches. Today, the United States membership is more than two million individuals. In conclusion, African Methodism means my Negro heritage and how my brothers and sisters strived to make the A.M.E. Church what it is today. To quote, in part, Napoleon Hill and W. Clement Stone: ‘‘What the mind of man can conceive and believe, the mind of men can achieve.”’ Miss Ferguson was the winner of the Essay Contest sponsored by the Founder’s Day Committee, held on Sunday, February 7. She is a tenth grade student at Freedom High School. The daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jeffrey McElrath. St i 8 ttt “‘Garments of Righteousness never go out of style’’ You and Your Health Smoking and Your Life In ancient times, Jesus healed many people, of all ages, who suffered all manner of diseases and sickness. He showed a great concern for our good health and spiritual welfare. He bore the stripes for our sins that we might be healed; however, none were healed without asking for healing—or without having someone ask, in faith, for them. As a means of conversion, hear- ing with understanding hearts, the gift of healing begins its process. One is then divinely healed. The harmful substance in tobacco is nicotine and many more arise during the burning process, which you inhale. The fatal substances damage you in- ternally by weakening organs, like your heart, and create a potential con- dition for cancer. Over 60,000 Americans die yearly from lung cancer. The heavy smokers use One or more packages of cigarettes a day; moderate smokers, ten to nine- teen cigarettes a day; light smokers, less than ten. One cigar or pipeful equals five cigarettes. Pipe smokers have a higher chance of cancer of the lip, while cigar smokers’ chances for cancer of the mouth and throat are greater. The smoking habit is dangerous at any point, and its effects are in the amount smoked and the length of time the habit lasts. Smokers experience a marked increase in cancer of the blad- der—two times higher than non- smokers. The physician’s treatment is: STOP SMOKING. Health and Welfare Representative African Methodism: What it Means to Me by Warren Page African Methodism! Just what is it? African Methodism is one of the great- est demonstrations of strength, deter- mination, courage, ability and the will to persevere against all odds, ever born from the stifling, crippling daily op- pression of a people. And born it was, out of the very heart soil of American Black slaves. It grew from roots wa- tered over many years by the crack of the task masters’ whip, fertilized by his cruel, evil tongue and cultivated by a peoples’ need to maintain a deep rela- tionship with their only real master and friend, GOD. Our proud ancestors knew it was their God given, if not man allowed, right, to worship their God. So, in 1787, in Philadelphia, Pen- nsylvania, after being ordered off their knees as they knelt at the altar in St. Georges M. E. Church, Richard Allen and a group of other brothers and sis- ters of African descent walked out and began the movement we know today as African Methodism. A movement that provided for Blacks one of the greatest opportunities for social recognition and a growing sense of pride and dignity never before ap- proached. And now, 200 years after the begin- ning struggle, what meaning does African Methodism have for me? First of all, it gives true meaning to the slo- gan “I’m Black and I’m proud.”’ Proud of the fact that though many wars and battles have been waged against us, we remain unbeaten; proud that though we have been and still are by some hated, we continue to love; proud that having been bent and twisted by the fierce winds of social, political, economical and religious in- ustice, we still stand tall. Secondly, African Methodism has and continues to provide Black youth many outstanding role models of Black manhood and womanhood in the persons of our founder Bishop Richard Allen, his wife Sarah Allen, W. E. DuBois, Bishop Daniel Payne and our own Bishop John Hurst Adams and his personable wife, Dr. Dolly D. Adams, to name a few. Through the courage, determination and perseverance instilled in them through African Methodism, they were able to overcome the stumbling blocks of racism, injustice and oppression and attain positions that enabled them to serve the causes of Black brothers and sisters. Thirdly, African Methodism holds many firsts in opening doors of op- portunity to Blacks long closed. A.M.E. Bishops were the first Blacks acknowledged as popular leaders and heroes of their people on a nation- al and international level; they were the first Black leaders truly chosen and elected by Blacks themselves; they were leaders in the struggle for educa- tion with almost all church buildings serving as schools during the week; in politics, the late Bishop Frank Madison Reid fought against the segregated school system. The A.M.E. Church was the first Black organiza- tion to own real estate in America and provided the first Black chaplains in the United States Army and Navy in the persons of Rev. H. M. Turner and Rev. J. Russell Brown. The A.M.E. Church was the first Black institution to reach out and lend assistance to our Black brothers and sisters in Africa and, the list, too numerous to mention goes on. Yes, African Methodism truly gives a heritage to be proud of and many reasons to hold our heads high and walk in dignity daily. As I have shared with you what African Methodism means to me, I hope I have given it greater meaning for you. However, we must never forget the true source of our richness and our strength, our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. And with this in mind, we should always re- member, cherish and serve is our mot- to: God our Father, Christ our Re- deemer and Man our Brother. —THANK YOU Warren Alton Page, the son of Mat- thew B. Page and Mary Virginia Page, was born in South Richmond, Virginia. He attended the public schools of South Richmond, after which he attended Virginia Union University at Richmond, Virginia, and our school Kittrell College, at Kittrell, North Carolina. He earned the A.B. and D.D. degrees respectively. Rey. Page has successfully pastored the following A.M.E. Parishes: Oak Grove, Warrenton, North Carolina; St. John’s, Goldsboro, North Caro- lina; Gaston Chapel, Morganton, North Carolina; Emanuel, Ports- mouth, Virginia; and Bethel, Rich- mond, Virginia. Because of his unusual success in church and community endeavors, Kittrell honored him with the Doctor of Divinity Degree during his tenure at Gaston Chapel. Dr. Page was recently elevated to the position of Presiding Elder of the Portsmouth District of the Virginia Annual Conference. He has served for two Quadrennials on the Episcopal Committee and is at the present time a member of the General Conference Commission. He serves as treasurer of the Virginia An- nual Conference and Secretary of the Trustee Board of Kittrell College. Dr. Page is married to Mrs. Alice Viola Johnson Page, the father of two daughters and four grandchildren. | ttt eee ee te tt ee \ EVECE DR. A. W. HOLMAN ~ Department of Minimum salary JULY 1988 MMMM MMMM MMMM KKK KKKKHK \ CZAR ROLE REE REEELEELELELELELELLE ee 2s ===== DSC05531.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder Deaf Students Victorious with Civil Rights Tactics by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. “This is our Selma,”’ said the hear- ing impaired students of Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C. In ear- ly March the 2,100-member student body took over this foremost college for the deaf in the world. They were protesting the appointment of a presi- dent who—unlike the entire student body—was not hearing impaired. The strategies, the rhetoric, and the ratio- nale of that protest were constant re minders of the long-lasting effect of the Civil Rights movement on the pro- gressive movements of today. The university, during its entire 124- year history, had never had a deaf president. The time had certainly come for a change and expectations were high. For, of the three finalists for the position, two were hearing-impaired, including I. King Jordan, the school’s popular Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences. The students were, therefore, outraged when neither hear- ing-impaired candidate was chosen. Making matters worse was Mrs. Jane Bassett Spilman, chairman of the board of directors, who had never bothered to learn sign language and who was quoted as saying that “deaf people are not ready to function in a hearing world.” How familiar this sounds to the lame excuses given for the lack of African Americans in the workplace: “We just can’t find any who are qualified.” Or to the argument of the early 1960’s that African Ameri- cans should be denied the vote because “they’re just not ready for it.” This similarity to the Civil Rights struggle was not lost on the students at Gallaudet. During the campus pro- tests, the students often raised their fists defiantly while signing the words “deaf power.” In words which came directly from the Civil Rights Move- ment, they spoke of the “plantation mentality” of the University and said that “deaf people have been oppressed too long.” They also spoke of their need to “control our destiny.” In order to do this they wanted the administration radically altered to represent them. The overwhelming majority of administrators were still not hearing impaired and of the 21 members of the board, only four were hearing impair- ed. The importance of a_ hearing impaired administration was not lost on the students. As R. G. Gentry, a senior at Gallaudet, wrote in a major op-ed piece in the Washington Post, “A hearing person cannot possibly un- derstand what it is like to be deaf, any more than a white person can under- stand what it is like to be black, or a man understand what it is like to be a woman. Lacking that understanding, they cannot possibly make logical de- cisions in our best interests.” You can’t get any clearer than that. Mr. Gentry also noted that “The students are the shock troops of this deaf protest...If any student is arrest- ed, another will step forward and take his or her place.” How much his words remind us of the student protests of Nashville, Atlanta, Birmingham, or Albany, Georgia, where wave upon wave of African-American students were arrested fighting the oppressive Jim Crow system. The students of Gallaudet definitely took a page from that victorious book. Of course, the endemic nature of racism in this society forces us to see these two struggles differently. Even within the restrictions made against the hearing impaired, opportunities— both educational and employment— are significantly fewer for deaf African Americans. Such is the nature of American racism. However, that understanding does not prevent us from hailing the significant victories of the Gallaudet protest. The students, together with the support of most of the faculty, were able to force Mrs. Zinser to resign as the new president, to be replaced by Dean Jordan. They also succeeded in forcing the ouster of Mrs. Spilman as chair, to be replaced by one who was hearing impaired. These are no small victories, and they should be celebrated. The victory at Gallaudet reminds us of the many victories of the Movement, and of the importance they played in energizing us for future struggles. As Mr. Gentry reminded us, “We hope all people, in these cynical and despairing times, will realize that with courage and solidarity our gov- ernments can be made to respond to the challenges facing us.” NEA Hails Passage of Rights Law As Victory for All Americans Washington, DC—The National Education Association hails the passage of the Civil Rights Restoration Act by the House of Representatives March 2 as a victory for the rights of all Americans. “‘We urge President Reagan to re- consider his veto threat and sign this crucial bipartisan legislation which re- affirms the nation’s commitment to social justice,’’ said NEA President Mary Hatwood Futrell. The measure, which passed 315 to 98, overturns the effects of a 1984 Supreme Court decision (Grove City v. Bell). The Senate approved the bill in January, and President Reagan has threatened to veto it. The bill reverses a decision in a case brought by Grove City College in Pennslyvania and restores the anti-- discrimination provisions of four civil rights statutes whose broad-based coverage was narrowed by the Su- The high tribunal ruled in 1984 that a federal law barring sex discrimi- nation at schools receiving federal aid applied only to the ‘‘specific program or activity’ at the college that received federal funds, not to the entire insti- tution. Later, the Justice Department de- clared that the Supreme Court’s nar- row interpretation would be applied to other laws: Title VI of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Section 504 of the Reha- bilitation Act of 1973, and the Age Discrimination Act of 1975. Hundreds of Civil rights cases have been dropped since the 1984 Supreme Court decision, including several in- volving NEA members. ‘Love will find a way, Indifference will find an excuse”’ May 30, 1988 Bicentennial Luncheon Held at Hickman Temple Church by Peggy E. Pinder Bishop Frank C. Cummings Philadelphia, PA—In this Bicenten- nial year of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, The Philadelphia Conference Board of Christian Educa- tion celebrated and presented awards to persons who have served their church for 20 years or more. Included on the list of awardees were Church School Superintendents, Teachers and Christian Education workers. Persons whom the local church deemed worthy of receiving such an award because of their years of dedicated work, setting an example for others, though not members of the Board of Christian Education, were also included. Christian Education has been strengthened in the First Episcopal District since, under the leadership of Bishop Frank C. Cummings, there is a salaried Executive Director of Chris- tian Education, Rev. Earl Jefferson. Rev. Jefferson has traveled through the District promoting Christian Education in the local church and in the Presiding Elder Districts. The beautiful Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church, which is pastored by the Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Patterson, was host to the auspicious occasion. The Bicentennial Luncheon was attended by AMEs from across the Philadelphia Conference. Ms. Dorothy M. Jenkins, Executive Director of the Philadelphia Con- ference Board, states that she has observed members of the Christian Education Department go on to become teachers, directors and even pastors in AME churches. Sheriff John Green, the first Afro-American sheriff in the city of Philadelphia, is a ste- ward, member of the Usher Board, and ardent supporter of Mother Bethel AME Church, won the Community award. He is the highest elected of- ficial from the AME Church in Philadelphia. Throughout all his cam- paigning, he remained a member in good and regular standing at Mother Bethel, and the church family helped extensively with his winning efforts. Plaques were presented to Mrs. An- nie Allen, former District Superinten- dent, Ms. Marjorie McIntosh, former Conference Superintendent, and Eugene Neely (posthumously), former District Superintendent. Rev. William P. Stevenson was also a recipient because of his leadership in the development of the Board in its early stages. Mrs. Rhebena Castleberry, Se- cretary to the District Board of Chris- tian Education, and honoree, says that because of Rev. Stevenson, who was her pastor at Jones Tabernacle, she became involved, and from his leader- ship we still have both Dr. Audrey Pittman and Ms. D. M. Jenkins. Rev. William H. Smallwood, a_ native Philadelphian, graduated from Wilberforce University, pastored throughout the Philadelphia Con- ference, served as a presiding elder and now serves as secretary to the Philadelphia Annual Conference and is Chairman of the Philadelphia Con- ference Board of Christian Education, Pastor Smallwood received his award from Executive Director Earl Jeffer- son on behalf of the First Episcopal District. Over 50 churches in the Philadelphia Conference acknowledged their sup- port of the Bicentennial Luncheon in some way, and 38 churches sent repre- sentatives to receive 20-year certifi- cates. The young people were visible in this celebration, also. Ms. Nadine Means, Philadelphia Conference Youth-of-the-Year, delivered the Statement of Purpose. Maurice Jenkins, President of the Richard Allen Youth Council, an outstanding musician, supplied musical selections; and William Barrett delivered for his brother Daniel, who was unable to at- tend, a stirring recitation on Black History. William and Daniel are both members of the Church School at Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church. Mt. Pisgah (the ‘‘Amen’’ church) has celebrated over 150 years of existence and, be- cause of the longevity and faithfulness of this congregation, they submitted the highest number of awardees. The Bicentennial celebration mood continues in Philadelphia as we look forward to the General Conference. This event was planned by the chair- person, Sis. Peggy E. Pinder, who serves as Presiding Elder District Christian Education Director, as well as Hickman Temple Director and Church School Superintendent. Mrs. Vivian Fletcher, Mother Bethel’s di- rector, coordinated the luncheon; and Mrs. Rhebena Castleberry, corre- sponding secretary to the Philadelphia Board, was the Ticket Chairperson. Conference Superintendent Helen E. Scriber, District Superintendent Cor- delia Sewell, and the Philadelphia Board members worked diligently with Sis. Pinder to make the Bicentennial Luncheon a memorable occasion. HAMPTON is the Man for the Holy Office of Bishop KKK KKKKK —Elect Him— Dr. R. J. Hampton YANN ee ===== DSC05532.JPG ===== Saal te mR « te tetiint Oe tacit Dickerson Announces His Candidacy to Succeed Henderson Davis as Historiographer ate «weg dieiy with fy Se toe > ernie Miiecretoggeapites: ) wisi: ee whined w cw offue, tewe, | aw araeniig oe) Cepndtedauy Ko saduiiieennd! te Dive & Mibkortingeeaguien of tte Pew Mechessiin Eyaciopay ¢ huis 1 em ae Dee cide we dhe Wan Yetmwenee Aum Comets gid & nemadionn col Missengukun Teaaence Wut ORION HS | Kermerese tuscan pHceley a, * ember of Ce AME Biam tera! Commie and ote Maituw ol mutes athoialhy worlka | tiles Us ay prenmnoe wal advance he aan potamus cf hue office to cnet Aeon aaticon. Thomgt | wes turn oma Pate ‘reergih. witeme | wa hagmund and cow vec’ «# Paese Chal AME Chest a Deqguese Roomy hve, ay toca am Athos: Mentodiiem mat to Alatamae Ubromglt oe fakes amd ho South Caveiina through my mother. | New York, and & Mark AME, Oierot an Neeaford, Tomucsne Commadict thy pragract to anpikemaen 0 plan far the Ofiice of Hisorlogse 1. 2 will wrte a new updated History of the Africas Methods: Epacopal what to inchade, and the Library and ar- cheval resources available to them. 3. 1 wil rescue and collect vital documents pertaining to the A.M_E. With Love June 3, 1988 — 7:30 P.M. BETHEL A M_E. CHURCH Little Rock, Arkansas — Sei tat Oi A 5 ok Ps ~enat The Connectional Church & Will Pay A Grand Tribute to Dhaene srcgeetiadie well) hat tos de ate Ue WP Apps apads rittais Ag Pee oRARMENL oth gpemie Goon Ol Mle Gira Bradley fon Cle FO uraatcse Wie Gicuteetkeilien Froratadianuicn oe Aamo Conmuil off | sated Shou toe, Ute Naw Anew Pipeoriual Clown mbnion, aid cube agence. | hae o wacched Gra eeuiomd an qasifaany fon ctyasiadte Pgsaadhang fow Miicatiig pros jock, Tite eonypantinncie will omaddite ang bo wamtiats on dieweiop an appropriate a site ke Monine Glow emote ged cnr mucetiah throm AME hetory fy wiete, RO Mary Am Buches Dixcheron, amd aey chilidben, Nicwile, Velo, Chirvntew ond Doma, b. taewe shod with ong ae | hae pentose am cat tethowend Adtacam Net tadline amd they stand wih one ae 1 sewik tro te cme Himtonagraptuy We prey thad you will stand wah ee, 100. Help oer Church mio for oar Thed Ceatery Before | took the B.A. degree aw Liwooks Univority @ Pommytvenia, | complied an cuceliom noord m Old aad New Testament cours and in History. | then went on io Washington Usiversity in Si. Lows, Missouri, to earn the ML A. and PAD. dogecs in History. Ai first, | taugia history at Forest Park Community College in Si Louis and af Pennsylvania State Uni- versity, Ogontz campus, in Abington, Ponmylvania. Then | beid tenured pro- fexsorhips in history at Williams Col- lege in Williamstown, Massachusetts, an Rhodes College in Memphis, Ten- nessoe. My bishop, the Ri. Rev. C. E. Thomas, gave me permission to accep! a one-year postdoctoral fellowship to be a Senior Residential Fellow at the Cemter for the Study of Civil Rights at the Carter G, Woodson Institute for Afro-American and African Studies at the University of Virginia in Char- lotiesville, Virginia. By God's grace, | claim over two dozen publications in books, scholarly articles, and reviews. My 323-page study, Out of the Crucible: Black Steel- workers in Western Pennsylvania, 1875-1980 (Albany, State University of New York Press, 1986), has been fa- worably reviewed in several major scholarly journals. Indiana University Press has under contract my Whimey Young and the Civil Rights Movernent which is forthcoming in 1989. Perhaps my most important works in A.M.E. and Afro-American Religious History mii Oh fie Sul wholly a hia AWE iihioy, BH wie pratbileiasd ae ~ Williaa UM dopracen Maori Pergiga thane hou Posie ap Aiea Fil ws Ap) TO Asotler work of ite Chat a dee widely cod gd ids Blick Perea Fe fonts Eotedinh @ LUlthed Wheto Eigptnccped = CMe th, ois PRK Chars byaery, Dcomibun (RHR | wae amoeyg + poep of Getegeniaed whole to <¢onitiiete (0 Biwh Agunilies a theme gud Abeoud Ape Awneracams aud She Christan Miwsiore Secreta Regaictestaore it Regs ores tea: acie, (Bontom, GK. bail, 1902). | woote on “Reverend Sasewe Hartnom A Niue weh Comey Black Clergy” | tue alo wiiter on Alto Amercian Retgiow: Himory for the Jord of Prestyieran Hoesory, the Wesmere Penmaytuaia Hiesworwd Nhagasiee, aad i the book, Blacks oe Pemylwmas Haesory Reseach aad Extucutomal Perspectives, (Hartiburg, Peas theme Hetoncal and Museum Com- chines, 1963) Moreover, | have contributed art) ches to the A.ALE, Christign Recorder and the AME. Church Review | wrote the Introduction to Irony of Afro-American History: An Querview of AME. History end Related De- velopment by Editor Robert H. Read, Jr., (Nashville, A.MLE. Sunday School Union, 1984) As a member of the Bicentennial Commitiee, 1 wrote the “‘Goneral Statement on Four Horsemen in the Liberating Church’’ in Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, editor, A Syllabus for Celebrating The Bicentennial (Nash- ville, A.M.E, Sunday School Union, St) en Piisten he wot Beko, POD hh), Wy ey wee Copied mm, Sriep bots MN Adee. etoor, Pie Bia erences Feats Ses omd tipim oped Dem, AME Onur, > eae (Tappan, New You. Comomibock. ic. 1997). Also | weote “Tie Crag and Die-uciygrmne of Bae AN «are lige ott tpmepd COuek &, Gabo Prederuck C. Jom, oder, Afuwe telie cthasttcsiee 9% Saige Clapoileeag A Bia go umd Fou, (Tapas, New Vor, Custombook, inc, 1997) Additional by, | wrote the ““Poreward™ a @ forth coming book om the bntory aad ae twopology of Mother Bethe! A.M FE Tree: The Persmmeowe of thee Mother Hethel Faedy, (New Yor, AMS Prous, 1988) by Carolyn S. Bock Hlext Demnis C. Dickerson Histortogrepher!!!!! Around The Humblest Of Us Are The Influences Which Touch Dr. Jamye C. Williams Editor, The A.M.E. Review Is Doing A Fine Job * Re-Elect Her « Union speaks for itself. Not only does it speak, but it screams. Re-Elect DR. A. LEE HEN DERSON Re-Elect t Your Contributions For A Truly Noble Servant Of The Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr. + *+—_ 4+ —_ *—_ 8 Church Should Be Sent To : THE TREASURER’S OFFICE z Editor, A.M.E. Christian Recorder . Et ne Suet. ) His Record of the Past nee a Speaks for him! Make Your Hotel Reservations Through The Host Bishop's Office : MI Let him Continue the Work (901) 375-4310 i i! of Making a Greater Bishop C. B. Thowras, Chr, Mimenam Salary 4 A.M.E. Recorder Bistep Frank M. Reid, Chr, Gouna Board y l De. hough Chie. Pre e al Of froers Comancn § i SLES SE SLELECULE ESTEE AAAI Vous 4 ===== DSC05533.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder May 30 lay 30, 1988 The Progressive Baton Rouge-West New Orleans District: In Action By Delores Thomas Geder Dr. Joseph Cyprian, Jr., Presiding Elder The PROGRESSIVE BATON ROUGE-WEST NEW ORLEANS DISTRICT (PBR-WNOD) got underway this 1987-88 Conference Year with a good start, with our Chief Rev. Dr. Joseph Cyprian, at the helm. At our Planning Meeting in December, 1987, held at Pipkins Chapel AME Church, Chipola, LA, Rev. James H. Pitts, Pastor, the groundwork was laid. Each component of the PBRD _ eagerly anticipated the challenge this conference year offered and made ready to meet the challenge - head-on. The First Quarter of the 1987-88 Conference year was very productive. Meetings were held, plans were made, changes took place - the PBRD was now in ACTION. During our Second Quarter the District Conference was held March 16- 17, 1988, at ROCKY HILL AME CHURCH, Amite, LA, pastored by Rev. H. B. Davis. The District Conference was of such spiritual Magnitude that it was likened unto a Revival. The theme of the Conference, “THE UNFINISHED TASK,” scriptural focal point for the entire conference, was taken from Isaiah 6:1-11 and Matthew 28:16-20. Drawing upon the theme, each Minister brought into focus the reality of “THE UNFINISHED TASK.” Each visiting Minister who spoke elaborated on the theme, exposing truth and bringing forth vision with reference to the task at hand. Our worship service was very touching at the onset. Our preachers for service were as follows: 1. Rev, Mary E. Moody, Pastor, Heards Chapel AMEC, Baton Rouge, LA, who delivered a rousing and spiritual discourse on the subject, “THE UNFINISHED TASK,’’ Isaiah 6:8 and Matt. 28:10. 2. Rev. W. L. Brumfield, Pastor, Days Chapel AMEC, Clinton, LA, who, in a word, was dynamic. He challenged us on the subject, “IS THE LORD’S POWER LIMITED?” His text was taken from Numbers 11:21-23. 3. Rev. Mattie Taylor, Pastor, Bethel Istrouma AMEC, Baton Rouge, LA, who did an excellent job as she invited us in her subject to, “FOLLOW- ME,” taken from Isiah 6:1-11; Matt. 28:19-20. 4. Rev. Joe Chaney, Pastor, Salters Chapel AMEC, Dennis Mill, LA, who “brought the tent down,” as it were, with the subject “STICK TO YOUR TASK,” taken from I Chron. 28:20. Our visitors included laymen, ministers, and Presiding Elders from other Districts, inclusive of Elder T. C. Johnson and Elder C. Collins. Each panelist and each discussant expounded profusely on the topics for discussion. Input from the audience was tremendous. The Laymen, including Brother Lightning Strikes Twice... ? San Mateo, FL—Who says lightning doesn’t strike twice in the same place? Well, on a recent Sunday, the congre- gation at New Bethel A.M.E. Church thought otherwise after hearing the gospel preached by such a dynamic soldier as the presiding elder of the dis- trict. On the occasion of the Second Quarterly Conference, Elder O. H. Houston preached from 1 Corinthians 15:10. His subject was, simply, “‘God’s Transforming Power.’’ The message was well received, and I found myself caught up in the midst of “‘Amens’’? echoing throughout the congregation. This messenger of God has a way of reaching God’s people— not with any trickery, but with a sin- cere message and a thundering voice. Rev. Houston challenged us, as peo- ple of God, to show some sign. In his sermon, he reminded us that God is able to change anyone; and, as an ex- ample, he cited Saul on the road to Damascus and how his name was changed. At the close of the Conference, one could truly say, ‘‘Did not our hearts burn within as the man of God spoke with us by the way.”’ Elder Houston confirmed the ap- pointments of stewards and other of- ficers, impressing on each an aware- ness of his/her responsibility. Me- morial Services were held for Sis. Eu- nice L. Holsey, a devoted member who served faithfully for forty years before her death on February 14. New Bethel A.M.E. Church cele- brated their First Annual Spring Ban- quet on April 23, 1988, at 7:30 P.M., Palatka, Florida, with the Right Rev. Bishop Philip R. Cousin at the speak- er for the occasion. Rev. David Bradley is pastor of the church. Sis. Sandra Gilyard, Reporter WE SUPPORT CARL HUNTER — We Are For The Church Extension Department — We are delighted to take this oppor- tunity to communicate with you in seeking support for the Reverend Carl F. Hunter, Pastor of Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church in Newark, NJ, in his candidacy for election to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of the Church Ex- tension Department at the General Conference to be held in July in Fort Worth, Texas. Reverend Hunter is able and equip- ped for this important position in the Church. His wide experience and background in the world of business makes him an extremely viable candi- date worthy of our support and confi- dence in his ability to meet the chal- lenges that this office faces going into the Twenty-First Century. We are asking you and other mem- bers of the Clergy and the Laity of the First Episcopal District for your assis- tance in Reverend Hunter’s campaign effort to win this election. His greatest need, at this time, is in meeting the fi- nancial constraints imposed by the burdens of running for office. His election committee is sponsoring a fundraiser on June 11, 1988, at Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church. A financial contribution on your part will be more than appreciated. Yours in His Service, Reverend Theodore R. Goyins Reverend John G. Ragin Thomas Smith, Presiding; Mrs. Lena Baker, Chair, Mrs, Catherine Leonard and Mrs. Camile Jacobs, Consultants, presented a panel on Teenage Pregnancy, Alcohol and Drugs; and Social Security and Retirement for Ministers. Each topic for discussion had been thoroughly researched and data presented were current. This made for a responsive and curious audience and held their interest. The Laymen set the stage for the other panelists. Rev. Samuel Pitts, Pastor, Black Creek AMEC, Darlington, LA led the discussion on Evangelism; Rev. Mary E. Moody led the discussion on Stewardship. These ministers are to be commended for a most excellent job in rendering a most informative session on these two very important issues. The panel on “State of the School System” included Mrs. Delores Geder,; Mrs. Della Garrison; Mr. Frank Scott; and Mrs. Iola R. Hitchens. After listening to this group of educators elucidate on the state of our schools, we could really see “THE UNFINISHED TASK.” Mrs. Helen Williams gave a report on the District Outreach Project, of which she is the Chairperson. Notwithstanding all the good the project does, we still see “THE UNFINISHED TASK.” The panel on Mission in Action included Mrs. Evelyn Simms, Chair, Mrs. Bertha Pitts, Co-Chair; Mrs. Lois Cyprian, Consultant. Participants in the discussion of the topics, “Being Doers of the Word and Not Hearers Only;” “Focus on the Future;’’ and ‘‘Main- tain a Grateful Heart’’ included: Mes- dames E. M. Simms, M. Holmes, E. Tucker, Y. McCray, H. Williams, D. Williams, I. H. Williams, S. Edwards, D. Garrison, B. Pitts, M. Matthews, C. Galmon, and Miss Sharon Shrop- shire. Audience participation was terri- fic. Members of the Resolution Committee included: Revs. Moody, Reeves, Young, Banks, and Dr. R. E. Moran. The Minutes were recorded by Delores T. Geder. As a whole, we enjoyed the District Conference. The Rocky Hill Church family is to be commended for its hospitality. They really made us “feel at home.” In March 1988, at the Midyear Convocation in Jackson, MS not only was Dr. Cyprian named P. E. of the year, but five (5) additional churches were assigned to him, also, namely: Morris Brown AMEC, N.O., LA, Rev. Houston Jackson, Pastor; St. Stephens AMEC, Kenner, LA, Rev. R. Huntley, Pastor; Payne Memorial AMEC New Orleans, LA, Rev. H. Mayberry, Pastor, St. Peter’s #2 AMEC, N. O. LA, Rev. John Smith, Pastor; Mt. Zion AMEC, Bridge City, LA, Rev. H. R. Harris, Pastor. Thus our new name, PBR- WNOD. CONGRATULATIONS, REV. DR. CYPRIAN!!! On April 1, 1988, from 12:00 Noon to 3:00 p.m., Good Friday Service was held at Heards Chapel AMEC, Baton Rouge, LA, Rev. M. Moody, Pastor. The last seven (7) words spoken by Jesus from the cross were done by the following ministers on the District: Rev. J. Chaney; Rev. M. Holiday, Rev. C. Taylor; Rev. M. Moody and Rev. A. Lee; Rev. M. Holmes; Rev. G. Mor- gan; and Rev. Dr. J. Cyprian. The theme of the service was ‘‘JESUS PAID IT ALL.”’ God blessed us as we listened to His Holy Writ. We were especially delighted to have our own Bishop Donald G. K. Ming, accompained by his lovely wife, Mrs. Edith W. Ming, President of the World Federation of Methodist Women, and her sister and cousin, Mrs. M. Laughton and Mrs. Butler, respectively, with us. Mrs. Ming spoke to us briefly on the task that is set before us. Bishop Ming gave us some encouraging words in the form of a “mini-sermon.” The offering, in excess of $800.00 was donated to Heards Chapel. On April 3, 1988, Easter Sunday, the second Quarterly Conference for Days Chapel AMEC was held. Rev. and Mrs. Cyprian were with us during Sunday School and Worship Service. As usual, Mrs. Cyprian assisted the Primary Teacher, Ms. Shirley A. Brumfield; Rev. Cyprian reviewed the Lesson as a whole, In our worship Service, Dr. Cyprian took his text from Matt. 28:1-10, subject: “HE AROSE.” After service our business session convened; the youth enjoyed an Easter Program/Egg Hunt. Organization for Quarter. Secretary - Elizabeth T. Anderson; Bars of the Conference - 2nd window outside casing; Finance Committee - Vennolia Perkins, Luster Knighten, Bondnett Thomas; Reporter - Ora L. Knighten; Marshall - Joseph Sebastian Thomas. Indeed, if the last conference year was indicative of this conference year; indeed, with God’s help through Jesus Christ; indeed, there will be “NO UNFINISHED TASKS.” Submitted by: Delores Thomas Geder, Secretary Days Chapel A.M.:E. Church Clinton, LA 70722 Rev. W. L. Brumfield, Pastor You Can Give Without Love But You Cannot Love Without Dr. C. Garnett Henning St. Paul A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri Henning was born in an A.M.E. parsonage. He and his family have served the Church through four generations. Garnett will make a good Bishop Elect Him in ===== DSC05534.JPG ===== May 30, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Celebrating the Future by Thomas L. McCray, District Pastor Presiding Elder, Cleveland District Cleveland, OH—It is always exciting, and to a great extent exhilarating, to join in a celebration! Remember the time you were invited to a birthday party of your best friend, and how anxious you became as the day drew near, while anticipating the fun to be had by all. Perhaps friends not seen for a long time would be there, like the friend who moved a few months ago into another state, in a city just a few miles away. It was a good feeling to think there would be a lot of friends, and there would also be a lot of fun, and play. Celebrating a birthday party was and still is a happy occasion. But how is one to put into perspec- tive the birthday celebration of 200 years of active, meaningful service to people with a redemptive edge? What kind of party do you throw at a time like this? And after the celebration, what then? Where do you go and what do you do? These are questions laid before the African Methodist Episco- pal Church, its leadership, and its peo- ple, questions laid before us by history and by challenge. Our foreparents broke ground that had not been broken before, and they opened doors that were closed before, pointing the way for African Methodism to become a dynamic stream in the movement of history, impacting this nation, and the world in a redemptive manner. So in the year 1987-88, it is Jubilation! Bi- centennial! Praise the Lord! Two hundred years of service to the nation and the world establishing chur- ches, building educational institutions, solidifying families, creating and en- couraging business enterprises, in- volvement with social and political systems, together with engaging in human services, have been hallmarks of the A.M.E. Church. Undergriding all of this has been a vital trust in God, endeavoring in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, under the guidance of Holy Spirit. In a traditional form of religious ecstasy, just to remember enables the celebration—and almost warrants a mood of adoration alone, rather than insight into the future, but from the nobility of remembrance, the religious imperative is for us to act. In our childhood, after the birthday party was over, we frequently found our- selves going back home with friends and returned to ‘‘shooting marbles,”’ or playing with dolls or some other play until it came time for the next party. On the crest of the Third Century for African Methodism, the leadership of the church understands that going from the party, the celebration, and back to playing marbles as were being done before, would be tragic, indeed, a serious derelict of duty, and utter failure to people, and, especially, to Black people who, among others in the population of this nation, are facing the severity of timely crisis. In addi- tion, the leadership also understands liberation and freedom to be eminent, without which the dignity of human- hood is senseless. Therefore, the lead- ership of the A.M.E. Church, starting with the top leadership, has already begun to enhance skills and services to provide resources to enable people to the fullest extent of their humanity. The future directions will be much like what our forebears bequeathed to us, and much more, because ours, and the society of the future, will be radically different. The A.M.E. Church has been a wholesome pres- ence in the turbulence of times (even voluminous storms were striking fiercely within the body of our Zion), and will continue to weather the storm clouds into the rainbow, built by the providence of God that will enable the church to endure. Salvation from sin is primary, and the first order of business for the com- munity of God. However, sin takes forms, like the yoke of ignorance, and the power of education is the key to cut the strap. The family and the home, the work place and the hospital, are important roads to salvation. The theological injunction of personal salvation and that of the society is not debatable at this juncture, nor com- pletely exclusive from the context. In- deed, dynamic forces flood the syn- drome of human existence are often critical in the quality of the shape of life. It is important to analyze, inter- rogate, and attempt to correct the drift of the impact of the system on individ- ual persons, but also vice-versa. In- fluencing the system seems to have been a major role for church leader- ship, and the A.M.E. Church, as a voice of the Black community from its genus has been a ‘‘Drum Major’’ for Black people in America. It started in 1787, with the beat still going on in 1987. The turf into the third century of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is as arable as were the first and second. Human needs today are extended beyond the capacity of the perception of our forebears, and yet, with their limited resources, they served ex- ceedingly well, and laid a strong foun- dation. In addition, they had a vision, the dynamics of which continues to impact people, and the systems that govern the lives of people. The injunc- tion, ‘‘God, our Father, Christ our Redeemer, and Man our Brother,’ when released into action, is sound theology, and a wholesome road to an authentic sensible expression of the Christian Faith. In grateful celebra- tion at this time, the A.M.E. Church declares to be ‘‘A Liberating and Reconciling People.’’ Indeed—for the world cries out for the need to be reconciled. With what credentials should the leadership of the A.M.E. Church take the lead for guiding its community to be that liberating and reconciling peo- ple? Throughout the history of this na- tion the church and the leadership have been an influential factor in the gov- erning of this nation. Not only has this been the case on a national scale (the first Black U. S. Senator was an A.M.E. clergyman), but, also, in state and local municipalities. In the cor- respondingly bicentennial history of America and the African Methodist Episcopal Church, leadership of our church is inextricably entwined with the development of this nation. So, to prepare and to issue policy programs to an unliberating and unreconciling people and nation. seems to be the challenge now. The A.M.E. Church has the po- tential to become the most viable or- ganization in the nation to respond to the crying human conditions in the ur- ban communities. The urban centers are noted due to their special challenge to the Black church today. (The A.M.E. Church was born in the heart of the city and flourished in that arena of service to people). We know the city, for it is our mission!! From the resources of our schools of higher education, the faculty, re- search persons, and other staff in these schools can be found the most skill- ful, highly trained, and keenly talented people to enable the leadership of our church to address the crucial and critical issues confronting the Black community. It is unfortunate, and em- barrassing, to witness the leadership of a religious body with theological roots in a different culture from our own ad- dressing issues affecting our people. The leadership of our church is chal- lenged and is not moving ahead to re- ognize the importance of the ‘‘ex- perts’’ in our own family, and will en- gage them in the process of designing programs to truly help us to be ‘‘A Li- berating and Reconciling People.’’ The A.M.E. Church came into be- ing with a divine commitment to be a source of direction and strength to people in trouble, and who were being shut out of the main stream in Ameri- ca. The commitment is commanding and essential today if the church is to venture into the third century with significance and meaning. The idea of massive leadership change, ‘‘moving all the bishops’’ fades into irrelevance as the beats in the hearts of Black peo- ple cry out for comfort, and minds stretch forth for new directions as we move into the third Century. The A.M.E. Church betrays its his- tory if it fails to be the advocate for human rights, improved health condi- tions, economic stability, excellence in education, equality of opportunity in jobs and housing. This church has championed the banner for civil rights, justice, and peace with love for all peo- ple. The signs of the times are a chal- lenge for the church to remain on the cutting edge, and as such, to be a strong voice in communion with and for the people in the contest against forces of evil seeking to impede growth and self-development. There are within our own connection distinguish- ed resources that could be called on to fashion creative programs to enable the church to its tradition, and to enhance its mission in the world today. In his book, The Truly Disadvan- taged, William J. Wilson, a profes- sor of Sociology at the University of Chicago (a Wilberforce University graduate), provides a key that might prove helpful to the leaders of the church and others at work seeking to enable the quality of life in Urban America today. He writes, ‘‘Civil rights leaders whose agendas are domi- nated by anti-discrimination and affir- mative action are not reaching the Black under-class. Their agendas should be enlarged to include con- crete service to the ‘‘truly disadvan- taged.’’ The A.M.E. Church and its leader- ship could strategically prepare policy documents, and develop action pro- grams to enable and strengthen the Black community. Levels of commu- nications are already in place that could carry the message far and wide in America, and throughout the peri- meters of African Methodism. The A.M.E. Church has the ability and the potential power to make a major dif- ference on the positive side for Black people now, and in the future. The hurdle is the will. The Holy Spirit is urging the call. I believe, and I pray, that the church and its leadership will seek to respond. Our grandchildren, then, will truly celebrate the communi- ty on earth, reconciled and liberated. Candidate for BISHOP ~ Camden District Twelfth Episcopal District Rev. T. B. Lamb Rev. C. D. Willis Rev. T. A. Broomfield Third Century Leadership To The Bishopric In July 1988 HE IS A CHRISTIAN DR. DAVID HARRIS Tenth Episcopal District Candidate for the Holy OFFICE — BISHOP RRA ene x Leadership for the Third Century > ry > < é f f & & Dr. Jno. D. Leon Walker ae he Candidate for the x Bishopric 4, > a PNM URNELUOESY vee —————————————————— _.___ ===== DSC05535.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder May 30, 1988 News From The Northwest Texas District San Angelo, TX — The Pastor, Rev. E. L. Wright and Congregation of Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church, San Angelo, Texas, welcomed Presiding Elders, Ministers, Delegates and Visitors to the District Conference with a program of warmth, love and gratitude. Thursday morning at 10:00 a.m., the District Conference opened with a spirited devotion directed by our most capable District Dean, Rev. E. L. Wright, pastor of Greater St. Paul, San Angelo, and newly elected co-lead- er of the Tenth Episcopal District Delegation to the Forty Third General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas. Rev. Vera Clay, pastor of Bethel, Sweetwater, Texas, lined the beautiful hymn, “A Charge To Keep I Have”, Rev. Ciaphias Cain, pastor, Visitors Chapel, El Paso, gave words of prayer that touched our hearts. Rev. S. V. Ferguson, pastor, Greater St. Luke, Midland, read the Old Testament Scripture. The New Testament Scripture was read by Rev. Mary Lyles, pastor, Smith Chapel, Eastland. Rev. W. T. Wright, pastor, Johnson Chapel, Odessa, led the Decalogue, while Rev. M. L. Goffney, pastor, Baker Chapel, Big Spring, was in charge of the benevolent offerings. Rev. E. L. Wright presented our distinguished Presiding Elder, Rev. I. C. Cooper, who delivered the opening sermon with a dynamic message. Scripture was taken from St. Luke, 15th Chapter, 24th Verse. His ser- mon was centered around the Pro- digal Son, and His Lost Brother. He stated, “We do not count all Sin as Sins except depending who committed them. We get so wrapped up in ourselves we cannot do the things that should be done. A very inspiring message. The Invitation to Christian Discipleship was extended by Rev. Albert Dunn, pastor of Bethel, Lubbock, Texas. Following the offertory prayer by Rev. W. T. Wright, Presiding Elder Cooper and Ministers administered the Holy Communion. Briefly following the dismissal of the opening session, Presiding Elder Cooper organized the District Conference. Rev. Ciaphias Cain, District Secretary and Mrs. Norma Hackman, Assistant District Secretary. Mrs. Fannie Burnett, District Musician. The District Institute, presided over by Rev. E. L. Wright was very, very informative and educational. Rey. S. V. Ferguson, of Greater St. Luke, Midland, and Rev. Albert Dunn, pastor of Bethel, Lubbock, presented the subject: Practicing Christian Stewardship. This was an interesting presentation, which involved participation from the floor. Very educational. Rev. Billy Chavers, associate pastor at Visitors Chapel, El Paso, presented Evangelism — Who Is Responsible? This presentation was excellent. It was informative, interesting and educational. Thursday Evening at 7:30 p.m., the Ushers and Laymen of the District were in charge of the program. Mr. W. T. Gilbert, Conference Lay President and Mrs. Ruby Niblett District President of Ushers, presided. The inspirational hymns and congregation selections selected by Mrs. Fannie Burnett, district Musician along with Mrs. Carol Faye Johnson at the organ was a spiritual hour. Presiding Elder Cooper presented the Rey. Billy Chavers, associate pastor and rhember of Visitors Chapel, El Paso, No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent. Texas. Rev. Chavers selected his Scripture from The Book of Acts First Chapter and the 4th Verse, which reads in part: Stay In Jerusalem Theme: Trusting In God Will Pay Off. Rev. Chavers said to the Worshippers: “God did a lot to save us. In his story, he said, You Tarry in Jerusalem until you are endowed with power. The spirit of God does not belong to anyone. If you stay close to the cross your burdens will be lighter. This was a touching message. On Friday, the District Institute subjects were: Aids/Sources and Resources. Presenters were: Rev. E. L. Wright and Mrs. AlPearl Jones. Making Right Decisions In Life. Presenters: Rev. W. T. Wright and Mrs. Ruby Niblett. Both were interesting. During the high noon devotional services, Rev. Cain presided with dignity. Rev. I. C. Cooper presented the speaker of the hour, Rev. Dr. Jno DeLeon Walker, Presiding Elder of the Fort Worth District and Candidate for Episcopal Honors. His Scripture, First Chapter - John and the 4th verse. Subject: Through the Eyes of John, Who Is This Jesus? This was a dynamic message. Dr. Walker said, “When we come to know Jesus we will have an unforgettable experience.” Friday afternoon District Institute Subjects were interesting. Presented were: Spiritual Gifts and Talents. Presenters: Rev. D. Edwin Johnson and Ms. Louise Hardeman. Role of Local Church Officers. Presenters: Mr. W. T. Gilbert and Mr. Carlton Price. This was a very interesting presentation. Presiding Elder Cooper presented: Pastoral Administration. March 24th, at 7:30 p.m., the Ministers Wives and Missionaries were in charge of the program. Mrs. Billye Wright presided with poise and dignity. A spirited devotion preceded the sermon. The Call to Worship, Mrs. Billye Wright. Responsive Scripture: Mrs. Norma Hackman, Decalogue: Mrs. Jacquelyn Chavers. Introduction of speaker, Presiding Elder Cooper. Speaker of the evening: Rev. Clinton Robert, pastor, Lee Chapel, Brownwood, Texas. Prior to the introduction of the speaker, Lee Chapel Choir under the direction of Mrs. Clinton Robert, rendered two beautiful selections. The choir’s harmony was marvelous. Rev. Robert’s selected Scripture was taken from The Book of Colossians, First Chapter, 25th Verse. Subject: Preaching Christ. Rev. Robert said, “Christ is the true living bread. He is an all Christ, and He is a whole Christ.” This was a well delivered sermon. The District Coference closed on a high note. Saturday morning at 9:15 a.m., the Executive Board of the Northwest Texas Conference Missionary Society under the leadership of Mrs. Anna D. Jones held a business session which was very informative. Mrs. Jones presided with dignity. The societies from Bethel, Sweetwater and Greater St. Paul, San Angelo, presented beautiful and informative discussions to the group. Mrs. AlPearl Jones, Y.P.D. Director, gave a brief synopsis of the Y.P.D. Meeting and their accomplishments. This was an excellent combined meeting. The meeting closed with the singing of the missionary benediction. Naomi L. Graham, Reporter Allen Chapel Quarterly Conference The second Quarterly Conference of Allen Chapel, Baton Rouge, Louisi- ana, convened Sunday, March 27, 1988, at 4:45 p.m., with the Rev. Jo- seph Cyprian presiding. After the opening of the conference, Rev, Cyprian made some very ap- pealing remarks concerning goals that Christians should pursue, He pointed out the fact that God has blessed us all. Since we are the recipients of his blessings we should be continuously about our Father’s business. He con- tinued his remarks by emphasizing that we are what we are because of God’s grace and not by any merits of our own. The reports from the pastor were called for and read. The reports show- ed that the church had been alert in the performance of their various duties. To our regret, one of our members had been called to his final rest during the quarter, but we realized that we must bow in humble submission to God’s will. The business of soul saving has been clearly demonstrated in that twelve members have been added to the church during the quarter. The Sunday School has taken on new vitali- ty, and its attendance has increased tremendously. We are proud of the stimulating sessions sponsored by the Allen Christian Endeavor Fellowship. These sessions provide the youth with guidelines for Christian living. The ACE Fellowship has presented panel discussions, film showings, lectures, -and various other activities that have added new dimensions to the spiritual growth of our young people. Our church has sponsored many unique features that have given variety to the program. One of them is the church calendar, that lists the names and birthdays of the members, This has been a successful financial project and the calendar can be used as a treasured memorabilia, The beautiful church directories are colorful and portray the workmanship of inno- vative minds. These are some of the ways that the expert productivity of our members is expressed, The Out-Reach programs are serv- ing the community in a very special way. The Food and Clothing Bank is supplying some urgent needs among the destitute of our community. It is gratifying to be able to administer assistance to those who are not able to provide for themselves. One of the greatest evidences of our Christianity is our willingness to share of our substances with others who are less fortunate. The Adult Instruction Center is a fountain of knowledge for adults and high school students who need refresher courses. The program pro- vides an opportunity for individuals to prepare themselves for higher levels of study or enables them to perform more efficiently in their field of ser- vice. Courses are offered in English, advanced reading, mathematics, and piano music. We are hoping that the people of our community and sur- rounding areas will take advantage of the program. We are deeply grateful for the con- scientious leadership of our pastor, Rev. Larry M. Banks, who has con- tributed greatly to the success of the church program. Above all, we know that God has been with us and we trust that He will lead us on to higher heights of Christian attainment. Quarterly Meeting Is Observed The 4th quarterly meeting for the conference year was observed March 19 & 20, 1988 at Harrison Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church-Richlands, N.C. Dr. W. T. Holland, Sr., Presiding Elder of the Southeastern District - North Carolina Conference and Rev. T. Campbell, pastor of the Richlands circuit presiding. March 19, 1988 at 7:00 p.m. quarterly conference was held and the business of the circuit was conducted. Auxiliaries of both churches made their financial reports and were commended for progress noted. Sunday 9:45 a.m. Sunday School opened with Mrs. Joan Southerland, Superintendent and officers in charge. Worship service began at 11:00 o’clock with Rev. T. Campbell and Rev. J. W. Richardson visiting minister of St. Luke A.M.E. Church conducting the devotional service. Mrs. Iris Mack and the senior choir rendered the music. Rev. Campbell presented Elder Holland to deliver the morning message. Sermonic Spiritual: “Shine On Me” after which Dr. Holland delivered a soul stirring sermon. Text: Mark 10:45 — Theme: “The Work of Christ Before He Went To The Cross.” The message was spiritually moving. Holy Communion was administered and a spiritual fellowship was experienced. Lunch was spread at the close of the morning service. The 3:00 o’clock worship service was rendered by Rev. Willie James Cox, pastor, choir and members of Greater Mount Zion Baptist Church, Kinston, N.C. Spiritual selection: “I’m Going To See It Through” — Text: Acts 16:25-26 verses. Subject for thought “Can You Handle Your Midnight?” Rev. Cox really preached out of the depth of his heart. The quarter was largely attended and considered successful in every respect. Next quarter will be observed June 18 & 19, 1988 at Haw Branch African Methodist Episcopal Church, Rt. 3, Richlands, N.C. Total finance raised during the quar- ter $984.28. KKK KKK FOR KKKKKKK BISHOP 8 Ue Rev. Louise C. Harris THIRD EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A Servant of God Ready For Service art Sie Sa en Sl ===== DSC05536.JPG ===== May 30, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder TRAVELING WITH THE PRESIDING ELDER Mt. Olive A.M.E. Church Dunnellon Florida St. Paul A.M.E. Orlando, Florida The North Orlando District Con- ference was one of success. There were all indications of learning and witness- ing. It was significant to note that ministers, laymen, missionaries, and delegates from every corner in the dis- trict traveled to St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Orlando, Florida for this an- nual occasion. The Rev. Jack Williams and his dedicated members wasted no time in being very generous and gracious hosts and hostesses. Topic and presenters included: Preachers For Orders, Rev. Leroy Kennon; Mission Churches of The District and Voter Registration, Rev. David Connelly. Considerable time was given for each discussion, in- cluding Laity as well as Ministers. The mid-day and evening messages were delivered by the following minis- ters: Promises of The King, Rev. James O. Williams: It’s Not Strange, Rev. K. D. White, Jr., Every Born Again Christian Ought to Have a New Song, Rev. Jimmy Howard: Be Not Dismayed, Rev. James T. Golden. The Holy Spirit made itself evident in each session. Friday night (the last night of the conference) senior choirs came from all across the district with represen- tation from every church on the dis- trict. Presiding Elder K. D. White Sr., has served the district well during the past seventeen years. He is a peacemaker, pastor, and a born again Christian. We cannot praise him enough for the lead- ership that has been presented by him. Reporter: Mary Slice Jenkins Today was a two fold day. It was Young People’s Day and the 2nd Quarterly Conference. The day was beautiful all day, It started off with Sunday School, and on through the Quarterly Conference. The young people sang out of their souls. Rev. Al Washington lined hymn #394 (We are often Tossed and Driven), and read our scripture. It was taken from Mark 12:36-44. Pastor J. E. Reeves presented the Presiding Elder, Reverend L. L. Johnson, who gave us some encour- aging remarks. The Rev. S. L. Harris, Presiding El- der brought his daughter along with him. After we sang the sermonic hymn, ‘** Amazing Grace,’’ which was lined by Rev. Al Washington, Rev. S. L. Harris came before us. She gave a beautiful meassage. It was taken from the a- bove read scripture. Her text was “How Much Is All?’’ She really preached out of her heart. She was preaching about a widow who gave all the money she had to Christ. She said Christ gave his life for us. She asked the question: Are we giving our all to—for Christ? Are we giving our time and our money for the cause of Christ? She really gave us food for thought. After collection, Presiding Elder Johnson began his Quarterly Confe- rence. Sister Rochelle Montgomery was named secretary and reporter for the Second Quarterly Conference Held at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Lake Charles, LA by Mrs. Ruth Ferguson Parker “Blessed Is the Man Whose Faith and Hope Are in the Lord,”’ was the theme of Presiding Elder E. D. Williams’ message to the congregation of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Lake Charles, LA, in its Second Quarterly Conference. Rev. Williams chose for a text, Jeremiah 17:7, and began his ser- mon by describing the importance of Faith and Hope—two of the three great Christian virtues. In emphasizing his theme, he stated, ‘‘ ‘Blessed’ means to be rewarded; it means great joy; it is the gift of divine faith: good wishes approved.’’ The Presiding Elder added, ‘“‘You must do something to be blessed.’’ ‘‘Faith,’’ he said, “means belief, unquestionable belief in God, complete trust, control and re- liance. Hope means trust; it is a feeling of what will happen. Faith and trust are tied up together.’’ Rev. Williams cited three faithful patriarchs—Abra- ham, Job and Jeremiah—whom the Lord blessed. He reminisced the la- bors of his own life and expressed the great joys that he is now experiencing. He climaxed his message by reciting the first Psalms and a stanza from the hymn ‘‘Amazing Grace.” ‘‘The Lord has promised good to me. . .” Accompanying Rev. Williams to the Conference was his queenly wife, Mrs. Nettie Williams, and Sister Catherine Gaines. Mrs. Gaines, a member of Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church, Lena, LA, and an aspiring local elder of the A.M.E. Church, assisted the pastor, Rev. Jesse R. Adams, in the morning worship. An interesting business ses- sion followed. The pastor reported five conversions and accessions, one baptism, and one death—Sister Rosa Offitt. Mrs. Offitt was a loving, giving and faithful member who served her church well as Program Chairperson and usher. Though she is sadly missed, we shall always cherish her memory. A brief memorial was conducted. Mrs. Augustine Shorten spoke on her life, followed by the Presiding Elder who led in singing ‘‘Rest for the Weary.”’ Presiding Elder Williams lauded Pastor Adams and members of St. Paul for the spiritual and financial progress made during the past Quarter and commended them for the beauti- ful work done on the interior of the church. He also expressed his joy in coming to St. Paul because of the warmth and spiritual atmosphere of peace and love that exists and abides among the membership and pastor. This annual relationship seems to bind pastor and members so closely togeth- er that every activity, program or pro- ject that has been planned and carried out has been so effective that St. Paul continues to be a beacon for African Methodism and Christian Mission in the Lake Charles Community. THOUGHTS FOR THINKERS by Dr. R. J. Hampton The utmost degree of accuracy should be pursued in every move or endeavor in one’s life. For it is that slight degree of greater accuracy that distinguishes the winners in life. Quarterly Conference, Evangelist James Griffin and Evangelist Ponzelle Boone’s licenses were renewed, Each received their licenses from Presiding Elder Johnson, All organizations and Auxiliaries made their reports. The reports were adopted as read. We were dismissed by Rev. S. L. Harris. We were happy to have our new pastor, Rev. J. E. Reeves, and his family. His wife, Sister P, Reeves, is work- ing beautifully with the women of the church and the young people. We are always happy to have Pre- siding Elder Johnson and his queenly wife. We are praying for Elder Johnson’s complete recovery from his accident. Sister Rochelle Montgomery, Reporter District Conference Presided Over by Presiding Elder J. B. Blake by Reverend I. F. Mitchell Lake Worth, FL—The West Palm Beach District Conference, of the South Florida Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was one of delightful enchantment and enlightenment, as Presiding Elder J. B. Blake took charge. It was an occasion of great spiritual growth and develop- ment. Resolution Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church Whereas, we have met in another District Conference of the West Palm Beach District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, answer- ing the call of our most efficient leaders in the persons of Presiding Elder J. B. Blake and Mrs. Dorothy Blake; and Whereas, we thank God for putting it into the mind of our most eloquent Presiding Elder J. B. Blake is most challenging and inspiring program in this great District Conference, one that has brought much inspiration and discussion; and Whereas, we have been blessed with strong and challenging sermons delivered by Rev. L. W. Sneed, Sr., pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Deerfield Beach, FL. Text: Luke 5:4—‘‘Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a draught. Sub- ject: ‘‘Reaching Out for New Horizons of Christian Witnessing in This Troubled World.”’ Rev. I. F. Mitchell, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, West Palm Beach, FL. Text: Exodus 3:3—‘‘And Moses said, I will now turn aside, and see this great sight, why the bush is not burnt.’’ Subject: ‘‘Turn Aside, Qualify, Go.”’ Rev. Joseph Berrian, pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church, Jupiter, FL. Text: Psalms 66:7—‘‘He ruleth by His power forever.’’ Subject: ‘‘Power From On High.’’ Rev. F. S. Fayson, pastor of Hurst Chapel A.M.E. Church, Riviera Beach, FL. Text: Daniel 2:25—‘‘I have found a man of the captives of Judah, that will make known unto the king the interpretation.’’ Subject: ‘‘I Have Found A Man.”’ Whereas, we have been blessed with the melodious voices from the follow- ing choirs: (1) Bethel A.M.E. Church Choir, Deerfield Beach, FL, Rev. L. W. Sneed, pastor; (2) St. Paul A.M.E. Church Choir, West Palm Beach, FL, Rev. I. F. Mitchell, pastor; (3) Hurst Chapel A.M.E. Church Choir and Duet, Riviera Beach, FL, Rev. F. S. Fayson, pastor; and (4) the District Choir; and Whereas, we are deeply grateful to our Presiding Elder Blake for the topics we have been blessed with for discussion as they pertained to the “Local Church’’ led by the following pastors: 1. Rev. W. J. Jackson— ‘‘What are the procedures for borrow- ing money for a church?’ 2. Rev. F. R. Satchel—‘‘What is the procedure for securing trustees?’’ 3. Rev. I. S. Jones—‘‘Who authorizes payments of bills for the church??”’ 4. Rev. I. F. Mitchell—‘‘What are the respon- sibilities of the Church Conference and how often should it meet?’’ 6. Rev. E. G. Bellamy—‘‘What are the responsi- bilities of the Board Meetings?’ 7. Rev. L. W. Sneed, Sr.—‘‘Should a Steward or Trustee sit behind the Chancel Rail and why?”’ 8. Rev. Allen Orr—‘‘What are the rules of an A.M.E. pastor?’? 9. Articles of Religion Discussion—Rev. Walter Harvey, Rev. Joseph Berrian, Bro. Joseph Baldwin, Bro. Willie McLemore. 10. Rev. J. H. Russell—‘‘What are the duties of A.M.E. members?’ 11. Rev. H. H. Hall—‘‘Should an infant who has been baptized be baptized again upon reaching adulthood?’’ 12. Rev. Rheba Johnson—‘‘Who makes changes in scheduled Quarterly Conferences?’’ 13. Rev. Theodore A. Barnett— “What is a Junior Church, its purpose and whose duty is it to get it organiz- ed??? 14. Rev. George Gaskin— “What is the purpose of the proba- tionary term and how long is its dura- tion?’’ Whereas, the West Palm Beach Dis- trict Lay Organization was in session under the capable leadership of Sister Marian Bacon White of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, West Palm Beach, FL, as president, presented a program entitled ‘‘A Change—The Old Time Meeting;’’ and Whereas, we have been blessed with the presence of the following distinguished personalities: Presiding Elder C. W. Hunt and Mrs. Lelia Hunt of the Fort Pierce District, Presiding Elder I. D. Hinson of the Miami District, Rev. Leroy Wash- ington, Rev. Thomas Francisco, Rev. James Watson, Rev. T. E. Roddy, Rev. Louis Preston; and Whereas, congratulations are in order to Pastor E. G. Bellamy and his lovely wife, Mrs. Judy Bellamy, and the entire Grant Chapel A.M.E. Church Family for the splendid enter- tainment that they have given us. They left no stones unturned in providing us with superb hospitality and scrump- tuous meals. Resolved, that this Conference now in session give a rising vote of thanks to our leaders, Presiding Elder J. B. Blake and Mrs. Dorothy Blake for their dynamic leadership. Humbly submitted, YOUR COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS Rey. Rheba Johnson Rev. F. R. Satchel Rev. L. W. Sneed, Sr. Rev. I. F. Mitchell, Chairman ===== DSC05537.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder Cecil W. Howard vAY The Choice For General Secretary Dr. U. A, Hughey Rev. Lewis E Grady “THE BETTER CHOICE’ F—ELECT—* 1 Rev. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. , B.S., M. DIV. * For Leadership for the THIRD CENTURY — Elect — Him Bishop in Candidate for the Bishopric PER RTT TT RRR RA AH TTT TTT IH III HII AAA IIASA SAS SASS SISSISISSSISSCSSISSAWCSC * Elect x CANDIDATE : FOR : * Elect BISHOPRIC : Dr. Cyrus Keller DR. ROBERT WEBSTER t Editor PK KK HTK I IORI HRI TK II II KI IIIA DIA IAAI ASIA SIA SAA SIA AAA SIA A SO : Religious [2 pe ay een : Literature The Best Man For x 2 x The JobIsOnThe Job % |: x a |i x — Re-Elect — x : i ° x (i(F Dr. David C. Coleman x Heres Miles : aia a” or ot h x ‘ The Church Extension 3 t mh aes c % Department x t INARI ININIRINININY : — Re-Elect — j 5 » : Peek 27AA Dr. Edgar L. Mack ‘(= : : “oe : Executive Secretary Ps x : The Christian Education >» /; G z : Department tag STAR Mack : : SAAC ACACIA KKHKKKKKEAK Gf : S = -<C OR Ree 1 LO Ne @ ; : 6 : Dr. Fred Harrison : 9) In The Last Issue We Published . . . : : © Ne Dr. P. Albert aed Picture Under : * E lect * : © J ~«) Dr. Preston Williams — : $ A Man With ; S “<P . is easeies rots a ir | 2 food Cause For © fan & P. Albert Williams agi : Missions : ; ine —A. Lee Henderson, Publisher § t 6 Id oo BP poner i : Dr. Fred Harrison : © Dr. Preston Williams ; : : adda ===== DSC05538.JPG ===== May 30, 1988 The AME. Christian Recorder Tracking Hurts Minority Students Most, But System Can Be Altered, Says Expert Washington, DC—An increasing num- ber of education professionals and parents oppose tracking as unfair to minority students, Jennie Oaks writes in the premier edition of Issues 88 a new publication of the National Edu- cation Association. The annual magazine, with a circu- lation of over 1.9 million NEA mem- bers and education leaders, debuted in January. Oakes, a social scientist with the Rand Corporation of Santa Monica, CA, says tracking—which segregates schoolchildren by perceived ability level—creates uneven classroom op- portunities and unequal access to knowledge. A disproportionate number of poor and minority students are put in ‘‘low- ability’? classes early in their school careers, Oakes points out. These stu- dents develop low self-esteem, and the longer they remain in such classes, the further behind they fall. Students in lower tracks, Oaks ex- plains, are taught mostly by work- books, kits, and easy-to-read stories, while learning tasks usually consist of memorizing and repeating answers back to the teacher. Students placed on_high-ability groups have far richer schooling exper- iences than either low-ability or average-ability groups. “They have access to different types of knowledge and intellectual experi- ences,’’ writes Oakes. ‘‘They are ex- pected to learn vocabulary that would eventually boost their scores on col- lege entrance exams. . . Their teachers tend to be more enthusiastic (and) use criticism and ridicule less frequently than teachers of low-ability classes.’’ What can be done to eliminate the inequities? “‘No ready-made staff-development packages or teaching formulas exist to help schools and teachers move smoothly toward less tracking,’’ notes Oakes, who also acknowledges the dif- ficulty of mixing within traditional competitive classrooms, students who have different knowledge levels. But Oakes does offer some impor- tant new recommendations for over- coming the problems inherent in track- ing. Schools, she argues, need to take a concept-based approach to curriculum and design active learning tasks rather than passive ones—team activities that require thinking, discussing, writing, and visualizing. “‘Classrooms will probably need to be organized far differently, providing a diversity of tasks and interactions with few public ‘comparisons of stu- dents’ abilities,’’ writes Oakes. In these new classrooms, adds Oakes, teachers would ‘‘function like conductors, getting things started and keeping them moving along, providing information and resources.’’ Grades would be based on improvement, progress toward a learning goal. Where tracking isn’t immediately eliminated, Oakes recommends that new placement criteria be considered that ensure racial and ethnic balance at all track levels and in special programs for the gifted. The present system ‘‘where the rich get richer and the poor get poorer’’ is usually vigorously defended by those few who benefit from it, says Oakes, but it can be altered if school staffs and communities work together. “But unless teachers have the time and the professional autonomy to de- liberate about, develop, and experi- ment with fundamental changes in school organization and classroom practices, alternatives to tracking are unlikely to be intelligently conceived, enthusiastically endorsed, or success- fully implemented,’’ she concludes. Allen A.M.E. Church, Tacoma, Washington Moves to New Edifice Allen A.M.E. Church recently celebrated its 99th Anniversary and is the oldest black church in the City of Tacoma, Washington. The week long celebration was concluded Sunday, February 28, 1988 which was the last Sunday the members worshipped in that particular facility. On Sunday, March 6th the congregation marched from their old facility to the new facility four and half blocks away. The march was led by the pastor Dr. Vernon S. Burroughs, the presiding elder Dr. J. B. DeWitty and a host of city officials and community leaders. Upon arrival there were prayer, remarks, and a brief ribbon cutting ceremony which was followed by the worship service. Some 400+ members and friends were in attendance: following the sermon by Pastor Burroughs fourteen (14) individuals united with the Allen A.M.E. Church. The Lord has truly blessed Allen. The members rejoice and thank God for our presiding prelate and Senior Bishop Henry W. Murph for sending us Reverend Vernon S. Burroughs. Under the leadership of Pastor Burroughs, which has only been six months, Allen has experienced a tremendous amount of Spiritual and economic growth. In such a short period of time 62 members have joined the Allen A.M.E. Church family, and Allen has purchased a new facility of 19,060 square feet of space consisting of a sanctuary that will seat 500, 12 classrooms, 4 administrative offices, 2 fellowship halls, youth recreation facilities, choir room, 2 kitchens, and a parking lot for 60+ automobiles. We feel this is a great move not only for Allen but for African Methodism in the Puget Sound Conference. Note of Thanks fora Helping Hand Miccosukee, FL—The Rev. Hubbard Hollingworth is pastor of the Concord A.M.E. Church. On Easter Sunday, his pulpit guest at the eleven o’clock hour was the Rev. Junious Robinson from Quincy, Florida. The day began with the Sunday Church School, with Superintendent Albert Green in charge. Both the Rev. Evan Williams and Sister Pansy Dailey had special participation in the Church School by teaching and reviewing and summarizing the Easter lesson. The members are pleased to extend thanks to the Almighty God and all those who assisted Pastor Holling- sworth, who was recovering from an illness during the Holy season. We ask all to continue to pray for us and our church family. Victory In Keysville, Georgia by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. Victory is sweet. Just ask the Afri- can American community of Keysville, Georgia, Against strong opposition from the White community which con- trols the town, African Americans, on January 4th, elected an African Amer- ican mayor and four African American councilmembers. After we discussed the upcoming election in an earlier commentary, a number of callers, including several media organizations, asked us for fur- ther information. They became inter- ested not only because Keysville’s ma- jority Black population had no sewage system, no running water, no indoor plumbing and no control over the af- fairs of the town, while the White resi- dents had all of the above. Rather, what was of greater interest was the fact that the January 4th elec- tion was the first time that African Americans had ever voted in a local election since administration of the town had been remanded to the county in 1933. This was an historic election with national implications, and it came about because the African American community of Keysville decided that if they reactivated incorporation of the town, they would be able to tax resi- dents and, thus, attain essential serv- ices which they do not enjoy at this time. The White community, fearing a change in the traditional power rela- tionship, fought the election. Black voter turnout would be cru- cial—and turn out they did. On Elec- tion Day over 85% of the African American electorate voted. This tre- mendous voter participation was no accident, however. It came about through prolonged and intensive voter mobilization activities. For the past year-and-a-half, Ashaki Binta, a seasoned organizer from the Christic Institute, a public interest law firm, has been based in Keysville. She worked in and with the community day after day to plan strategy and to organ- ize the voter mobilization and registra- tion campaign. Working with her were local residents like Mrs. Turetha Neely, the African American superin- tendent of elections, As Mrs, Emma Gresham, a retired teacher and the new mayor of Keys- ville, asserted, ‘*We met every Monday night since 1985, Even if we didn’t have but four people in the room, we never stopped meeting. Then the meetings started getting bigger and bigger. Be- fore you could have had them in my living room, now we have to hold them in the community center.’’ Mrs. Gresham also talked about the voter education marches held every Saturday by Rep. Tyrone Brooks, the African American state representative from their district. She also talked about the assistance of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, par- ticularly their youth members and their Executive Director, Dr. Joseph Lowry. She spoke with pride of the serious commitment of local youth, saying, ‘‘They are truly our hope for tomorrow and our hope for today, too.”’ Campaign workers left nothing to chance. Under Ms. Binta’s direction they gathered the names of every po- tential voter and canvassed door-to- door. On Election Day they instituted a sophisticated car pool and had baby- sitters and hot food available for the voters. Their organization paid off. The en- tire Concerned Citizens’ slate won, with the exception of one write-in can- didate who lost by only two votes. At the joyous rally which was held in an overflow African American church on election night, Mrs. Gresham warmly thanked the people of Keysville for their support and their hard work. She also thanked God, saying, ‘‘God truly has a timetable and this is Keysville time.”’ However, not everyone understands that. The White slate is challenging the election in the courts, but as Mrs. Gresham says, ‘‘This court challenge is just a little hurdle because the peo- ple of Keysville have already spoken.” Mrs. Jerry King Honored by A.M.E. Ministers’ Wives by Hattie Bryant Greene Birmingham, AL—On a recent Satur- day afternoon, the fellowship hall of the St. Paul A.M.E. Church was turned into an “African safari,” as the members of the African Methodist Episcopal Wives Council honored and presented to the group Mrs. Jerry Hooks King, wife of Rev. R. J. King, the Ninth Episcopal District’s candi- date for the office of bishop in the denomination when they meet at Fort Worth, Texas, in July. Over one hundred-fifty persons were in attendance at the affair, dressed in African costumes, with many artifacts from Africa brought bank by Mesdames C. E. (Susie) Thomas, Frank Madison (Irene) Reid, Jr., and Roosevelt (Bobby) Grier from their sojourns in various parts of Afri- ca, where they had served. Special hostesses for the event were Mesdames Richard A. Johnson, James Davis, A. D. Reed, L. V. Shef- field and E. P. Greene. Unique African maps were penned by Mesdames M. Croswell and J. F. Holes. The maps were designed by Mrs. Donnell Ander- son. Music for the occasion was fur- nished by Mesdames E. A. Rouse and Eula Skanes. Catering the party were Mr. and Mrs. Maxie Miller. Greetings and best wishes were extended by J. J. Moss, President of the North Alabama Conference Lay Organization; Henry Godwin, Presi- dent of the West Alabama Lay Or- ganization, and Rev. Richard A. Johnson, pastor of St. Paul Church, who had been tutored by Rev. King. A purse was presented to Mrs. King by President Leile McSpadden. Mem- bers of the Special Event Committee in charge were Mesdames J. C. Bonner, M. Croswell, J. F. Holmes, E. A. Rouse and Dr. Hattie Bryant Greene, Chairman. * eS eS Hurry Right Away and Send Ina Glossy Photo and a Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 ©, wt a ===== DSC05539.JPG ===== 14 The AME Christian Recorder May 30, 1988 Debate on Polygamy Stirring Once More by William F. Silloughby Canterbury, England (RFC) — The major churches in Africa, like the churches in Europe and in America from which they sprang, have always taught against multiple marriages. They used the Bible to set forth their standards. However, in London and in Canter- bury this year, the Christian world will witness an unusual spectacle. The Anglican Communion, which numbers about 67 million adherents, including Episcopalians in the United States, will be debating the pros and cons of polygamy. The people bringing that debate, long thought settled, to the prestigious Lamberth Conference of the Anglican Communion, are none other than the Anglican bishops of Africa, most of them shepherding pro- sperous and fast-growing churches whose combined membership is 22 million. Those churches would be even faster growing if they would acquiesce to allowing Christians who have more than one wife enter into the member- ship with their families. The African Anglican bishops will be asking their counterparts in the West, and in other parts of the world other than Africa, to reconsider the case for permitting polygamy. Many of the churchmen now are saying that monogamy, or marriage to only one spouse, was enforced upon them, not because of a correct interpretation of the Bible, but because it had become a part of the culture of the places the missionaries were sent from. This standard should not be expected of the African, they argue, because it has not been a part of his natural culture, nor do they believe it is required to be from a scriptural point of view. While it likely is a few years off, once the debate settles down into the national psyche, churches in the United States which have African roots or which have a substantial number of their membership deriving from African ancestors, might well take up a position in favor of polygamy, ulti- mately producing test cases in the churches themselves, and then in the Ld Ld ©, JONES i SHOZE=FHUKS — Elect — General Secretary courts. The polygamy debate in the United States has not been major for the last 112 years, but prior to that it raged for more than two decades when the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) taught and practiced polygamy. In 1876 the United States Supreme Court outlawed the practice, saying it went against the common morality of the nation. Remnants of so-called ‘‘jackleg Mormons,”’ or ‘‘bootleg Mormons,’’ largely in Arizona and Utah, as well as along the Mexican side of the Rio Grande, continue to practice polygamy as a matter of church doctrine. Some small Holiness groups in West Virginia also practice plural marriages as a mat- ter of teaching. The 70 African bishops who received the 96-page draft report on polygamy which will be debated at the Lambeth Conference read the principal argu- ment that it was Western missionaries, influenced by their cultures to retract their interpretation of the scriptures pertaining to marriage through their own cultures, who imposed such teachings on the Africans. There is no specific injunction in the Bible forbidding the man with more than one wife from being in full com- munion in the Church, the paper argues. Monogamy is pictured in terms not always flattering, as for instance, in the African experience, it tends to promote prostitution. Polygamy, on the other hand, is ‘‘natural’’ with so many African men and women. Even women benefit from it, the argument goes, in that there are fewer who are left unmarried and thereby left to scorn, or who are left without the op- portunity to bear children. It also keeps more women out of destitution, particularly with the African economies being in tight straits. Surveys have been taken which show a favorable stance toward polygamy and some of them indicate that when an African man receives a job advance- ment or a pay raise he quite often thinks in terms of ‘‘purchasing’’ a new wife. De) hae an Dr. James Baldwin Candidate for Worship and Evangelism FEE III ST TAIT II ISI IIA IAI IISA IIIT IAI III I TI IIA THEY NEED YOUR SUPPORT! Flr danonrnnooniiitiiniitnitiiivetiwenireretaeneees EKKKKEKKKE EEK ty kkkkkrkkkkktkKe AISI III III III III II IITA SAS AOA SASS AAA ASO NAAM HHA & Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Labbbbbhhaahhahahhaaananaanaerrrrerr eer Elect A Man Who Is On The Job Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director, Worship and Evangelism — Re-Elect — Dr. Joseph L. Joiner Pension Department ‘A Faithful Servant’’ ELECT Z. L. GRADY The Record Shows That HE IS ASERVANT PREACHER Ready For Service As Bishop In The Third Century ELECT * Re-Elect « Henderson Davis Historiographer If its authentic historical materials that you seek, then Henderson Davis is your man! Re-Elect Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer The Financial Affairs of the A.M.E. Church have always been handled ina business way. Joe McKinney is aman of integrity, honesty and is accountable. Dr. Joseph C. McKinney ===== DSC05540.JPG ===== May 30, L988 The AME Christian Recordc, 15 8th District 2nd District B+8 12th District 10th District 1th District Ist District Dr. R. J. King 13th District as Rev. Elizabeth Scott 3rd District Dr. Robert Thomas, 4th District + + + Dr. Robert Webster Dr. G. E. West 11th District 12th District AMEE AEM EERE N ARMAS ENS EAANEAS EEN EL EL EEN ANSES EEE EE ELEL ELEY ELEM EL PLES EPSP LELEREL ELE LELELELL YELLE RELL ELLE NOC CI III IIIS IIIS OSI IIIS A ISAS IS ISI ISIS II SISA I ISIS III ISIIISSIIISISSIISIISIIIISISSISSIIISISSIAISIIIISSSSSSISIISISSIS REV. DENNIS C. DICKERSON, PH.D. 1111 Houston Street Preacher, Professor, Author From 13th District $50.00. CANDIDATE FOR HISTORIOGRAPHER Dr. D. C. Coleman Rev. Albert Dunn 4th District 10th District Dr. R. J. Hampton Dr. David F. Harris Dr. Ira Hinson Rev. Carrie Hooper Dr. Robert Keesee Dr. E. E. McAshan Jr. $ Dr. Thomas Brown Dr. John R, Bryant Dr. G, L. Champion 14th District Dr. John H. Gillison 7th District saa Rev. Louise Harris 3rd District Dr. U. A. Hughey 3rd District Ist District Dr. A. D. Tyson Ist District BS Dr. Preston Williams 43rd Quadrennial Session of the Church Tarrant County Convention Center Tenth Episcopal District 6th District ‘General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal FAMILY BANQUET Tuesday, July 5, 1988 — 7:00 P.M. Ft. Worth, Texas Please plan to attend this exciting feature. We're looking forward to seeing you. Reservations are already being made. Tickets are in the hands of each Episcopal District Bishop. Ticket donation Mrs. Izean F. Davidson, Chairperson 4509 Rolling Hills Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas 76119 Reverend W. D. Turner, Co-Chairperson Mrs. Nancy P. Stokes, Advisor The Right Reverend R. E. Stokes, Bishop SEDO III EEO IE IO ISIS IGIIIEIOIIEGISIISISIO CIOS IOI IOI ISISSISISISIIOISISIOISISISIOISIDIGISISISISISI IDI SIOIOI SSIS SII IIIS ICIS ioi ai iOtO oii ioiotgioietes * CANDIDATES FOR THE BISHOPRIC 1988 x RERER KR EH Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle General Officer A Dr. Z. L. Grady &th District Dr. C. G. Henning Sth District Dr. Lovell Johnson 4th District Dr. Robert Phillips 4th District Dr. Jno. Walker 10th District Dr. McKinley Young 6th District eee S CCC COCO SSUCCCSSSSCSTCCESTC CSCC Ce tes ee CC CCC CCC CCC CSCC CCC CSCS CCC CSCS SSS SSS SS SSS SS eee eee eed to Fort Worth, Texas July 1988 OTT I TIT I IH I HHH KH IK ot * Elect * Rev. Helix B. Bancy Candidate for Secretary Church Extension Office PII II IKI II III III III III SII IIA IAI ISI AISI AI IAI SII SIS IIA SI ASAIN CET OSSSESSCESSSSCOSTSSOCCOCCSUCTCUCCCTCTCTCTE ST ST Peeeveresroesocroc£ cs 22 so | ===== DSC05541.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder ——— May 30, 1988 IRS PROBLEM RESOLUTION Nashville, TN—The Internal Revenue Service has a special Problem Reso- lution Program to assist taxpayers who have been unsuccessful in solving their tax problems through normal IRS channels. Larry Hyatt, Assistant Director in Tennessee, said the Prob- lem Resolution Office in Nashville gives personal attention to taxpayers when previous contacts with the IRS have not helped. “‘Problems that have not been re- solved through routine methods can qualify for PRP handling,’’ said Hyatt. ‘‘Most complaints involve de- layed refund checks, incorrect social security numbers, incorrect billings by IRS or taxpayer errors.’’ Etoile Beller, Problem Resolution Officer, said, ‘‘One reason our Prob- lem Resolution Office can operate so effectively is that it can cut across lines of authority to assist the taxpayer. The Problem Resolution Office can deal directly with any IRS division, any computer center operator, or whoever is needed to solve a problem as quickly as possible.’’ SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 16-18, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church Druid Hill & Lanvale Streets Baltimore, MD 21217 The Rev. John R. Bryant, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (301) 523-3273 Pastor’s Telephone: (301) 542-2902 FOURTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP S. S. MORRIS CANADIAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 11, 1988 WMS Conference August 12-14, 1988 Tanner A.M.E. Church 727 McDougall Street Windsor, Ontario, Canada Pastor’s Phone: (517) 752-0474 The Rev. McKinley F. Tyler, Host Pastor The Rev. Lloyd O. Jenkins, Host P.E. INDIANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 16-17, 1988 WMS Conference August 18-21, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 200 South 6th Street Richmond, IN 47373 Church Phone: (317) 962-7241 Pastor’s Phone: (317) 962-6763 The Rev. Larry J. Bell, Host Pastor The Rev. William S. Nelson, Host P.E. The Rev. Handley A. Hickey, Assoc. P.E. ILLINOIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 30-31, 1988 WMS Conference September 1-4, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 1130 South 16th Street Springfield, IL 62703 Church Phone: (217) 5224769 Pastor’s Phone: (217) 529-4053 The Rev. J. S. Benn III, Host Pastor The Rev. Ivan J. Johnson, Host P.E. The Rev. Richard D. Smith, Assoc. P.E. / Annual Conferences Schedules While Problem Resolution officials do anything they can to help taxpayers, there are some things they cannot do. Appeals of decisions made in tax ex- aminations, Freedom of Information Act requests, Privacy Act inquiries, and complaints about hiring practices are all beyond the Problem Resolution Office’s authority. NOTICE Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black and White Production A. Lee Henderson Publisher MICHIGAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 6-7, 1988 WMS Conference September 8-11, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 505 Beechwood Street River Rouge, MI 48218 Church Phone: (313) 386-2288 Pastor’s Phone: (313) 861-0281 The Rev. Armistice R. Polk, Host Pastor The Rev. Martin L. Simmons, Host P.E. The Rev. J. Allen Parker, Assoc. P.E. CHICAGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 20-21, 1988 WMS Conference September 22-25, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 142 South Fourth Street Aurora, IL 60505 Church Phone: (312) 898-5333 Pastor’s Phone: (312) 896-0696 The Rey. Jesse Hawkins, Host Pastor The Rev. W. D. Davis, Jr., Host P.E. The Rev. Roy L. Miller, Assoc. P.E. The Rev. David C. Coleman, Assoc. P.E. PLANNING COUNCIL October 14-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 414 West Vermont Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 Church Phone: (317) 634-7002 Pastor’s Phone: (317) 251-4777 The Rev. W. W. Reid, Sr., Host Pastor SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP F. H. TALBOT ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. C U In Conference Pensacola District Conference held at Grant Tabernacle The call to convene for the District Conference was answered by all minis- ters and lay delegates of the Pensacola District, where the Rev, Charlie EB. Nichols is the Presiding elder. Financial reports were made pre- ceding the opening session at 3 p.m. A very informative workshop on taxes as related to ministers was presented by the team of the Rev. Gregory Colquitt and his wife the Rev. Linda Colquitt. Before adjournment the conference boundaries as well as Assistant Secre- tary, Marshals, and Reporter to the paper were nominated and elected to serve for the duration of the con- ference. Wednesday night the host church had a short welcome program, which featured the Mayor of Chipley, as well as members of area churches, welcom- ing us to their city. The worship service followed the welcome program. The services were spirit-filled as they were handled by the very fine Pastor of Al- len Chapel A.M.E. Church, Pensa- cola, Florida, the first church on the Pensacola District. His congregation served capably in all areas. The subject of his message was ‘‘A revival at the river.’’ Scripture, Mark 1:4. Thursday morning official opening. Rev. W. J. Brooks presided for the de- votional services. Morning institutes conducted by the Revs. P. Russ, IV, and James Williams. Their respective subjects were ‘‘How to witness effec- tively,’ and from our conference theme, ‘‘Winning, Teaching, and Keeping.”’ Thursday noon—Hour of Power. Sermon delivered by Rev. Gloria Coo- per of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Pensa- cola, Florida. Subject: Power in the blood. Scripture Hebrews 10:14. A dy- namic delivery. Communion services held. Ministers visiting from other con- ferences and districts helped with the communion services. Twenty-two ministers as well as 56 laymen received the sacrament. There were several lay- men visiting from other districts. Thursday afternoon. Steward re- ports read, reports were received by Bro, H. S, Weatherspoon, all charges made their respective reports. The W. M. S. and Ministers, wives, and Spou- ses each held brief workshops, Thursday night, Gregg Chapel A.M.E, Church, Fort Walton Beach, Florida in charge of services, the very capable Rev. Calvin Griffin, Sr., Pas- tor. Souls were stirred by the elevating sermon, Giants Keep on Coming. Scripture II Samuel 21:15-22, Friday morning, Rev. Grady Britt presided for the devotional services. Minutes of the previous sessions were read and approved. Workshops con- ducted: Bro. James Sawyer, President of the Lay Organization for the Pensa- cola District, presented the first work- shop on organizational structure in our local church. Sis. Ermer C. Lewis, Director of Christian Education, for the Pensacola District, conducted her workshop on Bible Facts. Friday noon—Hour of Power. Rev. Grady Britt preached the sermon. sub- ject: If I’m too high Lord, bring me down. Scripture Leviticus 26:1-9. Very powerfully presented. Friday afternoon. Workshops con- ducted. Sons of Allen—Bro. Charlie Nichols, and Bro. Samuel Johnson. ACE Fellowship—Sis. Christine Den- son. Friday night. Bethlehem A.M.E. Church, Milton, Florida, to take charge of services, due to inclement weather they were not able to come. District Conference Choir sang and members of the local church served as ushers. Rev. Jerry H. Hand delivered a soul moving message. ‘‘Make your own decision.’’ Scripture I Kings 18:17-24. The rains fell without, and our souls wafted heaven-ward during all sessions of this conference. The re- solution committee chaired by the ever faithful and capable Sis. Lillie James Frazier, ended this session after the reading of resolutions submitted for this meeting of the Pensacola District Conference, of the West Florida An- nual Conference. Mary A. Silva, Reporter St. Phillips Quarterly Conference Wilmington, NC—St. Phillip A.M.E. Church of the Southeastern District, held its 3rd Quarterly Conference Meeting on Saturday, February 27, 1988 at 7:15 p.m., with Dr. W. T. Holland, Presiding Elder, presiding. Rev. L. E. Humphrey, host pastor, extended greetings and led the devoi- tional services. Dr. W. T. Holland presiding elder was presented. Elder Holland extended greetings and stated that Mrs. Holland had been very ill but is much improved and sends love to all. During the business session all or- ganizations made written and financial reports. Elder Holland informed us the North Carolina Conference will be hosting a banquet on May 9, 1988, 7 p.m. in Fayetteville, NC, at the Holi- day Inn. The banquet is in honor of our beloved Bishop John Hurst Adams and his lovely wife, Dr. Dolly Adams. All ministers have tickets for this grand affair, please see your pastor for tickets. Memorial service was held for our deceased member, sister Mattie Nelson. Remarks by Pastor Hum- phrey were made. He thanked God for another three month’s journey and eveyone attending the meeting for their support. Business meeting was carried out in a spiritual and professional manner and was enjoyed by all. Under the leadership of Dr. W. T. Holland, presiding elder and Rev. L. E. Hum- phrey, Pastor we are truly a blessed church. Rey. L. E. Humphrey, Pastor Sister Alberta Lynette Pittman, Reporter Don’t Let DOPE Scratch You Out! JUST SAY NO!!!
• May 16, 1988
  ===== DSC05507.JPG ===== — Ss Sees Vol. 137, No. 17 May 16, 1988 PRICE: 50 CENTS Times Change, but not Chureh’s Heart By Jorge Casuso Bishop S. S. Morris Dr. D. C. Coleman It was 70 years ago, but Elizabeth Myrick can still remember the street- car emptying every Sunday and the mob of passengers rushing toward the old Bethel African Methodist Episco- pal Church on Dearborn Street. “There was a packed house every Sunday,’’ Myrick recalled. ‘‘Many times they had to have a second service downstairs for the overflow crowd.”’ Things have changed. A new con- crete structure at 4448 S. Michigan Avenue has replaced the old red brick church on Dearborn, and parishioners do not dash to its arched modern doors. But Myrick, 95, religiously at- tends Bethel every Sunday. ‘‘In a way, the church hasn’t changed,’’ she said. “The rules and beliefs are still the same.”’ For 200 years now, the African Methodist Episcopal Church has preached ‘‘self-help, self-reliance and self-determination for Black Ameri- cans,”’ said Bishop Samuel S. Morris. He presides over the A.M.E.’s fourth Re-Elect Joseph C. McKinney Treasure Bishop Richard Allen Hildebrand Chairman of the Board of Incorporators Bide ole pe: Sipe eee ee aaa aR Bishop Philip R. Cousin Finance and Statistics Chairman Episcopal District, which includes six Midwestern states and Canada. ‘‘Our church emphasizes complete freedom for Blacks. That has always been our focus.”’ Bishop Morris said there are 60 A.M.E. congregations in the Chicago area, with more than 50,000 of the district’s 100,000 members. The liturgy are from the Methodist tradi- tion despite its hybrid name, has 2 million followers worldwide, he said. Bethel, like many of Chicago’s A.M.E. congregations, continues to draw longtime parishioners like Myrick, Bishop Morris said. Most of them live outside the city, and many trek from the south and west suburbs to the heart of the inner city every Sun- day. “These people have deep roots in these churches from way back,”’ said Bishop Morris, whose grandmother was a member of the A.M.E. ‘‘The strong roots in these churches brings Please turn to page 7 Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer HE SEEKS YOUR SUPPORT Joseph C. McKinney has given his best as treasurer of this great church since 1972. He has worked with the leadership of the church in managing the budget, improving the quality of service to and for the entire A.M.E. Church as well as starting many in- novative programs. McKinney does not just assume that he will be elected for another four year term, SO he is asking for your support in placing him into the office that he has worked so hard to make available for the church. Third Episcopal District Salutes Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand Cincinnati, Ohio—The people of the Third Episcopal District, embracing the states of West Virginia, Western Pennsylvania and Ohio, met together in Mid-Year Convocation in the City of Cincinnati, Ohio, April 7-8, this year. A major item of the agenda was a program in tribute to the distinguished leadership of the bishop of the district, Richard A. Hildebrand. The well-deserved salute to our epis- copal leader was planned and managed by both the clergy and laity, and was highlighted in the form of a banquet _ held in the Main Ballroom. of the Cla The gala and beautiful affair was uniquely designed to the demure per- sonality of an outstanding churchman and leader. Congenial expressions were made from allied communities such as the Mayor of the City of Cincinnati, the Governor of the State of Ohio, the United States Congress and the Ohio Legislature. In addition were those from the field of education and from throughout the levels of the pastoral ministry, and the ministry of the Laity, who brought greetings of love to Bishop Hilde- brand, and thanks to God for his lead- ership and contribution to the Third Episcopal District. A number of visi- tors were present from across the con- nectional church to share in the salute to the bishop. The theme, ‘‘Claiming the Legacy: Envisioning the Future,’’ seemed most appropriate to a leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church at this EG Mie rion Hotel, the evening of April 7th... Dr. U. A. Hughey time, whose name is Richard Allen, in- deed; for not only has Bishop Hilde- brand been the epitome in his work and ministry to rightfully claim the legacy of our blessed founder and first bishop to serve, but, also, Bishop Hil- debrand shares a vision tht projects the mission of the church far into the fu- ture. Members of the Third District are grateful to have the inspired lead- ership of Bishop Hildebrand for the Please turn to page 7 r—A.M.E. Church, July 1988 ¥ A large crowd of A.M.E. members from across the Connectional Church participated in the dedicatorial services of the new building which will house the Financial Department of the African Methodist Episcopal Church located at 1134 11th Street North West, Washington, D.C. A new financial department building was dedicated on April 26 in Washing- ton, DC as a result of his leadership. This new office building was a dream of Joseph C. McKinney, and he work- ed hard to make that dream come true. In the new building will be hous- ed the Allen Travel Agency, A Gift Shop, Book Store, a Museum/Gal- lery, Conference Room, Chapel, Com- puterized Offices, Telecommunica- tions System, and offices for several General Officers, Missionary Society Please turn to page 7 a srehio Bishop R. A. Hildebrand 10-88 LS RR s ===== DSC05508.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 The National Democratic Convention May Need To Seek Divine Guidance Jesse Jackson has done so very well in his bid to become President of the United States of America, by winning so many of the primaries, that the National Democratic Party is in a quandary over the National Democratic ticket. I hear political questions being raised: Will it be a Mike Dukakis and Jesse Jackson ticket, as the Democrats seek to reclaim the White House from the Republicans? | hear political pundits asking, What if Jesse Jackson comes into the Democratic Convention with the majority of the Convention delegates? Then, again, I hear the question, What does Jesse want? Why not ask, What do the people Do I need ask you why there are major concerns about not just Jesse Jackson but any black citizen becoming President of the U.S.A.? In 1988, as in times past, there are differences of opinion between those who contend that this is not the time, and those who feel that the time has never been right for minorities to challenge and defeat the demeaning double standard that keeps them fractional Americans, I remember being told this story, on one occasion, A white male adult visited a segregated school for black children. He asked one little fellow, “What do you want to be when you grow up? The student replied, “I don't want to be nothing.” The white visitor said to the teacher, “This child is under-motivated.” He asked another boy, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” He piped up, “I want to be the President of the United States.” The black teacher said to the visitor, “I suppose he is over-motivated,” I suppose a lot of people are saying that Jesse Jackson is over-motivated because he wants to be President of the U.S.A. On the other hand, a great number ROBERT H. REID, JR. of eee Seah seussiees and primaries are saying that he ought to be ; ational Democratic Organization is not certain as to whether they can win the White House or not with Jackson, a black man, on the want? The people who are voting in ticket, they need to hasten to get guidance, Divine or otherwise. The voters are such surprisingly large numbers for the Rev. Jackson to become the party saying, we are a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, and standard bearer must want what Jesse Jackson is talking about. I believe it is called we want Jesse Jackson on the national ticket, either as President or Vice President “The American Dream.” Apparently, the people want a change in the White and we will live with the results. ; House. They want jobs, homes, health care, education, a higher minimum wage, a It is rather strange that while the news media and political analysts are saying drug-free society, and peace in the world, to name a few of the issues that yes he can, no he can’t, Jesse Jackson is still winning popular votes and delegates, Candidate Jackson is addressing. as if he knows something that the rest of the nation does not know. Jesse J ackson, The Reverend Jackson tells the eager listeners of America, The problem in the in one campaign speech, said to the people, “You think I can’t win because you've United States is poverty, not welfare. Too much of President Ronald Reagan’s been convinced you can’t win. ‘We the people can win.’ ” Indeed, thus far, the welfare reform is directed at ending welfare, not poverty. Let us deal with the people are voicing their concerns and out of the ballot box, the primaries and reality of poverty in this nation. Get American “udustry back on its feet; put our caucuses, Jesse Jackson is becoming the party’s top man and the conscience of the farmers back in the business of producing products for the market. In order to nation. turn our economy around, we must also deal with bread-and-butter issues, as well : as bombs and bullets. . see as = as Re ae es ae blue iis ais feel they 7 h Cc C onscious M in d C an M a ke & h oices ve not fared too well at the hands of white candidates and a party that has been : : : , long and loud on promises and short on rewards for loyal support» Many are The Consciou S Mind W 1 th G od S Help convinced that no white candidate is likely to be able to feel and to articulate the { objective needs and the pain of blacks, the handicapped, hungry and homeless, as C an M a ke MIR ACL E S : keenly and insistently as would Jesse Jackson because of his personal experiences k —A. Lee Henderson in America. Far too long the trumpets of many white candidates have sounded an uncertain note; or they have been totally silent on concerns critical to blacks and the nation’s many minorities. CSSBSET) | COMOSTTT | CORNBSET |COSOBSETE | CSIOROET | COMOSEST CSSSRP, Financial Department Of The Someone has aptly pointed out that a black candidate will need no interpreter to express the hurt and anger of a black American ravaged by lost jobs, homes and ; AFRICAN METHOD IST EP ISCOP AL businesses, food for families and schooling opportunities for the young. As has ‘ CHURCH sade been true for other racial and ethnic groups, the presence of a black candidate has ; Aapee } almost always served as a catalyst to bring out black voters, especially among the A.M.E. Church Building — ranks of those who too often feel it is hopeless and useless to register and vote. Many news commentators who ask, What does Jesse Jackson want? in a sense, [CoeeeeSS) [CCsseRS Reservation Form for Commemorative Book suggest that he is campaigning for something other than the White House. Many Yes, I would like to have my commemorative message included in the of the Democratic leaders felt Jesse Jackson’s popularity and influence would f publication, Legacy of Sacred Trust for the dedication and relocation of the fizzle. Then, they could have offered him an important position within the party. + Financial Department of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Now, however, they may have to seek Divine Guidance at the convention in order Please reserve: to avoid losing Jackson’s followers, without whom the Democrats would surely lose the White House. Conversely, many speculate that with J ackson on the ticket r $500.00 or more—Honor Roll “‘Le as Presidential nominee, or as Vice-Presidential nominee, it will absolutely ip Stee ae: st d guarantee the Republicans and Vice-President George Bush four more years in Full Page the White House. The nation, however, and the world, should be given an = $300 Full Page opportunity to know what would happen. AAANANANANANANANANANANA NANA NANA AAA AAA AAT = $160.00 Half Page The A.M.E. Christian Recorder If submitting photograph, send black and white only. Please add $15.00 for each photograph. The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- 62] TSERBEESD LCSD] LORURNETDLONOBESTTCRNBNETT | CoeRNESTTICNNNNET! weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee ____ $ 25.00 Sponsor (individual name only) 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. Please make checks payable to: Finance Department, A.M.E. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. ) Church Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver- tising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and 2311 M Street, N. Ww. cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson. = Washington, DC 20037 Attn: The Journal Committee Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF " Advertisement deadline is May 25, 1988. Non-camera ready copy will be Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor i} billed at cost. Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. H. L. Felix, Special Editor; Dr. Jimmie James, Jr., Music Editor, Rev. Miss Nurjann Govan, Women Ministries 3 s es Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. Name and Title. Thelma A. Wills, Contributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs. Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor: Dr. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent; Dr. W. OD. Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt | Company — Address: City State ssi Zip Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist; Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O = Telephone ( ) Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor; Dr. William P. DeVeaux, Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contribut- : Amount Enclosed §. ing Editor. Message: (Please attach additional sheet if necessary), The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa- sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements. SNANANANANANANANANANANA NANA NANA NA NANA NTA AAA ===== DSC05509.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder General A fumni Association of Allen University Resolution Honoring or Frederick Calhoun James Bishop F. C. James Dr. William Crews Brown Presiding Prelate of the Seventh Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Allen University Whereas, when Bishop Frederick Cal- houn James was assigned to the Seventh Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church he automatically be- came the Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Allen University; Whereas, upon assuming the Chair- manship of the Board of Trustees he assumed responsibility for an_ insti- tution for which a president had to be appointed and which was $3.8 million in debt, and whose physical plant was in despair; Whereas, Bishop James immediately attracted to the University a capable president; Whereas, over four years Bishop James has provided the leadership in raising, through the A.M.E. Churches in South Carolina, $3.2 million; Whereas, these funds have been used to retire debts, including back salaries owed faculty and staff, refurbish buildings, beautifying the campus, etc.; Whereas, Bishop James’ stewardship in providing published reports of the funds raised for Allen University has restored faith in the University and in giving to support the University; Now, therefore, be it known that the General Alumni Association of Allen University presents to Bishop James a plaque, on this 27th day of February, 1988, in recognition of his outstanding leadership and achievements on behalf of and contributions to our alma mater, Allen University; Now, be it further known that the General Alumni Association of Allen University goes on record as praying to the powers that be in the African Methodist Episcopal Church to return Bishop James to the Seventh Episcopal District for the 1988-1992 Quadren- nium. Another School Is Born In West Africa—Liberia Bishop V. R. Byrd 14th District Sister Beverly Pitts Special Missionary to 14th from Memphis Dr. William Crews Brows" Piberia, West Africa—March 7, 1988, President" snags new school opened its doors in 3/27/88 RESOLUTION PASSED UNANIMOUSLY The 1988 General Conference Delegation Thirteenth Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church Goes On Record WHEREAS the Rt. Reverend Cor- nelius Egbert Thomas and Mrs. Susie Thomas were assigned to the General Superintendency of the Thirteenth Episcopal District by the Forty-Third General Conference Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and WHEREAS they have made full proof of their stewardship through the development of men and women for the high calling of Christian ministry and mission, and WHEREAS under their capable leadership a district budget was in- fe c “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr. Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer Bishop C. E. Thomas stituted, taking the guess work out of the operation of District Projects and affording the Thirteenth the dignity of assembling at a meal in nearly all Con- nectional meetings, and WHEREAS the invitation of the Episcopal District Expansion Fund with nearly one hundred thousand dollars on hand and at work for the Thirteenth has resulted in a deep sense of pride and true Economic Develop- ment, and WHEREAS for the first time in nearly thirty years, the Thirteenth Episcopal District has a leadership team that is not subject to the retire- ment law and are eligible to return and whose work begun would warrant its completion; BE IT RESOLVED that the 1988 General Conference Delegation, meet- ing in Nashville, Tennessee, this 16th day of April during its ‘‘Organization- al’? meeting, go on record as request- ing the return of Bishop and Mrs. Cor- nelius Egbert Thomas to the general superintendency of the Thirteenth Episcopal District for the 1988-1992 Quadrennium, and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED- that the Episcopal Committee elected to carry out the wishes of this body be instructed to speak with one voice and to work to one end in Fort Worth, Texas, that of bringing Bishop and Mrs. C. E. Thomas back to the Thir- teenth to complete the work they have begun, and BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be filed with the General Secretary of the A.M.E. Church, the Chairperson of the Epis- copal Committee and all others to whom this intelligence would be of benefit to achieve our end—the return of Bishop and Mrs. Cornelius E. Thomas for the 1988-92 Quadren- nium! Respectfully A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND The Duly-Elected Delegates APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to: “This Week in African-American History’’ Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘The A. M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world. aeeePeeele Pictures Sent For Publication Cannot Be Returned Grand Bassa River Cess County. Beverly Pitts and Kenneth Brown, a member of Susan Brook A.M.E. Church, 3ojourned in the county about 130 miles from Monrovia to establish the Leapart School of Mission. The fact that there were no schools within a 10-mile radius, no regular, reliable transportation, and that the average salary for people of the area was $100.00 per year, was cause for the youth to seek education elsewhere, never to return to River Cess; there- fore, it was mandatory that a school be established. Beverly and Kenneth did it, by God’s help. The school was a pre- enrollment of 79 students, including 14, 15 and 16-year-old students, many of them first-timers in school. This is the kind of Christian leadership in- spired by Bishop Byrd and Mrs. Byrd. Sister Pitts hails from St. James A.M.E. Church, Memphis, Tennessee, where the Rev. Charles Jones is pastor. The Rt. Rev. C. E. Thomas is Presiding Prelate of the 13th District. Mrs. C. E. Thomas, 13th Episcopal District Supervisor, has been most supportive. Rev. G. Franklin Holt Liberia Conference Secretary Dr. U. A. Hughey Leadership for the THIRD CENTURY — Elect — Him Bishop in iS ===== DSC05510.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 Special Request Asks lection of Rev. Robert Thomas to Bishoprie by Attorney Herbert L. Dudley Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. An open letter to the ministerial and lay delegates to the 43rd Session of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church: Within a few weeks the 43rd Quadrennial Session of the General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church will convene in Fort Worth, Texas. The men and women, both ministerial and lay, who have been elected delegates to this Quadren- nial Session will have thrust upon them the grave responsibility pertaining to the episcopacy that will affect the lives and fate of millions of our consti- tuents throughout the domain of African Methodism, but let me hasten to say that there will be other cogent matters that will claim the attention of our delegates as they ponder the future of African Methodism, such as pro- viding greater financial support to our educational institutions, and further the great need to encourage, extend and expand our appeal to young men and women who have manifested and felt a divine call to the ministry. Secondly, its program of social, educa- tional and economic aid and assistance to the community which it serves. It is in this context that I call atten- tion to the great strides, progress and development taking place at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Detroit, and the various aspects of its outreach ministries: I. Social Service A. Food and Friendship — 40 to 50 Senior Citizens are provided a free meal daily at the Church, B. Free Health testing periodically at the Church. C. Counseling services are provided for Seniors concerning taxes, Social Security and legal problems. D.Food pantry and clothing closet. Indigent persons and families are provided emergency rations and clothing on site. II, Educational A. Skill classes in upholstery, sewing and millinery are offered. B. Adult education classes are offered in cooperation with the Detroit Board of Education C.A Tutorial Program This program offered for both grade and high school students. Some of the instructors are corporate officers of large companies. These tutorial classes are designed to motivate black youth as well as for preparation in academic disciplines Ill. Athletic: Ebenezer Church sponsors two basketball teams, two baseball teams and a bowling league with 20 teams. A large gymnasium on the Church premises is used daily IV. Correctional: Ebenezer Church sponsors a substance abuse fellowship and alcohol anonymous group. Youth are organized in a “Team Against Drugs Association.” V. Traditional Church Activities: Ebenezer has one of Detroit’s larger inner-city Church schools. There is an effective scouting program with girl and boy scout troops. The Church has two morning worship services, three prayer services and Bible class each week. The Church is open seven days a week with many activities throughout the day and evening hours. Ebenezer is a large Church edifice and educational building that contains a large sanctuary, chapel, gymnasium, fellowship hall, two dining rooms and 46 class rooms. This great cathedral of African Methodism stands out in its financial support to our Connectional needs. The records and files of the Financial Department will bear witness to the fact that Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Detroit contributes the largest finan- cial aid to the treasury of our church. The outstanding success attained at Ebenezer A.M.E. Church of Detroit attests to the dynamic leadership and divine direction provided by our pastor, Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr., who has pastored this congregation for six- teen (16) years. He is no stranger to African Methodism. He was born in an A.M.E. parsonage. His Reverend Father, the late Reverend Robert (Bob) Thomas was a Presiding Elder in the Chicago Conference for more than sixty (60) years. His son has followed in the footsteps of His Illustrious Dad by devoting his life to the ministry. The ministerial and lay delegates are urged to consider this servant of the Church. On two previous occasions he was on the threshold of election and withdrew in favor of others at that time. The ministerial and lay delegates are urged to cast your vote for Reverend Robert Thomas, Jr. for Bishop of the A.M.E. Church, Plan To Attend The General Conference This Year In July U. 8S. Senate, House Overrides President’s Civil Rights Veto Washington, D.C.—Both the U. S. Senate and House of Representatives rejected President Reagan’s veto of a bill that would require institutions receiving federal aid to obey an- tidiscrimination laws. The President vetoed the bill, which stems from a 1984 Supreme Court case. (The Senate voted 73-24 to override the veto and the House voted 292-133.) The Civil Rights Restoration Act stems from the 1984 Supreme Court decision involving the Grove City Col- lege. The Supreme Court ruled that in- stitutions would receive federal aid in spite of illegal discrimination within some of their departments. President Reagan argued that in spite of his support to overturn the decision, the legislation went too far in correcting the decision and said that the measure was a threat to ‘‘religious liberty.’’ The President also said that Con- gress was attempting to expand federal power over ‘‘decisions and affairs of private organizations by approving the measure.’” Both the Senate and House approv- ed the legislation in January of this year. Before the vote on the veto in Congress, several lawmakers debated the pros and cons of the issue. Republican Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina argued that the measure was not a ‘“‘civil rights bill’ but an ‘‘extension of federal authori- ty” Republican Senator Lowell Weicker, Jr., of Connecticut, a co- sponsor of the bill, said the legislation was important in that there was a time in America when mentally ill persons were “‘relegated by our prejudices to the darkness of despair and when Blacks were servants in their own country.”’ The Pastor Speaks by Reverend Casey Childs, II Fountain Inn, S.C.—One of the com- pelling issues that faces our church as we proceed into the third century of African Methodism will be the challenge of resurrecting and fully working in the area of the salvation of African-American men. Recent statistics from The State of Black America 1988 from an article by Dr. Lee P. Brown entitled, ‘‘Crime In The Black Community,’’ points out that in 1986, we comprised 12 percent of the United States population. “*Yet, during that year Blacks ac- counted for 27 percent of all arrests reported to the FBI, 33.7 percent of all index crime arrests as defined by the Uniform Crime Reports, 46.5 percent of all arrests for violent crimes, and 30.2 percent of all arrests for property crimes. Of the persons arrested for murder in 1986, Blacks accounted for 48 percent of the total. That same year, Blacks accounted for 46.6 per- cent of all arrests for rape, 62 percent of all arrests for robbery, 39.8 percent for assault, 29.5 percent for burglary, 30.1 percent for theft, and 34.7 percent for auto theft. Also, out of 428,179 prisoners in state institutions, 198,887 or 46 percent were Black. As of December 31, 1984, there was a total of 462,422 prisoners in state and federal institutions. Of that number, 209,673, or 45 percent, were Black.”’ As one can see, these are alarming figures that affect our race in a negative sense. As we celebrated the Lenten Season and prepared for Easter, we were reminded of why Jesus came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). In Luke 4:18, Jesus says, “The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to release the oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.’’ We too must seek to reach out in the service and work of the church to those who are oppressed, victims of unemployment, underemployment, in- adequate or incomplete education, social pressures, substandard housing, minimal health care, and other social ills. If we are to really celebrate that Christ arose to conquer the death of the cross, then we must be empowered by God to make a difference in the lives of the poor, the captives, the hungry, the homeless, the naked, the mentally ill, and all who were created in the image of God. God is no respec- tor of persons, and therefore, he sent his only begotten’ Son that whoever would believe in him would have eter- nal life! The church is to be a caring and sharing community where a helping hand is not only extended to those who feel that nobody cares. “Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration, 1915-1940” Exhibition Extended for an Indefinite Period at the National Museum of American History Washington, DC—The major exhibi- tion ‘Field to Factory: Afro-American Migration, 1915-1940,”’ originally scheduled through February at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, has been extended indefinitely. In making the announcement, mu- seum Director Roger Kennedy said that the level of public interest in the exhibition has been extremely gratify- ing. ‘‘It gives us great satisfaction to be able to present the story of such an im- portant occurrence in the development of our national character,’’ he said. The exhibition examines the period in history when more than 1 million Black Americans left the rural South in search of a better life in urban areas of the North. This movement, called the Great Migration, led to the emer- gence of large, predominantly Black urban enclaves in the North and set the scene for modern life in most American cities. Featured in the 7,000 square-foot exhibition are a late 19th century ten- ant farmhouse; a recreation of the Ashland, VA, train station; a 1920s beauty parlor, and a Philadelphia row- house. More than 400 objects and pho- tographs, as well as an audio-visual presentation, are used to depict the lives of the migrants. ‘*These artifacts reflect part of our American culture,’’ Spencer Crew, ex- hibition curator, said. ‘*] hope the ex- hibition will serve to get people think- ing more about their history and the relevance of preserving those materials that make statements about the unique qualities of their lives,’’ A catalog produced in conjunction with the exhibition is available in the museum shops and bookstore. The exhibition, as well as related educational programs, are made pos- sible through the support of Pepsi- Cola Company. A traveling version of the exhibit, sponsored by the Smithsonian Institu- tion Traveling Exhibition Service (SITES), recently began a three-year Please turn to page $ ee ===== DSC05511.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder The State of Child Care Gainesville, FL—Jeremy Bryant, left, shares a book with Tony Sowers during recess at Baby Gator South, one of the University of Florida’s three day care centers. Baby Gator staff and children will participate in a host of activities planned to celebrate The Week of the Young Child, sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Tom Logan, Baby Gator director, said the week is designed to acquaint the public with the state of child care today and the need for improvement. Child care is one of the prevalent issues for parents today, as evidenced by a recent survey that showed that 65 percent of the Alachua County children under age 5 are cared for outside the home, Logan said. ‘‘Most people are not aware of how widespread and costly child care outside the home is,’’ Logan said. POWER—GRAM Update Report The Department of Christian Education of Martin Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church invited The Rev, Dr. Edgar L. Mack, Ex ecutive Secretary of the Connectional Christian Education Department in Nashville, Tennessee, to speak at the Black Heritage Celebration in Miami, Florida. The gala event was held at Signature Gardens before a capacity audience. Dr. Mack spoke on the theme ‘‘/f You Are Really Serious About ‘Keeping Our Black Heritage.’ ’’ The capable, il- lustrious pastor is The Reverend John L. Bodison. Mrs. Wilhelmina Rhetta, a dedicated and hard-working servant of Christ, served as chairperson of the Christian Education Committee. Yes, ‘‘you ought to have been there!’’ The menu was a real treat: Caesar Salad, Roast Prime Ribs Au Jus, Vegetable Medley Du Chef, Talbot A.M.E. Academy Holds Annual Benefit Banquet Savannah, Ga.—The long-awaited hour had arrived—the Annual Benefit Banquet celebration for which Talbot African Methodist Episcopal Academy had yearned and had anticipated eager- ly for two years. The reality was a glorious day in the religious and social life of the historic church school. Every interest had been pointed in that direction and the occasion was surely a night to remember. It was a joyous and momentous event that brought together all segments of the community: parents, teachers and pastors, with the Chief Pastor of the 6th Episcopal District, Bishop Frederick H. Talbot delivering an inspiring message that motivated and challenged the audience with his subject, ‘‘What Do You Have in Your Hand?’’ Bishop Talbot reminded an attentive audience that oftentimes too much time is spent looking for answers that one already has in his hands. ‘‘We have the key to Talbot African Meth- odist Episcopal Academy’s future in our hands. What are we going to do with it? This was the question asked by the bishop concerning the school. At that point, his challenge drew positive reactions from the audience, with some pledging to do more to assist the school. Prior to the soul-stirring message from the 6th District’s prelate, a delightful repast was served, while the audience enjoyed music rendered at the piano by the president of the P.T.A., Mrs. Regina Green, followed by a duet from Carmen Rivers and Telanna Kelly on the clarinets. Alonza McCoay later delighted all with a selection on the piano. All are justifiably proud of these students of the Academy and those who make up the school choir that sang so beautiful- ly. The exciting night of events was climaxed with the presentation of awards by Rev. Dan Stevenson, direc- tor, who was assisted by student Tracy Seabrooks. Receiving awards were Bishop and Mrs. Talbot, Reverend James Taylor, pastor of Townesley Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Savannah, P.T.A. President Green, and teachers Mesdames Darlene Ward, Hattie O’Neal and Geraldine Hamilton, for all of their outstanding contributions and services given the school. Deepest thanks from Talbot African Methodist Episcopal Academy go to Mrs. Rosemary Banks for being a delightful mistress of ceremonies, Mr. Walter Simmons for video taping and pictures, and to the many pastors and friends who took the time and had the patience to assist in the effort. May God bless all! WA Greetings !IXA Dr. David C. Coleman Candidate for the Bishopric Key Lay People Share in A.M.E. Third Cent Dr. Y. B. Bruce, Sr. peers a ee eee While we greet you in the narne of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit, we are grateful and full of ecstasy as a result of the very suc- cessful First Annual Seminar on Evangelism and Church Growth, spon- sored by the Department of Worship and Evangelism, Orlando, Florida. As we escalated into higher realms of the seminar daily, the magnetic forces of Love and Harmony that draw the ministry and the laity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church together, binding us with a friction that causes us to all spin around in the same direction, was uttermost present as some of our key Laymen expound- ed on the topic, ‘‘Equipping Layper- sons for Evangelism in the Third Cen- tury.” Dr. Kathryn Middleton Brown, more affectionately known to us as ury Evangelism “‘Kay,’’ who, in her very eloquent and efficient manner serves as President of the Connectional Lay Organization, and Dr. Samuel Hunter, served as con- veyors. Dr. Joseph C. McKinney was Presenter, and Mr. Tyrone Presley and Mrs. Marion Bacon-White were reporters. The audience was held in awe as these great Laymen captivated our minds. The presentation was €x- emplificative of good and sound pro- fessional training, dedication and a love for humanity and God’s church, for which we live. To ‘‘Kay’’ and all of the Laymen of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, without you we are not complete. Thank you and keep up the good work. God bless. Dr. E. L. Mack Quartered Red Bliss potatoes, Straw- berry Mousse with Fresh Whipped Cream, Coffee, Tea and Rolls. The Christian Education Depart- ment of Martin Memorial A.M.E. Church continues to strive for great heights in the pursuit of excellence. The banquet closing was the center- piece of Allen Jubileer Week. It is impossible to go to the South Florida area without feeling the in- fluence of the Rt. Rev. Philip R. Cousin, Presiding Prelate of the Eleventh Episcopal District. His leadership is needed in these changing and challenging times. “The objective of Christian educa- tion is to help persons to be aware of God’s self-disclosure and seeking love in Jesus Christ and to respond in faith and love — to the end that they may know who they are and what their human situation means, grow as sons of God rooted in the Christian com- munity, live in the Spirit of God in every relationship, fulfill their com- mon discipleship in the world, and abide in the Christian hope.’’ (Com- mission on General Christian Educa- tion, National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.). The occasion lifted up the task of Martin Memorial ‘‘to develop a new generation of Christian excellence in the Church, the Body of Christ.’’ Each one in attendance went out into the church, community and world feeling confident that YOU can make a DIF- FERENCE now — “‘For Christ and the Church.’’ Continued from page 4 “‘Field to Factory: Afro- American Migration national tour. During 1988 the exhibit will be shown in Pittsburgh, PA, Jack- sonville, FL, Fresno, CA, Baltimore, MD, Birmingham, AL, and State Col- lege, PA. The National Museum of American History, located at 14th Street nd Con- stitution Avenue N. W., is open from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily, except December 25. Admission is free. i ‘“‘God’s Part We Cannot Do, Our Part He Will Not Do.”’ ===== DSC05512.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder ee May 16, 1988 Hunter Seeks General Office Reverend Carl F. Hunter Reverend Carl F. Hunter has announced his platform in his campaign seeking the office of Secretary-Treasurer of the Church Extension Department of the A.M.E. Church. His main thrust is to bring to the Church an enlightened economic development program which utilizes its own resources to the fullest extent. By enlightened, Reverend Hunter means a program that is based on full comprehension of the problems involved. Hunter’s primary development goal for the A.M.E. Church, which bears the strategy of a development team effort, is income generation for the production of well-needed revenues for new church construction, and/or their acquisition as well as rehabilitation of existing churches. Such revenues can aid the Church in its program for the construction of affordable, low-income housing complexes consisting of garden apartments, low-rise and townhouse buildings. Hunter is also proposing a church-wide, owned and operated insurance company and credit union. These should provide employment opportunities for church members after undergoing an internship on-the-job training program to fill the necessary requisite skills. Hunter’s team members are: Dr. Robert T. Freeman, Jr. of Washington, D.C., a banking and insurance specialist, Founder and Managing Director of Ghana General Insurance Company, Founder and Director of Great Nigeria Insurance Company, Lagos, Nigeria, Insurance Consultant to the Governments of Ethiopia, Liberia, and Guyana, and the Director of the Ghana National Investment Bank; Honorable Livingston L. Wingate of New York City, practicing labor lawyer and recently retired judge in the judiciary system of New York in the Civil Court of the City of New York and Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of New York; and Richard P. Jones, Esq. of New York City, practicing lawyer in the New York City financial district for fifteen years specializing in Corporate, Real Estate and International Law. Reverend Hunter brings a long and impressive career to this campaign. For 32 years he has pastored A.M.E. Churches, presently pastoring at Israel Memorial A.M.E. Church, Newark, New Jersey, in the First Episcopal District. In the world of business, he built the first low income housing development in Asbury Park, New Jersey known as ‘‘Vita Gardens,’’ During the years 1975 to 1980, he own- ed and operated two major auto park- ing systems in New York City, and was selected to receive a contract with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey serving as Executive Vice President of the Auto Host System, Inc. which managed and operated PATH’s new parking garage at the Downtown Journal Square Complex. He has been presently involved with an on-going team of housing experts for the construction of low-income housing throughout the State of New Jersey. Proposals have been submitted and have received preliminary approvals from municipal, city and state agencies. Targeted areas for development have been identified and community based groups together with architects, engineers, contractors, and financial institutions have been mobilized for this effort. Hunter’s activism includes serving on the Mayor’s Human Rights Commission in Monmouth County, New Jersey. He also served as a Delegate to the International Brotherhood of the Teamsters of the World, and on the Pension and Welfare Board of the International Teamsters Organization. Hunter serves on the Curriculum Committee at Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey. He is a member of the New Jersey Branch of the NAACP, Southern Christian Leader- ship Conference, and a host of A.M.E. Church organizations and inter-related community institutions. Please turn to page 8 Dr. J. S. Benn III Announces For Office Of Historiographer Of The a M.E. Church Rey. Dr. J. S. Benn Ill Dr. J. S. Benn III, connectionally well-known as a national publisher and author, researcher and writer of 14 books announced recently at the urging of many delegates, friends and supporters to aspire for this office. Dr. Benn serves on the General Board of the A.M.E. Church, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Springfield, [linois, Capitol City of Illinois; Director of Leadership Training, A.M.E. Church. He has participated in several research projects for the University of Michigan and University of Indiana. Dr. Benn is actively engaged in the work of Committee on Uniform Series, Education for Christian Life and Mission, National Council of the Churches of Christ, U.S.A. Dr. Benn is a fourth generation A.M.E. preacher, and builder of 2 A.M.E. Churches in Peoria, IL and Indianapolis, IN. He has taught school and served as a professor. He is a well- known lecturer and continues to pursue excellence in the field of religion, education and ecumenical work. “If You Would Avoid Criticism Say Nothing, Do Nothing And Be Nothing” IBRBBBBERAE The First Episcopal District Supports Dr. Ifill For General Secretary 1988 by Vivian Williams Dr. O. U. Ifill In a grand demonstration of support for the candidacy of Dr. O. U. Ifill, Sr., for General Secretary at the forthcoming General Conference in Fort Worth, Texas, the First Episcopal District, headed by Bishop Frank C. Cummings, the Presiding Bishop, sponsored a public Service of Appreciation and Support for Dr. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., at African Methodist Episcopal Union Church, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday, March 25, 1988. On hand were members of the laity and clergy from across the District and the Connection, as well as high government officials and community leaders. The choirs of Allen AME Church (Rev. William H. Smallwood, Pastor); Hickman Temple AME Church (Dr. Joseph D. Patterson, Pastor); Mt. Pisgah AME Church, Dr. James L. Dandridge, Pastor), and the Cathedral Concert Chorale of AME Union Church (Dr. O. Urcille Ifill, Sr., Pastor and Director) furnished beautiful music for the occasion. Voicing high commendation of Dr. [fill’s abilities in community affairs and pledging their support of his aspirations, representatives of the religious, business, educational and community groups, joined the First Episcopal District in lauding and encouraging Dr. Ifill in his campaign for the office of General Secretary. The Honorable W. Wilson Goode, Mayor of the City of Philadelphia, praised Dr. Ifill’s community service and rejoiced in his quest to become the next General Secretary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and offered his support in every way possible to encourage Dr. Ifill’s election. Dr. Mickarl Thomas, Pastor of Charles Street AME Church, Boston, Massachusetts, superbly stated the Purpose of the Occasion: “We have assembled here this evening because one: of our colleagues, friend, pastor, laborer in the Holy Vineyard, desires to serve the Church of Allen, and more importantly to launch his ship on one of the ecclesiastical tributaries emanating from the one Holy Church River which Jesus established with His own precious blood; this tributary is The African Methodist Episcopal Church. “Now there are several boats in the water. Some are aspirant Bishop boats, aspirant Evangelism boats and others. However, our concern is the aspirant Secretary boat. The particular boat we are concerned with is the one named the O. U. Ifill Express. t “Now in Hebrew the verb Sapar means to write or count. The derived noun sopér is commonly translated scribe. Many of these persons were professional writers and recorders. “Tt is believed men such as Seraiah, Sheva, Thebna and Shaphan we read about in II Samuel and II Kings were secretaries. “Baruch was the private secretary of Jeremiah and Silvanus served as a secretary to Peter. “In July, O. U. Ifill will be recorded in the annuals of history as Secretary of the A.M.E. Church. What we are saying is that - yes - there might be other boats with the label “secretary” in the water, but the Ifill boat will get to port first. O. U. Ifill is an O Organizer U_ Understanding I Intelligent F Friendly I Involved Liberated from Satan - been born again L_ Loves the Church of Allen “Javier Pérez de Quellar is called Mr. Secretary in the United Nations. “George P. Schultz is called Mr. Secretary in the United States. “And, O. U. Ifill will be called Mr. Secretary in the African Methodist Episcopal Church.” Other dignitaries bringing words of support and encouragement were: Dr. O'Neil Mackey, Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, New York City, on behalf of Dr. William Lee Freeman, President of the Presiding Elders Council of the First Episcopal District, and pastors of the District; Bro. Joseph Inabinet, President of the First Episcopal District Lay Organiza- tion; Dr. Lorenzo M. Shepard, Pastor of Mt. Olivet Tabernacle Baptist Church, immediate past president of the Progressive Baptist Convention, and member of the Board of Directors of Partners In Ecumenism (P.I.E.); Mr. Robert Bogle, Executive Vice- President of The Philadelphia Tribune, on behalf of the Black Media; Dr. William B. Moore, Pastor of Tenth Memorial Baptist Church, and President of The Black Clergy of Philadelphia and Vicinity; The Honorable C. DeLores Tucker, former Secretary of State for Pennsylvania, currently President of The Philadelphia Martin Luther King, Jr. Association; Dr. Patrick Swygert, Vice-President, Temple University; The Reverend Arthur White, President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Philadelphia and Vicinity; Mrs. Onah Weldon, President of the National Political Congress of Black Women of Philadelphia; The Honorable James Wade, Chairman of Wade Industries, Inc.,-on behalf of the Business Community of Philadelphia; Dr. William D. Shaw, President of the Metropolitan Council of Churches; Attorney Gene R. Johnson, Esquire, of the Second Episcopal District, representing “The Friends of Dr. Ifill Across the Connection”; Dr. Leon H. Sullivan, President, Opportunities Industrialization Center, Congressman William H. Gray; Congressman Floyd Flake; The Honorable Lucien E. Blackwell, Chairman, Finance Committee of the City of Philadelphia; The Honorable David P. Richardson, Jr., President, National Black Caucus of State Legislators; Dr. Harry J. White, Sr., Presiding Elder, Philadelphia District; Dr. John R. Ragin, Pastor, St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Newark, New Jersey; Please turn to page 7 ———————— ===== DSC05513.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder : Continued from page 1 Times change but. . . them back, even though there have been a lot of changes in the neighbor- hoods since these churches (first started.’* Only two blocks from Bethel is a grim reminder of how much this once stately middleclass Black community has changed. Standing in a stiff row are the uniform towers of the Robert Taylor Homes, the nation’s largest housing project, considered the most poverty stricken residential strip in the country. The church is helping to meet many of the immediate needs of this poor community, said Rev. David C. Coleman, the church’s presiding elder. It has a food pantry, soup kitchens and clothing banks, he said. But, according to Rev. Basil A. Foley, Sr., Bethel’s pastor, the church is having a hard time recruiting neighborhood resi- dents. “‘There was a time when anybody who was anybody was a member of an A.M.E. Church. It was the elitist seg- ment of the community,’”’ said Rev. Foley, who has also been minister of three other A.M.E. churches in the ci- ty. ‘‘We have a pretty even mixture of professionals and blue-collar workers. We have judges, attorneys, bank workers and janitors. But we still have that [elitist] image, unfortunately. And our efforts to reach out into the com- munity is made difficult because of that.”’ Rev. Foley said the church has can- vassed the area to recruit new mem- bers, and ‘‘when the weather breaks, we hope to attract young people from the neighborhood.’’ But the tradi- tional, highly ritualistic church is hav- ing difficulty competing with the ‘‘glitz and appeal’’ of television evangelists and street-front Pentecostal churches, Bishop Morris said. “*We recognize we’re not reaching youth as we should,”’ he said. The A.M.E. Church was founded in 1787 when the mostly White members of St. George Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia tried to segre- gate the growing number of Blacks in the congregation by ushering them to the gallery. Richard Allen, a preacher and former slave who had bought his freedom, was caught praying in front of the church and was assaulted. Allen organized a protest march that led to the formation of the Free Afri- can Methodist Society, which officially became the A.M.E. Church in 1816. From the start, the church set out to meet the spiritual, material, educa- tional and cultural needs of Black Americans. Today, it operates five Black colleges and universities around the nation. Since Chicago’s first A.M.E. Church was founded in 1847, the denomination has played a key role in Chicago’s Black community, Bishop Morris said. The churches have spearheaded voter- registration drives, and it was on the grounds of Bethel Church that Black leaders caucused to launch Harold Washington’s first mayoral campaign. “‘Traditionally, [A.M.E.] churches have been meeting places where disci- sions have been made that affected the destiny of the Black community,”’ Bis- hop Morris said. Today, the church is faced with the problems of high unem- ployment and low education among Black inner-city youth, he said. “‘Chicago can be a frustrating place with all the problems it faces,’’ said Bishop Morris, as he stared out his window at the looming towers of the Taylor Homes. ‘But if the church can change with the times and continue to be relevant, I think it has a great The Memories Linger On Montgomery, AL—Some_ expe- riences are not soon forgotten, So en- joyable was the Second Annual Picnic for the Sunday School of Greater St. Paul A.M.E,. Church that many of those fortunate enough to attend the fun-filled event yet recall the activities that were held lakeside at Maxwell Air Force Base. The main event was the baseball game, with Gene Johnson, assistant superintendent, and Brenda Kahn serv- ing as team captains. Brenda’s team, elated over their victory, were winners of the trophy, The Johnson team, however, is looking forward to next year’s rematch, PCC Announces New Director The Reverend Debra L. Moody has joined the Pennsylvania Council of Churches as Director of the Office for Ethnic Cooperation and _ Institutional Ministries. She is a pastor of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. A graduate of Drew University (BA in religion) and Princeton Theological Seminary (M.Div.), she is a Ph.D. candidate in Biblical Studies at Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. Reverend Moody has represented her communion in the governing board of the New Jersey Council of Churches, and is statistician of the New Jersey Conference. She continues as pastor of St. Thomas AME Zion Church, Somerville, New Jersey until May. Her portfolio includes educing and Continued from Page 1 Third Episcopal District Salutes Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand past four years, and we look forward to four more years together. The magnificent salute to Bishop Hildebrand was scheduled to come at the time of the Mid-Year Report Meet- ing. In the business session, the District voted unanimously to request the 1988 General Conference to return Bishop Hildebrand to the Third Epis- copal District for the next four years. In addition, the 3rd District en- dorsed the Rev. Ulysses S. Hughey as the Candidate for the office of Bishop from the Third District. Another im- portant endorsement is that of Rev. Floyd Alexander to the office of Secre- tary of the Pension Department. The District supports Rev. Elizabeth Scott, pastor of Quinn Church, Steubenville, Ohio, in her bid to become the first female bishop in the A.M.E. Church. The district also recognizes the can- didacy of Rev. Louise Harris, pastor of St. Paul Church in Smithfield, for bishop. It is always good to welcome Editor Robert H. Reid, Jr., and his beautiful wife, Doris, back home to the ‘Mighty Third.’’ From far and near, enabling cooperative ministries, public policy advocacy and networking within the minority church community, and supervision of the contract chaplaincy program of the Council. Reverend Moody’s chaplaincy experience includes a general hospital, county jail for women and the Trenton State Prison (New Jersey). She will provide staff support to the Executive Director of the Council, and to the Committees on Ethnic Cooperation (chaired by Bishop Frank C. Cummings, Philadelphia Conference, African Methodist Episcopal Church) and Institutional Ministries (chaired by the Rev. Canon Kermit L. Lloyd, Rector, St. John Episcopal Church, York). Rey. Floyd Alexander across our denomination, there are more and more positive expressions of appreciation for The Recorder, the quality of the news and helpful infor- mation. We are grateful to Editor and Mrs. Reid for this progress. The Third District endorsed the position to re- elect Robert H. Reid, Jr., as Editor of The Recorder for the next four years, and we invite other delegates to the General Conference to join us in this effort. After completing the business of the Mid-Year Conference, the district con- vened to organize for the upcoming General Conference, and members to various committees were recommend- ed. Submitted by: Thomas L. McCray Presiding Elder, Cleveland District eS SS Continued from page 1 Re-Elect Joseph C. McKinney, Treasurer A.M.E. Church, July 1988 Offices, the Service and Development Agency (SADA), and the Bishop of the Second Episcopal District. His performance ae rz quired for the financial department. and his dedication is worthy of your support. Re-Elect Him! Submitted by the Committee “To Elect McKinney”’ McKinney explains how the space will be used in the new 32,000 square foot building ac- Continued from page 6 First District Supports Ifill Rey. David Randolph, Pastor, Tyree A.M.E, Church, Philadelphia; Rev. Rudolph W, Coleman, Pastor, Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, Dover, Delaware; Dr. Herman Rhodes, Pastor of Ward A.M.E. Church, President of the A.M.E. Preachers’ Meeting of Philadelphia and Vicinity; and Dr. George T. Sims, Pastor of St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, and Campaign Manager for Dr. Ifill. Telegrams from across the Connection in support of Dr. Ifill's candidacy were read at the Service. Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings, presiding, assured the members of the First Episcopal District and host of community supporters that he was “behind Dr. Ifill’s candidacy all the way”, and urged the total support of the First District Delegation to the General Conference to give top priority to the election of Dr. Ifill for General Secretary at Fort Worth, Texas, at the 43rd General Conference in July. The Honorable David P. Richardson, Jr., presented a Certificate of Appreciation and Commendation to Dr. Ifill from the Pennsylvania House of Representatives; and the Honorable Lucien E. Blackwell presented a Certificate of Recognition and Support from the City Council of Philadelphia. The officers and members of African Methodist Episcopal Union Church paid high tribute to Pastor Ifill and presented him with a beautiful plaque, designed by Bro. Robert Stanfield, in honor of the occasion. Sis. Frances Archer, Church Clerk and Lay delegate to the 43rd Session of the General Conference, with the Church Officials standing, read the plaque on which was inscribed the following: Presented to DR. O. URCILLE IFILL, SR. In grateful recognition of His leadership and care As Our Pastor, Mentor, and Friend 1978 - 1988 and as a Symbol of our Total Support of His Candidacy For, and His Election To, The Office of General Secretary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church at Fort Worth, Texas, 1988 The Officers and Members of African Methodist Episcopal Union The Officers and Members of African Methodist Episcopal Union Church Philadelphia, PA Bro. James Stokes, Vice-Chairman, Board of Stewards Sis. Evelyn Hampton, Secretary, Board of Stewards Sis. Anna Ray-Louis, Chairperson, Board of Trustees Sis. Dianne Hickson, Secretary, Board of Trustees Sis. Arlene Dargan, Secretary, Official Board Sis. Frances Archer, Church Clerk Vice- Dr. Ifill, in thanksgiving, expressed his gratitude to the great assembly of friends and supporters gathered for the special service and stated most eloquently his reasons for aspiring to the Office of General Secretary: “I am not running against any one. I am running for the Office of General Secretary because I believe I can continue to serve my Church with my God-given skills which are uniquely suited for the General Secretaryship. I Please turn to page 8 ===== DSC05514.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 Robert V. Webster Hosts Bishop H. B. Senatle In Jacksonville, FL Dr. Robert V. Webster Bishop Harold B. Senatle’s message at the 11:00 a.m. Worship Service on April 24, 1988, at St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, Jacksonville, FL, ignited a greater fire of concern in the congre- gation as he delivered an account of his ministry in the 18th and 19th Episcopal Districts, and solicited their prayers for God’s help to remove the state of emergency from his country. In his opening remarks, the people were moved to sheer compassion as he reported on his Capetown arrest. He stated many religious leaders were recently jailed because they marched in opposition to the laws of South Africa that disbanned the seventeen organiza- tions that were the ‘‘mouth-piece’’ for the South African Blacks. According to Bishop Senatle, the church is now the only organization to speak on behalf of Black Africans. The A.M.E. Church is a definite forerunner in this movement. It is the wish of the Blacks to be a free part of the whole adminis- tration of the country. Presently, the government has chosen the Indians and the ‘‘coloreds’’ to participate, but the Blacks are prohibited from becoming a part of the Parliament. ‘‘This will be rectified,’’ Bishop Senatle retorted, “for we will fight until we get our rights!’’ His text, taken from Haggai 1:2-5, further expounded upon the problems in South Africa; using as a subject, ‘‘Consider Your Ways.’’ The essence of the message included ways to become successful. In order to be successful in any endeavor, God must be included in the program. If God is left out, man will not succeed. Pastor Robert V. Webster, a candi- date for Bishop in July 1988, expressed his concern for the plight of our frater- nal sisters and brothers in South Africa because he and the congregation believe in extending aid to Missions. St. Stephen led the congregations of Florida in giving aid to Ethiopia and felt this cause necessitated our spirit- ual and financial support in relieving the oppression of people in South Africa as well. Pastor Webster believes in doing church work as well as the work of the church, for the work of the church is going beyond the boundaries of the church building to offer help to the needy everywhere, while church work is taking care of local congregational needs. He firmly believes that Mis- sions is Christology, not geography. Those in need are not always peoples in distant lands, but those surrounding the community in which one serves. St. Stephen and its many friends feel that Pastor Webster, with his global Please turn to page 13 Where is my Income Tax Refund? Nashville, TN—‘‘Where is my refund?’’ is the most often asked ques- tion received at the Internal Revenue Service’s Toll-Free information number. The IRS has a solution to this question and it is available Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to mid- night for individuals with push-button telephones. By dialing 1-800-554-4477 anywhere in Tennessee, taxpayers can actually check on the status of their elusive tax refund. All that is needed is the Social Security Number, filing status and amount of the expected refund; the computer will handle the rest. Tax- payers can find out if the tax return has been received and when to expect the refund. The IRS does ask the tax- payer to give the return a chance to be processed before calling—usually five or six weeks. Larry Hyatt, Assistant District Director in Nashville, recommends that Tennessee taxpayers wait until 7 or 8 p.m. to call. ‘*The phone lines are very busy during the day and especially busy on Mondays. If you call during the evening hours you have a better chance of getting through on the first try.”” St. Matthews Church Holds Quarter St. Matthews A.M.E. Church held it’s Third Quarterly Conference, March 27, 1988, with Presiding Elder Ralph Wilson presiding. The Elder’s inspirational sermon ‘‘Can You Stand’? was taken from Mark 10:38- 39, The Elder opened the business ses- sion with questions regarding the church’s progress. Followed with the reporting of each Auxilliary Board. All Boards had written reports and all characters were passed. The Elder updated events of the General and Annual Conference and other news of interest of the A.M.E. Church. The Elder concluded the Conference with comments and thanks for a very fine Conference. Terry Mutch, Reporter nn NE Continued from page 7 First District Supports Ifill —_————————_—————_- believe that I have the perception of reality, team building skills, decisiveness, tempered by balanced judgment, strategic focus, and tenacity, which makes me capable of doing an excellent job in this office. I love the Lord, and I know and love the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and, under God, I will endeavor to serve our Church with a high honor.” At the close of this magnificent Service of Appreciation and Support, the Officers and Members of African Methodist Episcopal Union Church hosted a fantastic reception in Dr. Ifill’s honor for all persons who attended, Toasting the Honoree they shouted: “IFILL FOR GENERAL SECRETARY IN 1988!" “Read the Recorder” Keep up with the Church Dr. R. H. ‘‘Rabbi’’ Reid, Jr. Editor, A.M.E. Christian Recorder Within just a few months, the A.M.E. Church will be in the General Conference, held in Fort Worth, Texas, July, 1988. All General Officers of the A.M.E. Church will be submit- ting their voluminous reports. Were it not for just General Officer routine, these two General Officers— Reverend R. H. ‘‘Rabbi’’ Reid, Jr., Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Re- corder, and Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher of the A.M.E. Christian Re- corder—would not submit reports. All along, through their routine of work, they both have made reports. From the beginning of Quadrennium 1984, and down to the end of the Qua- rennium, their works and publication productions have been submitting serial reports of publication account- tability to the entire reading clientele of the whole A.M.E. Connection. Dr. A. Lewis Williams’ famous statement concerning ‘‘Christian Re- corder Accountability,’ through its production staff, was: ‘‘They have the Council of A.M.E. Bishops; they have the corporate General Officership; they have Connectional constabu- lary—But they have just one Christian Recorder, produced by Officership elected by the A.M.E. Church to do the job.” Never in the history of the organized A.M.E. Church has the Christian Re- corder been possessed of such arduous and herculean publication dexterity as during the 1984-1988 Quadrennium. This is due to the fact that during this present Quadrennium, the ACTS of the Bicentennial have had to be a Christian Recorder compendium of production, editorial and journalistic craftsmanship and adeptness of inge- nious publication mastery. Theirs has been a day-by-day production and writing achievement. They do not have to wait until Fort Worth to prove, on the written page, their credibility and A.M.E. stewardship. They—Rever- ends Reid and Henderson—Have paid their dues already, And in the words of the spiritual song, “They done paid their vows to de Lawd.”’ If the A.M.E. conscienteous would sit down and peruse and read EVERY SHEET of a Recorder issue, the reader would keep abreast of what is happen- ing in the A.M.E. world; thereby, the reader would know and keep up with what is happening in the A.M.E. Church. And, in the midst of bicenten- nial plannings, display, and church per- sonality confluence, the church reader would be alerted to it all. From the articles of a quarterly con- ference and the presiding elder at his post, up to the uttermost “top brass’’ activity of A.M.E. participation, the Christian Recorder Aas been there, giv- ing credence and full faith and credit to each release. Dr. A. Lee Henderson Publisher Not to read the Recorder is to do oneself a grave injustice. A prominent and affluent pastor, when making his pastoral report at his annual con- ference, when asked the question, “How many papers?,’’ used to answer, ‘‘I take all the papers . . . But read none!”” Receiving releases (many having to be re-written and/or editorialized in order for the released article to the Recorder to ‘‘make good sense”’ to the church readers, is an awesome and ar- duous task. Everybody, no matter how enthusiastic, is not endowed with the ability to write and compose. I am not talking about submitting minutes of a meeting, or incident, and construe this to be writing. Silent hours, late-at- night periods must be brought into measure to bring out a release com- parable to the prowess of the official journal of the A.M.E. Church—The A.M.E. Christian Recorder. Much sympathy and praise should be extended the editor of the Recorder. The late Dr. J. L. Glover, author of ‘‘Straight From The Shoul- der,”’ used to say, ‘‘Writing is a thank- less job.” Just one note of mention on ‘‘keep- ing up with the church’’: if for no other reason, to read the Recorder in these times will enable the reader to know who the candidates are, their propositions and their proposed obligation to the church in their pro- nouncements for whatever office they aspire to. The next time you go into a bank, look upon the desks of the bank of- ficers and you will note the following papers: Wall Street Journal, New York Times, U.S.A. Today, and other notable papers of the bank officers’ section. Note. Occasionally, you will detect a bank officer (during his spare time) looking into his paper, turning from page to page. He is keeping up with the ‘‘day-to-day’’ America. So, when your Christian Recorder comes to you, don’t lay it aside, feel- ing you have satisfied your annual con- ference requirement to ‘‘How many >? Read Editor Reid’s A.M.E. Chris- tian Recorder and his editorials. “Keep up with the A.M.E, Church!” Dr. J. W. Yancy, I The Roving Editor Continued from page 6 Hunter Seeks General Office Reverend Hunter, a native of Donaldsonville, Georgia, was educated at Morris Brown College, Turner Theological Seminary and the Atlanta University Graduate School of Social Work. He is married to the former Virignia Blake, a schoolteacher, and they have two sons Carl II and David. degree of professionalism and ===== DSC05515.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church—Philadelphia, PA First District Resolution Shows Unity Bishop F. C. Cummings Mrs. Martha Cummings Whereas: In 1984, in the City of Kansas City, MO, the Episcopal Committee assigned to this First Episcopal District the Rt. Reverend Frank Curtis Cummings, the 95th Bishop of the church; And Whereas: He introduced to this District an attitude of Christ-like love and concern for all the sheep, as both he and his queenly wife elected not to be satisfied with written nor verbal reports, but, in the spirit of our sainted founder, Richard Allen, embarked upon a campaign to visit every church in each of the six Annual Conferences, from BERMUDA, the land of pink sands and azure blue skies, to the New England Conference where, in the fall, the foliage speaks in tones comparable to the multi- talented servant of the church of whom we speak, to the EMPIRE STATE OF NEW YORK, which, under his undaunted leadership and guidance, gave to this country a Congressman, to the Garden State and the NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE where the grass is greener and the constituents of African Methodism have elected to adapt the state’s slogan to express their affection and esteem for this great leader, “FRANK CURTIS CUMMINGS, NEW JERSEY AND YOU, PERFECT TOGETHER,” to the GREAT FIRST STATE OF DELAWARE, where that patriot, Richard Allen trod, likewise this matchless leader leads a great host of African Methodists during our Bi-centennial year in a motorcade which planted markers for generations of African Methodists yet unborn to witness, that not only such notables as Absalom Jones and Francis Asbury would have their names etched in the annuals of history, but that history would be incomplete until the name of Frank Curtis Cummings is inscribed, and, finally, on to the cradle of African Methodism, the PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE, the Mother Conference, where this indomitable leader dared to dream of a Headquarters for this District which will be second to none; also, under his supervision, the restoration of Mother Bethel, the cathedral of African Methodism, is a reality; And Whereas: Let the record show the many new churches, parsonages, and other church-related properties acquired during this quadrennial; And Whereas: From the inception of his administration to this present moment, this Spirit-Filled Leader has not conducted the affairs of his office with an iron fist, but an attitude of love and compassion and peace, admonishing us at times to “BE SWEET— IT’S NICE TO BE NICE”; And Whereas: His capable consort, Mrs. Martha C. Cummings, has graced the many pulpits of this district, exuding her charm and grace as she has allowed the Lord to use her to challenge both youth and adults to strive for masteries through Jesus Christ; Be It Resolved: That the First District Delegation of the 43rd session of the General Conference, meeting in Fort Worth, Texas, carry the following message to the full legislative body: 1. We, the constituents of the First District, are, unequivocally, unalterably opposed to any proposed movement geared to moving ALL OF THE BISHOPS 2. We, in the First District are a family of believers who seek to build bridges, and wish not to be divided by chasms. Hence, we voice our opposition to any plan to redistricting which is bent upon disrupting the present family structure of this district. Be It Further Resolved: That this District is satisfied with its plan of operation and firmly committed that the man to guide this ship for the next four years, as we turn the corner into the third century of African Methodism, is Bishop Frank C. Cummings Be It Further Resolved: That this district charge the representatives elected to represent them at the General Conference (and especially those representatives to the Episcopal Committee) with its primary concern and task being to work for the return of the Cummings Team for four more years of continued, superlative leadership in this First Episcopal District. Be It Finally Resolved: That we praise Almighty God for an unselfish bridge builder named Frank Curtis Cummings who continues to labor with a PLAN, a PURPOSE and a PASSION, summed up by the words from the pen of Will Allen Dromgoole “The Bridge Builder” An old man going on a long highway came at the evening, cold and gray, to a chasm vast, and wide, and steep, with waters rolling cold and deep. The old man crossed in the twilight dim, for the sullen stream held no fears for him; But he turned, when safe on the other side, and began to build a bridge to span the tide “Old Man,” said a fellow pilgrim near, “you are wasting your strength with building here. And your journey will end with the fading day, and you never again will pass this way, You've crossed the chasm, deep and wide, so why build you this bridge at eventide?” Then the builder lifted his head, “Good friend, in the path I have come,” he said, “there followeth after me today a youth, whose feet must also pass this way. The chasm that was nought to me to that bright-eyed youth, may a pitfall be; He, too, must cross in the twilight dim, good friend, | am building this bridge for him,” Respectfully submitted, (Rey.) Charles E, Martin Resident Minister Monumental AME Church Steelton, Pennsylvania Gen. Conf, Delegate The AME Christian Recorder Connectional Christian Debutante— Master Dedication Commission TO: Presiding Elders, Pastors, Directors of Christian Education, Y.P.D. and W.M.S. Presidents, Sunday School Superintendents and Teachers, Youth Choir, and Youth Usher Supervisors, Youth Lay Organization Leaders, Other Youth Group Leaders of the A.M.E. Local Church, Concerned Parents, Relatives and Interested Friends of Young People. FROM: Dr. Julma B. Crawford, Connectional Administrator, Connectional Chris- tain DMC, 1744 East 73rd Place, Chicago, IL 60649 (1-312-752-6199). The Connectional DMC Planning Committee is requesting your cooperation in the presentation of the Tenth Quadrennial Christian Debutante-Master Dedication Ceremony on Sunday July 10, 1988 at the seat of the 43rd General Conference of the A.M.E. Church. The location is Fort Worth, Texas and the hour is 5:00 P.M. : The purpose of this activity is to afford a Christian Church setting, whereby young ladies and gentlemen entering adulthood may be introduced to church society and dedicate their lives to continued and greater service for Christ. PARTICIPANTS AND FEES Group |: Debutantes, Exemplary unmarried young ladies between the ages of 17 (by December 1988) and 20. Their attire must be traditional long white formal gowns, white gloves, pearl button earrings, and a single strand white pearl necklace. Dresses must have the ‘‘covered look’’ (i.e., no plunging necklines, backless creations or ‘split’ skirts in front or back, and certainly no trains or head attire). Sponsors are re- quested to check their Debutantes to avoid problems. Debutantes do not need escorts because they enter the auditorium following the procession of the Masters. Each Debutante will have a floral bou- quet provided by our DMC Committee. Registration Fee: $85.00. In addition to the flowers, the fee includes all study materials, gifts, leather bound gold inscribed certificates, several meal functions and many extras. Group 2: Masters, Exemplary unmarried young men between the ages of 17 (by December 31, 1988) and 20. They are to wear white formal attire with cummerbunds (color choice to be decided upon) and matching bow ties. The Masters begin the ceremonial procession of honorees. They do not accompany the Debutantes. Registration Fee: $85.00. 1n addition to their boutonniere, study materials, leather bound gold inscribed cer- tificates and meal functions, they also receive a unique keepsake. Group 3; Subdebutantes: Exemplary young ladies between the ages of 15 (by July 10, 1988) and 16. Their attire is pastel colored dresses (no mini skirts and preferably no prints). Short white gloves should also be worn. Their corsages are supplied by the committee. They also receive unique leather bound certificates, meal functions, study materials and a special gift. Group 4: ; Exemplary young gentlemen between the ages of 15 (by July 10, 1988) and 16. Their attire is dark suits, white shirts and neckties. (No bow ties, please). Their boutonnieres are supplied by are a part of the Subdeb package. Registration Fee: $70 90. = - All of the above young people will march in the processional and have group par- ticipation on the program. Their songs, pageantry formations, tableaux and choral readings will be an inspiration to all who witness this moving demonstration for Christ. CHURCH ORGANIZATIONS Church organizations are encouraged to sponsor at least one young person in each category by helping to defray their expenses and putt an article of F in feature a picture and profile resume of each young person. BOOK LISTINGS (812"" x 11” pages) are: Poll Page... i. .056 $150.00 (Picture, glossy black & white—$10.00 extra) aE PORE iiss a0 55 Sas 85.00 (Picture, glossy black & white—$10.00 extra) Quarter Page........... 45.00 (Print only—no picture) Sponsor Listing......... 10.00 and up Please Note: No church listings only—or candidates seeking A.M.E. Offices. That material should be in the General Conference Souvenir Journal only, DUTIES OF CHURCH SPONSORS 1. Provide transportation and housing for your young people Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, 1988. 2. Check their processional attire for complete conformity with guidelines, 3 Encourage others to attend the ceremony, 5:00 P.M., Sunday, July 10, 1988 in Fort Worth, Texas. OPTIONAL ACTIVITY NUMBER ONE Last quadrenaium at the New Orleans General Dedication, a queen were crowned and monetary U. S. Savings Bonds presented to them. This is a fund raising feature provided only for the young people who wish to compete. Credit is given to them for all ads and sponsor listings sent in their names. Interested persons are invited to participate. The deadline date for all funds is May 4, 1988, Monies received after that date cannot be counted in the contest. OPTIONAL ACTIVITY NUMBER TWO—“Distinguished A.M.E, Ladiex and Gentlemen of the Bicentennial’ This is a processional category for adults who wish to help underwrite the cost of the Youth Reception which follows the ceremony, and the cost of a professional video taping of the entire program. They will escort the A.M.E. Episcopal etc.) to seats in a reserved section Identified by beautiful ribbon sashes (women) and boutonnieres (men), they will play an important role prior to the entrance of the honorees. More details on requext. ' Make ail inquiries in writing to; DMC Headquarters 1744 Bast 7ird Place Chicago, IL 60649 Make all checks payable ta: DMC-AME Church—and send to the above address. Dr, Julma 8, Crawford, tional Administrator, Debutante-Master Commission (DMO), 1744 East 73rd Place, Chicago, II. 60649 Mrs. Sally B. Coleman, 10th District, Director YPD-AMEC 2129 Avenue N, Galveston, TX 77580 : Mrs, lzean F, Davidson, 10th District Director of Christian Education 4809 Rolling Hills Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76119 For 6th District contact: Mrs. Estoria H Lae, 6th Enplacopal District Conbectional Dasicaicn StF , Post Office Box 19673, At 6 oss . Please help ws make this oecasion & grandeur “mountain Lop experience to be long remembered! _—— ===== DSC05516.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 Rev. James L. McIntyre As our General Church was taking great pride in celebrating its 200 years of Christendom, so was Bryant Chapel A.M.E. Church taking equal pride in reflecting on its founding and celebrating 100 years of serving the people in and around the Birmingham area. Bryant Chapel had humble begin- nings in 1887 and was located at three different sites before being erected under the pastorate of the late Rever- end J. Thomas Jamar at its present site, 3125 Spaulding Street, S.W., Bir- mingham, Alabama. Major strides and accomplishments were made under past ministries with its present pastor, Reverend James L. McIntyre, realizing even continuous achievements and greater service. Organization of the church for its Centennial Celebration was done very early in 1987, and the month of No- vember was designated as the time for a concentrated launch of programs celebrating our ancestry of the church, our present acknowledgments and our future opportunities. Thusly, Govern- or Guy Hunt proclaimed ‘‘the month of November, 1987, to be Bryant Cha- pel A.M.E. Church Month in Ala- bama’’ and set his signature and seal to the proclamation he issued on the first day of October, 1987. Committees met, teams organized and plans began to evolve. The entire membership was spirited to celebrate. From the general theme “One Hun- dred Years: A Commitment of Chris- tian Service’’ came various subthemes commensurate with the different fa- cets of programs, speakers or types of presentations to elucidate the themes. Each Sunday morning during the month of November, Reverend McIn- tyre conducted the eleven o’clock wor- ship hour, contemporizing his sermons with Biblical concepts and fundamen- tal principles. Each Sunday afternoon featured a differential segment of the theme. Each night during the week of November 16-19, a program was done by members of the boards/organiza- tions of the church. Marked by variety but with the same general focus, the members enthusiastically presented recognitions, memorials, discourses, skits, playlets and refreshments. The first Sunday afternoon Dr. Leroy Johnson, president of Miles College, gave the keynote address in which he historically out-lined the issues, course of action determined, resolvability attended upon in our church of the past; concluding with challenges, stimulations and our sum- mon to action in our second century. / The Honorable Richard Arrington, Jr., Mayor of the City, furthered the discourse the second Sunday after- noon with an in-depth depiction of “‘A Century of Politics: Progress and Fu- ture Challenges.’’ After projecting the role of the Black church in politics historically, Mayor Arrington explain- ed vividly the relationship of the pre- sent-day church to politics—strides made and future possibilities. There was a celebration of ‘‘A Cen- tury of Praise’? with An Evening in Songs/Musical Extravaganza presented the third Sunday afternoon by the Greater Bethel A.M.E. Allegro Choir of Nashville, Tennessee, accompanied here by its pastor, officers, members and Presiding Bishop families, Recollections of our ancestors’ en- treaties and days of reverent petitions were brought to mind through the Saturday morning ‘‘Old Fashion Cen- tennial Prayer Brunch’’ with local guests and The Prayer Band. Members dressed fashionably as our forefathers may have, and the Youth Adult Church purchased, prepared and serv- ed the breakfast. The weekly night programs ended on November 20 with the Centennial Banquet/Hall of Fame at the Hilton Hotel. ‘‘Retooling for our Second Century’’ was the theme. Special recognition was given to 34 members who have been in service at Bryant Chapel for 50 years or more. Special tributes were programmed for each honoree. A framed service certificate and a City of Birmingham Official Seal lapel pin, compliments of the Mayor’s office, were presented to each honoree by Reverend McIntyre. Additionally, the two members with the most years of service (63 years each) were presented yellow roses. We were hon- ored with the presence of Reverend J. F. Holmes, Presiding Elder, West Bir- mingham—Ensley District; Mrs. Holmes, and Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr. Presiding Elder Holmes presented to Pastor McIntyre the engraved pla- que with the names and dates of mem- bership for 34 honorees. This engraved plaque will be in constant display at the church. Presiding Elder Holmes congratulated not only the honorees but also the church for such a celebra- tion of recognitions. Bishop Reid gave some very inspirational and compli- mentary remarks before giving the benediction. Door prizes and center- piece auction were added attractions. The Centennial Celebration was brought to a dramatic climax the last Sunday in November by Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr., Presiding Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District, who sum- marized the theme in a perspective of historical past, influencing develop- ments, and historical present. His repeated call to the church for “‘What’s next?’’ was one focus of his message as he challenged and sum- moned the members to retool for sec- ond century progress and productivity through a more dynamic outreach pro- gram. Bryant Chapel is thankful for our Centennial Year, having become a stronger membership through its cele- bration. While much was accomplish- ed during the past 100 years, many challenges remain. It is with hope for the future and confidence in our ability to meet these challenges that we retool for our second century continuing a philosophy with a foundation in ser- vice. IF FOLK DID NOT CARRY GOSSIP IT WOULD GO SO FAR SDE —" BEARING THE CROSS: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference is the most comprehensive book ever written about King—a compelling personal narrative of the man who became the international symbol of the American civil rights movement. David J. Garrow explains the in- tensely emotional spiritual growth that King experienced as he found himself transformed from a twenty-six-year- old pastor of a modest church in Montgomery, Alabama, into the fore- most spokesman of the Black freedom struggle. He details King’s ambiva- lence about being cast in the role of leader and his realization that as he was drawn more deeply into the civil rights movement of the early 1960’s, control of his life was effectively being taken from him. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s mission and life were to be his fate, and his remarkable public role in the struggle against those three prin- cipal evils—discrimination, poverty, violence—meant not only giving his life to the movement, but giving it for the movement. Based on more than 700 recorded conversations, including interviews with all of King’s closest surviving as- sociates—among them Andrew Young, Jesse Jackson, Ralph Aber- nathy, and Coretta Scott King—as well as with dozens of his former col- leagues and a number of people who worked against him, this powerful ac- count is also enhanced by Garrow’s use of King’s personal papers, the ar- chives of dozens of organizations and individuals, and by tens of thousands of pages of newly released FBI docu- ments detailing the activities of King and his closest colleagues, including hundreds of wiretapped, transcribed phone conversations between King and his advisors. BEARING THE CROSS received the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for Biography in addition to the Seventh Annual Robert Kennedy Book Award. About The Author: David J. Garrow is a graduate of Wesleyan University and received his M.A. and Ph.D. from Duke Universi- ty. He has held appointments at Duke, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and the Institute for Ad- vanced Study at Princeton. He is pres- ently professor of political science at the City College of New York (CCNY) and the City University Graduate Center. He was senior advisor to the PBS TV documentary history of the American civil rights movement, Eyes on the Prize and is the author of the highly acclaimed The FBI and Martin Luther King, Jr.: From Solo to Mem- Dhis as well as the prize winning Protest at Selma: Martin Luther King Jr., and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. We are clever individuals, practiced at the art of self-deception when it is too painful to face or own inner truths. —A. Lee Henderson ===== DSC05517.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Annual Conferences Schedules FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17, 1988 WMS Conference May 18-22, 1988 Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church Baltimore Ave. at 50th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143 The Rev. J. D. Patterson, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 476-5340/747-0881 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 472-5905 The Rev. A. McNeil White, Host P.E. SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-27, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 200 Regan Street Greensboro, NC 27401 The Rev. M. T. Wilson, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (919) 273-5268 Pastor’s Telephone: (919) 852-0731 SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 16-18, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church Druid Hill & Lanvale Streets Baltimore, MD 21217 The Rev. John R. Bryant, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (301) 523-3273 Pastor’s Telephone: (301) 542-2902 SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP F. H. TALBOT MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 25-29, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Milledgeville, GA The Rev. C. H. Boddy, Host Pastor The Rev. William Carter, Host P.E. ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. FOURTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP S. S. MORRIS CANADIAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE ‘ August 11, 1988 WMS Conference August 12-14, 1988 Tanner A.M.E. Church 727 McDougall Street Windsor, Ontario, Canada ‘ Pastor's Phone; (517) 752-0474 The Rev. McKinley F. Tyler, Hast Pastor The Rev, Lloyd O. Jenkins, Host P.E. INDIANA ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 16-17, 1988 WMS Conference August 18-21, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 200 South 6th Street Richmond, IN 47373 Church Phone: (317) 962-7241 Pastor's Phone: (317) 962-6763 The Rev. Larry J. Bell, Host Pastor The Rev. William S. Nelson, Host P.E. The Rev. Handley A. Hickey, Assoc. P.E. ILLINOIS ANNUAL CONFERENCE August 30-31, 1988 WMS Conference September 1-4, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church 1130 South 16th Street Springfield, IL 62703 Church Phone: (217) 522-4769 Pastor’s Phone: (217) 529-4053 The Rev. J. S. Benn III, Host Pastor The Rey. Ivan J. Johnson, Host P.E. The Rev. Richard D. Smith, Assoc. P.E. MICHIGAN ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 6-7, 1988 WMS Conference September 8-11, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 505 Beechwood Street River Rouge, MI 48218 Church Phone: (313) 386-2288 Pastor’s Phone: (313) 861-0281 The Rev. Armistice R. Polk, Host Pastor The Rev. Martin L. Simmons, Host P.E. The Rev. J. Allen Parker, Assoc. P.E. CHICAGO ANNUAL CONFERENCE September 20-21, 1988 WMS Conference September 22-25, 1988 St. John A.M.E. Church 142 South Fourth Street Aurora, IL 60505 Church Phone: (312) 898-5333 Pastor’s Phone: (312) 896-0696 The Rev. Jesse Hawkins, Host Pastor The Rev. W. D. Davis, Jr., Host P.E. The Rev. Roy L. Miller, Assoc. P.E. The Rev. David C. Coleman, Assoc. P.E. PLANNING COUNCIL October 14-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 414 West Vermont Street Indianapolis, IN 46204 Church Phone: (317) 634-7002 Pastor’s Phone: (317) 2514777 The Rev. W. W. Reid, Sr., Host Pastor Attend Annual Conference Dr. R. J. King 9th District Dr. Robert Phillips 4th District Dr. A. D. Tyson Ist District 4 Dr. G. E. West 12th District Dr. Thomas Brown 8th District Dr. G. L. Champion 14th District F a Dr. D. C. Coleman 4th District Dr. John H. Gillison 7th District Dr. R. J. Hampton 12th District a) Rev. Louise Harris 3rd District Dr. Ira Hinson 11th District Dr. U. H. Hughey 3rd District Dr. Robert Keesee 13th District Rev. Elizabeth Scott 3rd District Dr. Jno. Walker 10th District Dr. Preston Williams 6th District Dr. John R. Bryant 2nd District | Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle General Officer Rey. Albert Dunn 10th District Dr. Z. L. Grady 8th District Dr. David F. Harris 10th District Dr. C. G. Henning Sth District Rev. Carrie Hooper Ist District Dr. Lovell Johnson 4th District Dr. E. E. McAshan Ist District Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. 4th District Dr. Robert Webster 11th District Dr. McKinley Young 6th District ===== DSC05518.JPG ===== hn The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 VA Budget Request for Fiscal Year 1989 Totals $30.1 Billion The Veterans Administration’s bud- get for fiscal year 1989 asks for $30.1 billion in new budget authority to fund medical, compensation, and other pro- grams for the nation’s 27.5 million vet- erans, eligible members of their fam- ilies, and survivors of deceased vet- erans. Included in the total is an appropria- tion request for $27.9 billion, a net amount of $1.5 billion related to pro- posed legislation and $694 million in permanent authorizations and offset- ting receipts. The appropriations re- quest is an increase of $865 million over funds appropriated for fiscal year 1988. Noting that the President’s budget is in compliance with the bipartisan bud- get agreement, VA Administrator Thomas K. Turnage said, ‘‘the VA’s share will allow us to provide full ben- efits to those eligible as well as quality medical care to America’s disabled and needy veterans in keeping with one of this Administration’s highest priorities.”’ The $27.9 billion appropriations re- quest provides $16 billion for benefits programs, $10.6 billion for medical care and $501 million for construction. Total Agency full-time equivalent em- ployment is expected to be 219,830, down 2,439 from that currently esti- mated for 1988 as productivity is in- creased, in part, through the introduc- tion of new technology. Proposed legislation includes $361 million to fund a 4.2 percent compen- sation cost-of-living increase, $19 mil- lion for an increase in per diem rates for the State Home Program, and $5 million to provide tuition reimburse- ment for nursing personnel taking nursing degree-related courses. Also included under proposed legislation, as part of the Administration’s Credit Reform proposals, is an appropriation request of $1.3 billion which is an esti- mate of the subsidy value of VA home loan guarantees expected to be made in 1989. Veterans’ Benefits VA’s $10.7 billion request, under existing law, for compensation pay- ments is based on estimates that 2.2 million veterans with service-connect- ed disabilities will remain eligible for monthly payments, along with 323,000 survivors of veterans who died of serv- ice-connected causes, This funding re- flects the full year impact of the 4.2 percent compensation rate increase provided all recipients effective December 1, 1987. Another 4.2 per- cent increase in compensation pay- ments proposed to be effective De- cember 1, 1988, would bring the total to $11.1 billion. Legislation will be reintroduced to index compensation payments to the annual change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) to guarantee a full and timely cost-of-living adjustment to compensation beneficiaries, protecting them from the erosion of their benefits by inflation and the uncertainties of annually legislated COLAs. The budget requests $3.9 billion to provide pension payments, based on financial need, to 597,000 permanently and totally disabled wartime veterans and 564,000 survivors of wartime vet- erans. The funds include the 4.2 per- cent cost-of-living increase provided to Improved Law recipients in December 1987 and an estimated 4.2 percent in- crease to be effective in December 1988. These COLAs are based on the actual change in the CPI and are auto- matically applied at the time Social Security payments are raised. An appropriation of $598 million is requested for readjustment benefits for veterans education and training programs. It is estimated that due to fewer veterans having eligibility under old GI Bills, obligations for these older education programs will decrease by nearly $98 million in 1989. How- ever, this decrease is more than offset by two increases. Funding for the basic benefits of the Montgomery GI Bill, also included in this appropriation re- quest, would increase by $35.5 million to $55.9 million. In addition to these funds, $203 million, an increase of almost $71 million, would be trans- ferred from the Department of De- fense to provide supplemental educa- tion benefits to 41,500 veterans and 185,300 reservists training under the Montgomery GI Bill. A request for $658 million is includ- ed to support operations of the Home Loan Guaranty Revolving Fund, to be reduced by $246 million when the Ad- ministration’s proposed Credit Re- form is implemented. The VA also proposes to sell $561 million in port- folio loans and nearly $780 million in current vendee loans, without re- course. Legislation again is being proposed to allow veterans to negotiate the interest rate on VA-guaranteed mortgages, providing maximum flexibility to vet- erans to structure the financing of their home purchases. It is projected that 232,600 loans worth a total of $17.9 billion will be guaranteed in 1989. Medical Care The budget will allow the VA to provide quality health care to an esti- mated 1.2 million inpatients treated and for an estimated 23.1 million out- patient treatments. The VA’s nation- wide medical care system includes 172 hospitals, 235 outpatient clinics, 126 nursing homes and 27 domiciliaries. The VA is requesting $10.3 billion for direct medical care, an increase of $208 million over the fiscal year 1988, with an average employment level of 192,358 in the health care system. The budget provides for the effects of expected inflation, for the funding and staffing requirements associated with opening new facilities, for in- creased payroll costs, and for several new and expanded initiatives. The in- itiatives involve areas such as the De- centralized Hospital Computer Pro- gram (DHCP); redesign of the VA’s personnel accounting and information system called PAID, initiation of an Integrated Supply Management Sys- tem (ISMS); enhancement of the Med- ical District Initiated Peer Review Organization (MEDIPRO), and in- creased funding support for the state King Commemorative Poster to Feature Withers Photographs Five historic photographs of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., taken by well- known Black photojournalist Ernest Withers, Sr., of Memphis, Tennessee will be featured on a commemorative poster. The poster will be released to commemorate the twentieth anniver- sary of the death of Dr. King and the struggles of the Civil Rights Move- ment. The poster’s theme is ‘‘Lest We Forget... The Movement..The Man. te The poster was developed by the Civil Rights Research and Documenta- tion Project of the Afro-American Studies Program at The University of Mississippi. According to Dr. Ronald Bailey, program director, ‘‘this poster is a reminder of the important con- tributions of the Civil Rights Move- ment and the role played by Dr. Bailey added that the poster also highlights ‘‘the unheralded work of Mr. Withers in documenting the move- ment for the benefit and enlightment of many generations to come. These pictures are important texts for the , study of Black history and the history of the United States.” Five photographs are featured on the poster. They portray Dr. King tak- ing a ride with Rev. Abernathy after the desegregation of Montgomery, Alabama, city busses in 1956 and ad- dressing a Senatobia, Mississippi, rally after an assassination attempt against James Meredith in 1966. King is also pictured in 1968 speaking at Mason Temple rally in Memphis and march- ing with striking AFSCME sanitation workers. A photo of the mass march escorting Dr. King’s body during funeral services in Atlanta is also in- cluded. Bailey said the photograph of the funeral march shows Reverend Jesse Jackson carrying a flag at the forefront of the march. ‘‘Jesse Jackson’s cam- paign for the Presidency of the United States is a direct outgrowth of the ad- vances of the mass struggles of the Civil Rights movement,’’ he added. “This photograph, like many in Mr. Wither’s collection, represents links between the past, the present and the future.”’ The two-color poster, which measures 22 inches by 34 inches, is be- ing distributed by Heritage Posters, P.O. Box 1668, Oxford, MS 38655. According to Dr. Bailey, most of the proceeds from the sale of the poster will be used for educational projects, including preserving Mr. Withers’ collection and documenting other important events of the period. Born in Memphis in 1922, Mr. Withers picked up his camera at the age of fourteen or so. His photographs have since appeared in Time, Newsweek, Ebony, People, Jet, New York Times, Washington Post, and many Black newspapers, and in such video productions as ‘‘Eyes on the Prize.’’ In 1968, he received an award from the National News Association for the ‘‘Best Photograph of the Year.’’ In addition, his work has ap- peared in numerous exhibits and books. Mr. Withers operates a photography studio in Memphis, Ten- nessee. G2 «OHO? ALON? “AOHO? Don’t Give a Piece of Your ‘ Mind Unless ; You Have Reserves! Ou” AON” “OHO”* and community pursing homes pro- grams, The budget also includes funding, to be formally requested when authoriz- ing legislation is enacted, that would: (a) increase per diem rates paid by the VA for the care of veterans in state veterans homes by 22.9 percent and, (b) fund a program of tuition reim- bursement for VA nurses in degree- related programs. Medical and prosthetic research would be funded at $204.2 million, an increase of $11.3 million over 1988. The funding will support research pro- grams for important areas, such as AIDS, Agent Orange, aging, health of former prisoners of war, women vet- erans, alcoholism, spinal cord injury, preventive health activities, pros- thetics/amputations, and Post Trau- matic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Construction The 1989 budget requests $367.8 million for major construction pro- jects, $123.9 million for minor projects and $9 million for the Parking Garage Revolving Fund. Among the major medical construc- tion projects are $63.2 million for a clinical addition and parking garage at the Atlanta, GA, VA medical center, and $52 million for a replacement fa- cility at the Pittsburgh (Aspinwall Di- vision) VA medical center. Design funds are requested for clinical im- provements and a mental health and behavioral sciences center at the Indi- anapolis VA medical center ($8.4 mil- lion), and modernization of the New- ington, CT, VA medical center ($5.3 million). A replacement 600-bed domiciliary at the Mountain Home, TN, VA med- ical center ($32 million), and a 120-bed nursing home care unit at the Tampa VA medical center ($6.7 million), are also included. Clinical improvements are planned at the VA medical centers in Beckley, WV ($15.7 million), Nash- ville, TN ($42 million) and Pery Point, MD ($12.2 million). A 30-bed spinal cord injury unit will be built at the San Antonio, TX, VA medical center ($8 million). Funding is also included for grave- site development at the Calverton Na- tional Cemetery on Long Island, NY ($12.5 million), and the relocation of the VA Regional Office in Montgom- ery, AL, to the VA medical center grounds ($6.6 million). Under the Grants for Construction of State Extended Care Facilities ap- propriation, $42 million has been re- quested to provide for 732 new nursing home beds, 22 domiciliary beds and nine nursing home renovation pro- jects. General Operating Expense The General Operating Expenses ap- propriation request is for $771.3 mil- lion and 17,494 full-time equivalent employees. This funding would sup- port 12,308 full-time equivalent em- ployees in the Department of Veterans Benefits (DVB), 1,203 in the Depart- ment of Memorial Affairs, and 3,983 in the staff offices. These levels will allow VA to continue to provide qual- ity services in a timely manner. Also requested under this heading is $9 million to revitalize the program of grants for the construction of state vet- erans cemeteries. DVB will begin a Loan Guaranty Property Management Pilot Project to evaluate the feasibility and cost-effec- tiveness of contracting out the acquisi- tion, management and resale of the Please turn to page 13 ===== DSC05522.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Connectional WMS President Williams OK with Okies by Hortense McCullough Oklahoma City, OK — Mrs. Delores L. K. Williams, WMS Connectional President, was greeted at the Will Ro- gers World Airport with all the pomp and circumstances befitting her office. She responded with the sincere warmth and goodwill that touched everyone who was fortunate enough to be in her presence, at any time during her week- end visit as guest of the Lucy M. Hughes Missionary Society of First A.M.E. Church of Oklahoma City where Crystle Gabriel is local WMS President and Rev. Charles T. Carring- ton is pastor. Mrs. Williams seemed genuinely im- pressed as she disembarked and Ger- trude Newsome, chairperson of the event, dubbed her Honorary Mayor presenting her with the certificate sign- ed by Mayor Ron T. Norick of Okla- homa City and presented her with a cowboy hat and bandana, true sym- bols of the great state of Oklahoma. Representatives of local Missionary Societies in the Twelfth Episcopal Dis- trict greeted her with blazons of blue and white slogans while local YPD’ers, all dressed in green and white, wel- comed her with flowers and banners that they themselves had made. Donning their glittering finery and Sunday best, a host of Officers, Pastors, Laymen, and friends of the A.M.E. Church came from far and near to meet and greet Mrs. Williams at the Get-Acquainted affair held in her honor in the beautifully decorated Stars Room of the Lincoln Plaza Hotel. Among those to greet Mrs. Williams at this gala affair was Mrs. Flossie Walker, Episcopal Supervisor of the 12th District. Accompanying Mrs. Walker from Arkansas was an entourage of WMS ladies among whom was Mrs. Phyllis Lamb, the 12th District WMS Episcopal Presi- dent, who in celebration of Mrs. Williams’ recent birthday presented her with an autographable stuffed animal that all Missionary Women in attendance signed before the evening ended. A gift in the name of the Y.P.D. was presented by Mrs. Cordelia Bennett, Y.P.D. Director of the 12th District as well as presentations made by Confer- ences throughout the District. Thank- ing God and all her benefactors, Mrs. Williams graciously accepted the momentos of her visit and appealed to the animated audience to ‘‘make the difference that makes a difference’ by also giving, praying and working to ease the burdens of the less fortunate. The evening activities were punctuated with a delicious dinner, warm fellowship, beautiful music provided by Cory Gibson, an Episcopal Y.P.D. Officer, and his guest soloist, Miss Liz Vaughn, and it ended with a showing of fashionable spring attire with Gloria Hall, chairperson of area II of the Oklahoma Conference, serving as commentator. Cherri Brown, First Vice-President of the Lucy M. Hughes Missionary Society said, ‘‘We wanted to make Mrs. Williams’ first visit to Oklahoma City one that would show her how much we love and appreciate her and one that she could always remember as a heartwarming experi- ence with people of Oklahoma. State House Representative Freddye Williams best summed up the welcome that President Crystal Gabriel and all other members of Lucy M. Hughes Society wanted to convey. In her opening resolution at this Satur- day evening social event, Represen- tative Williams, borrowing from poet ; , el § go. Heading the line to congratulate Mrs. Williams after the morni ices i I y : i rning services is Mrs. Grace Carr- ington, First lady of First A.M.E. Church. On the platform with Mrs. Williams is Mrs. Flossie Walker, 12th Episcopal District Supervisor. i FIRST A.M.E. Oklahoma YPD’ers greet Mrs. Williams at Will Rogers World Airport. Arthur Chapman, resolved: We welcome you to Oklahoma, One of the youngest of the fifty states. Out where the skies are a little bit bluer, Out where the hearts are a little bit truer, Where the more the laughter And the less the sighing, And a man makes friends without half the trying. That’s where the west begun. Land of teepees, Land of towers, Black Gold, Wheat and Chattel; But most of all, A land of beautiful people. The beautiful First Lady of Mission responded in kind. On Delores Williams Truly a woman of God has passed our way and left in her wake a clear direction that maps out the purpose of mission for all women missionaries and all of God’s people. This seems to be the prevailing impression left by Mrs. Delores L. K. Williams, Coin- nectional President of the Women’s Missionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church on the hundreds who met her in Oklahoma City January 30th and 31st. Mrs. Williams was the guest of the Lucy M. Hughes Missionary Society of the First A.M.E. Church of Oklahoma City where Crystal Gabriel is WMS President and Reverend Charles T. Carrington is pastor. The first Connectional WMS Presi- dent ever to honor a local society in the Twelfth Episcopal District, Mrs. Williams took on the supreme mission of bringing God’s message to remind all Christians what quality of mission work would make a difference. “(Make a difference that makes a difference’? was the challenge of her brief message that highlighted the gala get-acquainted dinner given in her honor Saturday evening. ‘‘Even at an affair such as this, imagine how many hungry people we might have fed had we each brought just one can,’’ was just one example of several of her practical suggestions for immediate implementation of this mission. She suggested that many A.M.E. Church gatherings should double as an op- portunity to feed the hungry, clothe the children of unwed mothers, help provide warmth and shelter for the homeless. Her reminder to her listen- ers was that God could use whatever talents and services they had, and she appealed to them to sign up for prayer bands that she is in the process of organizing. She challenged them to go out into the field wherever there is a need whether it be in Africa or Mis- sissippi. Mrs. Williams’ message of mission was continued as she addressed the congregation at the First A.M.E. Church Sunday Morning Worship Ser- vice. Mrs. Grace Carrington, the first lady of First A.M.E. Church in- troduced Mrs. Williams as ‘‘One who communicates and promotes Christian ideals; one who is applauded in Ameri- ca as a spiritual leader; a beacon light of leadership for the Women’s Mis- sionary Society.’’ Such an apt de- scription of this First Lady of Mission became apparent to all who heard her as she eloquently expanded on her message that appealed for mission that makes a difference. In her message, “‘We are empowered by Christ for Change in Jesus’ Name,’’ Mrs. Wil- liams pronounced that the love we have for one another must take a rather concrete form such as clothing the naked, feeding the hungry, visiting the imprisoned, and setting free the downtrodden. We must listen and hear, in a sobbing world, the voices of depression. We must avoid indif- ference, an attitude that she believes is the opposite of love and one that shows a lack of concern for others as long as all is right with us. We must not lose sight of the inherent worth of all souls. If we are to be empowered, we must create a more just and pas- sionate society. We are empowered to do the work of justice by working to change the system. Change cannot come about if we conduct business as usual. We must pray, ‘‘Here am I, Lord, send me.”’ Thus was the message Mrs. Wil- liams ended, ringing in the ears of the Twelfth Episcopal District. It was a challenge for all to heed. Continued from page 8 Robert V. Webster Hosts Bishop Senatle concept of missions, administrative skills, love for people and belief in the principles upon which the A.M.E, Church was founded, possesses those attibutes that qualify him to serve as a Bishop in our great Zion. We, there- fore, most respectfully request of the Church, to elect Robert V. Webster, with his ecclesiastical insight, Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in July 1988, Ft. Worth, TX. Candidate Webster agrees with Bishop Senatle that since we are a Connectional Church, every link of the Denominational Chain must connect wherever A.M.E.’s reside. Dr. Beatrice Finn, Professor Florida Community College Jacksonville, Florida Continued from page 12 VA Budget Request VA’s property inventory. Also included are the continuation of the automated Personnel and Inte- grated Date (PAID) redesign project, the financial management system pro- ject (FMS), and the conversion from the existing telecommunications net- work to the new Integrated Data Com- munications Utility (IDCU). Rev. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. B.S., M. DIV. For Cecil W. Howard IS The Choice For General Secretary EEE ===== DSC05523.JPG ===== 14 The AME Christian Recorder Tennessee Student Really Appreciates All Mom Does Seeing everything that her mom does gave ll-year-old Stephanie Bister of Nashville, Tenn., the idea of a winning Mother’s Day card. Stephanie has been named the Tennessee State win- ner in the sixth annual Kentucky Fried Chicken/Good Housekeeping ‘‘All- American Salute to Mothers’’ national Mother’s Day greeting card contest, Her card was selected from more than half a million entries for its design, concept and originality. Stephanie, a sixth grader at David Lipscomb Middle School, says she no- ticed all the things her mom does for her, then drew her award-winning card. Since Stephanie’s mother is a social worker, Stephanie depicted an office and wrote these words on the front of her card, ‘‘I see you in the morning go- ing out the door, I see you in the office typing up a storm.”’ Inside, she wrote, s . I see how much you love me in everything you do, I hope you know that I love you too!’’ In addition to drawing and writing, Stephanie enjoys playing first base on her city league baseball team, To honor the state winner, Ken- tucky Fried Chicken will award Ste- phanie a Commodore C64 home com. puter with disk drive and a special cer- tificate of merit. Stephanie’s card will be displayed in a special exhibit in the lobby of the Empire State Building in New York City from May 2 through May 13, 1988. The exhibit will also include the other 50 winners’ card (one from each state plus the District of Columbia). Fourth, fifth, and sixth grade teach- ers in the nation’s 68,000 public, private, and parochial schools received free educational lesson plans designed to teach children about creative ex- pression as they enjoy making their own Mother’s Day cards. More than 500,000 students participated in the contest this year. . -And The Beat Goes On’’ “Tribute to Black Women Today” Charleston, WV—Allen Chapel Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church, un- der the leadership of their new pastor, the Reverend Vance L. Milligan, sponsored the Charleston area’s First Annual Black History Banquet. The affair was held at the Wilson Student Union on the campus of West Virginia State College, under the theme ‘‘Tribute to Black Women Today.”’ The purpose of the banquet was to recognize the successes and achievements of Black Wonitr o# the present. Critieria for selecting reci- pients included their outstanding con- tribution(s) in some area(s) to the community. Keynote speaker for the occasion was Mary Snow, principal of Glenwood Elementary School and the first Black principal in West Virginia public education. Receiving Brotherhood awards were Mrs. Josephine Rayford, retired educator, for excellence in civic service and education; Mrs. Ethel Caffie- Austin, director and educator for ex- cellence in musical contributions to the community; Ms. Nellie Walker, Assistant Director Registration and Admission, West Virginia State Col- lege, for excellence in civic and philan- thropic service; and Mr. Gaston Caperton, founder and owner of Caperton Insurance and WV Democratic candidate for Governor, for excellence in civic and philan- thropic contributions to the communi- ty. Others recognized for their valuable services to the community were Ms. Patricia Petty, Mrs. Ruth Norman, Mrs. Mary Snow, Mrs. Gloria Stewart, Mrs. Regina Lipscomb, Mrs. Nancy Starks, and Mr. and Mrs. William and Annor Berkley. Black women, obscure and famous, have always been at the forefront of the struggle to obtain equality and freedom. When the annals of history are written, reflected will be the tears, the heartaches, the agonies, the ecstasies and the glories of all Black women. Until then, the march must continue until the beat is made steady for all. — Re-Elect — May 16, 1988 Pacific Southwest Conference on world Christian Mission holds Conference Seventy-five years ago hardy pio- neers of the mission movement pitched their tents on the sand dunes at the site now known as Asilomar Conference grounds and held the first of what has evolved into a long series of World Mission Conferences, Those are the in- troductory words to the summer con- ference brochure for the Pacific Southwest Conference on World Christian Mission. The special anniversary emphasis will give an overview of the changing patterns of missionary thought and ac- tivity during the last 75 years with vig- nettes of people who have attended the Conference at Asilomar—special mu- sic— vespers on the dunes—celebra- tive occasions. Of prime importance will be the em- phasis on the two ecumenical study themes for 1988-89—‘‘South Africa’ and ‘‘Face of Poverty in Our Midst.’’ Continuing PSCWCM’s tradition of bringing speakers from the area of the world being studied, Dean Pattie Stern announces that the Keynote Speaker for South Africa will be the Rev. Nka- tazo Ernest Baartman, Regional Su- perintendent of the Methodist Church in South Africa. Another South Afri- can, Dr. Bonganjalo Goba will also be on the faculty. Dr. Goba is the Assis- tant Professor of Theology and Ethics, Chicago Theological Seminary and pri- or to that he served a United Congre- gational church in Soweto. In an interview format, the Rev. Gene Boutilier will acquaint the con- ferees with several persons who from firsthand experience will share what poverty can do to people and some of the ways that changing systems will help. Boutilier is the Director of the Planning Department of the United Way in Los Angeles. The Rev. Harland Hogue will be the Conference Preacher. Professor Emeritus of Church History at the Pacific School of Religion, Dr. Hogue has authored many books and articles and will bring personal experience to this 75th anniversary year Conference. Cynthia Felder-Wilson, Director of Music, Grace United Methodist Church, Arlington, Texas will be the Music Director. She is a professional performer, skilled in leading music, and was the Music Leader for the 1986 United Methodist Women’s Assembly in Anaheim, CA. She holds a Masters of Sacred Music from Perkins School of Theology and served on the com- mittee which prepared The Songs of Zion. Programs for children, intermedi- ates and youth will be provided, as well as child care for toddlers and infants. Insight Seminars related to the study themes are planned and a Continuing Education course will be led by the Rev. William Creevey, Sustaining a Prophetic Ministry in the Local Congre- gations. Creevey is Pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, Portland, OR. The work at the Sunday School Union speaks for itself. Not only does it speak, but it screams. Re-Elect DR. A. LEE HENDERSON en 2 sagt in Methodist Episcopal Dr. Joseph L. Joiner Pension Department ‘(4 Faithful Servant’’ _ FAMILY BANQUET — aN July 5, 1988 — 7:00 P.M Perea County Convention ‘Center: 1111 Houston Street _ Ft. Worth, Tans ELECT Z. L. GRADY The Record Shows That HE IS ASERVANT PREACHER Ready For Service As Bishop In The Third Century Please plan to stena this Seton: feature. We're ooking forward to seeing you. Reservations are already being made. Tickets are in the® eres of each Episcopal District Bret, Ticket donation $50.00. Mrs. Izean F. Davidson, Chatejarsel 4509 Rolling Hills Dr., Ft. Worth, Texas 76119 Reverend W. D. Turner, Co-Chairperson Mrs. Nancy P. Stokes, Advisor The Right Reverend R. E. Stokes, Bishop Tenth Episcopal District ELECT ===== DSC05524.JPG ===== May 16, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder = an The Woman Beside the Man Mrs. R. J. King Meet the Ninth Episcopal District’s candidate’s wife! Time is running out and, almost before we know it, all members of the African Methodist Episcopal Church will be heading to- ward Texas—by plane, auto, train, boat...in fact, by any type of transpor- tation available—just so they can reach the seat of the General Confer- ence, especially, in time for passing legislation and for the election of offi- cers—and bishops, in particular. The Ninth Episcopal District has eyes on one individual to make it on the first ballot. That individual is the Reverend R. J. King, the esteemed pastor of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Birmingham, Alabama. Why does Alabama feel that their attention should be focused on “the Kings?” Well, members of the A.M.E. Church around and across the connection know “R. J.” very well. They know his qualifications as a well-trained minister. They know his friendly atti- tude. They know that as a minister he can set one’s soul on fire as he preaches the Word. With all of his attributes, however, Alabama is well aware of the old, true saying, “Behind every great man there is a woman.” Alabama wants the connection to know that the Reverend R. J. King has that type of woman as his spouse, help-mate, wife, friend, mother, loved one, in the person of Jerry Hooks King. Jerry is ready to assume her duties as the supervisor of any episcopal dis- trict in this great Church of Allen. Her educational background is of the type which has prepared her to “teach the word” in any type of workshop or mission meeting, as well as hold tutor- ing classes. Her background is one of spiritual training. The first child of three to Mr. and Mrs. Elna Thon Hooks, in Lauderdale, Mississippi, Jerry attended the public school system of Bessemer, Alabama. She re- ceived her baccalaureate degree from Daniel Payne College at Birmingham, Alabama, with further study at Tuske- gee Institute (University). She has also studied at Alabama State University, Samford University and the Univer- sity of Alabama in Birmingham. Jerry has taught in the Birmingham City Schools System at the Huffman Middle School, being one of the first chosen to teach in the integrated schools at the very beginning of inte- gration, and has continued until the present. Mrs. King’s activities in the field of religion have been many and varied. From early childhood, she could be found serving as youth delegate to Sunday School Conventions and Episcopal District Leadership Train- ing Institutes. As an adult, she was in- volved, serving as an area chairman- director of the East Alabama Confer- ence YPD, chairman of Committee on Overseas Mission, West Alabama Chairman of the Handy Simmons Scholarship Committee, Historiogra- pher-Statistician of the Ninth Episcopal District and, presently as chairman of the Episcopal District Nominating Committee of the Women’s Missionary Society, as well as participation in the Birmingham- Florence District’s program for chil- dren-under-twelve during the conven- tions. She is a member of the A.M.E. Min- isters’ Wives Council of Birmingham, the National Education Association, Birmingham Education Association, Church Women United and the Alpha Sigma Zeta Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority. She has served as First Lady at Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church, Fairfield; St. John A.M.E. Church, Birmingham, and, presently, at the St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Birmingham. Her interest in Missions has found her active in the local Missionary Society, as well as in conference and area groups. Her husband declares her a “good wife.” One writer has said, “A good wife is Heaven’s last, best gift to man— his gem of many virtues; his casket of many jewels...her industry his surest wealth, her economy his safest steward, her lips his faithful counsel- lor, her bosom the softest pillow of his cares,” thus says Jeremy Taylor. Surely, he must have known Jerry King as a wife today. Jerry has displayed her love, loyalty and faithfulness to her parents by her endeavors to make the days of her Please turn to page 16 MINISTER pees ONS xs CNG ex Hercules Miles The Best Man For The Job Is On The Job — Re-Elect — fokL XL XE KE For The Church Extension Department Zo? Sp ecial Announcement — The Cc Ba Church Will Pay A Grand Tribute to Ezra M. Juhnson With Love June 3, 1988 — 7:30 P.M. BETHEL A.M.E. CHURCH Little Rock, Arkansas Your Contributions For A Truly Noble Sere Of The Church Should Be Sent To THE TREASURER’S OFFICE c/o Dr. Joseph C. McKinney 2311 ‘‘M’’ Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20037 Make Your Hotel Reservations Through The Host Bishop’s Office (501) 375-4310 Bishop C. E. Thomas, Chr., Minimum Salary Bishop Frank M. Reid, Chr., General Board Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Host Dr. Joseph C. McKinney, Pres., General Officers Council Outstanding Black Sermons OUTSTANDING OUTSTANDING Volume 5 lems. B640....... teens ne 84.95 by J. Alfred Smith, Sr. Sequel of Best Black Ser- mons. Thirteen selected ser- mons representing some of the finest preaching written in the Black church. Outstanding Black Sermons— Volume 2 edited by Walter B. Hoard A new collection of sixteen sermons by outstanding preachers from the Black Christian community. Each example of fine preaching skills demonstrates the social relevance of the Gos- pel interwoven with a sen- BLACK SERMONS sitive awareness of the Black Votume 2 experience. Outstanding Black Sermons Volume 3 by Milton E. Owens, Jr., editor The relevance of faith to Black Christians who are seeking deeper meaning for their lives in a decade cloud- ed by an insecure future is the theme interwoven into nine powerful sermons by ee prominent preachers of the BLACK SERMONS Black religious community. The sensitive interpretations of Scripture as the passages relate to the present struggle for equality and individual dignity underscore Jesus’ compassion for every person faced with difficult prob- Best Black Sermons © by William M. Philpot, editor These sermons typify the best preaching that is done in Black churches today. Each sermon has been chosen be- cause of excellent homileti- cal form and accuracy in de- picting Black experience. WMP-111.......... $4.95 Paul’s Message of Freedom: What Does it Mean to the Black Church? Be eae by Amos Jones, Jr. BS oe Dr. Jones challenges Black Christians oe in prac- tical ways Paul’s concepts to the spiritual and economic MESSAGE problems that beset Blacks (1°) 9am in today’s church to free BgUABwe UE itself from dependence upon : oe others and ‘put itself and its ue oe el money to work for the liberation of its Ses that it can com- Leeradiicdces mand the respect of those in- ‘i side the Black community as AJJ-3001........-- $12.95 Redeption in Black Olin Moyd considers re- demption the vital core of Black theology. He de- scribes his view of redemp- tion as the need not only to be ‘‘delivered from some- thing,’ but also the need to be ‘‘accepted into some- . OPM-2626.........- $8.95 Please add 13% postage and handling. S SPECIAL to the ===== DSC05525.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder May 16, 1988 Black Population Has Grown By 11 Percent Since 1980, Census Bureau Says The nation’s Black population grew by 3.1 million or 11 percent from 1980 to 1987, according to the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau. The bureau's latest annual popula- tion estimates by age, sex, and race in- dicate that Blacks totaled 29.9 million in 1987 compared with 26.8 million in the 1980 census. Only 19 percent of the growth was from immigration. The Black population has been growing faster than the total popula- tion and its proportion of the total rose from 11.8 percent in 1980 to 12.2 in 1987. The report shows the White popula- tion grew from 195.1 million to 206.2 million during the period, an increase of 6 percent. Most of the gain also came from natural increase. Here are other findings from the report for 1987: e@ The Black population’s median age was 27.2 years compared with 33.0 years for Whites. The six-year dif- ference has remained fairly constant since the 1970s, e Black females outnumbered Black males 15.7 million to 14.2 million, Males outnumbered females only through age 18. e White females totaled 105.3 million compared with 100.9 million White males, Copies of United States Population Estimates by Age, Sex, and Race: 1980 to 1987, Series P-25, No. 1022, are available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Prin- ting Office, Washington, D.C. 20402. a Plan Now *y Ne To ¢ Attend The General Conference, July 1988 In Fort Worth, Texas THREE TERM VETERAN OF GENERAL CONFERENCES Patterson Seeks Treasurer Position Enancial Secretary) in A.M.E. Church Mr. T. J. Patterson A veteran of three General Confer- ences of the African Methodist Episco- pal Church, T. J. Patterson announc- ed his intentions to seek the Office of Treasurer (Financial Secretary) to members of Bethel African Methodist Church, Lubbock, Texas, recently. “This is an opportunity which must be addressed by me at this time; and I shall work hard and apply myself, as I do what is required to win such a posi- tion,’’ said Patterson. One member asked why he chose to seek this office in the General Church, and Patterson answered, ‘‘Having par- ticipated as an alternate delegate in 1976 in Atlanta, GA, delegate to the General Church in 1980 in New Or- leans, LA, and in 1984 as delegate to Kansas City, MO, and anticipating now the summer ahead in Ft. Worth, I feel my past efforts have served as a catalyst for me to do what I can to help the Church of Allen.”’ In the past, Patterson has had an op- portunity to visit with many officers in the connectional church and they have encouraged him to get involved in the church on a broader scale. “Knowing some of the political ropes of the General Church, I am aware that it will be a challenge; but, with God on my side, anything is possi- ble,”’ he continued. A native of Waxahachie, Texas, Patterson was graduated from Bishop College, May, 1958, and has done graduate work at Texas T: ‘ech Univer- sity, Lubbock, Texas, in the area of Marketing in the College of Business Administration. In addition to his academic involve- ment at Texas Tech University, he served as Assistant Dean in the College of Business Administration for twelve (12) years, becoming the first Black chosen for this position in the history of the University. His duties included the establishment of a freshman course for 2,000 students, as well as other programs which would enable a young person to complete his under- graduate program in the COBA. Prior to joining the COBA, Patter- son was Executive Director of the Community Action Board, an arm of the Office of Economic Development and Opportunities, where he adminis- tered a $300,000-a-year program, in- cluding Headstart and various out- reach programs in the poor commu- nities of Lubbock and West Texas. The 50-year-old Patterson has de- voted most of his life working with people and has taught in Lubbock’s only Black-owned private school— Mary & Mac Private School—which is 35 years old. A veteran of the South Vietnam Conflict, Patterson served there from 1962 until 1963 as a part of the Military Advisory Assistance Group (MAAG). He holds a top/secret crypto clear- ance, and taught communications for the U. S. Army while stationed in Ft. Gordon, GA. Currently, he is a Com- mander in the U. S. Navy Reserve Unit, and is Chairman of the RDAC program in Region 7. He began serving as a Lt. Commander in 1976. A veteran of the newspaper in- dustry, as well, he is co-publisher and co-founder of the Southwest Digest. He also serves as editor of this publi- cation, which has a readership of 20,000, weekly, in Lubbock and West Texas. The publication was organized in 1977 and is a member of NNPA and Black Media, Inc., known now as Black Resources, Inc., of New York, NY. Patterson is presently serving as City Councilman, and was recently ap- pointed to a task force to establish better programs and communications for all minority elected officials in Texas. He is a member of the National Black Caucus/Local Elected Officials Elect A Man Who Is On The Job Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director, Worship and Evangelism Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce MEEEPERE EERE EEE RENEE EERE EEE EE ER EEE E REE EERE EERE EEE EERE EES Re-Elect Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Treasurer The Financial Affairs of the A.M.E. Church have always been handled in a business way. Joe McKinney is aman of integrity, honesty and is accountable. (NBC/LEO), and a member of the World Conference of Mayors. As a City Councilman, he was the first Black elected to this office in the history of the city. Since 1984, Patter- son has been a part of providing the fi- nancial integrity of the City of Lub- bock, with over $100 million in operat- ing budgets for all facets of city gov- ernment, as well as 12 to 14 million dollars annually for capital improve- ments. Patterson has very diligently and conscientiously done his homework, contributing to the financial soundness of the City of Lubbock, with the city having an AA bond rating for financial credit. There are 1,750 employees working for the City of Lubbock, and Patterson has shown equal care and consideration in the annual budgeting as well as in the day-to-day operations for their general welfare. A member of many, many organiza- tions, including the NAACP, Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Knights of Pythias, and others, of all his accomplishments he will most quickly boast about his efforts in the work of the church. He has been superintendent of the church school since 1966, and has served as District Superintendent, working dili- gently on the various planning efforts of the Northwest Texas Conference Church School efforts. T. J. Patterson is married to the former Bobbye Bailey, an honor gra- duate of Paul Quinn College in 1959, and they are the parents of three chil- dren: Avis Elise; T. J., Jr., a law stu- dent at Texas Southern University; and Shelia, who is in a nursing program. They have two grandsons, Zairrieus and Marcus. “‘T’m just willing to do what I can to help upgrade our church in the finan- cial area. It is just a pleasure for me to be able to submit my name as a seri- ous candidate for the position of Trea- surer,’’ concluded Patterson. FOI ICI III IR RRR RR TTR RAIA IIIA C U In Conference PRIA IR IIIA IIIA AIA AA AAI IN Dr. Joseph C. McKinney Dr. James Baldwin Candidate for Worship and Evangelism Alwywwwal Continued from page 15 The Woman Beside the Man mother’s illness as comfortable as pos- sible. Fordyce has said, “When a young woman behaves to her parents in a manner particularly tender and re- spectfully, she will treat her fellowman the same way.” Her compassion is notable, in visiting the sick and in pay- ing special attention to children, as she works with her own son, Roderick Da- mon. The Ninth Episcopal District has always had good, kind, influential leadership in the Episcopal Supervi- sors, who have come with their husbands to serve; thus, the Ninth Episcopal District says to the connec- tion: “Elect R. J. King as a Bishop of this great Church of Allen in 1988, at Texas, and he will bring along with him a spouse competent in every respect. JERRY HOOKS KING, we want you to know.” ee SSS oeemwuees_eomw
• April 4, 1988
  ===== DSC05467.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 14 PRICE: 50 CENTS Bishop Ming (center) was joined on the Town Square by Mayor James Wilson (right) and Rey. Turner of Terre Haute, Indiana. Not pictured, but present were: G. W. Henderson, Jr., Superintendent of Schools and Robert Grant, Jr., President of the Board of F.C.C.O.T., a community action group based in Tunica. Bishop D. G. Ming Opens , A.M.E. Mission Outreach Center Tunica, the poorest county in the nation and once dubbed ‘‘The Town of Tears,’’ is crying tears of joy these days, for, since the nation was first in- troduced to our domestic version of Ethiopia, many improvements have come to the town. Following the exposure of the con- ditions in the area called ‘‘Sugar Ditch,”’ that area has been cleaned up and the residents have been moved to more adequate housing. The residents have received many donations of food, clothing and money, but, most impor- tantly, the people are beginning to feel a sense of self-worth. . .they now real- ize that somebody cares about their plight. They know that one of those somebodies comes in the person of a bishop of the A.M.E. Church— Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming. Please turn to page 7 NAFEO Selects Over 100 Top Graduates as Distinguished Alumni Bishop V. R. Anderson Washington, DC—The Right Reverend Vinton Randolph Anderson of St. Louis is one of the 100 or more out- standing graduates of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) being honored as Distin- guished Alumni at the 13th National Conference on Blacks in Higher Edu- cation, March 23-27, at the Washing- ton Hilton Hotel. The conference is sponsored by the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Edu- cation (NAFEO). All honorees are nominated by their alumni institutions for making signifi- cant contributions to the American society. Presentations of the NAFEO citation shows that the historically Black colleges and universities con- tinue to produce many high-quality in- dividuals who enter into the American mainstream and contribute to out- standing progress, said Dr. Samuel L. Myers, NAFEO president. Presiding Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Office of Ecumenical Relations and Develop- ment, Rev. Anderson was born in Somerset, Bermuda. He is a graduate of Wilberforce University, Payne The- ological Seminary, Kansas University and Yale University Divinity School. He is a member of the Consultation of Church Union, the World Methodist Council and the National Council of Churches. Bishop Anderson was nomi- nated for the NAFEO award by Wil- berforce University. “Traditional Black colleges have fostered the integration of our stu- dents into our society, where, unfortu- nately, Blacks account for only one to two percent of most professionals in the nation, by graduating approxi- mately half of the Black lawyers, doc- tors, ministers and others,’’ Myers _ stated in announcing the 1988 honor- ees. » “The historically Black colleges en- roll less than 20 percent of Black un- dergraduates, but confer almost 40 percent of all baccalaureate degrees earned by Blacks, Myers reported. Based on recent statistics, two Black colleges account for 40 percent of all Blacks earning degrees in dentistry; two account for 82 percent in veteri- nary medicine. The historically Black colleges continue even now to press for expanded access at a time when many Please turn to page 4 1787-1987 What Are You Going to do About Jesse Jackson? Push-Me Pull-You: A Political Dee War by A. Lee Henderson Political pundits in their usual tug- of-war are vying with each other to de- termine how far short of the mark Jesse Jackson will fall. They are hedg- ing their myopic visions with specula- tions on the power he might have as a mainline political figure in either choosing the presidential nominee, im- pacting party leadership positions, or influencing the vice-presidential plat- form. How far will you go to vote a losing candidate, joke the pessimists. But the infectious disease of losing does not appear to infect Jackson’s energetic jousting for the presidency. Unfor- tunately, it has affected the intelli- gentsia to examine the battlefield with dour self-righteousness as they pro- claim, ‘‘You know he’ll never win!’’ They may lose votes for Jackson, but theirs is the critical edge that could also detract, with their defeatism, from the first Black presidential can- didate’s statistical strength. Certainly the lurking White backlash will relish such support. Whether or not the electors will vote wholeheartedly for Jackson or attempt to staunch the anti-progressive clinch of the far right, all votes are counted! The majority press today agrees that Jackson’s campaign has evolved into political substance. He is taken seriously by all as a candidate forth- right on national issues. And he has emerged beyond his skin color as a for- midable contender, an advocate for conservative military expenditure, a foreign policy rooted in humanism vs provinces of power, progressive taxes, childcare planks to add to national health concerns such as AIDS, and a rallying cry to the poor and the un- Jesse Jackson employed that crosses the color line. The rainbow coalition has coalesced. It appears as a unity of fused political power feeding off its own energy in spite of the anticipated bigot backlash that also masquerades as cynicism. Blacks do not vote ‘‘black’’ in com- pliance with hypothetical Caucasian misconceptions that would deliver us all (some screaming in horror!) into Jesse’s camp! The sting still exists in Chicago among those summarily shut out from Jackson’s unilateral moves to fill the void of Harold Washington’s death with a mayoralty replacement. Jackson generated a tumultuous situ- ation. The inner circles vied for power. Adversaries, however, can be restored in the strange game of power politics and stratagems worked out to achieve the common goal. The question is whether that common goal has been perceived by those who choose pain above reconciliation. Whether it would be possible for Jesse Jackson to mend fences among those closest to him rests on a human enigma: To err is human, To forgive divine. Perhaps that divinity is better rooted in Jack- son, beyond his inspired rhetoric, than it is in the least of his detractors. All of us must overcome the victimi- Please turn to page 7 Bishop Senatle Arrested In Capetown, South Africa Charred With Illegal Gathering Bishop H. B. Senatle Bishop Harold Ben Senatle and twenty-five others leaders were arrested at a gathering last week in Capetown, South Africa, along with seventy followers. They were detained long enough for the authorities to get all of the information they needed on them. They were charged with Illegal Gathering and released. In the 18th District, the dedication of the school in Labotsi, Botswana was held on March 27th. Five thousand dollars is needed to finish the building. Also funds in the amount of $10,000 are needed for the Mozambique stu- dents to continue their studies. In the 19th District, the building in Johannasburg has been completed. Bishop Senatle has just signed a loan agreement for the completion of the interior of the building. Bishop Senatle will be leaving South Africa for the U.S.A. on April 19th. He will be in the States for two weeks. His itinerary will take him to Atlanta, Florida, Detroit, then back to South Africa. It is our hope that we will be able to assist Bishop Senatle in raising the funds that are needed to carry out these programs in the two Districts for which he is responsible. Your support is needed and requested. eS SS eaermTeroeo # 7088 DR. S NORRI RICHARD F. cS iT. PA. 1135 BARRINGER 19119 ELPHIA, PHILADE ===== DSC05468.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder What’s New About the Easter Day Celebration? Easter is the English name for the ecclesiastical festival commemorating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Both the origin of the word ‘‘Easter’’ and the time of its observance have long been subjects of controversy. Easter has always been considered the high day in Christianity and, undoubtedly, the most important of the Christian year. Many Christians throughout the world attend Holy Communion serv- ices on Easter Day and design special services for the DAY OF THE LORD. The flower called the Easter lily, and used most in the United States’ churches, is the Bermuda lily. It is a long, trumpet-shaped, white- blossomed flower. Apart from the deep spiritual and religious meanings for Easter, a lot of intriguing customs have been associated with it that make for excitement and happiness. Little children anxiously look forward to the Easter Bunny more than the Easter li- ly ROBERT H. REID, JR. Helen Steiner Rice, in one of her poem titles, states, ‘‘Spring Awakens Everything That Autumn Puts to Sleep.’’ It is true, at this season of the year, all of nature responds as if touched by a magic wand. Even human nature finds a medium of expression to respond to the beck and call and challenge of Spring. We, of course, find different ways of responding and expressing it. And this is not new. Every year, however, I try to learn something new and different about the approach of celebrating the day of Easter. A few days ago, I had a brief tele- phone interview with one of the co-founders of a new movement that takes an old custom to celebrate Easter in a new way. This movement, hoping to pro- mote healing, wholeness and rejuvenation in the world, has begun an ecumen- ical fellowship called ‘‘The Fellowship of Merry Christians.’” The nearly two-year-old group is intending to resurrect a very old custom of early Christians called the Easter Monday ‘‘Day of Joy and Laughter.’’ The new group intends to make April ‘‘Holy Humor Month.’’ It may be helpful to you, the reader, to have me quote the author of their ‘‘ Joyful Noiseletter’’: The ecumenical fellowship today proclaimed a month-long cele- bration of the healing power of holy humor, focusing on the Easter Monday of Roman Catholics and Protestants (April 4) and the Easter (Pascha) Monday of Eastern Orthodox Christians (April 11). Roman Catholics and Protestants observe Easter by the Grego- rian calendar; Eastern Orthodox by the Julian calendar. In early Christianity, especially in Greece, it was a local custom to observe the Monday after Easter as a day of joy and laughter— to celebrate the practical joke that God played on Satan by raising Jesus from the dead. This was indisputably the greatest and most imaginative practical joke in the history of the world. On Easter Monday early Christians—filled with the joy of the risen Christ—went to church to frolic, to tell clean jokes, to play merry pranks on one another, to sing and dance, and to have a lot of fun. The fellowship is encouraging its members and other Christians to revive this old custom in their denominations. The fellowship is exhorting pastors to abandon gloominess during Holy Humor Month and focus their sermons and church bulletins on Christianity’s rich tradition of joy and humor. During the month, the fellowship also invites all the divided Christians of the world to be, in the Apostle Paul’s words, ‘‘fools for Christ,’’ to meditate upon the follies of their divisions and discord, and to pray, fast, and work for Christian unity and peace. Before He was crucified, Jesus prayed that His 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee, The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 185- cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions ing Editor, The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest, All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer The A.M.E. Christian Recorder wil! occa sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed, and the AM.E. Christian Recorder reserves (he right to re ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Vashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver- tising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail, Make all money orders and Dr. J. W. Yancy, II, The Roving Editor; Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. HL. Felix, Special Editor, Dr. Jimmie James, Jr, Music Editor, Rev, Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor, Atty, Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor, Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr, Public Relations Editor, Mrs. Thelma A. Wills, Contributing Editor, Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs. Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor, Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor, Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor, Dr. J. W P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent, Dr, W. D. Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr, Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt Carroll A. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mrs, Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rey, O. Urcille Ifill, Sr, Contributing Editor, Or Henderson Davis, Archives Editor, Or, William P DeVeaux Career Development editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev, Ceci! Murray, Contribut: April 4, 1988 disciples ‘‘all may be one’’ (John 17:21). The fellowship’s membership includes more than 10,000 clergy and lay peo- ple of all denominations, medical doctors, nurses, counselors, clowns, jesters, comedians, cartoonists, humorists, and authors. The fellowship and its news- letter, ‘‘The Joyful Noiseletter,’’ were organized in 1986 with the ‘‘modest aim of recapturing the spirit of joy, humor, unity and healing power of the early Christians.’’ The fellowship co-sponsors playshops with church retreat centers. The fellowship plans a Holy Humor celebration as an annual Easter event, which will be listed in Chase’s Annual Events. There is ‘‘a time to weep and a time to laugh’’ (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4), and Easter Monday is a time to laugh, a fellowship official said. God gave Solomon a lot of wisdom. He spoke three thousand proverbs, and one thousand-five songs were atttributed to his authorship. Solomon could well endorse the Fellowship of Merry Christians in their venture for healthy laughter, not only for one month, but for all of one’s days on this earth. In the Book of Proverbs, Solomon says, ‘‘A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance; but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. . . All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a con- tinual feast. . . .A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones.”’ I know that laughter can be infectious. I frequently engage in deep, hearty, guttural, healthy, belly laughter, and it helps to keep poison out of my system; so I shall keep a close eye on this new Holy Humor Club. I may one day seek membership with those who naturally enjoy good humor that costs absolutely nothing, but is worth a million dollars. Easter is not merely an occasion for one to recognize and discuss values of Eternal Life. Easter also gives values to life that is not eternal, yes, to the mundane, as well—life as we know it this side of the grave. The joy of Easter is, indeed, a very happy experience, for the crucifixion on Friday revealed what men thought of Jesus; the resurrection is how God thinks. Happy Easter, everybody! POPS SEOESESESES ESE SESHSP SC SOSs Se GoGo He SoHo Se Se Ge HeHoGeHoHoos “The RICHARD ALLEN STORYX= in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to “This Week in African-American History” Box 19024 * Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part Il For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) “The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.’ preveverererertrerer ert rs (aaa eee eee eee eee See een eee een asae see eeEaasssaeas SUBS CRigmas to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ' ! i ONLY $15.00 per year H Send check or money order payable to: H A. Lee Henderson H The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB H 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4381 ' ' Please print, Payment must accompany order, Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. ' ' | Name Address. City/State/Zip | | | ===== DSC05469.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder EEE, The Church of My Choice by Carroll R. Chambliss, Chaplain, U.S. Navy (Ret.) Bicentennial Thrust We are galloping through the four (4) horsemen and their historic contri- butions with all deliberate speed. Throughout the observance, positive vibes have been seen and felt at every juncture (watershed). There is no question the impact of the celebration has reached the length and breadth of African Methodism. Every nook and cranny has come alive. I was in Nai- robi, Kenya, when it began and hope to be in St. Louis as it ends. Carroll R. Chambliss In the coming months I am looking forward to the reverberation from the fifteen (15) issues raised while in Africa, as well as to help form the legislative package for passage and im- plementation when we get to and leave Fort Worth. Ready or not, the Third Century has begun! At one of our Ministerial Alliance Meetings here in Washington, DC, and vicinity, | was asked as Chairman of the Civic Committee to give a brief im- promptu verbalization of the meaning of the Bicentennial Year. | still have the hand written scribblings before me as I prepare this article. In a word, I asked, ‘‘Are we retooling or refooling our loyal constituents for the new cen- tury? Are we engaged, as we trot along, in backlash, whiplash, or front dash tactics? Have we brought the bones of Richard and Sarah Allen with us through the long (short) wilderness of the Bicentennial festivities? Are we reenacting at the expense of projec- tion? Granted, I was among those who hiked from the altar of St. George’s simplistic shell of a church, whose membership has shrunk to about one hundred, on a humid day; to the altar of restoration magnificance now in progress at Mother Bethel, our shrine, which now boasts of near 3,000, a few blocks apart in Philadelphia. While I knelt at both altars, I was also able once more to bow at Allen’s bier in Bethel. My only wish is that I could Please turn to page 6 Can Third Century African Methodism Repeat the Victories of Other Days? sh Dr. Jno, De Leon Walker I quote, in part, from Edwin Mark- ham’s ‘‘Brotherhood:’’ “The crest and crowning of all good, Life’s final star is Brotherhood; And till it comes, we men are slaves, And travel downward to the dust of graves. Come, clear the way then, clear the way: Blind creeds and kings have had their day. Break the dead branches from the path: Our hope is in the aftermath— Our hope is in heroic men, Star-led to build the world again. To this Event the ages ran: Make way for Brotherhood— make way for Man.”’ The year-long celebration of the Bi- centennial of African Methodism will culminate during the course of or with the close of the 1988 General Con- ference—Fort Worth, Texas. Thus the curtain will be drawn, climaxing an eventful era in our rendezvous in history. Traveling the road from January 25th 1987 to July Sth 1988 was and is indeed, a once in a life-time ex- perience. Anyone with a mere modi- cum of appreciation for ‘‘class in plan- ning,’’ will owe an eternal debt of gratitude to Bishop Vinton R. Ander- son for his par-excellent leadership and guidance. Of course, we salute all the Bishops of the Church and others who made notable, numerous and signifi- cant contributions towards this unique and historical experience in the history of our Zion. bi Please turn to page 5 Three Members of Price Chapel Acknowledge Calling to the Ministry Price Chapel A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles, has the distinction of recently having three of its sons acknowledge callings to the ministry. Joseph C. Nixon The church first rejoiced and of- fered encouragement to Brother Jo- seph C. Nixon, who was accepted at last year’s Annual Conference as a first-year licentiate. Brother Nixon, a senior contractor for Northrup Advanced Systems Divi- sion, knows what it’s like to be an A.M.E. minister. He is the son of Mrs. Lola Nixon and the late Rev. Jo- seph C. Nixon, who was an A.M.E. minister for many years. As a child he became familiar with the life of an itinerant pastor as he traveled wherever his father was called. Although he grew up in the church, he never enter- tained thoughts of entering the minis- try during his youth. Bro. Nixon’s first actual involve- ment with the church was when he joined First A.M.E. Church in Rich- mond, VA, where his father was pastor. He came to Los Angeles in 1980, after his father was appointed as pastor of Emanuel A.M.E. Church here. He later affiliated with Bethel A.M.E. before moving his member- ship to Price Chapel. It was not long after his father’s retirement when Bro. Nixon first felt the call to preach. “I felt that I was being talked to by the Lord and had visions of myself in the pulpit,’’ he recalls. He first tried to ignore his calling, ‘‘but when the weight became too heavy,’’ he talked to several ministers, including his cur- rent pastor, Rev. Benjamin Thomas, Sr., who helped Bro. Nixon confirm his calling to the ministry. ‘‘I was slow accepting because I felt unworthy,’’ he reflects. ‘‘I asked, ‘Lord, why me?’ I had been in the streets, been on drugs and had even been locked up in jail. Rev. Thomas explained to me that Paul had been a murderer, but after he accepted Christ he had a most effective ministry. From that time, I knew that the Lord had been preparing me for the ministry all along. Bro. Nixon is currently pursuing his ministerial studies at the University of Lavergne. He says that Cynthia, his wife of only a few months, is behind his ministry 100% and has been a real inspiration to him. ‘‘She’s from a Bap- tist background and is not too familiar with the connectional aspects of the A.M.E. Church,’’ he says, ‘‘but she’s willing to learn.’’ Benjamin Hollins Brother Benjamin Hollins had no thoughts of entering the ministry as a child, although he had always watched closely when ministers preached because they fascinated him. Bro. Hollins, an industrial sewing machine repairman, attended the A.M.E. Church in both his hometowns of Camden, Arkansas and Los Angeles during his youth. Although he wasn’t very active in the church at that time, he says his first true religious experience was when he joined Bethel A.M.E. Church in Camden at age 18. After returning to Los Angeles and drifting away from the church for a number of years, Bro. Hollins joined Price Chapel A.M.E. Church in 1981, where his mother, Mrs. Doris Green, had been a member for many years. During that time he was suffering from a lot of personal problems, he says, and it was then that he began to understand that the Lord was directing him toward the ministry. “T was having a lot of problems. I was just drifting and had no set goals,”’ Bro. Hollins reflects. ‘‘I sat down on the bed one night and cried and asked the Lord what purpose He had for me. He told me to be patient and He would reveal what He wanted me to do. In time He revealed that He wanted me to help others find salva- tion, understand the love of God and of one another, and to preach the true meaning of His word.’’ He went through a period of un- certainty before he finally acknow- ledged the call. Now that he has ac- cepted, he would like to go as far as he can in preparing himself. He is current- ly studying at the Southern California School of Ministry in anticipation of entering the School of Theology at Claremont, where he hopes to earn a doctorate in Theology. He has been accepted by the Quarterly Conference as a licentiate. His wife, Annette, is very supportive of his calling, and is prepared to accompany him wherever the Lord might lead him. a ie Andre Previn Henry Also accepted by the Quarterly Con- ference was Andre Previn Henry, who began to recognize his calling to the ministry as a youngster. He grew up as a member of Price Chapel, where his mother, Mrs. Betty Mitchell, is a long- time member. He has worked ex- tensively in the church, particularly with the Young People’s Department. He is a former local, area and con- ference YPD president. Bro. Henry accepted his calling to the ministry after some success as an actor, appearing on several TV movies and in TV commercials. It was his pur- suit of an acting career that caused his delay in acknowledging his call to the ministry. He says it was ego that drew him toward acting. ‘‘I found that the Lord had given me a talent for speak- ing and working with people,’’ he says, but I wanted to perform. I was torn between the two.’’ Bro. Henry first acknowledged the call when he was in Atlanta in July 1987 as a delegate to the Quadrennial Conference for the YPD. He was ina Bible study class when the leader began talking about Ephesians 4. ‘‘She was saying how many of us are called, and right then I knew. I prayed about it and asked the Lord to take me the way He wanted me to go. My spirit was moved because I knew at that point God was answering my prayers and it was time for me to answer the work for Him. Rev. Benjamin Thomas, Sr. “Sincerity is the key,’’ he main- tains. ‘I’m not looking for it to be easy.”’ “All three young men show sincerity and dedication,’’ says their pastor, the Rev. Benjamin Thomas, Sr. ‘‘I think of them as Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, inasmuch as they have a struggle ahead of them and at times they’re going to feel as though they’re being tried by fire. But I have con- fidence that all three of them will come forth as pure gold.” ee SOON ===== DSC05471.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 A Story of a Man’s Commitment to God and His Church __ — Rey. Lovell Johnson, Sr. The St. Mark Story is the story of a man committed to God, who was sent to Milwaukee, WI, for the purpose of building a new church building to re- place the one being displaced by the freeway. The man is Rev. Lovell Johnson, Sr., pastor of St. Mark A.M.E. Church since 1964. Rev. Johnson did not just go to St. Mark and build a million dollar structure and pay for it, but before he began his building program, Rev. Johnson began a Program of Evangelism that has drawn over 3,000 new members into St. Mark A.M.E. Church. He also developed a program of service to the members of the congre- gation and to the entire Milwaukee community. As the program grew, so did the need for additional space. God directed Rev. Johnson to secure the building across the street. This build- ing and the parking lot were purchased and renovated and now is valued at $250,000. This building houses the Food and Clothing Center, the Youth Department of the Sunday School, the Boy Scouts, the Senior Citizens Pro- gram, and the Milwaukee United for Better Housing Program, as well as many other special programs. A parking lot for 50 cars was devel- oped. Two small buildings that had been oil stations were purchased at a cost of $54,000. One houses two mini buses, which are used in the Bus Min- istry. The second will soon be used for economic development. The St. Mark Human Resource and Economic Development Center was purchased and renovated. It is valued ng (20 Cars) pa Parki <m27) eat PAO 2OG aL eae 17+" Street at $250,000. This building is used pri- marily for the educational component of the Quality of Life Program and the Recreational Program of the Christian Education Department. The $5,000 Green Spot is a beauty area for the neighborhood and is targeted for much needed parking. The loyal officers and members of St. Mark have cooperated with this man of God, so that all properties are free of debt except for the Human Re- sources Center. In addition to this, St. Mark has been proud to encourage the pastor and his wife, Marguerite, in their lead- ership positions in the Milwaukee Community, the St. Paul-Milwaukee District, the Chicago Conference, the 4th Episcopal District and the Connec- tional Church. Mrs. Johnson has worked as the vol- unteer Director of Christian Education and the Missionary Advisor in St. Mark. She is presently the Connec- Cecil W. Howard—Ready for Service The Man—‘“‘For Such A Time As This’’ by Rev. Edgar E. Boyd Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church Los Angeles, California Dr. Cecil Whitney Howard seeks your help in becoming the next General Secretary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church! In an age of electronics and high computer sophistication, we are ex- posed to a wealth of technology that can assist our church in staying abreast of current trends in ministry and recor- ding the various acts of our service, growth and development. As we African Methodists enter the third century of service to God and humanity, it is vital that we take the strictest of precaution to insure that the office of General Secretary of the AMEC has the best administration and administrator that we can afford. It is my feeling that Dr. Cecil W. Howard can bring to the office just that. Every organization, institution or corporation in the world is either benefited or inhibited by its system of record keeping. Thusly, our great Zion’s maintenance and expansion is greatly dependent upon our ability to record and provide vital facts and information about our service and ministry along with information on and about those who provide leader- Dr. Cecil W. Howard ship and service for it. Dr. Cecil W. Howard has proven himself to be a man to whom this im- portant responsibility can be en- trusted. He is a graduate of both Wil- berforce University and Payne Theo- logical Seminary and has been awarded a Doctor of Divinity degree from our A.M.E. Church academic network. In addition, Dr. Howard holds a Master of Arts degree in History from the Ohio State University. This able and prepared man pastors one of the leading congregations in the Fifth Episcopal District, St. James A.M.E. Church in St. Louis, Mo. St. Mark Lovell Johnson Quality of Lite Center St.Mark A.ME. Church of the Anvil Mark Parking Lot (@) (50 Cars) tional Director of Vacation Bible Schools and a writer for the Curricu- lum Department of the A.M.E. Church. Mrs. Johnson is known for the pageants, skits and stories she writes for use in the Missionary Socie- ty where she is a Life Member and the 1st Vice President of the 4th Episcopal District. Rev. Johnson is the President of the 4th District Self-Perpetuating Fund, 4th District Director of Evangelism, Chicago Conference Director of Evan- gelism, Chicago Conference Trustee, Chairman of Admissions for the Chi- cago Conference Board of Examiners, Secretary of the Board of Directors for Payne Theological Seminary, Presi- dent of Wilberforce University Wis- consin Alumnae Association, author of a Handbook on Evangelism, Trea- surer of the Milwaukee and Vicinity A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance, an Elect- ed Delegate to the General Conference of the A.M.E. Church, 1972-76-80-84- Rev. Edgar E. Boyd Bethel A.M.E. Church Los Angeles, Calif. Please give to him your solid consi- deration and support for his bid to- ward the office of General Secretary of _the A.M.E. Church, July, 1988. luth Street St.Mark Human Resource and Economic Development Center ey a9 zs ce @ ia Parking Lot Go Cars) St. Mark Green Spot (Future Forking Site) 88. In the Milwaukee Community, Rev. Johnson is the Past President of OIC- GM and is now presently Vice Presi- dent. Former Chairman of Milwaukee City Planning Commission, presently a member; member of Garfield Founda- tion, Chairman of Board of Opportun- ities Investment Association; Chair- man of Learning Opportunities Cen- ter, Member of Board of Directors of 1st Wisconsin Community Investment Corporation. The Church family shares the par- ents pride in the success of the ‘Preachers’ Kids.’’ Lovell, Jr. (Lory) is an Assistant District Attorney for Milwaukee County, and Muriel (Robert) Eckert is a pastor’s wife, a Registered Nurse and the mother of Robert, Jr. Yes, the St. Mark Story is not just a story of a church, it is the story of an institution established in Milwaukee by a man named Lovell Johnson, Sr. Continued from page 1 NAFEO Selects Over 100 Top Graduates as Distinguished Alumni states are restricting admissions to all colleges,’’ he added. The HBCU Alumni will be intro- duced and feted at a special conference session and honored at NAFEO’s clos- ing; Leadership Awards Banquet, Sat- urday night, March 26. NAFEO is an association of most of the nation’s his- torically and predominantly Black in- stitutions of higher learning, including public and private, two-year and four- year, undergraduate and graduate schools. It was founded in 1969 as a non- profit, voluntary, independent associa- tion, representing the HBCUs which enroll some 250,000 students each year and graduate more than 40,000 alumni annually. Knowing the Scripture is Good But Knowing the Author % ae ===== DSC05472.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Extend African Methodism With Dr. A. R. Polk in 1988! At the seat of the One Hundred First Session of the Michigan Annual Conference, convened at Union Me- morial A.M.E. Church, Benton Har- bor, MI, A.M.E. Church clergy and laity in an overwhelming display of support gave their solid endorsement to the candidacy of Dr. A. R. Polk for service as the Secretary/Treasurer, Church Extension Department. Rev. Robert James Eckert, native of the Fifteenth Episcopal District, Senior Minister, Mount Zion A.M.E. Church, Battle Creek, MI, in a moving and passionate appeal espoused the virtues of Dr. A. R. Polk. Eckert re- ferred to Polk as ‘‘a man with a viable vision for the future, the third century of African Methodism, and Church Extension in particular.’’ He stated that he had learned that ‘‘Polk has been groomed for ministry and service beyond the local church. While in Ala- bama, where Dr. Polk was born, he has a rich legacy, the which is indelibly linked and woven into the fabric of African Methodism. From his child- hood, A. R. Polk was being intro- duced to those principles and practices which have made his ministry ‘mush- room’ wherever he has served. The church of Allen, in the third century, needs the calm, consistent, creative leadership of A. R. Polk as Secretary/ Treasurer, Church Extension. That is why I am unequivocal, unashamed, unapologetic concerning my support of his candidacy at the Forty-Third Session of the General Conference to convene July 1988 at Dallas-Fort Worth and pledge to do all to aid his election.”’ The clergy and laity of the Michigan Annual Conference were quick to lend support and offer their endorsement to Dr. A. R. Polk’s candidacy. Dr. Mar- tin Luther Simmons and Dr. J. Allen Parker, Presiding Elders of the North and South Districts, respectively, were encouragers and supporters of the en- dorsement. Bishop Samuel S. Morris, Jr., Prelate, Fourth Episcopal District, presided. So electric was the endorse- ment made by Eckert, that the result was unanimous. Michigan could be heard to say: ‘‘We support A. R. Polk, Secretary/Treasurer, Church Exten- sion, 1988!’ Unwilling to rest on the laurels of this prestigious annual conference en- dorsement, the Committee to Elect Polk, moved in a timely manner to se- cure the support and well-wishes of the clergy and laity of the Fourth Epis- copal District. The venue was Ebene- zer A.M.E. Church, Detroit, where Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr., candidate for Episcopal Honors, is pastor. The Fourth District Plenary Session closing sermon has been preached, but before the Holy Father, Bishop S. S. Morris, Jr., made final and closing comments, the candidates were afforded privilege to present themselves. It was said con- cerning A. R. Polk that ‘‘he has a long career of excellence and the time has come for Polk to serve the Church ina larger function and responsibility.”” And so, after thirty years of labor, in the ‘‘trenches and battlefields of Afri- can Methodism,’’ Polk won the sup- port, prayers, well-wishes, endorse- ment and promised suffrage of the Fourth Episcopal District. As the African Methodist Episcopal Church Connection moves closer to the seat of the 1988 General Confer- ence, we are assured that much will be voiced concerning Church Extension, There are four candidates in the race, but A. R. Polk is still doing more than Dr. A. R. Polk talking, he is busy working, for in seven pulpits he has made the differ- ence through vital, vibrant contribu- tions which have shaped, upgraded, changed forever the face of African Methodism, for good, in those com- munities. Who is this man, A. R. Polk? Polk is a native of the ‘‘soil of Dixie,’’ with roots which span across Alabama, Tennessee and reaches north into Indi- ana, Canada and Michigan. He is the son of Rev. Jenkins L. and the late Mrs. Christina Polk of the Thirteenth Episcopal District; the grandson of the late Mrs. Perean Polk, who served as Trustee, for more than forty years, in the St. Mark A.M.E. Church, Tusca- loosa, AL; the grand-nephew of the late Rev. Garrett Polk, former Presid- ing Elder in the West Alabama Confer- ence and leader, for many a year, of the Ninth Episcopal District Delega- tion. “‘Who is this man who seeks our confidence and attention? He is, in this age of ‘‘graceless moralism and norm- less relativism,’’ the loving, commit- ted, and faithful husband of the for- mer President of the Fourth Episcopal District Women’s Missionary Society, Dr. Sallie Parrish-Polk; the Senior Minister, St. John A.M.E. Church, River Rouge (a suburb of Detroit, MI). Armistice R. Polk is a Christ lov- ing, Holy Ghost filled, Allen oriented, encourager of men and women in the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. An able pastor, competent and skillful ad- ministrator, steadfast friend, civil and human rights activist. And that is just a taste of the one we present to the con- nectional church as the next Secretary/ Treasurer, Church Extension Depart- ment. But then, you may be asking, “What is his legacy? What has he done? What is his track record?’’ Do you have the time? I know you don’t. Your agenda is full, schedule cramm- ed, and your itinerary overcrowded. Let me share in a brief manner just a few of the prize accomplishments of A. R. Polk. The name Polk is synon- ymous with prayerful, practical, pow- erful, persistent, patient, professional, pragmatic, preferred, and personal leadership. His legacy includes, among the many other accomplishments, service as minister to seven churches, the burning of two mortgages, the ren- ovation and refurbishing of two church buildings, the acquisition of one new church and two new parsonages, and the increase of church membership in terms of the activation of members and the winning of new souls to Christ and African Methodism. He is an ex- pert at economics and financing, a skill to be demanded of anyone seeking election to the Department of Church Extension. His record speaks ‘‘clarity of vision and purpose; excellence in exe- cution; excitement in completion!” There is more, but this will become obvious as we move closer to the forty-third session of the General Con- ference. Please turn to page 6 Continued from page 3 Can Third Century African Methodism Repeat the Victories of Other Days? Whenever and wherever the call came, the faithful of our Zion gather- ed, to do honor to the sacred memory of our fathers whose blood, tears and toil so plainly marks the road over which we have come. The visions, labors of love, personal sacrifices and notable achievements of ‘‘The Four Horsemen’’ and countless numbers of the long sainted are stamped indelibly in our memory and the annals of the history of African Methodism. No single bit of Black history is as well known, rehearsed, recited and spoken of as that of the African Methodist Event. Suffice it to say, that we have well rattled the bones of Richard Allen and have ridden the other ‘‘Three Horsemen’’ from pillar to post. Now it can be said again: “The tumult and the shouting dies; The captains and the Kings depart: Still stands Thine ancient sacrifice, An humble and a contrite heart. Lord God of Hosts, be with us yet, Lest we forget—lest we forget!’’ As we anticipate ‘‘Retooling For the Third Century,”’ I submit that the life- line of African Methodism is at stake. There must be a revival of the tradi- tions, honesty, trustworthiness and the Spirit of our Lord, that was so vital to our genesis. Of course, we cherish our history, but the African Methodist Event also calls for continuity. I am, further, of the opinion that God will not any longer hold Richard Allen and the other ‘‘Three Horsemen’’ respon- sible for the present and future of African Methodism. They have been set free, at last! I pose the question: Are we really serious when we talk about ‘‘Re- tooling For The Third Century?”’ Or is this just another theme or slogan or at best, mere rhetoric? Whatever the response, it is common knowledge that we must set our house in order for change, for it is inevitable. There can not and will not be any effective retooling, recreation or revitalization of our Zion in the Third Century of our existence if we are complacent and satisfied to ‘‘leave well enough alone and don’t rock the boat.’’ God is not going to tolerate our folly and foolishness forever, anymore than he did that of the Catholic Church when certain unchristian like conduct gave rise to the Reformation. We have a commitment to ‘‘serve the present age’’ and we ought not be slothful in getting on with that business, regardless of the cost, regardless of the peril. Can Third Century African Methodism Repeat The Victories Of Other Days? Will the Lord do it again? Change, for success, is inevitable, however greatly it may frustrate the “‘die-hards’’ who are clinging to the past and living in the **good old days."” Quite candidly, the wind of change is blowing in the direction of several areas of our Zion, for which we must “‘retool,’” The eternal message of God is heralded anew: ‘‘Whom shall | send? Who will go for us?’ We may think this to be simple, but it certainly is not simplictic. If not now when, if not you who? ‘“*We look, but we do not see. We listen, but we do not hear, Our atten- tion is directed elsewhere,’’ says Bis- hop Richard B. Wilke, in his book, “And Are We Yet Alive?”’ In the Sec- ond Chapter of the book, under the ti- tle: ““A Church Out Of Focus,” there is, in my judgment, a diagnosis of the symptoms of much of the sickness of African Methodism. The Bishop, says further, ‘‘Perhaps it is our near- sightedness that has made us a church turned inward. Our energies and resources are expended internally. The machinery of the church receives unbelievable attention; we scur ry about oiling the wheels of the or- ganizational structure. Orginally, we were called Methodist because we had a plan, an organization, a method. But now our methodology approaches madness, our organizational genius consumes our most sophisticated talent. Our structure has become an end in itself, not a means of serving the world.’’ To this, in great measure, I subscribe. Sooner or later, there are several areas of change that our Zion must embrace, seriously. One of them is that of redistricting the Church. It is absurd, unthinkable, preposterous, ludicrous, and unbelievable that one Episcopal District comprises one-third of the States and geography of the United States (seventeen States to be exact). What in the world is our hostil- ity toward the single change? Would William Paul Quinn have failed to em- brace that change and that challenge of expansion simply because of the “‘pop- ulation excuse?’’ Remember there are other denominations in those sparsely Black populated areas. Where is our spirit of mission and expansion any- way? A unique Plan of Redistricting is already needlessly ‘‘on the table.’’ We lack only the courage and foresight and love for our Zion’s future, to take that plan off ‘‘the table’ and fervently and seriously deal with it before or during the 1988 General Conference, if we are serious about ‘‘Retooling For The Third Century.”’ Failure to do so, simply means that we are back at the old game of procrastination and rheto- ric. Evangelize, expand, or status-quo, which? Likewise, we must get on with the business of Restructuring the Depart- ments of the church. Good manage- ment is going to be the key and the so- lution to some of our ills. Stop for a moment and imagine all our super structures without foundations; the existence of some of our Departments without rhythm or reason; the overlap- ping and duplication of Departments. For instance: two Missionary Depart- ments with magazines each; two Pen- sion Departments (Pension & Mini- mum Salary Departments); Evangel- ism and Church Extension are very closely related. Then, too, there are entirely too many periodicals. I think, we are reading more and enjoying it less. Merger could take place even if by attrition without displacing any present department head. The truth of it is, as I see it, all our “‘pay-out de- partments’ could be managed, and managed effectively and efficiently, through our present Financial Depart- ment. The current trend is that big businesses are merging into conglom- erates for the reasons of effectiveness in operations, thereby offering a better product and service at a lower cost and making a larger profit. Are we really ready to ‘‘Retool?”’ Let’s say a word about our Educa- tional Institutions. Frankly, some of them are, at best, centers of cultural lag and senseless financial _ liabili ties to the church. Our accredited in- stitutions should be supported by and become a vital part of the program of Please turn to page 6 eS ===== DSC05473.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 L-R: Inez Edwards, Ava Rucker, Dorothy Walker, Rev. Cc. Jones, Rose Jean Fisher, Ruthie Coats, Mahagony Coats, Blanche Rucker and Sylvia Saddler. WMS Presents Cameo Awards S1. Louis, MO—The Princess Cheatham Women’s Missionary Society spon- sored its program entitled ‘‘Cameo,’’ by the Research and Status of Black Continued from page 5 Can Third Century African Methodism Repeart the Victories of Other Days? every Episcopal District. Those in- stitutions not having the possibility of being adequately accredited should be changed into a more profitable service as religious or technological learning or training centers, etc., self-sustained. Vivid in my experience was the time when the Ist, 3rd, 4th, Sth and 13th Episcopal Districts supported Wilber- force University and Payne Theological Seminary. This same for- mula could be instituted for the sup- port of our accredited institutions. No longer can ‘‘the eye say to the hand, I have no need of thee... ’’ Lest we forget, this is a Connectional Church. Finally, our little portable schools can no longer exist and have no right to ex- ist as competitive and relevant educa- tion institutions. In the area of higher education, will our program of ‘‘Re- tooling’’ be fantasy or fact? Come the 1988 General Conference, let’s deal honestly with the problem or lack of accountability. De-emphasize money and put our emphasis on the Cross as the center of ultimate mis- sion. A great portion of our money, entirely too much, is spent on mileage and meals. We meet to arrange to meet, too often. Finally, we are challenged to face a terrible world out there. It is a real world. There is trouble, sickness, frustrations of all sorts and a strange spiritual silence all over our world. Thank God! There is a new world in the making for the African Methodist Event is moving into a new era. God has set Richard Allen free and will trouble him no more until the morning of the great awakening. This is our age! This is our day! This is our hour! African Methodism is our re- sponsibility! Therefore: “Rise up, O men of God! Have done with lesser things; Give heart and soul and mind and strength To serve the King of kings. Rise up, O men of God! The Church for you doth wait, Her strength unequal to her task: Rise up,.and make her great!’’ Can Third Century African Metho- dism repeat the victories of other days? gg FF Women, on Sunday at St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church. The pastor of the church is Rev. Cheviene Jones. The program was held to give special recognition to a select group of women who are considered “Cameos,” which are defined as precious gems within the community. These individuals have unselfishly devoted their time and efforts to inspire positive attitudes within the church and various organizations throughout the St. Louis and neighboring Illinois communities. “Cameo” award recipients were Dorothy Walker, Rose Jean Fisher and Ruthie Coats. The award was also extended to candidates outside of St. Peters A.M.E. Church to Mazel Tackett Keller, Cleo L. Holliday, and Elizabeth Garlington. These women are all members of organizations which directly affect the quality of our lives today. Mahagony Coats and Ava Rucker were also recognized as Jr. Cameos for the community efforts and commitments to the future well-being of the young adults in the church community. The Princess Cheatham Women’s Missionary Society would also like to extend a special thanks to our male supporters Mr. William McFarland, Mr. Charles Johnson, Sr., and Mr. Charles Johnson. Reverend Cheviene Jones, Pastor Mrs. Blanche Rucker, President Mrs. Sylvia B. Saddler, Chairperson Research and Status of Black Women Continued from page 5 Extend the Church with Polk With the endorsement of the Michi- gan Conference, the Fourth Episcopal District, you may still wonder whether Polk is electable? The answer is an un- equivocal affirmative, YES! POLK IS ELECTABLE! With your help, we will elect Polk, Secretary/Treasurer, Department of Church Extension, African Methodist Episcopal Church. The fourth is singular in resolve to ELECT A. R. POLK, we solicit your prayers, voice, support and VOTE FOR POLK IN JULY 1988. When you vote for Polk you vote for confident leadership and consistent Christian practice. ELECT POLK IN 1988. Barbara Robinson, Acting Secretary Polk for Church Extension Committee Dr. Robert J. Eckert, General Chairperson One Thing About Egotists — They Don’t Talk About Other People Continued from page 3 The Church of My Choice have received the elements of Holy Communion at both places. 1 am no sacramental prude, but sometimes it seems altogether fitting and proper to do so, In our celebration, are we still using the whiplash of ‘‘do as I say and do not question what I do’’? How much freedom of expression and encourage- ment of open-ended dialogue has been engendered? Are we just follow along puppets or active participants in the retooling process? Effective leadership must inspire followship. No one should feel brow beaten or compelled to respond. Episcopal authority should not command, not demand re- spect and compliance. Evidences at every place we have gone point to a hopeful future. The Church seems to be ready for assum- ing its rightful place in the vanguard of action and attitude. It seems poised to admit correcting some administrative mistakes of the past and acknowledge glaring and organizational fronts. If we had the foresight to bring the assets and personnel of Bishop Williams’ School of Religion from Quindaro, KS, to Payne Seminary in Ohio in 1948, we should be just as forward looking in making the bold step of moving Payne to ITC in 1988. I attend- ed both the School of Religion and Payne Seminary, so I feel qualified to call for the consolidation. Just as there was a new building at Payne 40 years ago, so now we have a new building at Turner Theological Seminary in Atlan- ta. Let us dash to the front once more. It pains me to see my Payne in its pres- ent pathetic position. Signals for Change , In the aftermath of Ft. Lauderdale, where the Bishops listened to the Church on the coldest day of the year there, I believe the audience participa- tion was useful dialogue. The art of listening must now be transported into the art of action. Having heard the four groups, the question to our Epis- copal Fathers is now, ‘‘What do you have to say to us?’’ It would appear the General Officers and the Women’s Missionary Society, for the most part, completed their agenda with the Epis- copates, while the Lay Organization and the Connectional Council merely fired their opening rounds. I am not so sure, especially in the case of the Con- nectional Council, that the first round is over. It has, as I see it, just been suspended until the last week in April in Washington, DC. All it did was officially re-establish its legal right to address the Bishops’ Council as per the Constitution (see Article 2 K). In addi- tion to the presentations given to the Council of Bishops by each group named above, I want to offer my own personal suggestions for change to our leaders: eOfficially resume the Winter Session of the Bishops’ Council; e Authorize biennial legislative Session; eReprioritize the restructure outline and bring its provisions from the table (it belongs to us); eRotate the President of Council every other year, instead of the present every year change; eUpgrade the quality of Presiding Elder appointments, which includes salary and administration authority; eImprove middle manager roles by spelling out position descriptions and coordination of activities of the General Officers. With less than six months to the opening of the General Conference, | believe these six ideas can be imple- mented without undo emotion, Let us do as much thinking and interaction as we can on this side of singing, ‘‘And Are We Yet Alive.’’ Then when we get to Fort Worth we can come forth with meaningful and deliberate change for the betterment of my Church. I plan to do my part, ‘‘in peace, if possible,’ but, ‘‘do it at any rate.’’ White Man Ordered To Work For NAACP Chicago, IL—A 21-year-old white man “taught to hate black people” was sentenced yesterday to perform 200 hours of community service for the NAACP after he admitted chasing two blacks with a baseball bat. Cook County Circuit Judge Stuart Nudelman said he hoped that by working with blacks, James Kalafut would overcome his prejudice. Mind Games G Is this a goblet—or two faces? Is this a goblet—or two faces? The American Federation of Teachers suggests fun and adventurous ways for parents to help their children learn. Imagination, the AFT points out, can be the key that opens the door to learning every day of the year. Do you believe everything you see? Or does perception depend upon how you view things? Look at the illustration here. You might see a goblet, while someone else sees two people talking! Experiments with optical illusions are fun ways to exercise your brain. Draw something as you view it from the side. Then draw it as if you were looking from above. Can friends identify the object from the top view only? Make a jigsaw puzzle from an old photo or a magazine picture by gluing it to cardboard and, after it dries, cutting it into odd-shaped pieces. Or cut the picture into even squares and see how you might rearrange the scene differently. Discover more intriguing ideas for fun and learning by calling the AFT Learning Line, toll-free, at 1-800-242- 5465. Taking an Hour off is Easy Putting it Back is More Difficult ===== DSC05474.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder From left to right: Mrs. Delores L. K. Williams, President of the Connectional W.M.S.; Mrs. Edith W. Ming, Episcopal Supervisor; Bishop Donald G. K. Ming and Dr. Rosa McCloud-Baxter, Connectional Y.P.D. Director as they observe the crowd gathered for the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the dedication and opening of the ‘‘A.M.E. CHURCH MISSION OUTREACH CENTER.” Continued from page 1 Bishop Ming Opens A.M.E. Mission Outreach Center For the past three years, the Eighth Episcopal District and the Connec- tional Women’s Missionary Society, under the leadership of Bishop Ming, has, during the Christmas season, journeyed to Tunica County, Missis- sippi, to try to share the abundant blessings of our God. This year was no exception, though it was quite excep- tional. This year, Tunica again witnessed the outpouring of Christian generosity and sharing in the form of gifts of food, clothing and money, as well as other tangible expressions of love. These gifts came from as far away as Chicago, Indiana, Tennessee, and from churches throughout the length and breadth of the Eighth Episcopal District. This year the crowd of hundreds came not only for the annual distribu- tions, but for a parade which marked the bicentennial of the A.M.E. Church and the opening and dedication of the newly-acquired ‘‘A.M.E. Church Mis- sion Outreach Center.’’ The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Center, Rev. L. L. Guy; Mrs. Odessa Grant, Northeast-West Mississippi Conference Branch President and Act- ing Director of the Center; Rev. CeDell Raggs, pastor of St. Peter A.M.E. Church (Tunica); Mrs. Bea- trice Peace, Episcopal Y.P.D. Direc- tor; Mr. Wilbert Peace, President of the Northeast-West Mississippi Lay Organization, and other Board mem- bers had everything in readiness for this auspicious occasion. The parade, the first of its kind in the town, included representatives from the ecumenical community, Ma- sonic and fraternal orders and music was provided by bands from the local high school and junior college. On hand to meet the parade at the Town Square was the town’s mayor, the Honorable James Wilson, accompan- ied by other city and county officials who expressed words of welcome and gratitude to Bishop Ming and the members of his entourage for the three-year quest to improve the quality of life of the people of Tunica County. Following the parade, the crowd gathered for the dedication and open- ing of the A.M.E. Church Mission Outreach Center, which will be open on a year-round basis. There are im- mediate plans for the Center to serve as a food and clothing distribution cen- ter and long-range plans to offer coun- seling services for teenage parents, an after-school tutorial program, a high school equivalency preparation pro- gram and a daytime senior citizens’ center. The Center was fittingly opened by the reading of the 127th Psalm, the singing of a hymn, a prayer and the dedication by Bishop Ming. Following the ribbon-cutting ceremonies, brief remarks were offered by Mrs. Ming, Mrs. Delores L. K. Williams, Presi- dent of the Connectional W.M.S., Dr. Rosa McCloud-Baxter, Connectional Y.P.D. Director, Mrs. Martha Boone, Episcopal W.M.S. President, and Mrs. Grant. At the conclusion of the dedicatory and ribbon-cutting, each visitor, presiding elder and pastor was given a piece of the ribbon to com- memorate the occasion. The crowd then proceeded to the nearby Tunica Community Center, where many persons had already as- sembled. The service of worship was led by Elder Guy and a dynamic ad- dress was offered by President Williams to the ‘standing-room-only’ crowd. What a challenging address!! What a fitting conclusion to an exper- ience that reminds us of the message of Jesus, ‘‘. . .1 was hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty and ye gave me drink. . .naked, and ye clothed me...” The gifts were distributed, the bene- diction was given, the farewells were said and, yes, there were some tears. But most importantly, the expressions of gratitude for this outpouring of love and concern was evident on the faces of the masses. As we revisited Tunica in 1987, we realized that all is not yet well in Tunica, but with the hard work and determination of people like the Mings, the Williams, the Guys, the Grants, the Turners and all the other unpaid, but certainly not unappre- ciated, mission-minded people—bol- stered by the grace of God—we’re on our way! Soon and very soon, hallelujah, there’ll be no more crying there! NOTE: Contributions of food and cloth- ing to the A.M.E. Church Mission Out- reach Center may be sent to: Mrs. Odessa Grant, c/o Grant’s Funeral Home, 420 Pritchard Road, Tunica, MS 38676. Other contributions and correspon- dence should be sent to: Mrs. Odessa Grant, P.O. Box 947, Tunica, MS 38676. PRAISE IS THE SUNSHINE THAT MAKES ALL THINGS GROW Continued from page 1 What Are You Going To Do About Jesse Jackson? zation of being in Jackson’s words “the damned, the despised, and the dispossessed’’ martialed against un- workable old guard economic and social constrictions, We will eventually unshackle ourselves from limiting self- prejudice and judgments against those we have learned to fear and to hate, The fabric of our intolerance wears thin as we are exposed to universal matters of conscience, in the national government or the world community. As we apply more understanding to ourselves and our origins, we are better able to project the growth potential in others. A Jesse Jackson emerging from his own chains assumes greater status and an international stature. No longer does he embarrass those who ask for credentials. He has been busy operating, hands-on, in areas of critical economic concerns and also on long range foreign objectives. The Jackson who has apologized for anti-semitic stabs is dressing the wounds of the peace proponents in Israel with his pro-Palestinian solu- tions based on finding a common ground for justice, not hostilities. Jackson is accountable in action on the scene in Central America, South Africa and in Washington, D.C. In the United States there are 2 million new black voter registrations; 1.2 million in the South in 1984. Democratic victories in four southern states are tallied for Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, and North Carolina, formerly considered marginal at best. There is meaning in these statistics for Jackson supporters who credit him, at least in part, for in- spiring the rise in voters. In 1984 Jackson won a solitary vic- tory in Louisiana. On Super Tuesday he racked up five states. His almost unanimous support was said to come from Southern blacks. In 1984, for ex- ample, Jackson got 55 percent of the black vote in Georgia and 57 percent in Alabama. In 1988 he won 96 percent of the black vote across the South. With a banner of ‘‘Economic Democracy’’ he has waved off the skeptics decrying his former standard cry of ‘‘Our time has come!’’ as government for the blacks. Today’s Jesse Jackson is responding to the na- tion and to all of its people with a pragmatic concern for constitutional justice for all. Jackson’s indefatigable energy has scored heavily among the young, the “‘Yuppies’’ and the celebrity con- tingent of film, TV, and music makers. For the anti-apartheid record- ing of Stetasonic’s Brooklyn Rap A.F.R.I.C.A., used as a video study guide for classrooms and also media- theatrical release, Jackson was the in- spiration and featured on the produc- tion. On Martin Luther King’s birthday CBS-TV commentator Jimmy the Greek Snyder claimed that blacks were “‘bred’’ since the days of slavery for athletic performance. Later, he apologized for the remarks. Russell Adams of Howard University Afro- American Studies Department (quoted in U.S. News and World Report 2/1/88 issue) said ‘‘We now have a climate where people feel less danger. The convert racists feel they can come from under cover.’’ However, in defense of the heartfelt apologies rendered by Snyder, a compassionate Jesse Jackson, himself bearing the stigma of having erred for remarks construed as anti-semitic, rallied to broadcast for Snyder, side-by-side with him, Overlooked by the media was the ability of Jackson to give strength to a human being’s need to re-evaluate his thoughts and actions without having to bear the onus of being a bigot, when in reality, he was simply-and-naively foolhardy without good intentions. To strengthen his image as a na- tional political candidate for the presidency Jackson has tuned himself to responsibilities toward a nation of diversity. Whether that new Jackson mold penetrates his spiritual substance, innoculating his psyche and removing the scars of early experiences and perceptions that lacked critical evidence, we will come to know in the future. The future is too long to wait, however, if Jackson is to make his mark. Our own prejudices, equivocations, and hypercritical enmities must be resolved if we are to be fair to Jesse Jackson. The sentimental past can crucify Jackson if we fail to de-mystify the Martin Luther King retrospectives and blame Jackson for being less passive than the 80’s demand. As Jackson is quoted in the January issue of Vanity Fair Magazine in an ar- ticle written on the campaign trail by Gail Sheehy, ‘‘A lot of people aspire to the presidency. But they don’t take the time to think presidential.’’ Although Sheehy credits Jackson’s charisma beyond its superficial blush to its motivational sweep with young blacks and fearful whites who over- come their distance to reach out to touch him, she probes his psychological scars without anesthesia. Relentlessly pursuing his antecedents in Greenville, South Carolina, including the myth of father- who-never-came-home from service: actually home town resident Noah Robinson, Sr. and his legitimized son Noah Robinson, Jr., Sheehy creates a sentimentalized vision of the blood father claiming Jesse as his own with “little nickel’? handouts to the boy whose half-brother enjoyed the real privileges...the father and the home! Although the soap-opera continuity of the wealthy Noah Robinson, Jr. and his half-brother Jesse Jackson are used by the media to confuse onlookers with an emotional subplot, Jesse Jackson has outdistanced his past. The muckrakers will stir muddy waters in search of smirch. But those of us with clear heads to contemplate the real issues must stand our ground. The Los Angeles Times recently reported from the Gallup survey and found an unusually high level of education among white Jackson sup- porters. They quoted Frank Watkins, Jackson’s political director as saying, “J have absolutely zero faith in any polling.’ Noting that the Jackson campaign is unable to afford voter polls of its own, their people provide evidence of wide backing among blue collar workers and large numbers of the less affluent, too. Watkins is reported to cite a poor, middle-aged white couple, shabbily dressed and nearly toothless who came into the South Carolina campaign headquarters before the March 12 Democratic caucuses. ‘‘The man lean- ed over to me and whispered, ‘I don’t care if he is a nigger. I’m going to vote for him!’ ”’ Says Jackson of his 8 percent share of the white vote dubbed ‘‘Peugot pro- letariat’’ in Illinois last week, ‘‘My Please turn to page 8 ===== DSC05475.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 Ebenezer A.M.E. Church and Dr. Robert Thomas, Jr. Elect Robert Thomas, Jr., 106th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church “He hath showed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the Lord require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?” Micah 6:8 Robert Thomas, Jr., affectionately called Pastor Bob, has met the re- quirements, and the A.M.E. Church will be complemented with him being elected one of the Bishops of our great church. Pastor Bob has touched the lives of many people; not just the men and women in the ministry, but the laity as well. Pastor Bob has spiritually cultivated and motivated many among the laity and has helped to elevate our involve- ment in the work of the Connectional Church. : He continues to encourage lay par- ticipation in all phases of the Church and promotes the importance of the Lay Organization in the Church. There is no age gap with Pastor Bob, he leads and directs the young and the old. Pastor Bob is open- minded and filled with vigor and en- thusiasm. Join with the Committee to Elect Robert Thomas, Jr., in saying: “MY VOTE ELECTED ROBERT THOMAS, JR., BISHOP OF THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH!”’ Netter Page Weeks Delegate 1988 General Conference Lieutenant Commander John Wesley Morrison, CHC, USN (Chaplain Corps) LCDR Morrison is assigned as an in- structor at the Navel Chaplains School, Newport, Rhode Island. Chaplain Morrison was born in Flushing, NY, on May 30, 1952. He came to know the Lord as his personal Savior at the age of 13, while attending a summer Bible camp in Pinebush, NY. He graduated from Ward Melville High School in 1970 and Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, OH, in 1974. LCDR Morrison earned his master’s of divinity from the Interdenomina- tional Theological Center, Atlanta, in 1980. He is an ordained elder and member of the New York Annual Conference in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Chaplain Morrison was commis- sioned an ensign in the Navy in July 1977, and completed the Navy Cha- plains School in August of the same year. After ordination he entered ac- tive duty in October 1980. Upon entering active duty, LCDR Morrison was sent to the base chapel at the Naval Support Activity (NSA), Naples, Italy. He was promoted to lieutenant in July 1981. Returning to the United States in September 1982, LCDR Morrison was assigned to Weapons Training Batta- lion (Edson Range), Camp Pendleton, CA. While at Edson Range, he had contact with over 24,000 Marine Corps recruits. After his tour with the Marine Corps, Chaplain Morrison was trans- ferred to USS Dubuque (LPD 8) in San Diego, CA. As the ship’s chaplain, he assisted in preparing and executing Lt. Commander John Wesley Morrison programs for the ship’s homeport change to Sasebo, Japan. In June 1986, Chaplain Morrison was promoted to Lieutenant Com- mander and after 14 months overseas was assigned to the Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, VA. After graduation in June 1987, LCDR Mor- rison was transferred to his present as- signment. Chaplain Morrison is married to the former Cheryl Ann Robinson; they have one daughter—Sherell Aniece. They are members of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Setauket, NY. i OVER-EATING — THE DESTINY THAT ENDS OUR SHAPES s College Education for Blacks not only Necessary, but Attainable Gainesville, FIL—Convincing Black teen-agers that a college education is attainable is the key to reducing Black unemployment and poverty in the future, said Frank T. Davis, a Washington employment expert who has had a hand in helping 270,000 peo- ple find jobs. “The days when everybody could specialize in something like bricklaying or work in a factory are over,’’ Davis said. ‘‘These days, it is almost im- perative that a young Black person get a college education.”’ Davis, 52, is outplacement super- visor and assistant to the assistant comptroller general at the U. S. Gene- ral Accounting Office. He also is a ci- vil rights activist dedicated to further- ing the dream of the late Martin Luther King, Jr., by making about 100 speeches a year to inspire young Blacks to believe in themselves. Host of a local Washington tele- vision program, ‘‘Marketing Your Skills,’ Davis recently was keynote speaker at the University of Floridia’s ceremonies marking King’s birthday. Davis admits that Black student en- rollment nationwide is slipping, but he feels that the reasons for low enroll- ment—a lack of self-confidence among young Blacks, unawareness of educational opportunities, and the es- calating cost of college—can be beaten with intensified efforts that start in in- dividual communities. “Growing up and going to college always has been a reasonable goal for Whites, but many Blacks feel exclud- ed. Their parents probably never went to college, they might be on welfare or forced to work minimum-wage jobs to help support their families, and they end up never even dreaming of college,’’ said Davis, who attended three Washington-area colleges to get bachelor’s and master’s degrees in transportation while working his way up in the GAO. Davis believes community networks of high schools, churches, clubs like Boy Scouts of America, and college re- cruiting offices can convince young Blacks to go to college and then move into productive jobs. “The beginning lies with the pa- rents, who have to want more for their children than they had. And high school teachers and guidance coun- selors have to assume these kids are headed for college instead of assuming they’re generally not,’’ Davis said. Minority recruiting programs by predominantly White universities and in creased financial aid programs and scholarships for Blacks are two more keys to success, he said, noting that many churches are beginning to open college scholarship funds. Prominent, self-confident Blacks like singer Marian Anderson, Olym- pian Jesse Owens, and presidential candidate Jesse Jackson provide good role models for young Blacks, he said. “No matter how Jesse Jackson fares in his Presidential bid, it’s so im- portant to have a Black candidate. I believe thousands of young Blacks will go to college just because they realize that if he can come from the same kind of background as them and be an achiever, they can, too,’’ Davis said. Davis himself, raised in the pre- dominantly Black District of Colum- bia, seems like a leftover “‘Renaissance man.”’ In addition to the athletic pro- wess that enabled him to play pro- fessional tennis in the 50s, Davis is an avid reader and music lover who pep- pers his speeches with his own poetry. Davis said his own inspiration was King. He fondly recalls climbing the tallest tree he could find to watch the August 28, 1963, march on Washing- ton led by King. ‘‘That’s when I really began to share Dr. King’s dream,”’ he said. Davis has since won more than 370 awards for public service, and be- came the only Black to win the pres- tigious U. S. Congressional Excalibur Award. “T really started to believe that I could make a difference in some small way, and that’s what today’s Black teen-agers need to believe.’’ Continued from page 7 What Are You Going to do About Jesse Jackson? focus is not so much on the color of votes but the number of voters.”’ The labor rallies with their chants of thousands of blue collar workers lean- ing towards Jackson offer him reason to hope for their growing support. In Pittsburg, California, nearly 10,000 people protested the use of non-union construction workers on a $350 million project to modernize a steel plant there. Jackson was there of- fering his solidarity, similar to what he has done, reports labor writer of the Los Angeles Times Henry Weinstein, in auto assemblers’ causes in Flint, meatpackers in Milwaukee, farm laborers in Calexico, hospital orderlies in Philadelphia, paper workers in Mobile, and firefighters in St. Louis. Regarding as ‘‘the only candidate speaking for workers, oppressed peo- ple, union or non-union,”’ said Gene Gifford, a 44-year old steam fitter from Martinez, California who backed Walter F. Mondale, the AFL-CIO can- didate in 1984, ‘‘He’s got my support.’” The 10,000 people protesting in Pitt- sburg, California broke out in cries of ‘Win, Jesse, win!’’ The cries seem to be building to a groundswell, although there may be a counterswell rumbling of threatened restrictive reprisal. The backlash may be out there lurking, but for those of us who are not afraid, our need to take a Stand again, Somewhere, urges Sup- port. Tested Leadership Dr. Z. L. Grady 7th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishophric Dawywrwwwal © ===== DSC05476.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder tissk*t Ne ~ atnpgene = us 1! pee View of the construction from the back side of the Church. In the background is the highrise skyline of downtown Seattle. The construction level in view is the Fellowship Hall/ multi-purpose room. Close-up view of construction at First A.M.E. From within the upper level, a panoramic view of downtown Seattle and the Olympic Mountains is possible. Seattle, Washington’s, oldest Black church, First A.M.E. Church, moves into its second century of existence with a major building expansion pro- ject under way. While Seattle was still a young city, first A.M.E. was born under the leadership of seven visionary Christian pioneers in the Pacific Northwest in 1886. It stands as a bea- con among the A.M.E. Churches in the Puget Sound Conference of the Fifth Episcopal District. First A.M.E. sits proudly atop Capitol Hill, one of seven major hills in the city. From this vantage point, members of the Church have a panoramic view of downtown Seattle and the Olympic Mountain range. The present building was erected in 1912 and was designated a Historical Landmark by the Washington State Landmarks Preservation Board in 1984. The church was expanded in 1954. Over the years First A.M.E. has increased its membership to some 1,500 members. In like manner, the church has expanded its services to the community to the point where these services now include a pre-school, a Headstart program, a prison ministry, an emergency feeding program, a job placement program, a legal aid pro- . or rr bnar Ic (hnan Dr. John R. Bryant In my thirty years in the A.M.E. Church, it has been a rare occasion to meet a pastor like Dr. John R. Bryant. Most candidates and major pastors are concerned about major issues and major churches. In the 10 years I have known Dr. Bryant, he has shown love and compassion for pastors like myself, who labor in small churches. The words of Christ, St. Matthew 25:40: “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.” In 1986, I spoke to Dr. Bryant about a TV station that airs Black churches in Baltimore (the program started in 1980); there had never been an A.M.E. Church aired, although Bethel’s choir had brought the music for an African preacher. Dr. Bryant told me he would do something about it. He didn’t wait a AS Upeil, 2 j Street-side view of construction at First A.M.E. The sanctuary is out of view on the right. Upper level is a fellowship hall, offices, and a library. Lower level has classrooms and a conference room, gram, a hypertension screening pro- gram, and the fellowship and opera- tion of three major, multi-unit housing complexes for Senior citizens and low to moderate income families. These programs, and others which are on the horizon at First A.M.E. Church, such as a Young Peoples’ Church and an educational program to enhance aca- demic achievement by Black students in the Seattle School district, contri- buted to the need to expand the phy- sical facilities of the church. “yy r SU BRRSERAE BERo month or two: in two weeks, St. John A.M.E. was aired. Last June, at our Bicentennial Celebration in Philadelphia, PA., I asked Dr. Bryant to preach my Men’s Day, 2/21/88. He could not come, but he supplied me with not one, but two, dynamic preachers, plus an evangelistic team. Seven of my youth accepted the Lord. Some candidates bend over backwards for your vote. Dr. Bryant knows I have no vote to give, but his love for his church shows me he is ready to be a bishop for a district. Pastors could rest at night, working with a man like Dr. Bryant. LET’S ELECT HIM!! Rev. Joseph E. Brame Pastor, St. Paul A.M.E. Church Harrington, DE The Rev. James H. Oxley, pastor of First A.M.E. Church, provided the spiritual impetus and leadership ne- cessary to raise the funds for expan- sion. Rev. Oxley’s determined leader- ship and dedication to ‘‘expanding the church’s Christian education mission,’’ stimulated many members to pledge and contribute $1000 each toward the building project. Each year First A.M.E. Church has an Annual Tea, which is the major fund-raising activity for the church. For the last se- veral years the Tea has resulted in con- tributions totalling $40,000 on Annual Tea Sunday. This year’s Tea resulted in contributions of $62,000. This level Yd Best Black Sermons by William M. Philpot These sermons typify the best preaching that is done in Black churches today. Each sermon has been chosen be- cause of its excellent homilet- ical form and accuracy in de- picting Black experience. HOOSCOCCOC COO SOOO OS OOOO OHO OOOOH O SOSH OOHOHHHOSHSOOOSOO HH OOSSOHOH SOHO SHOCOO OOO OOOOSD Please add 13% postage and handling. of contribution is an obvious indica- tion of the commitment of First A.M.E. Church members to the building expansion project and to the new programs Rev. Oxley has set into motion as First A.M.E. Church con- tinues to serve its Community. Under the watchful eyes of Rev. Ox- ley and Presiding Elder Jewel B. De- Witty, First A.M.E.’s Stewards and Trustees broke ground for the new building in June 1987. Construction began in mid-November. The new building, largely an educational wing, will add 12,200 square feet of space to the church. Included in the new space will be classrooms, a Fellowship Hall/ multi-purpose room with a seating ca- pacity of 545, a conference room, ad- ministrative offices, a library, and new kitchen and banquet facilities. The new addition to the church will be con- gruent with the existing architectural features, preserving the physical inte- grity, beauty and elegant grace of this local historic landmark. The building project will be completed by mid-April 1988. Rev. Oxley remains committed to the forward movement of First A.M.E. Church and brings the vision, leadership, and sense of Christian pur- pose and mission necessary to send the Church effectively onward and upward into its second hundred years in Seat- tle. PYYTTTITTT TT a) rc : — az ES, ““Somebody’s Calling My Name” by Wyatt Tee Walker Walker presents a thorough study tracing the musical ex- pressions of Black religion from its ancestoral roots in Africa to its influence upon Black religion today. WTW-121 ......-0- es $8.95 PO OCOHCO OOOO OOCO OOO OOOOOOO OOOO OOOO OOOO OOO OHO OOOOH OOO SOOO OO OOOOOOOOOSOHOSOOOOOOO —————————— ===== DSC05477.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 The Third Episcopal District Gave the A.M.E. Church a Prolific Editor for the A.M.E. Christian Record Robert Henry Reid,, Jr., native of the ‘‘Blue Grass State,’’ was born in Pryorsburg, KY. He was educated in the public schools of that state, and was graduated from State Street High School, Bowling Green, KY. He at- tended Municipal College, Louisville, and is an alumnus of Wilberforce Uni- versity and Payne Theological Semi- nary, Wilberforce, OH, class of ’47. He pursued graduate studies in Busi- ness Economics at Ohio State Univer- sity, Columbus, OH, and a one-term special course in economics at the In- dustrial Economics Institute, Oglebay Park, WV. Rev. Reid, as an ordained clergyman of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, has pastored from mission ap- pointments to metropolitan pulpits. He is a holder of honorary degrees from Edward Waters College/B. F. Lee Seminary, Jacksonville, FL; Monrovia College, Liberia, West Africa; Westwood Seminary, Dayton, OH and Jackson Theological Semi- nary/ Shorter College, Little Rock, AR. He was columnist for the Pittsburgh Courier, Ohio State News and The Ohio Sentinel, with byline. He edited, managed and circulated The Third Dis- strict Informer, Tawawa Herald, Bethel Star and the Third District Public Re- lations Journal. He instructed in Steno- graphic and Journalistic Preparation, Tawawa School of Religion, Wilber- force University, Wilberforce, OH. He was author and columnist of ‘‘Cap- tured Facts’’ and is the author of Jrony of Afro-American History: An Over- view of A.M.E. History And Related Developments. Rev. Reid is former president of Wilberforce University Alumni As- sociation, Capital City Chapter, Co- lumbus, OH. He was named one of the ten ‘‘Top Men of the Year’’ from a city of 500,000 population by the Co- lumbus Citizen newspaper, Columbus, OH. He served as Senate Chaplain for the State of Pennsylvania, 1959-60, and was listed in Pennsylvania’s Who’s Who; was radio pastor for six years for Duquesne-McKeesport, PA, Council of Churches, and, in 1957, was a member of the Duquesne Chamber of Commerce. In 1960 he became the first Black president of the Duquesne Council of Churches. In 1961 he was the first Black candidate for the Duquesne Board of Public Education. In 1964 he was the Allegheny County, PA, Anti- Poverty Chairman of the Education Committee. In 1965 he became the Ex- ecutive Director of the Duquesne Anti-Poverty Office of Economic Op- portunity Commission (O.E.O). He was a board member for the Tri-City Opportunities Industrialization Cen- ter, Inc. He served as a volunteer cha- plain at the Hamilton County Juvenile Court, Cincinnati, OH, and, in 1971, became a member of the University of Cincinnati Steering Committee, inter- preting the Associate Art Degree Pro- gram to the Black community. He was the first and only Black to serve as President of the Cincinnati Council of Christian Communions. For two terms, he served as vice-president of the Board of Directors for ‘‘New Life For Girls,’’ operating three facilities: two half-way houses and the Light- house Runaway Shelter. He served as a panelist on Cincinnati’s popular tele- vision program ‘‘Dialogue.”’ Rev. Reid is a Master Mason, F. and A.M., Prince Hall Affiliation, 32nd er, Dr. Robert Henry Reid, Jr., 1976 to Present John Brown Russwurm Founder of American’s First Black Newspaper Faster a Te of Christian Victory Instead of Worldly ea stating, Easter Should Be 4 Misdonary Observance for Overseas Degree, and a Shriner. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, a life member of the NAACP and a member of B.S. and A., Inc. He served for thirty-five years as a successful A.M.E. pastor. He is a world traveler, lecturer and preacher; and visited Europe, Asia and Africa, with extended tours of Israel and the Holy Land in 1959 and 1972. On his second African visit, he traveled over 30,000 miles visiting A.M.E. missions. On a third visit to Israel, he served as a member of the reconciliation team for Arabs and Jews. He was official repre- sentative to the A.M.E. Church’s Dia- mond Jubilee, Hamilton, Bermuda, and he made a 3,000-mile tour of Mex- ico in a poverty study. He was a spe- cial, invited guest to Liberia, West Af- rica, for the inauguration of President William V. Tubman, January 15, 1968. For nine years Rev. Reid served as pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Cincinnati, OH, from which church he was elected, in 1976, to serve as General Officer of the African Metho- dist Episcopal Church as its Editor of The A.M.E. Christian Recorder. He is a fourth generation preacher: his great- grandfather, grandfather and father were all A.M.E. preachers. He is listed in the 1976 publication, “‘Community Leaders and Note- worthy Americans,”’ in recognition of past achievements and outstanding ser- vice to community and state. He is also listed in Wilberforce University’s First National Alumni Directory, 1983. He has twice served as a quin- quennium member of the World Me- thodist Council, meeting in Honolulu, Hawaii, and Nairobi, Kenya. Shortly after leaving the Wilberforce University community, in the late for- ties, he was appointed Deputy Treasurer for Franklin County at Co- lumbus, OH. It was in Columbus that, through his relentless struggle for the cause of justice, educational and racial equality, he, almost single-handedly leading children in a protest march around the old dilapidated Mt. Vernon Elementary School, brought pressure to bear upon the school board and the city, which resulted in the construction of a modern school building on the same site. Upcompromising in his fight for equal opportunity for Blacks and other minorities, he has asserted him- self in the interest of minorities before the political, economic, religious and social forces of every community in which he has lived. He has been fear- less in the fight and struggle for full and unlimited freedom NOW for the Black people of America. He has been eager to achieve, yet patient to inves- tigate. He has heard the continuing sad cry of the derelict and responded with altruistic service. He has chosen his di- rection for life and, as a God-called preacher, cast his lot with common people and given hope to the timid and fearful. Helper of the helpless, servant of the poor, preacher for the underpri- vileged, proclaimer of liberty through Christ, valiant soldier in the battle for humanity, rugged and stalwart general in the Army of Jehovah, hero in the conflict, foot soldier in the frontline fight and gallant warrior in the cause of truth, he has remained a lover of his fellowman and a Nimesis to the forces of injustice. As Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder, the oldest continuously- circulated newspaper owned by Blacks in the world, he has yet continued his fight through his many award-winning editorials. World traveler, lecturer, preacher, reconciler, prolific writer and General Officer of the African Methodist Epis- copal Church. A.M.E. CHURCH NEWSPAPER HISTORY, ABBREVIATED The A.M.E. Church, at one time in its history, operated three newspapers: the Christian Recorder is the oldest. The Southern Christian Recorder was founded in 1882 by Bishop Henry McNeil turner. The Western Christian Recorder was founded in 1900 by Dr. J. Frank McDonald. The Christian Re- corder and the Southern Christian Re- corder were Officially merged at the General Conference in Los Angeles in 1960. The 1980 General Conference changed the Christian Recorder from a weekly newspaper to a fortnightly, now published every 14th day, with Monday as the publishing date, from the A.M.E. Sunday School Union Publishing House, Nashville, Tennes- see. Noble History The Christian Recorder does, in- deed, have a noble history and respec- ted tradition that dates back to the New York Annual Conference of the First Episcopal District, where, in 1836, a resolution established a quar- terly periodical, the first copy being printed in 1841. In. 1848, the Christian Herald was the name of our paper that was operated out of Pittsburgh, PA. In 1852, when the operation was mov- ed to Philadelphia, the mame was changed from the Christian Herald to the Christian Recorder, and published by the A.M.E. Book Concern. Dr. Robert H. Reid, Jr. Distinguished Editors Some of the names of distinguished editors of the Christian Recorder in- clude Rev. M. M. Clark, Rev. A. R. Green, Rev. J. P. Campbell, Rev. Elisha Weaver, Rev. A. L. Sanford, Rev. James Lynch and Rev. Benjamin T. Tanner. In 1884, Rev. B. F. Lee, President of Wilberforce University, was made Editor of the Christian Recorder and remained in that position until he was elected bishop in 1892. Rev. H. T. Johnson, who succeeded Bishop Lee, died in office and Dr. R. R. Wright, Jr., became editor. Other names of former editors include Dr. George A. Singleton, Dr. David Nor- ris, Dr. Fred Hughes, Dr. B. J. Nolen, Dr. L. S. Odom and Dr. A Lewis Williams, the only living former editor. Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., the current editor, was elected in June 1976 at the General Conference held in Atlanta, GA. Editor Reid has the distinction of being the church’s BICENTENNIAL EDITOR, as the A.M.E. Church celebrated its 200th birthday, during the Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty-Seven. He is the author of the Bicentennial Primer, a book entitled Jrony of Afro-American History: An Overview of A.M.E. History and Related Developments. Four Christian Recorder Editors Elected Bishops Rev. Jabez Pitt Campbell was elect- ed and consecrated bishop in 1864, and died after serving 27 years. Rev. Ben- jamin Tucker Tanner was elected and consecrated bishop in 1888, and died after serving 27 years. Rev. Benjamin Franklin Lee was elected and conse- crated bishop in 1892, and died after serving 34 years. Rev. Richard Robert Wright, Jr., was elected and conse- crated bishop in 1936 and died after serving 31 years. Let History Have Its Day Not only we, but all of our posteri- ty, will be better served if we let history have its day! The A.ME. Christian Recorder is the oldest newspaper of the eleven oldest Black publications in our nation, the Recorder being 28 years older than the next oldest Black newspaper, and 57 years older than the last of the eleven: 1. The Christian Recorder, 1848; 2. The Star of Zion, 1876; 3. The American Baptist, 1878; 4. The Philadelphia Tri- bune, 1884; 5. The Baltimore Afro- American, 1892; 6. The Houston In- former and 7. Texas Freeman, 1893; 8. The Iowa Bystander, 1894, 9. The In- dianapolis Recorder, 1895; 10. The Norfolk Journal and Guide, 1900; and 11. The Chicago Defender, 1905. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder, in the field of journalism, is the oldest Continuously circulated newspaper owned by Blacks in the world. ===== DSC05478.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13, 1988 WMS Conference April 14-17, 1988 Murphy A.M.E. Church 718 Yarnall Streets Chester, PA 19013 The Rev. A, T. Holtz, Jr., Hast Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 497-9925 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 497-2127 The Rey. Atwood F. Foreman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20, 1988 WMS Conference April 21-24, 1988 Grant A.M.E. Church 1906 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118 The Rey. Roland McCall, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (617) 427-0670 Pastor’s Telephone: (617) 986-2241 The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 10, 1988 WMS Conference May 11-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 1525 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14208 The Rev. Eugene McAshan, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (716) 886-1650 Pastor’s Telephone: (716) 835-8992 The Rev. Vernon I. Lowe, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17, 1988 WMS Conference May 18-22, 1988 Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church Baltimore Ave. at 50th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143 The Rey. J. D. Patterson, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 476-5340/747-0881 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 472-5905 The Rey, A. McNeil White, Host P.E. ? It Is Not ay Enough To Aim, 5 You Must Hit! @ THE NEW CATECHISM The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to yduth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLC-I9IG Gini vctiwrs ieee rea es ses $3.50 ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT A.M.E. CHURCH 1988 ANNUAL CONFERENCE BISHOP JOHN HURST ADAMS BALTIMORE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 5-8, 1988 Waters A.M.E. Church 417 N. Aisquith Baltimore, MD 21202 The Rey. John W. Duckette, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (301) 675-2640 Pastor’s Telephone: (202) 726-5792 WASHINGTON ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 19-22, 1988 Turner Memorial A.M.E. Church 606 Eye Street, N. W. Washington, D. C. 20001 The Rev. Goodwin Douglas, Pastor Church Telephone:(202) 638-2343 Pastor’s Telephone:(301) 654-4426 VIRGINIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 3-6, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 614 N. Third Street Richmond, VA 23219 The Rev. Rodger Hall Reed, Pastor Church Telephone: (804) 643-8157 Pastor’s Telephone: (804) 272-8737 NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 10-13, 1988 St. Luke A.M.E. Church 522 Hillsboro Street Fayetteville, NC 28301 The Rey. J. A. Humphrey, Pastor Church Telephone: (919) 485-7794 Pastor’s Telephone.(919)488-2771 WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 24-27, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 200 Regan Street Greensboro, NC 27401 The Rev. M. T. Wilson, Pastor Church Telephone: (919) 273-5268 Pastor’s Telephone:(919) 852-0731 SECOND EPISCOPAL DISTRICT PLANNING MEETING June 16-18, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church Druid Hill & Lanvale Streets Baltimore, MD 21217 The Rev. John R. Bryant, Pastor Church Telephone: (301)523-3273 Pastor’s Telephone:(301) 542-2902 C U In Conference wwuGreetings! WA Dr. T. E. Harper Presiding Elder First Episcopal District Leadership SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT for the AME CHURCH . ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE Third Century il BARRE RRNA f BISHOP F, H. TALBOT SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-17, 1988 Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church Bainbridge, Georgia The Rev. L. A. Townes, Host Pastor The Rev. E. O. Benefield, Host P.E. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-24, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church Columbus, GA The Rev, John Rolle, Host Pastor The Rev. A. M. Threatt, Host P.E. a 12th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric Dr. G. E. West REST WEEK % April 25-May 1, 1988 e OLD GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-8, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church Savannah, Georgia The Rev. Jack J. Bradshaw, Host Pastor The Rev. T. J. Kent, Host P.E. x : 4 é f : Re f & elsesieesieleee CHURCH COMPUTER SOFTWARE AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-15, 1988 First A.M.E. Church Athens, Georgia The Rev. Claude R. James, Host Pastor The Rev. M. S. Colquitt, Host P.E. REST WEEK May 16-22, 1988 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 25-29, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Milledgeville, GA The Rev. C. H. Boddy, Host Pastor The Rey. William Carter, Host P.E. It'S aS easy as AMEC! Contact the nation’s leading ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA church computer systems: ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. AMEC Plus and AMEC Jr. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. &® @¢ 8 } B Every True AME should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hym- nal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly African Methodist Episcopal Church A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 615/256-5882 “The Committee's choice. . .since 1984” Reduced The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God's word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs and aspirations today. Please include 13% postage and handling . - -$5.00 ===== DSC05479.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 Bishop Stokes’ Popularity In Texas by Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, Public Relations Upon leaving the White House for the last time, President Jimmy Carter said, ‘‘I’ll leave my place in history to be placed by the writers and historians —not with the politicians.’’ The pro- per place of Bishop and Mrs, Rembert E. Stokes in Texas A.M.E. history will be placed by the writers and historians of Texas—but not the Texas church politicians. The 1987 series of conferences was marked by repeated festive invitations tendered Bishop and Mrs. Stokes. The picture shown was taken at the Bicen- tennial Celebration held during the N.E. Texas Conference, one of three such honorariums given the Texas pre- late and his wife within a three-month period in the North East Texas Con- ference area. Rev. Ray Charles Emanuel hosted a community-wide testimonial in the Oakwood Community, drawing 1,200 people. Rev. Emanuel pastors in the community, having succeeded his father, the late Rev. L. C. Emanuel, who built two churches in the area. Rev. William Burnett, pastor of Ebe- nezer A.M.E., Tyler, served as co- host. Rey. William Vaughn, Jr., pastor of historic Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Athens, staged a third conclave for Bishop and Mrs. Stokes, an affair which drew crowds from all over Northeast Texas. Revs. A. L. Brown, L. E. Reid and George Bailey, presid- ing elders of Northeast Texas, were in supreme ‘‘presiding elder evidence’’ at all occasions. At the Tyler Conference Bicenten- nial, a motorcade took the Bishop Stokes caravan to the Texas College campus, University of Texas (at Tyler) campus and the Tyler Rose section. Tyler, the Rose Capitol City, presented Mrs. Stokes with an exquisite bouquet of rare roses. At the dinner at the Civic Center, Mrs. Stokes wore a rare petal- design dress. The floral attire was a compliment to Tyler as the Rose Cap- itol. At no place was Dr. Stokes more at home than on the Texas College cam- pus. Texas College is a C.M.E. school. For ten years (1902-1912), Bishop C. H. Phillips, father of Dr, Nancy, served as C.M.E. Bishop of Texas. At Texas College, the gold car- pet was rolled out to Dr. Nancy. From Midland, N.W. Texas Con- ference, to Dallas, North Texas Con- ference (all seven), similar demonstra- tions were exhibited. Rev. I.C. Cooper, presiding elder of the N.W. Texas Conference, was the epitome of his bishop’s Conference Steward. Rev. S. V. Ferguson, entertaining pastor at St. Luke, Midland, had his church fel- lowship hall garlanded with decora- tions for a gala dinner reception. Dr. Bennie Wilson, host presiding elder, and Dr. I. G. Gordon, host pastor at St. John, Brenham, had things whipped into shape. The un- usual feature about this conference was that all women preachers manned the pulpit for opening session. Rev. Julia Ferguson of Shorter Chapel A.M.E. Church, Giddings, brought the Annual Sermon. It was really ‘‘Ministerial Women’s Day,’’ because only women pastors participated. Dr. F. D. McDonald was associate presid- ing elder. ' San Antonio, seat of the S.W. Texas Conference, sustained the catholic glare in entertaining this conference. Rev. A. R. Nelson, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, for 27 years, was a magnificent host. Dr. O. W. Hodges was host presiding elder and Rev. Lloyd Chenault was associate presid- ing elder. The Missionary Society, supervised by Dr. Nancy Phillips Stokes, staged a historical pageant of the A.M.E. Church, from Richard Allen to the present time. Dr. Julia Knight, noted teacher and churchwoman of San An- tonio, raised (by herself) $1,000 for Paul Quinn College. The expertise of Dr. L. E. Ausbie, former presiding elder of the S.W. Texas Conference, was still cherished and sought in this conference. Dr. Ausbie, Wilberforce graduate (Payne Seminary), was ap- pointed to fill Dr. Q. C. Roberson’s Corpus Christi-San Antonio District when P. E. Roberson died. The highlight of the Texas Confer- ence, held at Wesley Chapel A.M.E. West African Special News Bulletin Ghana Conference Yields 4 Ordainees, 21 Converts and 81 Baptized Bishop Vernon R. Byrd Kumasi, Ghana—The Holy Ghost kissed all of the conferences in West Africa. . .especially in Ghana. ’Twas on youth night when a young brother from the United Methodist Church preached ‘‘despise not the days of thy youth.’’ Twenty-one youngsters gave their hearts to Christ; over 500 joined with the bishop in praising God. Following the ordination of three deacons and one elder, Bishop Byrd baptized 81 persons. Please pray for us in this part of God’s world. Liberia, West Africa—Rev. Dr. and Mrs. J. Benedict Mason hosted the an- nual conference for Liberia last Jan- uary. What a marvelous job they did! One Saturday night the Lord used Rev. Dr. Eral Thompson of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Lima, OH, to preach with such power that 26 youngsters surrendered their lives to Christ. West Africa is still on fire! Mrs. Thelma January, wife of Rev. J. E. January, pastor of Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church, Monrovia, is the newly-appointed 14th Episcopal Dis- trict President of the WMS, in attend- ance at the Liberia, Ghana, Sierra Leone Conferences. President January will join Bishop Byrd and Overseas Director, Mrs. Cynthia Randal, in Ni- geria, March Ist, for the Negria An- nual Conference. This will mark the end of the 1984-1988 conference period in West Africa. Dr. E. K. Randal, MD, Reporter Secretary of Conference Marked by Festivities Seated with Bishop and Mrs. Stokes (far right) are officials of Tyler and Smith County: Judge and wife, Mayor and wife of Tyler, Tyer Chief-of-Police, President of Chamber of Commerce. Standing are Rev. and Mrs. William Burnett, Conference host and hostess; Rev. and Mrs. R. C. Emanual, co-host and hostess; Ebenezer receptionist, County Commissioner, and Dr. George Bailey and Conference Host Presiding Elder. Church, Houston, was the Bicenten- nial Banquet honoring Bishop Stokes for being President of the Council of A.M.E. Bishops. Rev. E. E. Coates was entertaining pastor. Rev. X. L. Williams was host presiding elder and Revs. L. W. Jenkins and O. L. Dawson were associate presiding elders. Bishop John Hurst Adams, guest for the Bicentennial Banquet, flew into Houston early Wednesday and presid- ed at one session of the Texas Confer- ence. Dr. Hercules Miles, Secretary- Treasurer of Church Extension, also graced the Wesley rostrum. Dr. Garret Henning of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Louis, was a platform conference visitor. Rev. James K. Baldwin, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Wilmington, DE, preached the ‘‘Hour of Power’’ ser- ‘mon. Thrilling and driving, Dr. Bald- win threw the conference into a spirit- ual dither in his sermon finale by recit- ing ‘‘The Killing of the Old Rat.” Texas A.M.E. history does not re- cord the record crowd that attended the Bicentennial Dinner. Dr. John R. Bryant was guest speaker, using for his subject ‘‘God Sent an Angel.’’ At the close of his message, if the ‘‘doors of the church’’ had been opened, every- body present would have joined church over again. OUTSTANDING BLACK SERMONS Volume 2 Waiter B Hoard. edito Outstanding Black Sermons, Volume 2 by Walter B. Hoard A new collection of sixteen ser- mons by outstanding preachers from the Black Christian com- munity. A helpful sermon development resource for all preachers. WBH-123A .....---+-2+5 $4.95 Please add 13% postage and handling. The dashing U.S. Congressman, Floyd Flake, pastor of Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Jamaica, NY, heard of the Bicentennial Banquet, flew into Houston unannounced, appeared on the scene and went about all over the banquet hall renewing acquaintances and shaking hands. Dr. and Mrs. E. E. McAshan, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Buffalo, NY, and Dr. Miles made dashing banquet appearances. Dr. X. L. Williams, seemingly the “master mind’’ of the Bicentennial Celebration, had every facet of Texas A.M.E. official structure on the pro- gram for greetings to Bishop and Mrs. Stokes. People kept their banquet invi- tations for A.M.E. keepsakes. Speak- ing of dressing, seemingly, the Texas Conference women bought out Foley’s and Joskes of Houston for the occasion. And Dr. Nancy. She must have had Neiman-Marcus of Dallas to arrange her dress attire. These fetching models could have styled for Sak’s of Fifth Avenue, New York, wearing these same bicentennial fashions. YOUR DAILY INVESTMENT In The Silent Moment PAYS WEEKLY DIVIDENDS eading The Silent Moment not only enriches| R your day. It can enrich your weekly Bible study, too—especially when you're studying with AMEC Sunday School material. Because the daily Scripture readings in The Silent Moment are the same daily readings recommended by A. Lee Henderson for daily spirit- ual inspiration. It also ties into the Sunday School lessons. Which means these few minutes you spend reading, and thinking, and praying each day are actually preparing you for a more spiritual directed day. Also for a more profitable class time on Sunday. If you're not xlready using AMEC Sunday School literature in your Sunday School Class, try AMEC literature next quarter and see how well it rewards your daily devotion. To order your Sunday School materials or request free samples, simply call (615) 256-5882, write the address below, or check with your Episcopal District Bookstore. AMEC SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203 hs ===== DSC05480.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 13 Stewardship Program Takes Root What Does it Mean to Care? and Blossoms In Rev. Archie Richmond Highland, NJ—One of the first pro- grams instituted in 1984 by the presid- ing prelate of the First Episcopal Dis- trict, Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings, was a viable stewardship program. There are many definitions for stew- ardship. ‘‘Stewardship is the awareness of accountability.’’ ‘‘Stewardship is man’s reaction to God’s act of re- demption.’’ There is another defini- tion that I have coined: Stewardship is God’s relationship with us, and our re- lationship with Him. The one that I would like to lift up in this article is visible in 2 Corinthians 8:2, 5. “Though they have been going through much trouble and hard times, they have mixed their wonderful joy with their deep poverty, and the result has been an overflow of giving to oth- ers. Best of all, they went beyond our highest hope, for their first action was to dedicate themselves to the Lord and to us, for whatever directions God might give to them through us.”’ It is total commitment that I glean from the verses above. Total commit- ment ‘‘is to first give ourselves to the Lord.’’ Total commitment is giving our time, talents, and tithes to God. We don’t withhold anything from God. We realize that ‘‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof; the world, and they that dwell therein’’ (Psalm 24:1). One phase of stewardship that we praise God for is the commitment to tithing. The First District is rapidly becoming a tithing District. It is often said that money is the last thing that Christians will surrender to God. This is one sign of spiritual growth and commitment to God in the First Dis- trict. Churches throughout the District are together in the tithing program. The attitude of the people deter- mines the progress of the program. Thank God, for the attitude of both clergy and lay people concerning tith- ing that has lifted us to the spiritual at- titude of acceptance. Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings, in- spired by God, began to lift up tithing in every session wherever we met. We began to think of our only source of blessings. God is the only fountain from which we receive more than we need. We began to think tithing. | am convinced that if a church is not a tith- ing people, there is something wrong with either their faith or training, or a combination of the two. Our Episcopal Leader had a vision and a plan of action. He appointed a Director of Stewardship in the First District with a rich background in pas- toral service and twenty-one years of experience in fundraising. He also ap- pointed a director in each conference. Most of the, presiding elders have ap- pointed directors in their districts. Our Episcopal Leader commissioned the Director of Stewardship in the First District to go into every conference and conduct workshops and training sessions on stewardship. The Director First District has traveled in every district and ac- cepted the challenge with much enthu- siasm. Cassette tapes and video tapes are tools that are being used to assist in training. The president of every con- ference Lay Organization has willingly embraced tithing and organized for workshops in their conferences and districts. The emphasis in each of the work- shops has been to convey the truth that tithing is a mandate from God: “Thou shalt truly tithe all the increase of thy seed, that the field bringeth forth year by year. And thou shalt eat before the Lord thy God, in the place which he shall choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that thou mayest learn to fear the Lord thy God always” (Deuteronomy 14:22, 23). Tithing is God’s plan for operating His Church. We have to forget about our plans, which are often not the plans of God. He wants us to put Him first. We don’t give because God is in need. ‘‘The cattle upon a thousand hills is mine.’’ I think the author of the above words would say today that all the cattles, homes, cars, bank ac- counts, and everything else we think we own belongs to God. The air we breathe and the blood that runs through our arteries are gifts of God. We give tithes to acknowledge God as the source of all blessings. We give to acknowledge God as the owner of all things. We give tithes to keep us from greed and covetousness. We give tithes to assist the Mission of the Church. We give God the glory, honor, and praises through worship. We worship God in giving. We thank God for the churches in the First District that have accepted God’s plans, through tithing, for fi- nancing the churches. In most of the churches where workshops on stew- ardship have been held, half of the people in attendance leave with a com- mitment to tithing. This happens be- cause the workshops are Bible-based, and the Holy Spirit, through the Word of God, convicts the hearers on God’s way. We give God the glory for trans- forming our churches from a begging people to a tithing people. We fully realize that our Father is rich in houses and lands and He holds the world in His hands. If we put God first in our living and giving, the words of Malachi come true: “Bring ye all the tithes into the store- house, that there may be meat in mine house, and prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it” (Malachi 3:10). We thank God for our unparalleled leader, Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings, for giving us direction in the stewardship program that has given the churches a strong financial base upon which to build for the future. It is our dream, Our prayer, our hope that the African Methodist Epis- copal Church will become a tithing Church. It has always been God’s plan for the church. With God’s help, we can be sure that the financial and spir- itual blessings will continue if we trust His plan for the church. Archie L. Richmond, Director of Stewardship for the First Episcopal District Dr. Y. B. Bruce Often when we ask a political candi- date why they want to be elected their response is because I care. Now the truth of the matter is we never find out what they care about until it is too late, several months after the election is over. For some strange reason there is often a simularity within the frame of African Methodism. Maybe it is because we use the same format of the Democratic process to choose our leaders. There may not be a better way to select those who are to be our leaders and heads of various depart- ments. The writer is convinced that all those who have been asked to be con- sidered for various positions do care. But what do they mean when they say I care? Let me tell you of an incident to explain what I’m asking. Founder’s Day across the connection is perhaps the biggest day on the calendar for all concerned. It is a time when most charges would try to find the biggest and best possible person to lead their celebration. This would make one feel that all General Officers would be at their choice of the major points in the connection and considering the way we do things would do just that. But on the other hand this was not to be for Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce, for he chose to do the opposite. See Knoxville, TN is not a very important town on the connection map. Why? Because there are only three (3) A.M.E. Churches in the Metro area, three Itinerant Elders, about 700 members of which there is only one lay delegate and one youth PTTTITITT TTT Olin P Moyd Interpreting God’s Word In Black Preaching by Warren H. Stewart, Sr. To assist the preacher with the task of interpreting and communicating the Word so that it will be relevant and understood by the congrega- tion. WHS-212A ......-0+5> $8.95 90000000060000000 0000005 s50b05505500005065555055500099050000089000000000000000000000000000000008 Please add 13% postage and handling. delegate, to the General Conference. Now, of the three churches there is ONE Clayborn Temple who is living through a rough turbulance of two years, and for all practical purposes is just making ends meet. But these things that are very im- portant to most, were not an issue dur- ing the planning stage in December. Dr. Bruce clearly stated after hearing about Clayborn’s situation ‘‘I am go- ing to be in town in February to see my son at U. T. set up a program and I will come to preach for you to help your church,’? and that he did. Founders Day Feb. 14, 1988 in Knox- ville must have been the best ever. Sun- day morning at 10:45 Dr. Bruce with plenty of power sent the words through the sanctuary of Bethel; ‘‘If the Lord want somebody send me.’’ At 4:00 p.m. Rev. J. T. Broadnax and the people of Bethel were at Clayborn to assist in creating a great spiritual ex- perience. Dr. Bruce then used the 23rd Psalms to tell of A Caring Shepherd. It was Revival time at Clayborn, one of the members stated ‘‘I don’t know when I have left a service feeling this good.”’ The people of Clayborn are still re- joicing and we are moving forward from that point. We pause to say to Dr. Bruce—thanks for caring. The people of Bethel strongly agree. Now we say to the Church, Y. B. Bruce has shown what it means to care. We need more people like him. Since he is only one of a kind let’s keep him as DIRECTOR OF WORSHIP AND E- VANGELISM. Rey. Phillip B. Griffin, Pastor Clayborn Temple A.M.E. Church Knoxville, TN The Hardest Lessons to Learn ARE those We Already Know Redemption in Black Theology by Olin Moyd Olin Moyd considers redemp- tion the vital core of Black theology. He describes his view of redemption as the need not only to be “delivered from something,” but also the need to be “accepted into something.” Seeeeseesesesessessssssesssssessesseed SHEHHSSHSEHHSSESSSSESSEHSEHEOSHSESSEHEEEEESESEHESESHEESESESS eeeeeeeoseereres ===== DSC05481.JPG ===== The AME. Christian Recorder April 4, 1988 Willie Robinson, the University of Florida’s new Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, discusses college life with Simone McKen, a 20-year-old UF journalism major from Orlan- do. (UF photo by Walter Coker) ‘Racism Is a Problem Within the Hearts and Minds of Whites’’ Gainesville, FL—When educator Willie Robinson tries to explain to Whites how difficult it can be for Blacks to enter predominantly white universities, he simply turns the tables on them. “*T tell them to imagine being sud- denly thrust into a foreign environ- ment. The music they’re hearing is not what they like, the culture around them is completely different from what they’ve grown up with. They don’t even know how to find the kind of church or barber they’re used to,”’ said Robinson, who began duties last month as the University of Florida’s new Assistant Dean for Student Affairs. Making culture shock a little easier to swallow for UF’s 2,000 Black stu- dents, 2,000 Hispanics and other mi- Norities is Robinson’s primary goal in his new job, and he says he’s up to the challenge. “T work with individual students and with groups to try to make them feel comfortable here, to have a good fit. I encourage students to participate in both Black and White groups, so if they see something they’re interested in, they’ll go for it,’’ said the 36-year- old Robinson, who has a bachelor of science degree in economics and a mas- ter’s degree in education from Tuske- gee Institute. In addition to cultural problems, minority students face several special problems when they enter a predomi- nantly white university, such as eco- nomic and educational differences with mainstream Whites, Robinson said. ‘*A minority student might not have the economic resources White stu- dents have, because like it or not, the average income of Black families is lower than that of Whites,’’ he said. Robinson steers students to the univer- sity’s student financial aid office and suggests scholarship and fellowship opportunities. He also talks to a lot of minority students who find the going tough aca- demically. ‘‘Depending on their high school background, they might not be well prepared for the academic chal- lenges here,’’ he said. Robinson urges minority students to take advantage of academic support services and to develop good study habits and skills, and the first thing he tells them is that college is ‘‘nothing like high school.”’ One of the biggest problems Black students face in a mainstream White community is racism, he said. ‘‘Rac- ism is always a problem. Some say it doesn’t exist anymore, and I say ‘Bull!’ ’? he said. ‘‘It was easier to identify it in the ’60s, when racist signs were up in buses, restaurants, and on the street, but there are more subtle forms of racism today that are just as real and threatening.”’ He tells minority students to realize that racism is a problem within the hearts and minds of Whites. ‘‘I tell them they have just as much a right to be here as anybody else, and they should find their niche and develop something of a thick skin. Some White students will just never accept Blacks, but there’s a lot we all can do to im- prove relations.’’ Robinson has enjoyed working with individual students ever since his first job as an intern in student affairs at Tuskegee. He then spent four years as a counselor and assistant to the vice- chancellor for student development at Western Carolina University and four years as student services coordinator and director of the Black Culture Cen- ter at the University of Missouri. ‘‘Through it all, the incidents that stand out most to me are when I really made a difference in a student’s life. That makes it all worthwhile,’’ he said. Robinson is never afraid to get per- sonally involved in a student’s prob- lem. He remembers counseling one freshman who registered for three courses—physics, chemistry and math. She was told she had an easy schedule because it only included three courses, but Robinson recognized that she was undertaking three difficult courses all at once. He ended up having to go to the stu- dent’s advisor himself to urge a change, and he succeeded. ‘‘I left work that day really feeling like I’d accomp- lished something.”’ Every Member of the A.M.E. Church Should Rush a Black and White Photo and a Short Bioigraphical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 8th Avenue, South Nashville, TN 37203 Rev. Taylor L. Thompson Elected President Of A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance Pittsburgh, PA—When the Greater Pittsburgh A.M.E, Church Ministerial Alliance held their annual election of officers in St. James A.M.E. Church, Pittsburgh, Rev, Taylor T. Thompson was elected president for 1988. He is the pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Beltzhoover, Other elected officers were the Revs. William Estes, vice president; Donald E, Owens, Sr., recording secretary; Estil Bryant, assistant secretary; David U. Brown, treasurer; Marion Young, Parliamentarian; James Hux _ III, Chaplain, and at-large Board members Moses Wright, Robert Taylor and Charles Buckner. The Alliance sponsors annual Thanksgiving Worship Service, Foun- ders’ Day Observance, Spring Revivals, lend support to interdenominational activities, and maintain a Food Vou- cher Program and the Third Episco- pal District Ministerial Education Fund, Ongoing and most recent pro- ject is the Tabatha Foster Family Fund. The Alliance, with approximately 25 active church participants, is a part of the Third Episcopal District, Pitts- burgh Conference, and encompasses Pittsburgh, Allegheny and Scranton Presiding Elder Districts. The Rt. Rev. Richard Allen Hildebrand is Presiding Bishop. All Roads Lead to Texas. 19 88 A.M.E. Department of Church Extension and the Allen Insurance Agency invite your church to participate in the official property and liability insurance program for A.M.E. churches. Researched and endorsed by the A.M.E. Church Extension Depart- ment. Many churches find the insurance market- place to be cold and complex. That’s understandable, of course. With hundreds of companies, thousands of agents and a myriad of coverages to choose from, it’s difficult to know which is right for you. To help make your choice easier, your Church Extension Department and the Allen Insurance Agency (owned in part by the A.M.E. church) researched many com- panies and coverages. They uncovered one company that stood above the clutter. One company that was subsequently given the endorsement of your Church Extension Department. That company is Church Mutual Insurance Company. Church Mutual offers the security you want and. need. Church Mutual is a specialist in providing property and liability insurance to church- es. The company has a network of highly trained representatives and agents in 30 states.* People who work with churches day in and day out, and now insure more than 35,000. People who deliver the service and coverages your want and need. Founded in 1897, Church Mutual offers the financial strength and stability that is so important at the time you suffer a major loss. You can feel confident knowing that The Benefits are yours. With Church Mutual, you’ll get prompt, attentive service—and much more: @ Complete survey of your facilities and exposures, with expert assistance in establishing insurance values for your church property. B A plan of insurance tailored to the pre- cise needs of your church. ™@ Loss control recommandations and brochures. @ Competitive premiums. B® Periodic reviews to keep your plan up to date. @ Fast, fair settlement of claims. Take the first step with a free eval- uation. To personally acquaint you with the advan- tages of the A.M.E. endorsed insurance program, Church Mutual will be happy to provide an evaluation of your church’s in- surance protection needs—at no cost to you, and with no obligation on your part. Just fill out and mail the coupon today. Learn first-hand why Church Mutual is the trusted choice for A.M.E. churches. YES, 1 am interested in learning more about the I A.M.E. insurance program offered by Church Mutual! | Please contact me to schedule a free evaluation of my | church’s insurance needs. A.M. Best Company—the nationally re- ! spected industry analyst—has awarded 1 Church Mutual its highest rating, A+ (Excellent). INSURANCE COMPANY Murrill, Wisconsin The Specialist 1986 Church Mutual Insurance Company | Name Mail to:Church Mutual Insurance Company 3000 Schuster Lane, P.O. Box 357, Merrill, WI 54452 ©The program offered by Church Mutual is available at this time in these 30 states: AL, AZ, AR, CA, OO, FL, GA, ID, IL, IA, KS, KY, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NC, ND, OH, OK, PA, SD, TN, VA, WA, WV and WI. re ===== DSC05482.JPG ===== April 4, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder World President, Mrs. Edith W. Ming, Visits Far East Mrs. Edith W. Ming, World Presi- dent of the World Federation of Meth- odist Women, accompanied by her husband, Bishop Donald G, K. Ming, made a historic visit to the Far East. Leaving Dallas-Fort Worth Airport on Thai Airlines, they journeyed to the beautiful city of Bangkok via Seattle and Tokyo. Overnighting in Bangkok, they journeyed the next day to the ex- citing city of Seoul, Korea! Bishop and Mrs. Ming were wel- comed by President Emeritus Mrs. Oknah Kim Lah and others of the local unit of Korea. The visit of President Ming to Korea proved to be spiritually uplifting and socially and educationally beneficial to both the visitors and the local hosts. Starting with the morning worship service at Chung Dong First Methodist Church (the mother church of Protes- tantism in Korea), hundreds of wor- shipers flocked for prayer and praise. There were many receptions, lunch- eons and dinners planned by the host unit, including a very special afternoon “*Welcome Service,’’ where over four hundred women of Methodism gath- ered, on short notice, to extend a warm welcome and receive words of salutation from President and Bishop Ming. Through the special courtesy of Mrs. Kim Lah, President and Bishop Ming were received by Bishop Ki Chun Chang, President Bishop of Korea Methodism. Bishop Chang up-dated the guests on the tremendous growth of Methodism in Korea, and told them about the over-abundance of men and women who are responding to the call of the Christian ministry. It was noted that the seminary can only accommo- date 300 students per year; yet, there are over 800 applicants! Many of these students account for the planting of hundreds of new churches throughout South Korea, resulting in unusual growth! From the Bishop's office, the Mings went on to Ewha Women’s University, where over 27,000 young women find fulfillment in their pursuit of academic excellence. Dr. Li Sook Chung, Presi- dent of the university, rearranged her schedule in order that she might re- ceive the two guests. She proudly told how Ewha University has had a re- markable influence upon the life of the Korean people, training young women in all fields, including medicine, law, teaching, nursing, business, etc. The visit to Korea really strength- ened the link of the Methodist women in Korea and their sisters throughout the world. From Korea to Singapore, via Bang- kok, the Mings traveled. Again, Meth- Odist sisters warmly greeted President and Bishop Ming at the airport. These sisters were led on by East Asia Area of the Women’s Society of Christian Service in Singapore, and Rev. Khoo, a young woman minister who is pioneer- ing in mission building by starting a congregation. The beautiful, impres- sive city of Singapore, with its many modern hotel facilities, has been se- lected to host the 1991 Eighth World Federation Assembly, followed by the Sixteenth World Methodist Confer- ence. President Ming was there to meet with the local committee, with the help of Dr. Joe Hale, Executive Secretary of the World Methodist Council, and others, to find a venue where the Fed- eration will hold its assembly. These persons served as a site selection com- mittee and traveled to many places to find proper and reasonable accommo- dations for the next assembly. Bishop Ho Chee Sin and the Women’s Society of Christian Service President, Mrs. Tan, left no stone unturned in extend- ing hospitality and courtesies to Presi- dent Ming and the guests. Through the knowledgeable assistance of Mr. Sea- bough of Wilcox Travel, a site has Bishop and President Ming with members of the Korean Methodist Church. Group lays ground work for 1991 World Federation Assembly. been selected. Mrs. Tan Boon Hale, Conference WSCS president, was very helpful and provided her car and driv- ing expertise for our convenience and comfort. A visit to the Center For Retarded Persons, operated by the Methodist women, and a formal reception given by the local WSCS women, where President Ming addressed the group, made this visit additionally productive. Before leaving Singapore, President Ming met with the local entertainment committee and set forth the initial work and procedure for the 1991 Assembly. From Singapore to Hong Kong, the Mings traveled! Here the local World Federation Unit welcomed and receiv- ed President and Bishop Ming. On Monday afternoon over 40 women took off from their employment and other commitments to host a special luncheon in honor of their World President. Mrs. Cheng Yueh-ying, Unit Presi- dent, and others, up-dated President Ming on the work and current projects of their local unit, as well as pledging their support for the success of the 8th Assembly in 1991. All along the way, President Ming enlightened these members of the Challenge to Churches: Break Silence on Racism Los Angeles, CA (Monique McClellan) —Racism is on the increase through- out the United States society, includ- ing in the churches and at the highest level of government. That was the con- clusion of an international 175- member consultation on racism and racial justice in the United States, held here (17-21 January, 1988). Convened by the five U.S. commis- sioners of the Programme to Combat Racism (PCR) of the World Council of Churches, the consultation was held in conjunction with the first meeting of the 20-member PCR commission in the United States. The goal was to es- tablish a dialogue on racism among ethnic groups in the U.S. and with peo- ple who suffer under racism from around the globe. U.S. participants in the ecumenical gathering included Christians from Indian, Asian/Pacific Islander, Black, Hispanic and White communities, meeting together for the first time as church representatives. In- ternational participants came from five continents. Christian communions were called to confess their guilt in maintaining institutional racism in their own structures and in society. With a final statement ‘‘Challenge to the churches—towards a racially just world’’ the consultation issued a strong call to churches in the U. S. and to the member communions of the World Council of Churches ‘‘to begin a new and deliberate journey towards racial justice in the United States and throughout the world.’’ The statement deplored that in the U.S. gains of the past. decade towards racial justice are being eroded, that racially motivated violence against all racial ethnic groups is rising rapidly, and that treaties with American Indian nations are broken, disregarded and illegally altered. Among 25 points listed in the docu- ment are also noted the ‘‘English as official language’? campaign, unfair immigration legislation, racist bumper stickers, the low percentage of African -American students in colleges, and the disproportionate high unemployment rate in some of the ethnic communi- ties. The consultation issued a covenant committing participants to break the silence which has kept many church communions in the United States from speaking out and acting against racism. It charges the church communions of the United States to ‘‘use their influ- ence to eliminate racism and to devote major resources to this urgent task. We. .. will risk our own security in these very churches and ecumenical bodies. . .to keep silent at such a time as this is to invite despair and death for the people of God.’”’ U.S. church com- munions were charged to increase their financial contributions to the PCR Special Fund to at least 150,000 U.S. dollars in 1988, up from 2,000 U.S. dollars in 1986. On behalf of the Unit- ed Church of Christ, its national presi- dent, Avery Post, committed 15,000 U.S. dollars on the spot as an incentive for other church bodies. Moderator of the consultation and U.S. PCR commissioner Yvonne Delk, in a closing news conference (22 January 1988), called this a ‘‘powerful, significant and historic conference. . . meeting at a time when overt acts of racism are not only manifested in terms of Black and White, but when the other racial and ethnic communi- ties are affected as well. In 1988 there is a resurgence of racism, suddenly it seems to be permitted to be openly hostile.”? She said that church leaders were called to the consultation to raise the question ‘‘where is the moral lead- ership coming from to combat racism and to oppose the insurgency?’’ Acting PCR director James Mutam- birwa said that the commissioners were deeply moved by testimonies heard at the consultation, and ‘‘struck by the similarities of struggles here in this country with those experienced around the world.’’ He said that in their work PCR staff see so much suf- fering, pain and death causing them to lose courage, but ‘‘this experience was an energizer, telling us that there are people here who are determined to fight oppression, and who are confi- dent of victory.”’ Ecumenical Press Service World Federation of Methodist Wom- en about the work carried on by their sisters throughout the world and distri- buted the current pamphlet and hand- book. She requested their constant prayers and support for the strength of herself and the Federation. President Ming reminded these women of the words of that Methodist pioneer, John Wesley: ‘‘The world is my parish’’; but, she added, ‘“YOU, THE WORLD SISTERS, ARE MY FAMILY.”’ What The Whole World Needs Most Is A ‘‘Faith’’ Lift! NOTICE — Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black and White Production A. Lee Henderson Publisher ALL OF THE WOMEN OF THE. BIBLE by Edith Deen een <a Edith Deen This the first comprehensive book ever written on all of the women of the Bible— women who comprise a feminine protrait galley unsurpassed in the world of literature. All are here—saints and harlots, faithful mothers and wives, queens, sorceresses, concubines, business women— in rich, inspiring detail. Flavored with the color and drama of the original stories, Mrs. Deen’s comments on these women, their influence, and their times give the book a quality that is as instuctive as it is enter- taining. Please add 13% postage and handling ===== DSC05483.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder LL ——_—_—_—_—_—_______—— ts Outstanding Layman Participates 2S 4 SS FSS ESS ESN ENE NEN In Ecumenical Service x * years of service. He was the first affir- mative action officer at Tinker and in that role developed a strong sense of * advocacy. He also serves on a number of local, state, and national advisory boards, including the General Board of + the Connectional A.M.E. Church, the Board of Directors of the Areawide Aging Agency, and the Board of Trus- 4. tees of Shorter College in Little Rock, AR. He serves as the Chairman of the Board of the Oklahoma City Board of aa Park Commissioners, and is Ist Vice- Rev. Elizabeth Scott Bro. Chester Gipson eee a BD ce ange of Candidate for the Bishopric .M.E. Church. He is also an ac- President of the Oklahoma Conference tive member of a number of national >; Presently: Pastor of Quinn Memorial A.M.E. Church, 515 North of Churches represents 16 denominations and state groups, including the Nation- Street, Steubenville, OH. at Interfaith Event. al Association of Retired Federal Em- »! Past: Director, Justice for Women, Division of Church and Oklahoma City, OK—Chester Gipson, ployees (NARFE), the Myriad Gar- Society. National Council of the Churches of Christ in an influential lay leader in the A.M.E. dens Authority, the American Associa- ; the U.S.A, Church, represented the Oklahoma tion of Retired Persons (AARP), and At the Council: The Reverend Elizabeth Scott directs the Justice for Conference of Churches during the the National Association for the Women program of the NCCC’s Division of Church planting of a fellowship garden at Col- Advancement of Colored People and Society. Under her supervision, the office en- lins Community A.M.E. Church re- (NAACP). courages dialogue with and among denominations cently. The church was the target of a The Oklahoma Conference of * working toward the eradication of sexism and bigotry cross-burning incident, which followed Churches unites the efforts of 16 de- and their residual damage. closely a malicious anti-Semitic attack nominations in ecumenical ministry A major development within the Justice for Women on a local Jewish synagogue and the for the State of Oklahoma. One of the 4. Ceruanccne = for women in prison, overseen by Jewish temple. Conference’s goals is ‘‘to organize for Rebionie * . Rabbi Charles Shalman, leader of advocacy and justice by mobilizing the ae oe a vein penlbetassace Eee the synagogue which was damaged, felt religious community for action in re- 4 ‘ = pau Pe ‘ t = — eign - a united response to the attacks was gard to social and moral issues as they cogs tri y 8 “j so cece gse works: needed and called on the religious relate to the farm crisis, plant closings, of the % ee #7 reat ee Sere community to gather for the tree and skyrocketing poverty, flood disaster, & idk ae F ee Seria ats tecelas, bulb planting—symbolizing growth, racism, and the human tragedy result- Italy, West G i ste weg strength, and renewal. ing from these conditions. iciiectl ne Sha Sle Viebieesh aed Chey: Minkotries The response was overwhelming. A Participating communions in the PD asitions: Pittsburgh, PA, 1978-1980 a 2 crowd of several hundred people filled Oklahoma Conference of Churches sseabun: Altlows Vietioil E : 1 Church, 1971- the Collins Church and the overflow are: African Methodist Episcopal : stood out on the lawn during the serv- Church, African Methodist Episcopal %' —. =i oer a Went ice. Marcellus Fields, pastor of the Zion Church, Christian Church (Disci- Broadcasting Co., Pi P re 1973- Collins Church, hosted the event and ples of Christ), Christian Methodist - £4 ets introduced a number of luminaries Episcopal Church, Church of the M <Urben Action Coordinator, Univenity “of: Pata: participating in the ceremonies. Brethren, Cumberland Presbyterian . ‘ : burgh, 1971-1973. Among them were George Mimms, Church, U.S.A., Society of Friends, —Director, Women’s Opportunities, University of Urban League; Oklahoma City Coun- The Episcopal Church, The Reformed M Pittsburgh, 1970-1971. cilmen Goree . James and Mark Church in America, The Roman Cath- Saivives 06 Trustee, Duquesne University, Pittsb urgh, PA. Schwartz; Rabbi David Packman, and olic Church, United Church of Christ, , 3 sean ae : : Organizations: Trustee, National Association for the Advancement of civil rights activist Clara Looper. and the United Methodist Church. M Colored People (NAACP). Chester Gipson, who centered his Benchmarks: | —Secretary and Commissioner, Pennsylvania Human comments for the event around the The Smallest Deed Relations Commesion Symmes OF trees, ts the newly mech Is Greater Than The —Member of Committee on American Iranian Crisis ed President of the Oklahoma Confer- - *% Resolution—visited Iran, 1960 ence of Churches’ Board of Directors. Largest Intentions ngbesbier “Weenen’s: Barisal “Geealiiee Vieie He is retired from Tinker AFB after 32 Professor, Chatham College, Pittsburgh, PA S fol dulletin A t > —Listed in Who’s Who of American Women (1978) pecial Bulletin Announcemen —Producer/Director/Moderator Radio Programs —Participated in nationally produced television se- The 43rd General Conference of the participate by their pastors and youth * ries: ‘The Family Game”’ (1971) ; African Methodist Episcopal Church leaders will engage in preparatory studies Education: sto A., M.B.A., Antioch University, Yellow Springs, will convene in Fort Worth, Texas, to deepen their knowledge of the July 6th thru July 14th, 1988. The right Christian faith, denominational history 4 fad Courses, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, Reverend Rembert E. Stokes of the Black studies and brotherhood Pittsburgh, PA; Duquesne University—Christian 10th Episcopal District will be Host awareness. Several academic Doctrine Bishop to the thousands of clergy and scholarships will be awarded. The young 4 —Special Courses in Human Relations ; laity who will gather for this quadren- person reporting the highest amount of Affiliation: Ms, Scott is a minister of the African Methodist Epis- nial legislative assembly Dr. Nancy P. money over the participation quota will copal Church. Stokes, Episcopal Supervisor of the be crowned “Mr. or Miss Bicentennial “ey At Home The Reverend Scott is the mother of five sons and two district, the First Lady and official A.M.E. of 1988.” There is no limitation daughters. She resides in Teaneck, NJ. hostess, is assisting her husband in on the number of qualified young people Issues: Key issues of concern to Elizabeth Scott include: planning to make this quadrennial who may participate in the Dedication m Women meeting especially memorable. from a local church, area, presiding elder Human Rights One of the numerous highlights of district or an episcopal district, For Peace the meeting will be the 10th further information contact one of the M Disarmament and Militarism Quadrennial Christian Debutante- following: sm . Prison Master (DMC) Dedication Ceremony Dr. Julma B. Crawford ‘omen in Economics at the seat of the General Conference, Connectional Administrator Foreign Travel: 1985 Kenya—United Nations International Con- 5:00 P.M., the first Sunday afternoon, Debutante-Master Commission (DMC) * ference—Decade of Women July 10, 1988, Unmarried young 1744 East 73rd Place 1980 Israel—Women’s Seminar people entering adulthood (ages 17- Chicago, IL 60649 1980 Iran—Review of the Hostage Crisis 20) will dedicate their lives to greater t ; % 1982 England/Italy—Women and Peace Christian witness in an inspirational Mrs. Suly B. Coleman, 10th District 1983 West Germany—Women and Peace religious service involving pageantry, ~ pepaplcy Fm 1984 Soviet Union—The Church—Military and Peace music, choral readings and prayers. An Gaetan TX 77550 ~% Addendum: Reverend Scott was a candidate for the Bishop in the elaborate reception will follow the > African Methodist Episcopal Church in 1984. She was dedication. Professional video taping of Mrs. Izean F. Davidson not successful in this effort, but feels she made a the entire activity will enable interested 10th District * tremendous impact in the conference. She will run persons to possess a lasting Director of Christian Education again in 1988. remembrance of the occasion. 4509 Rolling Hills Drive or a on" = o ¥ ¥ " r Honorees who will be selected to Ss Fort Worth, TX 76119
• March 21, 1988
  ===== DSC05454.JPG ===== GOp ouR ¥A Vol. 137, No. 13 THER 4 CHRIST OUR REDEEMER March 21, 1988 John Brown Russwurm— Founder of American’s First Black Newspaper John Brown Russwurm John Brown Russwurm’s beginning was less than promising. Bom in Jamaica to a slave woman and a White American merchant, John Russ- wurm’s future appeared bleak. John Russwurm, Sr.’s concern for his son’s education, however, saved the young- ster from a life of almost certain slav- ery. Despite terrible odds, John Russ- wurm, Jr. would become a pioneer in Black journalism, and Black national- ist thought. _ Formal education provided Russ- wurm with the necessary skills to pur- sue a future as a journalist and acti- vist. He attended Hebron Academy and Bowdoin College, and, in 1826, was one of the first Blacks to obtain a college degree. He graduated at the top of his class from Bowdoin. Despite his academic success, Russ- wurm felt alienated and separated from his White classmates. His com- mencement address expressed interest in moving to Haiti, the only indepen- dent Black nation in the Western Hemisphere. But Russwurm was attracted instead to the excitement and activity of New York City. No longer sheltered by friendly school walls, he quickly discovered how harsh people could be simply be- cause of his skin color. Blacks were treated as inferior, and the majority newspapers commonly expressed nega- tive stereotypes. Please turn to page 7 ay Dr. Richard A. Chappelle, Sr. Chappelle Seeks Retirement From Secretaryship and Offers Himself for Higher Service TO: THE AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT-LARGE FROM: RICHARD ALLEN CHAPPELLE, SR. RE: RETIREMENT IN JULY 1988 DATE: FEBRUARY 17, 1988 On June 16, 1976, in Atlanta, GA, the site of the Fortieth Quadrennial Session of the General Conference, Dr. Russell S. Brown, Sr., the legendary first General Secretary of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, requested and was granted the opportunity to retire after thirty years cf active service. My odyssey as the second Secretary of this great Church began on that fateful night with your suffrage. For the past three quadrennials you have been supportive, prayerful and understanding as I made a conscious effort to do an extraordinary job as the General Secretary of this Church. I have been tremendously blessed serving as Secretary of General Conferences, recording the historical actions of twenty- five of the greatest Episcopal leaders in Christendom. Please turn to page 7 YECORDE THE OFFICIAL ORGAN OF Lit ARRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ba) ~ MAN.OUR BROTHER PRICE; 50 CENTS Easter a Time of Christian Victory Instead of Worldly Vanity. Read the Publisher’s letter stating, Easter Should Be a Missionary Observance for Overseas Work, page 6. Howard Beach Is Everywhere by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. The attention of the nation has been focused in recent days on the verdict handed down in the Howard Beach case. For more than a year Howard Beach has seemed the epitome of ra- cially motivated violence. The image of a hoard of White youths chasing three African American men through the streets like dogs, until finally forc- ing one of them to his death, seemed the ultimate horror. However, no African American in this country is exempt from racially motivated violence—not even African American police officers. A recent case in Prince George’s County, Mary- land, a suburb of Washington, DC, has proven this all too clearly. The county, which has a long history of ra- cist violence, has a steadily increasing African American population. How- ever, the police force still remains pre- dominantly White. On December 14, 1987, James L. Gordon, an African American mem- ber of the Washington, DC, police force, was shot to death in his own home by a White policeman from Prince George’s county. Gordon, 40 years old, was a 17-year veteran of the DC police force. The White officer, Cpl. Robert Raimond, though only 27 years old, had already been cited twice for police brutality in Prince George’s Please turn to page 7 PIA Awards Sunday School Union and Five Nashville Graphic Arts Firms Dr. A. Lee Henderson Publisher Five Nashville printing and publish- ing companies and one graphic arts supply firm were among 200 graphic arts companies recently recognized for over a century of service by the Print- ing Industries of America, Inc. A.M.E. Sunday School Union, Gos- pel Advocate, Marshall & Bruce Co., the United Methodist Publishing House, and Samual Bingham Co. have all been in continuous business for over a century. The ceremony honor- ing 100-year-old member firms culmi- nated a year-long observance of the centennial anniversary of the founding of Printing Industries of America, the largest graphic arts trade association in the world. “Since we were celebrating our 100th anniversary, we wanted to salute those members which have also reach- ed the century mark,’’ noted Robert Houk, PIA Chairman of the Board of Directors. ‘‘It takes a special commit- ment for a company to remain in busi- ness for over 100 years and we salute them all for this outstanding achieve- ment.’” Please turn to page 7 ——— ===== DSC05455.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder A Commendatory Statement for Bicentennial Books Written for Church’s Celebration In the Book of Books, First Kings, Chapter Four, the author says, (29) ‘*And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, (30) And Solomon’s wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt, (31) For he was wiser than all men ... In the Book of Ecclesiastes 12:12, Solomon said, ‘‘And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end, and much study [research] is a weari- ness of the flesh.’’ To my certain knowledge, there were at least seven books written for the A.M.E. Church’s Bicentennial- year celebration. The Bicentennial Pri- mer, by Editor Robert Henry Reid, Jr., a General Officer of the A.M.E. Church, is titled, Jrony of Afro-American History: An Overview of A.M.E. History and Related Developments. The second book, titled, Proclamations From a Bench, Sermons by African Methodist Episcopal Bishops, was compiled and authored by Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, the 92nd elected bishop of the A.M.E. Church. The third book was written by an A.M.E. layperson, Mrs. Ruby Nell Doyle of the West Kentucky Conference and member of Young’s Chapel A.M.E. Church of Louisville, KY. Her book is titled, Twenty Daring Decades: An A.M.E. History/Text Book for Young Readers. The fourth, fifth and sixth books are by the 95th, 87th and 93rd elected bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings’ book is titled, The First Episcopal District’s Historical Review of 200 Years of African Methodism. Mrs. Martha C. Cummings is First Episcopal District W.M.S. Supervisor, and the Rt. Reverend Frank Curtis Cummings, Presiding Bishop. Bishop John Hurst Adams’ book is titled, African Methodist Episcopal Church—200 Years—The Bicentennial History—2nd Episcopal District. Dr. Dolly D. Adams, Episcopal Supervisor of the W.M.S., the Rt. Reverend John Hurst Adams, Presiding Bishop. Bishop Frederick Calhoun James’ Bicentennial book is titled, The Seventh Episcopal District Historical Record of South Carolina, Mrs. Theressa G. James, Episcopal W.M.S. Supervisor; the Rt. Reverend Frederick Calhoun James, Presiding Bishop. South Carolina boasts that 75% of all Black church members in Charleston are A.M.E.s. Each of these three exciting episcopal district books cover all their annual conferences, churches and institutions of the district, including bishops, general officers, presiding elders, pastors, ministers, and missionaries, and is replete with pictures, biographies, histories and other pertinent information, These works are most commendable and worthy of any library. They are rich in research and recovery of the life experiences, labors, sacrifices, recruit- ment, expansion, development and achievements of a people disadvantaged by the American system and society, whose record and deeds were hidden away from the world purposely, or allowed to die because of that system. These are histories of a survival population that succeeded against the greatest odds and, therefore, a rare treasury in the literary world. Other episcopal district books are either on the press or being made ready; all will be available by the 1988 General Conference. The seventh book is authored by a connectional officer, Mrs, Julma B. Crawford. It is titled, The DMC’s Bicentennial Tribute to African Methodism, Past and Present, Mrs. Crawford’s book was officially unveiled, with much fanfare, at the Bicentennial function in Savannah, Georgia, in the month of ROBERT H. REID, JR. 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville Tennessee The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 185- cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor Mr. Churche! Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Career Development editor; Dr ing Editor ject or edit any letter or article to contorm with good taste. style and space requirements The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Chureh (USPS 016880) is published bi weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Yasnvilie Tennessee 37203-4181, Adver tising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail Make ali money orders and Or. J. W. Yancy, !I, The Roving Editor, Or, Cyrus Keller Religious Literature Editor, Mr. HL Felix Special Editor; Dr, Jimmie James, JF Music Editor, Rev. Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor, Atty, Leroy Nesbitt Social Action Editor, Rev. W. F Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor Mrs Theima A. Wills, Contributing Editor Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor, Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor, Rev. E. L. Blankenship Regional Editor, Rev. W. J. Jackson Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Or. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent Or W. D Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter Or. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev O Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Or. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor, Or, William P. DeVeaux Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor Rev. Cecil Murray, Contribut The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters trom i's readers on matters of general interest, All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer, The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa sionally withhold the name ot a writer of a signed letter it there is a valid reason given. No defamatory libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A M.E. Christian Recorder reserves (he right to re December. Author Crawford, in her Preface, said, ‘‘One feature of the book, ‘Personalities,’ brought income as well as gave every individual who desired a chance to record his/her biographical profile, along with memorials, in this Bicentennial work. These personality sketches primarily include people who are unknown beyond their local churches, but their work has helped to make African Methodism a leading citadel throughout the world.’’ Mrs. Crawford went on to say, ‘‘Great pride went into the preparation of this book. I beamed many times over as I read of the great deeds of our Founders. Their greatness became ever so much clearer as I walked with them and talked with them in their travails to live as free men and to make a way for their followers. I hope that the finished product is a symbol of hard work, dedication and overwhelming esteem for a history unequalled in glory, honor, majesty and most of all, to the magnification of our Lord and Redeemer.”’ The Introduction to the Centennial Encyclopedia of the African Methodist Episcopal Church was written by Bishop L. J. Coppin, D.D., LL.D., for the editor, Dr. R. R. Wright, Jr. Richard R. Wright, Jr., A.M., B.D., Ph.D., was Editor of the A.M.E. Christian Recorder, and wrote many books that are yet in use. Bishop Coppin’s Introduction begins with the following statement: ‘*A complete history of the Negro in America is unwritten and unwritable. Much that would be most interesting and valuable went to the grave with those who had no possible means of trans- mitting it except by the uncertain and unreliable method of tradi- tion. Much that comes down to us through the maze, either writ- ten or by tradition, is, indeed, somber and sad. It becomes the historian of the present day to throw side lights upon the dark past by exhibiting some of its better products, lest the skeptical continue to ask, ‘Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?’ ”’ Everything we do should magnify and compliment the past. I suppose it’s easier said than done. Before I commit the sin of omission, which, in this instance would be unpardonable, let me mention an eighth Bicentennial book that comes to mind. It is titled, Meditation Messages in Celebration of African Methodism, Bicentennial Year 1787-1987, the Rt. Reverend Samuel Solomon Morris, Jr., Presiding Bishop, Reverend Gregory Gerald McKinley Ingram, compiler. ‘Meditation Messages’’ is a 357-page devotional book of daily readings for a 365-day year, written by ministers and laymen of the Fourth Episcopal District. Bishop Morris wrote the Preface and General Officer Henderson Davis wrote the Historical Statement. The book is designed to be a “‘living devotional book,’’ usable continuously year after year. I may have missed the Bicentennial book that you know about, or wrote, so please inform me, that I may share the knowledge. As I write this editorial, I am haunted by the question, what is a book? The lexicographers give a simple answer: BOOK, a number of sheets of paper, parchment, etc., with writing or printing on them, fastened together along one edge, usually between protec- tive covers; literary or scientific work, anthology, etc., distinguished by length and form from a magazine, tract, etc. . . I am very pleased to have given this space as a commendatory statement for the Bicentennial books written for the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s 200th-year celebration. ee oe oe on SUBSCRIBE to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable to: A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Eighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please print. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. cmecweeeeein smegma ee AA AAA City/State/Zip See ee eee ewe eeseaeSeee sees eeaseaeseeaaa™ March 21, ae 1988 a m2 ===== DSC05456.JPG ===== March 21, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Shoppers will have the opportunity to raise money for children like Nicole Riley, born with birth defects, when they participate in the Bar None choclathon. The mini-triathalon is being held at local malls throughout the U.S. to raise money for the March of Dimes and to celebrate the introduction of The Hershey Chocolate Company’s new Bar None Candy Bar. Flora Club Observes 20 Years of Humane Service Havre de Grace, MD—In a special service, the Flora Club of St. James A.M.E. Church celebrated its 20th Anniversary. For twenty years, the organization has spread cheer and sunshine to the sick, shut-in, the down- trodden, the bereaved and the aged of the church through gifts of flowers, fruit, financial donations and surprise birthday parties. The church has also been made more beautiful with the floral arrangements depicting the seasons of the year, thanks to this caring group. Guest speaker for the anniversary service was the Rev. Ruben Freeman of the St. Matthew A.U.M.P. Church, Havre de Grace. Using a text from the Third Chapter of Revelations, Verses 14-18, Rev. Freeman spoke to the audience on “Luke Warm Christians.” He stated, in his discourse, that “Even though the Flora Club is a small organization in the church, it is an important part, for it brings gladness and hope to many.” The St. Matthew congregation and choir accompanied their pastor. Sis. Carol Bruce presided over the joyous occasion. Officers of the Club include the president, Sister Deloris Williams, Vice President Viola Risby, Secretary Annie Preston, Treasurer Geraldine W. Cox and Chaplain Staffon Smith. The Reverend Michael O. Thomas is pastor of St. James Church. Sis. Geraldine W. Cox, Reporter Bethel Posts Calendar Update Batesville, AR—As we approach the completion of the annual conference year, we look back over the accom- plishments and activities of the past twelve months and, with grateful hearts, we say ‘‘Through many dan- gers, toils and snares we have already come.”’ The Fourth Quarterly Conference was successfully held. In his message, “Compassion a Supreme Need,” Rev. M. H. Elliott, Presiding Elder of the Newport District, challenged us to a stronger commitment to care for others. Previous quarterly messages likewise called for soul ‘searching: “Empty Hearts and Full Barns” (Parable of the Rich Fool); “God’s Invitation, Man’s Response” (Parable of The Wedding Feast). The Pew Rally was an accomplish- ment of prayerful teamwork. The church has undergone major change with elegant cushions adding beauty and comfort. Mrs. Johnnie Murchinson, Missionary president, and Mrs. Virginia Montgomery, program chairperson, are to be commended for their dedication. Men’s and Women’s Day was another opportunity for fellowship and support. Mr. Yancey Montgomery and Mrs. Louise were enthusiastic chairpersons. Present were Pastor Joseph Watson, minister of Samaritan Hill Missionary Baptist Church, North Little Rock, and more than a goodly number of members. The choir sang until the message was lifted to heavenly heights; the pastor joined in; the heavenly fire fell; the Holy Ghost came down! The speaker was Pastor C. V. Golden of Fairview CME Church, McAlmont, who spoke to our hearts concerning our responsibility and accountability. The choir was strong in their musical statement: they love the Lord; they love people; therefore, God continued to visit us. Pastor T. C. Owens of the St. John Pine Bluff charge came to us for revival. He “told it like it is” with that very frank, very sincere manner he is known for and valued among those who are lovers of the TRUTH, and those who are willing to come to the TRUTH. His coming made a difference. Mrs. Owens, who was present two nights, is still recognized for her abiding strong discipleship. Mrs. Ethel Perkins served as chairperson for the Appreciation Service honoring Pastor and Mrs. James L. Martin. Pastor Rickey Everett, minister of Morning Star Baptist Church, preached “A Man To Stand In The Gap.” (Ezekiel 22:30) The choir and the faithful Newport, AR, members were present. The singing and the sermon were touched by the Master. Friendship Baptist and Bethlehem Baptist Churches also contributed to the occasion with music and sang with “power.” It was a time of spiritual awakening and fellowship, a blessing of temporal and spiritual gifts. Through it all—throughout the conference year—Pastor and Mrs. James L. Martin proved to be servants of the Most High God and of His Son Jesus Christ. “Tis GRACE hath bro't us safe thus far, and GRACE will lead us home.” The Northwest Texas District Is Alive Midland, Texas—Greater St. Luke A.M.E, Church Sunday School de- partment celebrated its first annual Bible olympics session, Saturday, Jan- uary 30, 1988 at 5:30 p.m. It was one of the many Sunday School activities planned for this new conference year. There were 22 Sunday School mem- bers present and five visitors. The olympics consisted of questions from the New Testament Book of Matthew for the beginner through senior class, while the adult class had a race on finding scriptures in the Bible (Bible drill), The classes were divided into teams and each team received a prize or prizes for their participation and memorization. The various prizes ranged from lollipops to cakes. The awards that were given were the no gig- gle, no wiggle award, the memoriza- tion award, and the bring-a-person award. The superintendent, Mrs. Carolyn Gilbert and the pastor, Rev. S. V. Ferguson were a great help in the event. Also, Mrs. Bobbie Gilbert helped by having a review room. Each person answering a question correctly received a free ticket for a pickle, a snicker bar, or bag of popcorn. The contest judges for the event were: Rev. Wayne Russell, associate minister and Mrs. Lafrance Hickson, S.S. Adult recruiter. The awards judge was Mrs. Bertha Starks, and the Bible olympics quiz hostess was Mrs. A. D. Jones. The Sunday School Dept. is grateful to those who participated, those who donated refreshments, and all Sunday School students and teachers, We give God the praise and glory that this event had such a wonderful turnout for the first time. There are plans to have more events similar to this one so that more and more people can learn about God's word, Terri L, Ferguson OUTSTANDING BLACK SERMONS Volume 2 Wotter 8 Hoard exit Outstanding Black Sermons, Volume 2 by Walter B. Hoard A new collection of sixteen ser- mons by outstanding preachers from the Black Christian com- Twelfth Episcopal District 1988 Spring Convocation Thursday, March 24th Through Saturday, March 26th Visitor’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church 319 Church Street, Hot Springs, Arkansas Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Prelate Bishop Brookins and Guest Speakers Bishop H. Hartford Brookins Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand Dr. John R. Bryant Thursday Evening, 7:00 p.m.: Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand, Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, the preacher. Friday, 12:00 noon: Dr. John R. Bryant, Pastor, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Baltimore, Maryland, the preacher. Saturday, 12:00 noon: Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr., the Presiding Prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, the preacher. MUSIC Spirit of the 12th Mass Choir, directed by Mrs. Gladys Gill Hayes and Mr. LaBaron Mizer. SPECTACULAR APPRECIATION Friday Evening, 7:30 p.m.: Gala Spectacular Appreciation in honor of Bishop H. Harford Brookins—Magnolia Room, Majestic Hotel. PRAYER BREAKFAST Friday Morning, 8:00 a.m.: WMS Prayer Breakfast and WMS/YPD Meeting— Majestic Hotel OTHER EVENTS Thursday, 12:00 noon: Trustee Board Meeting, Visitor’s Chapel A.M.E. Church Thursday, 2:00 p.m.: Photography Session for all General Conference Delegates and Alternates, Visitor’s Chapel A.M.E. Church. Friday, 3:00 p.m.: Organization of Delegates to the General Conference, : July 5-15, 1988, Fort Worth, Texas. Discussion of General Conference Legislation, and Candidates’ Hour. Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: Economic Development Session. munity. A helpful sermon development resource for all preachers. WBH-123A ............. $4.95 Please add 13% postage and handling. Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr. Ce ===== DSC05457.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 21, 1988 Priscilla Baltimore 1801 - 1882 by Ruth Davis Priscilla Baltimore was born in Bourbon County, Kentucky on May 13, 1801. When she was ten years old, she was sold by her master, who was her father, brought to St. Louis, and again sold to ex-Governor Fletcher’s father-in-law. In 1813 she was converted under Bishop Hendrick of the M. E. Church. A Missionary next bought her for $1,100.00. She was given the privilege of purchasing her freedom, which she accomplished in seven years. Priscilla Baltimore was a missionary, indeed. So great was her influence that slave masters permitted her to gather their slaves for religious services. Once she was allowed to carry three hundred of them from Missouri into Illinois to hear the Gospel. This good woman was kind to William Paul Quinn. She gave him money and cheered his heart in his difficult and heroic task of planting the Church in Missouri. Mrs. Baltimore kept Rev. Quinn in her home in those early days. She rowed him across the Mississippi in the wee hours of the night when the Priscilla Baltimore municipal authorities of St. Louis did not allow him to stay all night in the city. She had a great love forthe A. M. E. Church. St. Paul was organized in her house in 1841 and she was one of the first members. She was known in many parts of Illinois and Missouri as “Mother Baltimore.” She died in 1882 at the age of 81. Dr. T. W. Henderson preached the funeral from the text: “But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised. Give her the fruit of her hands, and let her own words praise her in the gates.” Proverbs 31: 30-31. Luella Davis: The Epitomy Of A Leader Luella Davis a devout Christian woman, is a member of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Detroit, Rev. Robert Thomas, Jr., is her pastor. Although Webster’s Dictionary de- fines laborers as ‘‘a person who labors with great effort, to expect oneself to do something, to spend much time and effort on’’, she far surpasses those definitions. Not only is she active in her local church, she is involved on the Conference, District, and Connection- al levels of this great church. Luella is a licensed Missionary, and has held many positions, including former Di- rector of Public Relations for the Michigan Conference Lay Organiza- tion, Co-Chairman of Public Rela- tions for the Connectional Biennial Convention held in Michigan in 1983, as well as former chairman of the Ways and Means Committee of the Ebenezer Lay Organization. Mrs. Davis is presently Chairman of the Scholarship Committee for the Con- ference Lay Organization which has helped raise thousands of dollars for college bound high school graduates. Luella’s education achievements are equally impressive. Believing that edu- cation is of major importance, she strives to promote education. She holds a Bachelors Degree and a Mas- ters Degree from Paine College, Au- gusta, GA, and has been a Resource Teacher in the L’Anse Creuse Public School District for the past twenty-five years. She is a very active member of the Detroit Inter-Alumni Council of UNCF which she is Chaplain. She is also a member of the Board of Direc- tors of Paine College, member of MEA Education Association, member of NEA Education Association and member L’ Anse Creuse Education As- sociation. She has been cited with numerous awards from both civic and religious entities, among those she is most proud of are ‘‘Alumnus of the Year’’ Award from Paine College National Alumni Association in 1980, and “Mother of the Year’’ Award present- ed by her daughters. Luella is the wife of Theodore R. Davis who is also very active in various church projects. They have two out- standing daughters, E. Jacqueline Davis Hester, and Rosetta Yvonne Archer. She is the proud mother-in- law of Pastor Harvey Hester, Jr. and George Robert Archer, Jr. The grand- mother of two beautiful grandchil- dren. It is an honor to present this gra- cious lady to the Connectional Church. Marjorie Moore Director of Public Relations Reporting Greetings From First Community A.M.E. Church 500 James S.E. Grand Rapids, MI Dr. Jessie W. Cotton Pastor HOLY BIBLE The New King James Version Dictionary—Concordance Pew Bible On Special $5.00 Please add 13% postage and handling. —————————— Service of Triumph and Thanksgiving for the Late Sister Ethel Joliff Davis Born June 22, 1895 to Henry Joliff and Rivers Stinson Joliff. Deceased June 7, 1987 at 3:30 p.m. Funeral services were held at the Greater Powell A.M.E. Church, Grenada, MS, on Saturday, June 13, 1987, at 12:00 noon. Rev. John W. Jenkins was the pastoral minister and Pre- siding Elder E. C. Taylor, II, officiated. Sis. Davis is survived by 5 daughters: Mrs. Ora Chamberlain, Milwaukee, WI; Mrs. Lela Hamilton, Detroit, MI; Mrs. Nona Hayes, Los Angeles, CA; Mrs. Golda Wilson, Morgan City, MS, and Mrs. Emma Walton, Oakland, CA. She is also survived by 5 sons: Roy Davis, J. D. Davis, and Henry Davis, all of Detroit, MI; Tina Davis, Phila- delphia, PA, and P. M. Davis, Gre- nada, MS. Sis. Davis is also survived by 40 grandchildren, 55 great-grandchildren, 16 great-great-grandchildren, 2 daugh- ters-in-law, two sons-in-law, nephews, nieces, cousins and friends. One of the most faithful and devot- ed members of the Greater Powell Chapel A.M.E. Church, Sis. Davis served as a Sunday School teacher for over fifty years, a deaconess, steward- ess, class leader, and as a member of the senior Choir until her recent ill- ness. An active and devoted mission- ary, she served as Chairperson of the Tanner-Turner Memorial Committee of the Women’s Missionary Society in the Northeast-West Mississippi Con- ference. Her descendents and relatives are members of A.M.E. churches in over thirty states. “Life’s race well run, Life’s work well done, Heaven’s crown well won. Now cometh rest.”’ We Cherish the Memory of Rev. Jefferson L. Harkless, Sr. Rev. Jefferson L. Harkless, Sr., was born January 23, 1914, in Laurel, Mississippi, to the late Alfred and Lula Harkless. He entered the ministry as a teenager in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He was united in marriage to the late Nora Lee Harkless on January 27, 1937, and to this union five children were born. Rev. J. L. Harkless was a noted dignitary and renowned pastor, one who will be greatly remembered for his loyal devotion and service rendered unto God. Rev. Harkless was a man who feared God and loved God's people. He pastored several churches in Mississippi, Alabama, Kentucky and Ohio. In 1985, it became necessary for him to retire due to ill health, at which time, he and his wife moved to Lexington, Kentucky, to be with their family. He was a faithful member of the Quinn Chapel AME Church until his death. He leaves to cherish his memory, two sons, Jefferson L. Harkless, Jr., of Lexington, and Fredrick D. Harkless Does Your Subscription Label Look Like This? of Canton, Ohio; three daughters, Marie Morton, Aletha Kay Wilhite and Delores Haliburton, all of Lexington; one brother, Rev. Alfred Harkless, Meridian, Mississippi; a stepmother, Mrs. Etta Mae Graves, Jackson, Mississippi; thirteen grandchildren; five great-grand- children; one daughter-in-law; one son-in-law; several nieces and nephews and other relatives and friends. PSALM 27:1 The Lord is my life and my salvation, whom shall I fear. The Lord is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid. The Family u ~ Bit Is More Than § Fire Insurance!’’ ‘Christianity a If it does, and we do not hear from you, we will not be able to _ send future issues. The Post Office will not allow us to send | The A.M.E. Christian Recorder free because of our Postal — Permit. If your address label reads November expired, you have already received a few issues of The A.M.E, Christian Recorder free for two months. To stay on the mailing list, you must renew your subscription! If you do not have a coupon write to The A.M.E. Christian Recorder, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203, Attention: A. Lee Henderson, Publisher. ===== DSC05458.JPG ===== March 21, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder SCHOLARSHIP—The newly-elected president of the A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance of Los Angeles and vicinity, Rev. Charles Brooks, is shown with the late Rt. Rev. Frederick D. Jordan, the 72nd bishop of the A.M.E. Church, in whose memory, a scholarship was pre- sented to the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies. ‘‘A generous contribution was made to the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies, in memory of Bishop Jordan,” said Rev. Brooks. Los Angeles Ministerial Alliance Is In Action Under Brooks The A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance of Los Angeles and Vicinity, presented a scholarship through its installation service to the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies, January 10. Rev. Charles Brooks, pastor Walker Temple A.M.E. Church, was installed as president. Rev. Brooks presented the donation to Dr. Foster T. Crag- gett, director of the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies. Rev. Brooks is a co-founder and board member of the Ecumenical Cen- er. ‘‘This scholarship will support five students from the A.M.E. Church, presently attending the Ecumenical Center. “I met Drs. Henry and Ella Mitchell in 1972, while I was a student at the School of Theology in Claremont. I encouraged his assistance to start such a center. “‘The first meeting was held in the Charles Brooks Is a Horseman Rev. Charles Brooks Rev. Charles Brooks has served over 20 years with the United States Air Force and is currently the pastor at New Walker Temple A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles. Born in Macon, GA, he received the graduate degree from the University of Redlands and did post graduate studies at the School of Theology at Clare- mont, CA. He has done additional studies in places as exotic as Singapore and Alaska. He was licensed as a minister in 1959 at Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church in Fort Worth, was ordained a deacon in 1960, and then an elder in 1962. He was an associate in several churches across the country, including Baker A.M.E. Church in Fort Worth, Turner Chapel in Columbus, and Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church in River- side. Awards and nonors lauding his serv- home of the late Rt. Rev. Frederick D. Jordan, in Hollywood. From that meeting of Bishop Jordan, the Mitchells and myself, a general meet- ing was called at Amos Temple C.M.E. Church, to appoint Dr. Mitchell as the first director,’’ stated Rev. Brooks. He continued, ‘‘It is gratifying to know that approximately 40 students have received bachelors degrees; 15 students have received masters degrees and six students have received doctor- ate of divinity degrees. ‘*Course work taken at the Ecumen- ical Center for Black Church Studies, is for credit at the University of La Verne. Dr. Mitchell deserves all the praise for getting the center on a solid foundation, without much initial sup- port from denominations,’’ added Rev. Brooks. ice to church and community have been bestowed upon him at every step of his professional career. He served a term with the San Diego Community College District. He was appointed to the Affirmative Action Board by the San Diego Board of Supervisors. Rev. Brooks is listed in California’s Who’s Who, 13th edition, and in Ebony magazine’s October 1969 edi- tion of ‘‘Speakin’ of People.’’ Other honors he has received from the San Diego community include re- cognition for outstanding work in community affairs, for which he was lauded by the San Diego City Council, the Board of Supervisors, Kiwanis In- ternational and the San Diego Black community. He was also the first Black to be elected to the presidency of the La Jolla Ministerial Association, and he served on the Board of Visitors for the Bishops Episcopal School of La Jolla. After coming to Los Angeles he co- founded the Ecumenical Center for Black Church Studies. Rev. Brooks heads a family whose credentials are quite impressive in their own right. His wife Charlotte is vice principal at Arrowview Intermediate School in San Bernardino. His daugh- ter Valerie lives in Bakersfield and works as an administrative assistant, and his son Roland is a corrections of- ficer here. Rev. Brooks also has one grandson, Crosby Charles Washing- ton. An A.M.E. From Bolivar County Mississippi Elected Circuit Clerk Solomon Chapel AME Church and its Pastor, Rev. F. D. Raggs, are pleased to announce the election of Mrs. Rosie S. Simmons as Circuit Clerk of Bolivar County, Mississippi. Solomon Chapel is located in Cleve- land, Mississippi, which is also the home of Mrs. Simmons. Although Bolivar County’s Black population is 62 percent, this Missis- sippi Delta county has been without a Black county-wide elected official since Reconstruction. On August 4, 1987, Mrs. Simmons changed the course of history as she defeated her only opponent in the Democratic Pri- mary. Bolivar County, located in the northwestern part of Mississippi, is bordered on the west by the Mississip- pi River. It enjoys the distinct honor of being the home county of Blanche K. Bruce, the first Black man to serve a full six-year term in the United States Senate. Mrs. Simmons attributes her suc- cess to several factors: (1) Faith in the Lord; (2) seven years experience as a Deputy Circuit Clerk; (3) a well organ- ized and highly visible campaign staffed with dedicated volunteers; and (4) a commitment to public service. Mrs. Simmons serves as Director of the YPD, vice chairperson of the Stew- ard Board, secretary of the Missionary Society, member of the Public Rela- tions Committee, and secretary of the Official Board. Originally from Pike County, Mis- sissippi, Mrs. Simmons is a 1967 grad- uate of Tougaloo College. She is mar- ried and has four children. Mrs. Sim- mons stated that she received strong support from her family. Her hus- band, Willie, served as her campaign organizer and manager—pulling to- gether a volunteer force of over one hundred fifty persons. Greetings! Peace, Joy and Happiness! Rev. M. W. Singleton 1518 N. Irby Street Florence, SC 29501 and the Allen Insurance Ane invite your church to participate in tie. official property and liability insurance program for A.M.E. ee Researched and endorsed by the | A.M.E. Church Extension Dee: ment. } Many churches find the i insurance market- place to be cold and complex. That’s understandable, of course. With hundreds of companies, thousands of agents and a myriad of coverages to choose from, it’s difficult to know which is right for you. To help make your choice easier, your Church Extension Department and the Allen Insurance Agency (owned in part by the A.M.E. church) researched many com- panies and coverages. They uncovered one company that stood above the clutter. One company that was subsequently given the endorsement of your Church Extension Department. That company is Church Mutual Insurance Company. Church Mutual offers the security you want and need. Church Mutual is a specialist in providing property and liability insurance to church- es. The-company has a network of highly trained representatives and agents in 30 states.* People who work with churches day in and day out, and now insure more than 35,000. People who deliver the service and coverages your want and need. Founded in 1897, Church Mutual offers the financial strength and stability that is so B Complete surey of you fates and exposures, with expert assistance in establishing insurance values for your: church property. ‘ WA plan of insurance tailored to the pre-_ cise needs of your church, @ Loss conch ecommanations and brochures. : aE ee @ Competitive premiums. lB Periodic reviews to keep your plan up to date. Spee @ Fast, fair settlement of claims. Take the first step with a free eval uation. wh reriouatty accey aes ot tages of the A.M.E. endorsed insurance program, Church Mutual will be happy to | provide an evaluation of your church’s in- surance protection needs—at no cost to you, and with no obligation on your part. Just fill out and mail the coupon today. Learn first-hand why Church Mutual is the ae eee tenienatententamienen nanan nen here hens! A.M.E. insurance program offered by Church Mutual! important at the time you suffer a major | Pieae contact me to schedule free evaluation of my loss. You can feel confident knowing that | church's insurance needs. 3 A.M. Best Company—the nationally re- ! { Name spected industry analyst—has awarded Church Mutual its highest rating, A+ Se (Excellent). Gon rch Mutual (Elie The Specialist 1986 Church Mutual Insurance Company nel ===== DSC05459.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder March 21, 1988 Easter Should Be a Missionary Observance for Overseas Work by A. Lee Henderson Dear Friends: Easter symbolizes sacrifice and re- surrection. It speaks of the time Jesus was crucified, entombed, and raised from the dead. So important is this event that a day of the week—Sunday —was chosen to remind Christians of its meaning. Here at the Sunday School Union we are using the theme this year for celebration: ‘‘Easter a Time of Christian Victory, Instead of Worldly Vanity.’’ Easter isn’t the culmination of Christ’s life on earth. It’s the dawning of an era of stewardship and a chance to renew your faith. The needs of a chaotic world have driven us to our knees, and a deep real- ization grips us that Easter should be a missionary observance. Word comes from our overseas bishops that thou- sands of our overseas brothers and sis- ters need our help. Many thousands have lost their lives; economic and health infrastructures have been de- stroyed; people’s homes have been looted and millions are at risk of star- vation. These needs could be multi- plied many times over. Surely we can see that now is the time to ‘‘Thrust in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe,’’ Perhaps you ask, ‘‘What can I do?’’ Military experts tell us that front line soldiers need an average of ten men behind the lines to keep them supplied. Ours is a spiritual battle. The men and women who GO need the support of us who cannot go, We can pray. In fact, we must pray if we are to succeed in our effort. Then, too, a job costs money. I know we have a budget for overseas work, but it is not enough. A gift from every adult member to our Overseas District would really HELP. Christ sacrificed all; surely He expects that we will sacrifice something. If we do ur best, God will do the rest. Yes, Easter Sunday and the month of April can be a time of victory throughout the African Methodist Episcopal Church, but we need you, your prayers and you to send your contributions to an overseas Bishop for the development of our overseas work. Many times the choice before many overseas Christians is not be- tween socialism or capitalism, but be- tween life and death. Sincerely, A. Lee Henderson Former Episcopal Supervisor Goes to Rest Georgia Teal Ransom Georgia Teal Ransom was born in Abbeville, SC, the daughter of James and Pinkie (Lee) Teal. She attended CHURCH COMPUTER SOFTWARE It’s as easy as AMEC! Contact the nation’s leading church computer systems: AMEC Plus and AMEC Jr. A.MLE.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 615/256-5882 “The Committee’s choice. . .since 1984"’ the high school at Allen University in Columbia, SC. She completed her undergraduate work at State Teachers College in Cheyney, PA, and Cornell University in Ithaca, NY, where she re- ceived her B.S. degree. She received her Master’s degree from Columbia University in New York City, NY. Mrs. Ransom served as Dean of Women for eleven years at Wilber- force University, where she was affec- tionately known as ‘‘Dean Teal.’’ She was also the house director at the Emma Ransom House in New York for two years. Mrs. Ransom has served the A.M.E. Church faithfully in many ca- pacities. As the wife of the late Bishop Reverdy Cassius Ransom, she partici- pated in one of the most socially prog- ressive and mission-oriented adminis- trations of the A.M.E. Church. The Women’s Missionary Society played an important role in her life. She served on every level of this organiza- tion, from the local church level to the Episcopal Supervisor level. She was ac- tive in missions nationally and inter- nationally. A matriarch of Holy Trinity A.M.E. Church, Wilberforce, OH, she was honored at the 1986 Women’s Day Celebration for her unyielding service of 53 years to the A.M.E. Church. Mrs. Ransom was a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the Links, Inc. She is survived by a number of cou- sins and grandchildren. She was pre- ceded in death by her husband, Bishop R. C. Ransom. Laughter Is The Shock Absorber That Takes The Bumps Out Of Life Mother of Len Bias on Lecture Tour Lonise Bias, mother of the late basketball star Len Bias, relates her anti-drug message during a visit to the University of Florida to lecture for National Collegiate Drug Awareness Week. (UF photo by Walter Coker) Gainesville, FL—Lonise Bias believes that the drug-induced death of her son, the late basketball star Len Bias, turned out to be a good thing for the teenagers and parents of America. “‘Len Bias did more for this nation through his death than he ever could have through his life, no matter what heights he might have risen to in the sports world,’’ Bias said. Bias, whose son died of a cocaine overdose two days after being drafted by the Boston Celtics in June 1986, following an illustrious college basket- ball career at the University of Mary- land, is taking her anti-drug message of love and understanding on the road in hopes that Len Bias ‘‘did not die in vain.’’ She visited the University of Florida to speak out against drugs and mis- guided parenting for National Colle- giate Drug Awareness Week. Bias speaks throughout the country at high schools, colleges, youth rallies and churches. Bias said she believes parents and other adults often ‘‘just feel like giving up’’ when their teens become troubled and turn to drugs and alcohol, but she says her message is one of hope. “If there’s one thing I’ve learned about teenagers, it’s that there’s no such thing as a black sheep. There are just some kids who need some extra love, communication and understand- ing,’’ Bias said. Despite her busy lec- ture schedule, she says she always makes time for ‘‘quality interaction’’ with her three remaining teenagers. “You have to give a lot of yourself to heal your home. Just giving your kids material things isn’t enough. They want and need personal interaction with you, no matter how busy you are,’’ she said. Bias said she feels parents often focus too much on the actual drug use rather than on what’s going on in their children’s hearts and minds. ‘‘Drug and alcohol abuse is only a symptom. We need to find the causes that lie underneath, and communication is the only way to do that.’’ Bias said it’s sad that it sometimes takes a tragedy like her son’s death to turn the public’s attention to hurting youths. She will never forget the agony of saying goodbye to the son who had “just really gotten started.”’ She remembers the sizzling June 1986 day when her phone rang and she was told her son was sick. ‘‘I went to the hospital expecting to talk to him, and he was dead. Parents have to re- member that now is the time to do the talking.’’ The effects of the tragedy on the Bias family were especially adverse be- cause ‘‘we had to share our grieving process with the whole world,’’ Bias said. The family used love, communi- cation and faith in God to pull togeth- er, and by the day of Len Bias’ memo- rial service at the University of Mary- land, Bias had discovered an inner strength she never knew she had. “People expected me to break down and cry and fall apart, but there I was with this inner strength,’’ Bias said. She was approached by producers of television’s religious ‘‘700 Club’’ to tell her story on the air, and ‘‘it snow- balled from there. I’m booked through November,’’ she said. While Bias said teenagers she en- counters on the lecture circuit respond well to her message, she especially en- joys talking with parents who are frightened about their children’s futures. “*T tell them we have to go to war with the enemies of drugs and alcohol. We have to fight to keep our babies.”’ Kelly Appointed Protestant Chaplain Rev. Herman O. Kelly, Jr. Rev. Herman O. Kelly, Jr., pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church in New- port, Rhode Island, was recently ap- pointed Protestant Chaplain at Rhode Island College by the Council of Churches of Rhode Island. Rev. Kelly will be involved in the total college community with regards to Religious Services, counseling, and advocacy. A graduate of Morehouse College, Springfield College and Boston Uni- versity of Theology, Pastor Kelly was assigned to Mt. Zion two years ago by the Rt. Rev. Frank C. Cummings. He served as Administrative Assistant to Rev. Donald L. Tucker, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Springfield, Massachusetts, for two years before his moving to Rhode Island. Mt. Zion in Newport has experienced a new fervor and commitment under Rev. Kelly’s administration. Presently, Rev. Kelly also serves as Director of Social Action for the New England Annual Conference. Linda M. Kelly, Reporter Boston-Hartford District ===== DSC05460.JPG ===== March 21, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Quarterly Meeting Is Held The 3rd quarterly meeting of the conference year was held Dec. 19 & 20th, 1987 at Haw Branch African Methodist Episcopal Church Richlands, N.C. Dr. W. T. Holland, Sr., Presiding Elder of the Southeastern District, North Caroline Conference in charge, assisted by Rev. T. Campbell, host pastor. Due to conditions beyond our control, quarterly conference was canceled. Sunday service began at 9:45 a.m. with Sunday School. Mr. Alfred Parker superintendent and teachers in charge. Worship service began at 11:00 o'clock a.m. with Rev. Campbell conducting the devotional service. Music was rendered by the Senior Choir. Dr. Holland was presented to deliver the message with the text being from Saint Matthew 2:9-10, The sub- ject was ‘‘The Babe of Christmas.”’ The message was short, but spiritually moving. Dr. Holland preached our souls happy. The Lord’s Supper was commemo- rated. Lunch was spread and a yuletide feast was enjoyed. The next quarterly meeting will be observed March 19th & 20th, 1988 at Harrison Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Richlands, N.C. Mrs. J. S. Canady — Reporter PIA Awards SSU and Five Graphic Firms Continued from page 1 All six companies are also members of the Printing Industry Association of the South, a regional affiliate of the Printing Industries of America. In 1986 PIAS awarded the Sunday School Union with four Awards of Merit for excellence in printing and designing. The contest included print- ers and publishers throughout the Southern Region. Only a few Black companies entered. Henderson stated, ‘‘With a dedicat- ed staff we will continue to strive to- ward excellence. The work reflects the staff’s dedication and commitment.’’ Letters of congratulations to Dr. Henderson, Publisher, continue to reach the office by the thousands for the graphics, layout and appearance of the AME Christian Recorder and other religious productions done by the AMEC Sunday School Union. Henderson stated, ‘‘The AMEC Sunday School Union (AME Publish- ing House) is of the firm belief that recruitment and training of personnel will be of paramount importance this year, and over the next several years, and will occupy a great deal of man- agement time. The number of young people coming into the job market is diminishing. The baby boom is over, so the fundamental principle of supply and demand will dictate that if we are to compete for the best and the bright- est we will have to greatly enhance our recruiting skills. Once we have them on board, we must prepare to challenge their abilities and bring out the best they have to offer. Likewise, we must be continually upgrading the skills of our veteran employees to keep their skills current in a rapidly changing business environment.’’ Chappelle Seeks Retirement From Secretaryship Continued from page 1 The position of General Secretary allowed me the unique privilege of observing the inner workings of the Judicial Council, and participating in the deliberations of the Board of Incorporators. My involvement with the Women’s Missionary Society, Lay Organization, Presiding Elder’s Council, Connectional and Pastor’s Councils have filled me with a deeper appreciation for the mission and work of the Church. On more than one occasion I have been thrilled, challenged, honored and humbled by the many invitations to serve as consultant, presentor, instructor, worship leader, confidante and friend beloved to my sun-kissed sisters and brothers in Christ. My spirit has been made to soar, through participation with those who had a faith and hope for the dawning of a renaissance in African Methodism. Often the spirit of cooperation, mutual respect, and sensitivity became contagious and it height- ened the levels of dedication and achievement of our leadership. It has been a coveted experience to have had the responsibility of listen- ing, observing, and recording for posterity the actions of this great Church. For all these and many other blessings I thank you! You have been extremely good and compassionate to me and my family. You have allowed me to work continuously and diligently with the Reverend Fathers in God. You have given me the opportunity to have an intimate communion and fellowship with the programmatic giants of the Church. You lifted me up and placed me in the crucible of African Methodist tradition, polity, politics, compassion and concern and through the process of divine chemistry grounded up, smoothed out, sharpened, reconstructed and ignited me for greater dedication, commit- ment and service to God in this institution we call the Church. Please note that I hereby reaffirm my intent to ask my Church for the privilege of retiring from the Office of General Secretary at the forthcoming General Conference, Fort Worth, TX. Again, I solicit your prayers, spiritual and financial support in my quest to become a Bishop of the Church in 1988. All Roads Lead to Texas. John Brown Russwurm Founder of First Black Newspaper Continued from page 1 Outraged by the media’s pro-slavery bias, Russwurm searched for a forum to express his views. He sought the help of Samuel E. Cornish, a Presbyterian minister. To- gether they started the first Black newspaper in the United States, Free- dom’s Journal. The newspaper was an important Black community resource. Written by Blacks for Blacks, it encouraged others to unite and demand their social rights. It expressed Black concerns, such as access to education, and full employment. Eventually, it appealed to a broader audience and became a national voice arguing for the end of slavery and discrimination. Many Whites were involved in the abolition movement, yet there was a clear and urgent need for Blacks to speak out for themselves. Russwurm wrote, ‘‘We wish to plead our own cause. Too long have others spoken for us. Too long has the public been deceived by misrepresentations.”’ Freedom’s Journal turned its atten- tion to the abolition question and the non-violent emancipation of slaves. Debate exploded over the expected ef- fects on society of a free Black popula- tion. Groups such as the American Col- onization Society feared there would be bloody reprisals and a permanent caste system. They urged Blacks to mi- grate to Africa and establish their own independent nations. This idea did not appeal to most Blacks, who regarded America as their home and feared a forced migration to a strange and for- eign land. William Lloyd Harrison, the radical editor of The Liberator, proposed a violent overthrow of slavery. Russ- wurm rejected the new abolitionists and was sickened by the notion of a bloody racial struggle. His editorials reflected his fear of a race war and his gradual acceptance of migration. He viewed it as the only way to ensure a peaceful emancipa- tion. Russwurm had a powerful com- mand of the written word. His argu- ments were strong and expressed a gen- uine concern for the welfare of Black Americans. Despite his efforts to unite the Black community, he convinced a few to follow his lead and embrace mi- gration. In 1829 Russwurm resigned as editor of Freedom’s Journal to move to Li- beria, accompanied only by close friends and associates. His dream of mass migration and a new home for free Blacks would remain unfulfilled. Russwurm’s interest in journalism was not left behind. For the next five years, he edited the Liberia Herald. His strong belief in Black education also led him to his position as Liberia’s superintendent of education. Although Russwurm failed to un- derstand Black Americans’ decision to stay in America, he played a key role in the fight against slavery and injustice here. His newspaper was an important outlet for Blacks to express their ideas and discuss their needs. It established the legitimacy of the Black press, and provided a model for other Black jour- nalists and editors. (John Russwurm is one of 12 people se- lected for ‘‘Gallery of Greats: Black Jour- nalists—Then and Now,”’ a collection of oil portraits commissioned by the Miller Brewing Company. The Collection, which honors all Black journalists, is on a na- tional tour of art galleries.) Howard Beach Is Everywhere Continued from page 1 County. In one case the complainant was awarded a $4,400 judgment against Raimond for use of unnecessary force in a traffic case. But Raimond was cleared by a police trail board and so he remained on the force. Last month Raimond was allegedly investigating a suspected burglary in the home of Officer Gordon, the Black officer. Officer Gordon had recently arrived home. When the Black officer moved towards a window in his own house, the White officer shot him through the window. The White offi- cer claimed he thought he saw a gun in Gordon’s hand. Officer Gordon died a short time later, on the floor of his own home. A neighbor says the White officer never identified himself, but had only yelled, ‘‘Freeze. ”’ When an ambulance with paramed- ics arrived, the County police would not allow them to enter to treat Offi- cer Gordon. County police claimed other intruders might still be in the house. Then when five Washington, DC, officers, including a homicide lieutenant and a district commander, arrived on the scene, they were not allowed to remain in the house during the investigation. A Washington, DC, police officer called the noncoopera- tion ‘‘highly irregular,’’ adding, ‘‘(DC police) never turn away an investigator from another police unit.’’ Several Black police officers on the Washington, DC, force have openly called the killing racially motivated. They suggest that because the house was located in a middle class neighbor- hood, and because it had a two-car garage that held Officer Gordon’s Mercedes Benz, Cpl. Raimond as- sumed that the Black man he saw in the house could not be its owner. On a recent call-in program on a local Black radio station, some officers asked to be authorized to go in and get the White officer to bring him back to Washington, DC, in order to ensure a fair trial. The Gordon killing is not an isolated incident in this county. Back in De- cember of 1986, Sir Kaylin Edwards, a 15-year-old Black youth, was repeat- edly beaten by another White Prince George’s County officer near a con- venience store. The White officer ac- cused the young man of littering. Elev- en witnesses testified to the brutality. One shopper mentioned that the offi- cer ‘‘kept saying ‘pick up the wrapper’ but each time he would keep shoving him back...(The officer) hit him at least 25 to 30 times.’’ The driver of a car testified that the young man stum- bled across the road in front of her and that the officer hit him ‘‘at least 10 times’’ with the nightstick and then began kicking him between the legs. A Prince George’s County police trial board later agreed that the officer had used ‘‘excessive force.” Yes, Howard Beach is but a symbol. for there are Howard Beaches all over this nation. And given the present na- tional climate, which condones racist violence through silence, these inci- dents will continue to grow unless we demand that justice be done—each and every time they occur. Meanwhile three different investiga- tions are now underway in the killing of Officer Gordon. His death sadly re- minds us once again that in the African American community, no one is ex- empt from the brutality and the fatal- ity of racism. ===== DSC05461.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 21, 1988 Rey. Richard Allen Leonard Bicentennial Symposium III Held at Greater St. Luke Charleston, SC—Greater St. Luke A.M.E. Church, in the City of Charleston, was the site of the Bicentennial Symposium III. The Rey. R. A. Leonard is pastor of the church. Bishop Frederick C. James stated that Symposium III was being held in a church because it was a part of his plan to bring The Church to the churches in the City of Charleston instead of meeting in hotels. The hotels would be used for sleeping and eating. The Symposium was set in motion with an inspiring, soul-lifting worship service. Inspiring, indeed, was the music rendered by the Chancel Choir, whose members took off from work to sing for this once-in-a-lifetime experience. After appropriate remarks by Bishop Anderson, Bishop Hildebrand and Bishop Talbot, Dr Josephus R. Coan, professor emeritus of Missions at I.T.C., was presented Dr. Coan’s scholarly presentation, entitled “The Spirit and Message of Henry McNeal Turner,” was a masterpiece and should be made available to the church in general. He made what he called two very bold statements about Bishop Turner. The first: “Of all the great pioneers who made great contributions that led to the expansion of the A.M.E. Church, and whose leadership has resulted in its growth and development, few, if any at all, can be given credit equal to that of Bishop Henry McNeal Turner.” The second: “No other black leader dared so heartily and lived so dangerously for the cause of the liberation of black Americans during the latter half of the nineteenth century and the opening years of the twentieth century than Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, the twelfth Bishop of the A.M.E. Church, whom I would like to style as the fearless prophet.” Dr. Coan said that the two dominating factors in Bishop Turner's life that led to his many successes were (1) the expansion of the A.M.E Church, and (2) the complete freedom of the black race The symposium was recessed for lunch, which was hosted by the Rev. Z L. Grady at the Sheraton Hotel, The afternoon session, at Greater St. Luke was also opened with an inspiring devotional service with music by the church's Chancel Choir. We were all made to rejoice After the worship service, Bishop Anderson presented Bishop Frank ¢ Cummings, who, in turn, presented Dr. William Watley, pastor of St James A.M.E. Church, Newark, New Jersey, who spoke on the relevancy of the message of Bishop Turner. Dr. Larry Murphy, professor of History at Garrett Theological Seminary, after being presented by Bishop Samuel S. Morris, spoke on the “Social Consciousness and Social Vision of Bishop Henry McNeal! Turner.” Both Dr. Murphy and Dr. Watley presented very scholarly addresses that should be made available through publication Grandparents Have Their Day At St. James Havre de Grace, MD—I\n a unique service, “Grandparents Day” was observed at St. James A.M.E. Church, with grandparents in charge of the eleven o’clock Sunday worship. Minister Cornelia Jones served as worship leader for the service that saw grandparents ushering and a choir serving with grandparents making up two-thirds of its composition. Hymns sung by the special chou included “My Hope is Built,” Standing on the Promises,” “Blessed Quietness,” “Let It Breathe On Me,” and “Lord, I’m Coming Home.” Sponsor of the occasion, Sis. Geraldine W. Cox rendered a solo rendition of “] Was Glad When They Said Unto Me.” The pastor of the church, the Rev Michael O. Thomas, preached from the familiar 23rd Psalm. He spoke of the important part his grandfather played in the shaping of his life, and focused on the relevancy of the selected Psalm to the elderly people of the world “Alive” and “on fire” are appropriate terms to deseribe the church as the congregation responded to the components of worship and praise during the special “Grandparents Day” service Sis. Geraldine W. Cox, Reporter NOTICE Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black And White Production 4. Lee Henderson Publisher MOVING? Let us know in advance. Send old address. And also give us your new address, complete with zip code. Ebenezer AME Church Hosts Capitol District Conference Baltimore, MD—When the Capitol District of the Washington Annual Conference convened its District Con- ference last fall, it was marked throughout — from beginning to end — by a high spiritual note. The open- ing worship service progressed to a mountain top experience, as the district’s chieftain, Presiding Elder Walter L. Hildebrand, delivered the sermon. Presiding Elder Hildebrand demonstrated homiletical genius and rhetorical mastery as he challenged the conference with a sermon entitled “‘When You Have Arrived.’’ (Deut. 26). The message was stamped into the consciousness of the worshippers with a three-dimensional call of the Holy spirit reminding us, like the Israelites who were about to cross over into the Promised Land, we are mandated to: call to recognition and confess God; called to response and give thanks to God; called to redemption and com- mitment to God. The Elder’s message was stimulating and gave credence to the reason he is called a preacher’s preacher and an elder’s elder. The gift of proclamation was not the only gift evidenced throughout the conference by the Elder. Presiding Elder’s administrative gifts were reflected as he convened the business session with his usual efficient and ef- fective manner. The program of the conference focused on the contemporary issues of “AIDS—A Health Issue Of The 80’s,’’ and ‘‘The Homeless.’’ Representatives from the Baltimore City Health Department shared in an informative and meaningful dialogue. The Capitol District Conference members participated with wholesome, personal, and community responses to both issues. A second discussion centered around theological and practical perspectives of the role and respon- sibilities of stewards and classleaders. These discussions were led by Rev. James Robinson and Rev. Goodwin Douglas, with a layman’s perspective given by Mr. Joel McLeod Best Black Sermons by William M. Philpot These sermons typify the best preaching that is done in Black churches today, Each sermon has been chosen be- cause of its excellent homilet- ical form and accuracy in de- picting Black experience, WMP-111 ......- von. 0498 TROT RH EH HEHEHE EHS OME HOSERESESEHE EEE EEO EEE EEEOEEESESESEEEESEEEEEESEEE SESE EEE SESE E OSES EE EE EEEEE Please add 15% postage and handhog. Committee reports presented before the conference reflected much preparation and creativity was invested in the reports. In addition, sermons by Rev. Henry White and Rev. Arthur Glover kept the spiritual flames alive. The enthusiasm of everyone involved kept the conference at a peak level throughout the two days. The warmth and intimate vibrations of the host church, Ebenezer and its dynamic pastor, Rev. Wendall Christopher, combined to make the Capitol District Conference one that will long be remembered. The members of the Capitol District all take great pride in the model of ex- cellence demonstrated by Presiding Elder Walter L. Hildebrand and the cooperation of pastors and laypersons are what makes this district rightly and respectfully called ‘‘THE CAPITOL DISTRICT.”’ Rev. Lee P. Washington, Reporter The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. |nstruc- tional as well as informative to y uth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith GLC-#IC . SOP EPORE REESE SESE SE SESS SEH ESEHSES OS HORSE SORES SEES OROSEROSESOSSS OOOO COO, ‘Somebody's Calling My Name” “Somebody's Calling My Name” by Wyatt Tee Walker WTW-121 .......... + 88.95 SEES EEE E EERE REET ETE E THEE ETOH EEE TEETH EEE E EEC EES EE EE EEE SE HEEEEESE SEES SESESES Prrrrerrrirrrir tities ===== DSC05462.JPG ===== March 21, 1988 Atlanta, GA—At the close of 1987 the President of the United States deliv- ered a ‘*State of the Union’’ address. At the close of 1987 the Governor of the State of Georgia delivered a ‘‘State of the State’’ address. At the close of 1987 the Mayor of the City of Atlanta delivered a ‘‘State of the City’’ ad- dress. At the close of 1987 Pastor George Moore of St. Phillip A.M.E. Church delivered a ‘‘State of the King- dom’’ address. There is little question as to which address presented the greatest challenge, evoked the most re- flection, inspired the largest measure of hope, promoted the uttermost eter- nal delight, and encouraged a universal movement amongst Christians for the advancement of God’s Kingdom. With the utterance of Pastor Moore’s simple little question, ‘‘where do we go from here?’’ the congrega- tion at St. Phillip A.M.E. Church on January 1, 1988, was revived, rejuve- nated and rededicated. Not simply be- cause of the question, but as a result of the answer. Inevitably, the question of where St. Phillip is going could not be answered without first reflecting upon where St. Phillip has been. St. Phillip A.M.E. Church was born in 1875 in Reynoldstown, on Renfro Street, under the leadership of Rev. Browning. The second structural church was erected under the guidance and leadership of Rev. C. A. Wingfield on Oliver Street in Atlanta. Then in 1921 Rev. J. R. Gardner began the structure at the corners of Wylie and Selman Streets; and the building was completed in the Spring of 1922. The ‘‘vision’’ of St. Phillip was not born, however, with the building on Renfroe Street, or any of the subsequent struc- tures; but St. Phillip was given birth in the hearts of God’s children who had the vision and foresight to acknowl- edge that God’s church lies within the hearts of each Christian. According to Pastor Moore, a church like St. Phillip can become great only by saints seek- ing to advance God’s Kingdom. In 1875 God was not through with St. Phillip, and in 1988 is not through with St. Phillip. Surely in 1875 Rev. Brown- ing asked ‘‘where do we go from here?’? Likewise, the question was probably propounded by Rev. Win- field when he struggled to build the second structure. Without doubt, in 1951 Rev. O. F. Maddox asked the same question St. Phillip was totally destroyed by fire. In answer to the question. . .each time asked, God gave a resounding response to ‘march ever forward in faith, trusting in His holy word.’ The evidence of God’s re- sponse to the question is apparent in the growing state of God’s Kingdom where sinners repent and utilize the open doorway at St. Phillip A.M.E. Church to march toward eternal life. Pastor Moore stated with the great- est humility that he did not know in 1977 what 1987 would bring when St. Phillip was the substance of hope, and the evidence of the goals not yet reach- ed, Pastor Moore envisioned St. Phillip as God could make it. When Pastor Moore stood in the pulpit of St. Phillip in 1977, the church had a mort- gage totaling $150,000. The mortgage is now $40,000. In 1977 when Pastor Moore stood to preach he was the only minister in the pulpit, and he had to lead the Call to Worship, the Deca- logue, the TeDeum and the Litany. Today there are 14 assistant pastors. In 1977 there were 186 nembers on the The AME Christian Recorder LOO State of the Kingdom Address— **Where Do We Go From Here?’’ church roll. Today there are almost 3,000 members. The church has con- tinued to march forward, planting seeds and cultivating the following ministries; health, young adult, adult, Christian education, athletic, men’s, evangelism, family, communications, worship, stewardship, church and soci- ety, bus and music. As a result of God’s goodness, eyes have not seen and ears have not heard of the glories which are yet to be revealed unto St. Phillip A.M.E. Church. Thus, in answer to the question, ‘‘where do we go from here?’’ the answer becomes that cited by Pastor Moore, ‘‘we will march ever forward, thanking God, taking courage. . .and continuously improving the state of God’s King- dom. Visit From Bishop Adds Five to the Flock On January 10, 1988, The Honor- able Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot brought the message at both the 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. worship services at St. Phillip A.M.E. Church. The Bishop very befittingly spoke of our debt to Christ and our debt to others who have been instrumental in our lives. When the invitation was extend- ed five came forth to unite with St. Phillip A.M.E. Church. These five brought the total membership of St. Phillip A.M.E. Church to 2,813 as of January 10, 1988. Quarterly Conference Report 1987 The St. Phillip A.M.E. Church held its quarterly conference on November 16, 1987. Miriam DeShazor and Annette Colston presented themselves before the conference for evangelism and were so appointed and licensed by Presiding Elder Scarbrough. Ms. Irene Harvey, an evangelist for the last three years, was ordained as an itinerate minister. Minister Harvey also serves as assistant dean of in-service ministry. Likewise, Arlene Robie and James Hardaway presented themselves as candidates for itinerate minister, and they were so instated. Michael Bowie and Walter Benjamin were nominated by the pastor and appointed by Elder Scarborough as parliamentarians. Sim- ilarly, Alice Brown was appointed as reporter to the Christian Recorder. Reporter, Alice F. Brown, Esquire Remind Yourself Daily — Courtesy Makes Everyone Feel Good Attend The General Conference, July 1988 In Fort Worth, Texas Presiding Elder Houston Exhorts Bethel Members To “Wait On The Lord” Rev. O. H. Houston San Mateo, FL—On the occasion of the First Quarterly Conference for New Bethel A.M.E. Church, members heard the Daytona Beach District presiding elder, the Honorable Rev. O. H. Houston, deliver a dynamic message on the subject “Wait on the Lord.” The entire congregation was moved by the power and the visitation of the Spirit as they received the inspiring message. We are thanking the Almighty God and the Right Reverend Philip R. Cousin, Presiding Bishop of the I 1th Episcopal District, for returning our beloved Presiding Elder and his wife for continued service to the Daytona Beach District. We are also thankful for the return of our pastor, Rev. David Bradley and Mrs, Bradley. Our church and community have been blessed through their coming. We are growing and progressing under the direction and leadership of our shepherds. Sis. Sandra Gilyard, Reporter Bethel A.M.E. Church Holds Second Quarterly Conference Presiding Elder, Rev. Charlie E. Nichols, held his second Quarterly Conference January 15-17, 1988. Friday, January 15, 1988, 7:00 p.m., the meeting was opened with a congre- gational song, reading of the 8th Psalm for scripture, followed with prayer. In the absence of Pastor McNealy, Rev. Gloria Cooper presented the Pre- siding Elder, Rev. C. E. Nichols, for order of business, which was carried out in a very orderly fashion. In his closing he expressed his deep apprecia- tion to Rev. McNealy, officers and members for the support given to him and his wife during the last conference year. Sunday, January 17, 1988, Sunday School began at 9:30 a.m. The subject of the Sunday School lesson: ‘‘Reli- gion In Life.’’ In reviewing the lesson, Rev. Nichols emphasized ‘‘Prayer is the key to the Kingdom.’’ He encour- aged each to read the first chapter of James. His closing thought was, ‘‘Try God—He will not fail you.”’ Rev. Gloria Cooper presided during the 11:00 a.m. service in the absence of Pastor McNealy. Music was rendered by the Gospel Chorus, with Mrs. Eunice Davis as organist, and Mr. Darrel Gettis as pianist. The morning hymn was #191, ‘‘Come Holy Spirit Heavenly Dove.’’ The invocation was by Bro. T. S. Bonner, Scripture (Psalm 121) was read by Rev. Gloria Cooper, and the hymn of preparation, #563, ‘‘On the Mountain’s Top Appearing.”’ Rev. Nichols selected Philippians 1:9-11 as the Scripture. Highlights of his sermon were (1) the outcome of genuine love, (2) love abounds more and more in knowledge, (3) love is divine, and (4) God is love. Giving recognition to the Dr. Martin Luther King celebration, Nathaniel Thomas, 9 years old, shared his poem with the congregation, entitled ‘‘Mar- tin Luther King.’? The Pensacola News Journal gave honors to this young poet. Martin Luther King God made a child named Martin Luther King. When he was born, the angels did sing. When he was a child, he loved to read, He learned about freedom, yes indeed! He knew God made all of us, black and white, Then why couldn’t everyone be treat- ed right? Blacks were placed in the back of the bus, But they really didn’t want to start a Juss. They decided not to ride the bus one day, They walked to town, it was a long way. Martin spoke out for their rights, In a peaceful way he led the fight. It wasn’t always easy but he held his head high, Even though most of the time he wanted to cry. “We shall overcome”’ was his famous claim, He stood up for America, you should do the same. He spoke for our freedom with dig- nity. He gave all the Blacks a victory. He marched for peace and made his score, He won the Nobel Prize and even the war, How sad that he was not allowed to live, To see all of his dreams fulfilled. A man filled with hate shot him one day. But his dreams live on, they’re here to stay. I can almost see his image, over his head glows a beam, T can almost hear his voice, saying “‘T have a dream.” Mrs. Irene M. Blackmon, Reporter Around The Humblest Of Us Are The Influences Which Touch ===== DSC05464.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder March 21, 1988 The Social Action Corner Rey. Dr. John Q. Owens I have received a copy of “AMERICA’S BLACK POPULA- TION: 1970-1982 STATISTICAL VIEW,” which is printed by the U. S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, authored by William C. Matney and Dwight L. Johnson. The information contained in this publication is most revealing. The Introduction states; “Statistics from the latest Bureau Current Population surveys (CPS) and the 1980 census show: improvement in income levels of Black married-couple families, educational attainment and school enrollment, and home ownership among Blacks during the 1970’s. But the data also reveal setbacks influenced by high Black umemployment, sharply increased divorce and separation rates, and a rise in family households maintained by Black females. A flat economy coupled with inflation eroded both Black and White family income during the 1970 decade and, together, they were major factors contributing to an increase in poverty among Blacks, especially women. The disproportionate impact on Blacks of a fluctuation economy beginning in 1974 and continuing through 1982, effectively brought to a halt the momentum of overall improvement apparent at the beginning of the decade.” POPULATION GROWTH AND DISTRIBUTION Between 1970 and 1980, the Black population increased by 17.3 percent, from 22.6 million to 26.5 million. In 1980, Blacks represented approximately 12 percent of the total population In 1980, Blacks constituted more than 20 percent of the population in seven States: Mississippi (35 percent), South Carolina (30 percent), Georgia (27 percent), Louisiana (29 percent), Alabama (26 percent), Maryland (23 percent), and North Carolina (22 percent), Twelve states had Black populations of one million or more, an increase of three more states (Michigan, Ohio and Virginia) from 1970. New York had the largest Black population (1,784,337) in 1980, followed by Chicago (1,197,000), Detroit (758,939), Philadelphia (638,878), and Los Angeles (505,210). The Traditional large Black migration from the South to points North and West appeared to end in the 1970 decade. Between 1975 and 1980, about 415,000 Blacks moved to the South, whereas only about 220,000 left, thereby reversing the longstanding Black exodus from the South. In 1980, although a majority of Blacks still resided in central cities, the Black population outside central cities grew by 43 percent during the 1970’s. Still, Blacks comprised only 6 percent of the total population outside central cities. I will print more of the report in my newsletter dealing with income, poverty rate increases, labor force and occupational distribution, educational attainment and Black family informa- tion. This information should be helpful to those that are making plans for a social action thrust through the Missionary Society—Connectional, Episcopal District, Conference Branch, Area and Local Societies; the social directors of every level of the Church; and the individual pastors, who might follow the example of some of our far-sighted pastors with programs that have reached my attention, such as George Moore of Atlanta; Fred Lucas of Brooklyn; John Bryant of Baltimore; Leonard Williams of Indianapolis; Floyd Flake of New York; Johnny Barbour of Jackson, MS; Lovell Johnson of Milwaukee; and Eugene McAshan of Buffalo, N.Y. It should also give us information that is most valuable as we prepare for the upcoming General Conference, which, I hope, will be most concerned about the Social Action Agenda that looms before our Zion Please remember that money is never more important than people!! PRIMARY TUESDAY IS FAST APPROACHING, VOTER REGIS- TRATION IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY!!! THEN, AFTER REGISTER- ING, VOTING!! I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BE A DELEGATE FOR REV. JESSE JACKSON IN THIS AREA AND HAVE RECEIVED PERMISSION FROM MY PRESIDING BISHOP MORRIS. PRAY FOR JESSE AND ALL OF HIS DELEGATE CANDI- DATES, PLEASE John Q. Owens, Jr Director Every True AME should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hym- nal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly Reduced The Book of Worship is a new book wilh é yew age in our churct he change wil! those who may become hristians to hear their needs and aspirations today BOW-815 BOOK Please include 1 African Methodist Episcopal Church Reduced Only $5.00 s and anguage 3% postage and handling . $5.00 Governor of Ohio Receives UNCEF’s Top Award The Honorable Richard F. Celeste, Governor of the state of Ohio, received the Frederick Douglas Patterson Award at the Annual Dinner in Columbus, OH. The award was presented to Governor Celeste by Mr. J. Richard Munro, Chairman & CEO of Time Incorporated and UNCF Board Member in recognition for Governor Celeste’s great effort in promoting the UNCF Ohio Employee Solicitation Campaign. Pictured (left to right) are Mr. Munro, James L. Allen, UNCF Consultant, the Governor, William G. Sykes, former Director of Administrative Services and Governor’s Top Aide, and Virgil E. Ecton, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of UNCF. Love Is Dressed Up In Work Clothes NOTICE: Every Pastor and Lay- person Should Send a Black and White Picture When The Outgo Exceeds Income, The Income Becomes Down of Yourself and a Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ———— ee ANNOUNCEMENT GENERAL CONFERENCE ELECTION COMMISSION Bishop Vinton R. Anderson Chairperson, General Conference Commission Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr. Chairperson Election Commission yx Bishop Henry A. Belin, Jr. Vice Chairperson Election Commission TO: Candidates for the Office of Bishop/ Judicial Council/General Officership in the African Methodist Episcopal Church FROM: _ Bishop Philip Robert Cousin, Sr., Chairperson General Conference Election Commission RE: Disciplinary Requirements for Candidates It is imperative that all candidates formally register their credentials with the General Secretary of the Church. Said credentials being: (1) The formal announcement for a specific office. (2) Verification that you are a bonafide Elder/Layperson in Good and Regular standing in your Quarterly Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. (3) A certified copy of your birth certificate or other legal proof of your birth date, (Candidate for Bishop/General Officer only) Official registration forms may be secured from: Office of General Secretary African Methodist Episcopal Church P.O. Box 183 St. Louis, MO 63166 ===== DSC05465.JPG ===== March 21, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Fiftieth Anniversary of Missionary Meeting in India Tambaram (Tamilnadu/India)—a call to affirm the uniqueness of events in the Christian gospel, and another to face up to the ‘radical plurality’ of the modern world, marked fiftieth an- niversary celebrations (here, 23/25 January) of the third International Missionary Conference, which brought nearly 500 people from 70 nations to the campus of Madras Christian Col- lege, here, for more than two weeks, in December 1938. The preacher at a two-hour thanks- giving service, which included Indian dance and Western and Indian music and songs, was Lesslie Newbigin, long- time missionary and bishop in South India, head of the International Mis- sionary Council when it merged with the World Council of Churches at the WCC Third Assembly, in new Delhi in 1961, and now an inner city parish min- ister in the United Reformed church in his native England. Bicentennial Observance Held At Turner Helena, GA—In a well-planned and well-attended Sunday morning service, Turner Chapel A.M.E. Church observed the 200th year of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Recalling the events that led to the establishing of the A.M.E. Church, a skit was presented, depicting the experience of Richard Allen and Absalom Jones as it took place 200 years ago. It was especially designed to educate the young people to the treatment of Negroes in those days, and to let them know that segregation was the reason for the establishing of this great A.M.E. church of ours. Most of the ladies wore their long skirts and bonnets in the tradition of those early days. It was beautiful to see. The pastor of Turner Chapel, Rev. H. R. Ricks, brought the special message on “Liberation,” and the choir sang beautifully. An old-fashioned dinner was served following the service. The menu included peas, greens, cornbread, crackling bread, sweet potatoes, chitterlings, rice, neckbones, pound cake, gingerbread, tea cakes, potato pudding, potato pies, caramel cake, chicken and dumplings, turkey, fried chicken and iced tea. The abundance and variety of food insured that there was something to be enjoyed by everyone present. The fellowship was equally enjoyed by all. Sister Horace M. Wells, Reporter Rev. H. Henry Walker Ward Chapel A.M.E. Church 511 N. Elliott Street ¥ Peoria, Illinois 61606 Newbigin suggested four reasons to remember the Tambaram conference, particularly the stress there on the ‘‘in- tegrity of the Christian message,’’ and its ‘‘sovereign freedom’’ so as to com- bat the ‘‘disastrous syncretism’’ (mix- ing) of Christianity and Western cul- ture, Newbigin said Tambaram was “turning point on a road away from European national churches as ‘‘do- mestic chaplains’? to become instead prophets and missionaries in their own contexts. Tambaram, he said, also helped assure the principle that the goal of Christian mission is not to es- tablish ‘‘outposts of Western Chris- tianity scattered throughout the world.’’ Calling it ‘‘intolerable arrogance’’ to claim uniqueness for a vision or doctrine, Newbigin nonetheless said the Christian claim about the unique- ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE _ FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS ’ NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 15, 1988 WMS Conference March 16-20, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church 588 Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd. Newark, NJ 07102 The Rev. William D. Watley, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (201) 622-1344 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 325-8267 The Rev. B. C. Burton, Sr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13, 1988 WMS Conference April 14-17, 1988 Murphy A.M.E. Church 718 Yarnall Streets Chester, PA 19013 The Rev. A. T. Holtz, Jr., Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 497-9925 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 497-2127 The Rev. Atwood F. Foreman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20, 1988 WMS Conference May 21-24, 1988 Grant A.M.E. Church 1906 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118 The Rev. Roland McCall, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (617) 427-0670 Pastor’s Telephone: (617) 986-2241 The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 10, 1988 WMS Conference May 11-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 1525 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14208 The Rev. Eugene McAshan, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (716) 886-1650 Pastor’s Telephone: (716) 835-8992 The Rev. Vernon I. Lowe, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17, 1988 WMS Conference May 18-22, 1988 Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church Baltimore Ave. at 50th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143 The Rey. J. D. Patterson, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 476-5340/747-0881 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 472-5905 The Rev. A. McNeil White, Host P.E. ness of the events of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection is to be affirmed and not reduced to an item in a ‘‘syllabus for (a survey of) world religions.’’ Newbigin recalled Tambaram as a major symbol of a new ‘‘new Chris- tendom’’ emerging in parts of the world outside the ‘‘old Christendom’’ of Europe. He also noted Tamba- ram’s stress on mission as central to the life of the church, and the church- liness as a necessary hallmark of mis- sion activity, and its attention to theo- logical education for mission, neither of which was as commonplace in prin- ciple then as each is now. In his anniversary inaugural address, Stanley Samartha, visiting professor at the United Theological College in Bangalore (India), first director of the WCC sub-unit on dialogue with people of living faiths, and a presbyter of the (United) Church of South India, SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP F. H. TALBOT SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-17, 1988 Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church Bainbridge, Georgia The Rev. L. A. Townes, Host Pastor The Rev. E. O. Benefield, Host P.E. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-24, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church Columbus, GA The Rev. John Rolle, Host Pastor The Rev. A. M. Threatt, Host P.E. REST WEEK April 25-May 1, 1988 OLD GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-8, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church Savannah, Georgia The Rev. Jack J. Bradshaw, Host Pastor The Rey. T. J. Kent, Host P.E. AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-15, 1988 First A.M.E. Church Athens, Georgia The Rev. Claude R. James, Host Pastor The Rey. M. S. Colquitt, Host P.E. REST WEEK May 16-22, 1988 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 25-29, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Milledgeville, GA The Rev. C. H. Boddy, Host Pastor The Rev. William Carter, Host P.E. ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL ‘CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. described ‘‘radical plurality’’ as ‘‘the hallmark’’ of the post-Tambaram era. Affirming a legitimate place for ‘mission and conversion,’’ Samartha said Christians are not to give up their convictions about the Gospel, and ob- ligations they feel to share it. How- ever, he called for mission which is neither a one-way street, nor on a take- it-or-leave-it basis. He urged acceptance with ‘‘critical appreciation’’ of the existence of dif- ferent religions. ‘‘No mission,’’ he said, ‘‘can desire the death of one dia- logue partner.’’ Samartha said a sense of the ‘‘mys- tery’’ surrounding ultimate questions rules out ‘‘certainty without humility” about them. He urged Christians to learn how to be positive about their faith without being negative about the faiths of others. Ecumenical Press Ae LR REREIE OS SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP JAMES H. MAYO GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 17-20, 1988 St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana, SA The Rev. U. A. Hendricks, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. The Conference Branch Annual Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Society will be held on the Wednesday preceding the Annual Conference. Cooperation Is Spelled With Two Letters— WE. Golden Wedding Anniversary Celebrated At Mt. Dollaway Jacksonville, GA—Mt. Dollaway A.M.E. Church was beautifully decorated for the celebration of the 50th Wedding Anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. George Wells. The pastor of the church, Rev. H. R. Ricks, Rev. R. R. McMillian, pastor of Rock Hill C.M.E. Church, of Jacksonville, and Rev. S. L. McGill, pastor of aC.M.E. Church in Moultrie, Ga., officiated for the ceremonies. The “bride” was dressed in a light blue dress and wore a lovely corsage of light blue carnations. Mrs. Georgia Cummings, daughter of the couple, gave a tribute to “Mother and Daddy,” and their granddaughter gave a solo rendition and also sang “The Lord’s Prayer.” Mrs. Caroline Day, Mrs. Rheutilla Singleton and Mrs. Levenia Solomon, nieces, all participated on the program for the occasion, which, was well attended. The honored couple received many beautiful and useful gifts, and expressed gratitude to God for having spared their lives to receive such honors. ===== DSC05466.JPG ===== the AME Christian Recorder March 21, 1988 “Black Achievers in Science,’’ a major exhibit celebrating the contributions of Blacks to science and technology, was produced by the Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, IL. The exhibit, made possible by a grant from Citicorp/Citibank, is scheduled for a nationwide tour during the next four years. ‘‘Black Achievers in Science’’ Exhibit Opened at Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry Chicago, IL—‘‘Black Achievers in Sci- ence,’’ a major exhibit celebrating the contributions of Blacks to science and technology, opened at Chicago’s Mu- seum of Science and Industry Monday, February 1, 1988. The exhibit is featured within “Black Creativity 1988,’’ the muse- um’s annual observance of Black His- tory Month, February 1-March 1. Sponsored by Citicorp/Citibank and developed by the museum, ‘‘Black Achievers in Science,’’ is designed to salute more than 100 historical and contemporary Black achievers who have devoted their lives to science. Highlighting the exhibit are the profiles of 16 Black men and women who have made significant research contribu- tions to the life sciences, physical sci- ences, engineering, and mathematics and computer sciences. “The ‘Black Achievers in Science’ exhibit demonstrates that through hard work, determination and perse- verance, all of us can succeed,’’ sajd Loren Smith, chairman, Citicorp Sav- ings of Illinois. ‘‘We hope the exhibit encourages all young people to study science and learn about the crucial role it plays in everyday life.’’ The 2,500-square-foot exhibit incor- porates interactive devices and biogra- phies to chronicle the contributions of the 16 achievers, while memorabilia il- lustrate each scientist’s personal life. Additional information outlines career paths in each of the four areas and sug- gests activities for young people who are curious about science. “Our intentions were to present these scientists as role models and to show that scientific inquiry is both challenging and rewarding,’’ said Dr. James S. Kahn, president and director of the Museum of Science and Indus- try. ‘‘Hopefully the younger visitor will understand that a career in science is built, not with one grand accomp- lishment, but by succeeding at a num- ber of challenges over a period of time.”’ The historical figures highlighted in the exhibit include: Benjamin Banne- ker (1731-1806), surveyor; George Washington Carver (1864-1943), bot- anist; Percy L. Julian (1899-1975), or- ganic chemist; Ernest E. Just (1883- 1941), developmental biologist, and Lewis Latimer (1848-1928), electrical “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not unto your own understand- ing.”’ Proverbs 3:5 ———S= SS =a es ——— SSS —————— —S J —— SSS SSS —— — — TOUCH BASE WITH GOD! ————— engineer. Contemporary achievers include: David H. Blackwell, mathematician and statistician; Norman R. Bliss, mechanical and civil engineer; George R. Carruthers, astrophysicist; Patricia S. Cowings, psychophysiologist; Chris- tine M. Darden, mechanical engineer; Marc R. Hannah, computer graphics architect; Fern Y. Hunt, applied math- ematician; Raphael C. Lee, bioengin- eer; Walter E. Massey, theoretical physicist; Harvey M. Pickrum, micro- biologist, and Warren M. Washington, atmospheric scientist. “Black Achievers in Science’’ will remain at the museum through August 28, 1988, before traveling to other science centers and museums around the United States. The museum is located at 57th Street and Lake Shore Drive. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday; 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. Open every day of the year, the museum is handi- capped accessible. General admission and parking are free. ‘**People Can Alter Their Lives By Altering Their Attitudes. ’’ William James ] | COSTS | TRESS | CEES | “Every Job Is A \ Self-Portrait Of The Person Who Did It.’ CaaS YOUR DAILY INVESTMENT In The Silent Moment PAYS WEEKLY DIVIDENDS Rv” The Silent Moment not only enriches your day. It can enrich your weekly Bible study, too—especially when you're studying with AMEC Sunday School material. Because the daily Scripture readings in The Silent Moment are the same daily readings recommended by A. Lee Henderson for daily spirit- ual inspiration. It also ties into the Sunday School lessons. Which means these few minutes you spend reading, and thinking, and praying each day are actually preparing you for a more spiritual directed day. Also for a more profitable class time on Sunday. If you're not v:lready using AMEC Sunday School literature in your Sunday School Class, try AMEC literature next quarter and see how well it rewards your daily devotion. To order your Sunday School materials or request free samples, simply call (615) 256-5882, write the address below, or check with your Episcopal District Bookstore. . AMEC SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203 Weverer errr rr tree er seers eh “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr. Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to: “This Week in African-American History’’ Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part II How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part II For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.” 600000000000 OOSeSoSeSeSeHeOrSeSeHoSrSeSeSoSrSeHeHrOrHeHoOrO?®
• March 7, 1988
  ===== DSC05442.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 12 The Long View March 7, 1988 Shall We Move All Bishops During The General Conference? by Dr. Author Jones This is the second of two articles I have written on the subject of the rumored resolution that may be pro- posed at the General Conference in Ju- ly. The resolution would move all bishops from the districts (or assignments) which they presently ser- vice. Regardless of whether they have completed the legal limit of eight years, or whether or not they, or a ma- jority in their districts, wish them to stay. This article will address the legal/ecclesiastical aspects of the ques- tion. It is clear that ultimate authority to assign bishops belongs to the General Conference as legally delegated accor- ding to the Book of Discipline. This authority arises both from the language in paragraph 5, page 209, to wit, ‘‘The Episcopal Committee shall make the assignments of bishops, sub- ject to the approval of the General Con- ference,” as well as from the fact that the General Conference, as a sovereign body, has the inherent authority to do what it wishes, provided that it stays ~*-—~~within “‘positive law.’” But just as individuals should not do everything they are legally entitled to do, neither should an organization take an action, merely because it is legally allowable. Because a thing is legal does not mean it is wise. The responsible course would be to grant to our bishops a presumption that they will have a full eight years to develop an effective ministry in their episcopal districts. No bishop should be removed after four years against his will unless there are compelling reasons to do so. The Episcopal Committee is, in theory, the most effective instrument in our connectional system for pro- viding a ‘‘check and balance’’ to episcopal rule. The composition of the Committee, consisting of ministers and laypersons in equal numbers, and its prescribed powers, create a process of review of episcopal performance by those most immediately affected by a bishop’s conduct of his office. The framers of the section of the Discipline dealing with the episcopal committee _ Please turn to page 4 ‘The Greek’ Only Underlines a Greater Tragedy on Television by Tom Wicker New York, NY—It couldn’t have hap- pened at a more appropriate time than the eve of the Martin Luther King, Jr. birthday observances: Jimmy ‘‘The Greek’’ Snyder was fired from his television job for a number of remarks claiming that Blacks had been bred since the Civil War to be better athletes than Whites. Now Roy Innis, the Black chairman of the Congress of Racial Equality, has charged that Snyder ‘‘spoke only the truth,’’ and that his dismissal by CBS was a tragedy. This suggests what many may believe—that Snyder lost his job not for being wrong on the facts, but for violating a taboo and offending some television viewers. In fact, Innis’ defense of Snyder demonstrates that ignorance is not confined to one race or the other, just as intelligence, muscular thighs, sexual prowess, the ability to float and the capacity to manage a baseball team are not measured by skin pigment—much popular myth, intellectual humbug and racial malevolence to the contrary. In the field of sports, the heroics of Larry Bird, John Elway and Don Mat- tingly ought to be testimony enough to refute Snyder’s genetic and historical illiteracy. These White superstars only disprove, however, Snyder’s _ silly theories about athletes. Unfortunate- ly, many Americans, including some Blacks other than Innis, probably agree with the basic premise that in- nate differences—physical, intellec- tual, even moral and spiritual—are bred into the races. Virtually all such notions assign some form of superiority to Whites; that’s the origin of the saying that Blacks, Asians, non-Whites generally, are the ‘‘White man’s burden.’’ That’s also the false intellectual and moral underpinning for the historic subjuga- tion of Black by Whites and the gener- ally inferior social and economic posi- tions assigned to non-Whites over the centuries. No matter how false, there’s ‘‘no better argument for the maintenance of privilege by those in power’’ than the notion of the innate inferiority of non-White peoples. So said Stephen Jay Gould, the paleontologist, biolo- gist and historian of science, in a not- able lecture last September at the Col- lege of Wooster in Ohio. “Human evolution might have un- folded in a thousand other ways (than it actually did,’’ Gould pointed out. Any of those other evolutionary cours- es ‘‘might have left us with a variety of human groups profoundly unequal with respect to their intellectual capac- ity and moral achievements. But it just didn’t happen that way.”” Gould adduced powerful scientific evidence, much of it recent, for what he called the ‘‘stunning conclusion” that all humans are the product of ‘‘a very recent event in Africa’’—perhaps 200,000 years ago. What are now Please turn to page 7 PRICE: 50 CENTS A.M.E. Family Makes History Methodist Episcopal Church Sister and Brother Preach Annual Sermons Rev. E. Anne Henning Byfield Dr. C. Garnett Henning Recently, the African Methodist Episcopal Church witnessed the first brother and sister team preach the An- nual Sermons in their respective Con- ferences. Rev. E. Anne Henning Byfield, pas- tor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Bloom- -ington, IN, a-member of the Indiana Conference of the Fourth Episcopal District, was the first woman to preach the Annual Sermon in its 150 year his- tory. She preached a sermon entitled, “There Is a Spiritual Solution.’’ Using for her text 2 Kings 22:16, Rev. Byfield “‘called the house to order.’” Her mes- sage was informational and inspira- tional. Rev. C. Garnett Henning, Sr., Rev. Byfield’s older brother, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, St. Louis, MO, in the Fifth Episcopal District (the old- est A.M.E. church west of the Missis- sippi River), preached the Annual Ser- mon at the 132nd Annual Session of the Missouri Conference. It was the fifth time he had been so honored in his 34-plus years in the A.M.E. minis- try. The topic of Rev. Henning’s ser- mon was, ‘‘And Are We Yet Alive?’ During the conference the Lord add- ed a third generation of Hennings to the African Methodist ministry as C. Garnett Henning, Jr., accepted the call to the ministry. Rev. Byfield and her brother have many things in common, which are re- flected in their personal ministries and the multiple ministries of their congre- gations. Please turn to page 8 Dr. Hercules Miles, left, Director of the Church Extension Department, met in an economic strategy meeting with new appointees, Dr. Frank C. Maddox and Rey. Emanuel Leak. Extension Department Announces Economic Development Division The African Methodist Episcopal Church, Department of Church Exten- sion, announces the appointment of Dr. Frank C. Maddox and Rev. Emanuel Leak to head its economic development division. Principle re- sponsibility of the division will be to implement projects and programs of economic development throughout the U.S.A. and foreign territories of the A.M.E. Church. The first project to be developed under the new division will be the er- rection of a multi-purpose complex to be located in the Metro-St. Louis area. The complex will include a commis- sary where A.M.E. members can shop Please turn to page 7 Se ————EeEeEe SSS ee 01-88 5 BOULE Bi. 194.37 ===== DSC05443.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder March 7, 1988 a The Christian Church Makes Preparation for Super Sunday © The nation’s many candidates, of both political parties, have zeroed in on ‘‘Super Tuesday.’’ Listening to the television or radio, and reading the newspapers, one would think that Super Tuesday projections are all that is happening in the nation, as the candi- dates struggle to prove themselves as the best for the leadership of America. Since the beginning of Lent, Febru- ary 17, which is Ash Wednesday, Christians have been making ready for ““Super Sunday,’’ which is Easter Day, April 3rd. Christians don’t do this every four years, as the politicians do, as they seek to occupy the White House. Christians do so annually and celebrate victoriously each Easter Day —that certain victory of the risen Lord—and occupy until the Lord returns. Lent is an important season when Christians and church people consider thoughtfully the implications of their loyalty to Jesus the Christ. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent. The name comes from /enten, an old English word for spring. Protestant churches hold special religious meetings and devotions during the Lenten season. Lent was, at first, a 36-day period of fasting. By the reign of Charlemange, about 800, four days were added to the thirty-six. This made it correspond to Christ’s forty-day fast in the wilderness. There are other important Bible incidents associated with the number ‘‘40”’ that have special meaning. Moses spent 40 days on Mount Sinai. The flood and destruction of the world (save Noah and his family) came with the 40 days and nights of rain. Jacob’s embalming and mourning was a.40-day period. Some persons have computed the time that Jesus was in the grave to be 40 hours. Jesus’ resurrection appearances to the time of His ascension were over a 40-day period. Moses went up into the mountain for 40 days and brought back the moral law known as the Ten Commandments. Jesus went to the mountain, fasted and prayed for 40 days and gave the world a new religious principle of love. A love that gives all, even one’s life. Lent ends each year at 12:00 Noon on Saturday of Holy Week, the day before Easter. There are six Sundays in Lent. The fifth is known as Passion Sunday, and the sixth is designated as Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday commemorates the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. The use of palm branches dates back to an earlier period in the history of Rome, and was used in Jerusalem on the occasion when Jesus rode into that city. This practice continues to be an appropriate symbol for the day that marks Jesus’ triumphant ride through the city streets to the temple. Shrove Tuesday falls on the day before Ash Wednesday and marks the end of the carnival season, which once began on Ephiphany, but now is usually celebrated the last three days before Lent. In France, the day is known as Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), and Mardi Gras celebrations are also held in several American cities, particularly in New Orleans. The day is sometimes called ‘‘Pancake Tuesday’’ by the English, because of the need of using up fats which were prohibited during Lent. INVOCABIT Sunday is the first of the six Sundays in Lent. It signifies the invoking of the blessings and guidance of God, not only for Super Sunday, but for all the days of one’s life. He who guided Jesus during His 40 days of fasting and prayer in the wilderness, will guide and sustain each of the faithful who trust Him. The Sundays that follow are REMINISCERE, OCULI, LAETARE, JUDICA and PALMARUM. The color for the Lenten season is violet or purple, the color worn by kings when in mourning. The color also represents discipline and authority. It represents the humility of Jesus and invites somber meditation. On Good Friday, the day of His death, black is the color designated. For Easter Day— Super Sunday—the day of resurrection, white is the designated color. C. S. Lewis said, ‘‘When man is getting better, he understands more and more clearly the evil that is still in him. When a man is getting worse, he understands his own badness less and less.’’ Whenever the forces of good set into motion an action for something good and wonderful, the forces of evil get equally involved to spoil or neutralize it. When mankind attempts some- thing in the name of God, Satan uses all his power to prevent its success. In fact, then, all of life is a constant wrestling match between good and evil. It is a serious mistake to underrate the character of the struggle. The burden of the message of Lent is to renew fellowship between God, man and each other, while overcoming evil. We wrestle not only against flesh and blood, but also against a highly intelligent and exceedingly clever spirit, Satan. He plunged the whole human race into sin, and tried to defeat the Son of God, Jesus. It was, indeed, Satan that got Judas to betray Jesus. It is important to discuss why Judas betrayed Jesus, but much more important to remember what Judas betrayed. It was not a struggle in the Garden of Eden where God was denied and rejected. It is never a struggle to get people to do wrong, if you sound convinc- ing enough. Jesus was a supreme example of how best to engage in a struggle with the adversary and not be deceived or defeated. In the mountain, hour after hour, Jesus wrestled with His adversary and prayed; He meditated and listened and waited; He watched and determined His mission. Here it was, as He defeated the tempter’s challenges, that the Master came into an abiding relationship with the Father. Lent, then, is a time when we, like the Lord, strive to incorporate God’s will for us into our daily living, as we prepare for the victory of Super Sunday. SeVVvewwewewe “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO THE RICHARD ALLEN STORY, <> The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to “This Week in African-American History” Box 19024 * Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part II How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part II For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B, Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) “The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.’ . . The A.M.E. Christian Recorder | ---------------------------------nsonnnrrrororee : EB! : The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi ' S U B S G R Ve B ! i weekly by the AM.E.C. Sunday Schoo! Union 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee H : Pe : : ‘ . . 1 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville Tennessee H h Ch R d r The A.M.E. 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Christian Recorder welcomes letters from ile readers on matters of general interes H Ra H nae il ceca letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder wi!) occ ' : sionally withhold the name ot a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory 1 address. hristian Recorder reserves the right to re 1 ' libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M E. Chris’ ; ciate H prt a > ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requ ' Ovy/Sta : | H - ecopeuseccncccssnsnceeneeneuenssarsassesassessssose™ | — AAAAAANANANANANANANANANANANA NANA NAN AAT ——— ae ===== DSC05444.JPG ===== March 7, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder By Watlins Os 149 — 1949 The sketch was done by Mrs. Ruth Davis, the wife of Dr. Henderson Davis (Historiographer). Hallie Quinn Brown 1849 - 1949 by Ruth Davis Hallie Quinn Brown was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania about 1849. Her parents were Mrs. Frances Scroggins Brown and Mr. Thomas A. Brown. Mr. Brown owned valuable property in Pittsburgh and he was actively engaged in the work of the Underground Railroad. Their home was a station where runaway slaves could receive help on their way to freedom in Canada. At an early age, Hallie Q. Brown and her five sisters and brothers moved with their parents to Chatham, Ontario, Canada for the benefit of Mrs. Brown’s health. In 1870, Mr. Brown moved his family to Wilberforce, Ohio so that he could give his children a college education. Hallie’s talent as an elocutionist was observed while she was studying in the Ontario schools. She attended Wilberforce University and graduated in 1873 witha Bachelor of Science degree. She later received an Honorary Master of Arts degree and an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Wilberforce. Miss Brown taught at plantation schools in South Carolina and Mississippi. She returned to the North and taught for four years in Dayton, Ohio. She also taught at Allen University in South Carolina and Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. She soon returned to Wilberforce as a professor of elocution, Hallie Q. Brown made many successful tours throughout the United States and Europe as a lecturer and dramatic reader. She appeared before Queen Victoria in 1899, and entertained other members of royalty as well Some of her subjects were: “The Progress of Negro Education and Advancement in America since Emancipation,” “The Status of the Afro- American Woman Before and After the War,” “Negro Folklore and Folksong,” “My Visit to Queen Victoria,” and “Windsor Castle.” Miss Brown gave dramatic recitations of the poems of Paul Laurence Dunbar She participated in many national and international movements of her day, She was a member of the Royal Geographical Society of Scotland and the International Women’s Congress of London, When she was in London she was instrumental in obtaining 4 substantial grant to build a dormitory at Wilberforce. It was named Emery Hall in honor of the donor's mother In 1893, Miss Brown attempted to take a place on the Women's Board of Managers at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Her request was turned down because membership on the board came through orgamzaons not individuals. She reported this to a group of her friends in Washington, D C. They organized the colored Women’s League of Washington. Another group to organize was the National] Federation of Afro-American Women. On July 21, 1896, committees from each group met in Washington and agreed to be known as the National Association of Colored Women, with the motto “Lifting as we climb.” Dr. Hallie Q. Brown was the seventh president of the National Association of Colored Women, and the founder and chairman of the organization's Scholarship Fund. Between 1905 and 1912, she was the president of the Ohio State Federation of Women. Miss Brown was also active in politics. She campaigned throughout Ohio, Pennsylvania, Illinois, and Missouri in behalf of Warren G. Harding in 1920. She spoke at the Republican Party Convention in Cleveland in 1924. Dr. Hallie Q. Brown was the author of several books: Bits and Odds, First Lessons in Public Speaking, Machile, the African, Tales My Father Told, Homespun Heroines and Other Women of Distinction, and Pen Pictures of Wilberforce. Dr. Brown was a trustee of Wilberforce University. Her home on the campus was open to all—students and members of the community. She continued to travel and lecture in her later years. She taught a large Sunday School class at the campus church, Holy Trinity A.M.E. Church, each Sunday until she died in 1949. The library at Central State University at Wilberforce, Ohio bears her name There is also a Hallie Q. Brown Community House in St. Paul, Minnesota The Best Man For The Church Extension Department Is On The Job! Keep Hercules Miles On The Job. Reelect Him Weaver Named Director of SADA Rev. Jonathan L. Weaver was recently named the First Executive Director of the Service and Development Agency, Inc. (SADA), the newly established international development organization created by the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The A.M.E. Church is the first and still only black denomination with its own International Development Agency. Late last year SADA received a $600,000 grant from the U.S. Agency for International Development to engage in child survival/immunization project in Haiti over the next three years. Through its staff in Haiti, SADA will provide immunizations against various diseases and primary health care to a target population of 100,000 in five tural areas within the country. Its base of operation will be the Richard Allen Hildebrand Health Clinic located in the capital of Haiti, Port-Au-Prince. Plans for the clinic were established under the leadership of the former episcopal leader of the Sixteenth Dis- trict, Bishop Donald George Ming, and the clinic has become operational, since August of last year, under the di- rection of the current presiding prelate for that district, Bishop James Haskell Mayo. Members from throughout the connection helped contribute to the Let Us Fill Your Sunday School Needs AMEC Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203 615/256-5882 construction of the clinic. In a country where thirty-five percent of the chil- dren die before their first birthday and many crippling diseases are rampant, our health project is sorely needed. In addition to its work in Haiti, SADA plans to develop projects in southern and West Africa and other parts of the Caribbean. Plans are to generate such activities as literacy programs, reforestation projects, water resource development programs, agricultural training schemes, and other health related projects comparable to their ongoing activity in Haiti. Rev. Weaver, most recently the Washington Office Director of the African-American Institute, joined SADA January 4. He is also the pastor of Chestnut Grove A.M.E. Church in Street, Maryland, near Baltimore. He has a Master’s in Business Administra- tion from the Harvard Business School and is currently completing his Mas- ter’s degree in Theology from St. Mary’s Seminary in Baltimore. Rev. Weaver has worked or traveled to seventeen nations in Africa since 1971. Anyone interested in learning more about the service and Development Agency should contact Rev. Weaver at 2311 M Street NW, Washington, D.C. or call 202/337-3930. Pictures Sent For Publication Cannot Be Returned US Postal Service STATEMENT OF OWNERSHIP MANAGEMENT AND CIRCULATION Required by 39 USC 3643) 1a. TITLE OF PUBLICATION AME CHRISTLAN RECORDER 18 PUBLICATION NO. 2. DATE OF FILING October 1, 1987 T FREQUENCY OF ISSUE Bi-Weekly 500 8th, Ave. So, Nashville, TEmn 37203 — = ee dai 7 LETE MAILING ADORESS OF KNOWN OFFICE OF PUBLICATION (Smces, Ciry, Commiy, Snate and ZiPed Code) (Nee primamey (Davidaoa) CETE MAILING ADORESS OF THE HEADQUARTERS OF GENERAL BUSINESS OFFICES OF THE PUBLISAER (Now panier! AME Sunday School Union 500 8th, Ave, Se, Nashville, TEnn 37203 [PUBLISHER (weme ond Compiew Mailing Adeiress, ULL WAMES AND COMPLETE MAILING ADDAESS OF PUBLISHER, EDITOR, AND MANAGING EDITOR (The tom WUST MOT by Daum) Dr. A. Lee Renderson $00 8th. Ave, So, Nashville, Tenn 37203 Dr. BR. BH. Reid $00 Sth. aVe, Se, Nashville, Tian 37203 ING EDITOR (News ond Compicws Aduliing Address) Nowe ER iy vmee by 6 corporasion, Ta nans aad Gran mast by tanied Gnd Gao immadinnely Aarmonior ie nemet anf adeivearet of sack ene owning oF holding | perent or mor of total amauni of sack If mot ommed by 9 conponetion, ak ienentl be (iron, ies anne ait echoes, 28 weil ay hat of each emdinaacaat seat be give, AF She edeow as ame and wahdreat mais Dv ssased oo mast OS : GAP LETE MAILING ADDRESS + + i —+—— + = “T3O0 Erk, ave, So. Neshv wa 3720 FULL IE GR GORE LETION BV NONPROFIT ORGANIEA TIONS AUTHORIZE The puree Homtarn, eft Moron emtue oF Thu a D WAS NOT CrANGED DURING 1 (19 Prece ous v2 montes (a } GROWN SONDNOLDERS. MORTGAGEES AND OTHER SECURITY HOLDERS OWNING OF HOLDING | PERCENT OR MORE OF TOTAL AMOUNT OF BONDS, MORTGAGES OF OTHER SECURITIES Ff mene ane some 40 “COMPLETE MAN ING ADOMESS VW WATT AV SPECIAL RAVES Baceim 423 17 Dante comin ee Cet 7 ioe sinad Ue BAe eRe (Or Face BAS CHANGED QURING (] prece ois 12 MONTHS Mange PLCC emt mace eam tf gs A ae | agree = TO" RVERAGE NO Gris EAS STUAL NO GOFIES OF Sinsil [we EXTENT AND WATURE OF CIRCULATION WEES GES |S S atone ides toms on canara site, ’ + MONT me res 100 Am POTAL WO QOPIES ier Pew Bea i [phat anovon REQUESTED CIRCULATION | 63 | Belen tocgnegh Golan wre evince, amt weno wc cuneate | 1b tet Samet one r = [ssn € YOTAL PAIO ANOVOR REQUESTED CIRCULATION | «der (Suen of (OBI and 10B2 | : O FREE GIS TRIBU TION OY MAIL CARRIER OF OTRER MEANS : CAMe LES. COMPLIMENTARY, AND OTHER FREE COPIES | Nome } + 6,787 E. TOTAL DISTRIBUTION (Sum of Cond BY ; : } + COPIES NOT ENSTREBUTED 313 ork costed shes ootsine | a 2, Precuse trom Meme Agente | + a © FOTAL (Guan of B, Fi amd Dahondel owed mat preci ahewmin ad | — L_ e200 4 f x Sa Sh Ga TUGNAVORE ANG Wil Ce GF ESIGN, FURL ner ees SER Ga Gand L eortify that the peatenrents mate by | s t a re above are correct and Gomplete idee Ve. ~~ ah , 4 ===== DSC05445.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder March 7, 1988 National Council of Churches General Secretary Addresses Rally for Soviet Jews Washington, DC—American Chris- tians are ‘‘duty bound’’ to join with American Jews in support of freedom for Jews everywhere, including in the Soviet Union, the general secretary of the National Council of Churches told the more than 200,000 marchers at a Mass Mobilization in Support of Freedom for Soviet Jews. “*A government’s treatment of Jews has often demonstrated its most op- pressive treatment toward all peoples of faith, just as a government’s treat- ment of Blacks has often demonstrated its most oppressive at- titude toward all people of color,’’ said the Rev. Arie R. Brouwer, NCC General Secretary, at the rally, held on the eve of the Reagan-Gorbachev Sum- mit. Freedom of religion is the first freedom, Brouwer said, asserting that “concern for religious freedom is necessarily part of a true and enduring peace.”’ Rabbi A. James Rudin, Inter- religious Affairs Director at the American Jewish Committee, New York, who was in charge of coor- dinating Christian participation in the mobilization, expressed his apprecia- tion for participation by Brouwer, by Roman Catholic Bishop William Keeler of Harrisburg, PA, on behalf of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops, and by clergy and laity from across the United States in the rally. “This shows the enduring strength of Christian-Jewish relations in this country,’ Rudin commented. ‘‘We welcome that support.”’ The complete text of Brouwer’s remarks follows. Remarks of the Rev. Arie R. Brouwer NCC General Secretary at the Mass Mobilization in Support of Freedom for Soviet Jews Washington, DC, December 6, 1987 It is a privilege to represent the Na- tional Council of Churches before this assembly today, Christians join with Jews in bearing witness to the teaching of the Hebrew prophets that peace is the fruit of justice. We believe, therefore, that basic human rights, and particularly the right to practice and to hand on from generation to generation one’s faith, are essential to a just and peaceful society in any and every na- tion in the whole world. We therefore today lift our voices with yours, our Jewish sisters and brothers, in testimony that concern for religious freedom is necessarily a part of a true and enduring peace. We in the churches in the United States have been joined with the chur- ches in the Soviet Union for more than three decades. Together we have strug- gled to build bridges of understanding to preserve and to protect the world from nuclear destruction. At the same time, we have tried to enlarge the boundaries of religious freedom in the interest of an enduring and lasting peace. ‘‘Glasnost’’ has increased our hope, but it is just a beginning, and we must help to carry it forward. While in the Soviet Union last May, I met with one group of Jewish dissidents who, encouraged by Glasnost, told me that they were test- World Methodist Council Delegation Meets ing the policy by trying to establish a new synagogue in Moscow, With them, we give thanks for every sign of hope. With them, we are encouraged to call for more such signs, for more freedom to emigrate, for more free- dom of religious instruction, for free- dom of rabbinical education, and for more, Many more reopened syna- gogues. We are therefore pleased that “human rights’? is formally on the agenda of this summit meeting. Both by conviction and from our reading of history, many of us hold that freedom of religion is the first freedom. History has also taught us that a government’s treatment of Jews has often demonstrated its most oppressive at- titude toward all peoples of faith, just as a government’s treatment of Blacks has often demonstrated its most op- pressive attitude toward all people of color. I therefore believe that American Christians are duty bound to join with American Jews in support of freedom for Jews everywhere including in the Soviet Union. With you we sing the song of the Psalmist looking for that day when righteousness and peace shall kiss each other. As part of the worldwide church, we Christians have a global commitment to liberty and justice for the whole human family. We want all the peoples of the world to be free and to dwell in peace. We are with you, therefore, today in sup- port of freedom for Soviet Jews. We are with you not only for today, but for everyday. South African State President Botha in Cape Town by Mrs. Sarah Nkele Mathlhare —International News— Part 2 of 2 Parts Delegates requested the South African government to: —Unconditionally release Nelson Mandela and other political prisoners and detainees. We call for all those other Africans who are in exile to be allowed to return home unconditional- ly. —Lift immediately the State of Emergency, the withdrawal of the South African defence force and an end to violence and loss of life in townships, as well as the occupation of neighbouring countries. —Plan for and provide integrated educational opportunities for all children, youth, and adults in South Africa, regardless of race or colour. —Abolish immediately the apartheid system with its divisive and unjust laws and to repeal the population Registra- tion Act. —Begin negotiations by represen- tatives of all South African peoples for a political and economic future in which all participate with equal rights. We further request that the World Methodist Council send a delegation to South Africa to express our pastoral solidarity with those suffering in the present turmoil, to convey the content of this policy statement and Methodist concern to all concerned parties, and to report to the officers of the World Methodist Council. After the two hours, 15 minutes meeting with President Botha, Bishop Imathiu commented, ‘‘I have never been in such a tough, difficult, and discouraging meeting in all my life, not knowing whether I have achieved or not achieved, but, as Christians, we have hope. President Botha does not like the outside world to pressurize him.”’ Rev. Dr. Khoza Mgojo elaborated and pointed out that Botha does not like the Americans and British, in par- ticular, to pressurize him. He reflected on what happened during colonial times, rather than deal with the current issues. He expressed dismay that President Botha kept on referring to what the government has done for the Black people in South Africa without giving the South African delegation chance to argue or disagree on the matter. Dr. Joe Hale pointed out that there was a bit of rapport as dialogue characterized the exchange that took place. Dr. Hale informed the press conference that President Botha had emphasized that there are no political prisoners in South Africa, but only security prisoners. “‘Actions speak louder than words,’”’ one speaker said. ‘‘The things we see are cosmetic and not real; none of the things move in the right direc- tion.’’ Dr. Stanley Mogoba, President- elect of the Methodist Church in Southern Africa, summed up the situa- tion by pointing out that a time table of change cannot be done without in- volving all the people of South Africa. Any breaking down of apartheid needs all the leaders, including all those who are in jail; hence, it becomes very im- portant that they be released. Freedom of expression is a critical factor. The freedom of Blacks and Whites in South Africa is tied together. One speaker commented, ‘‘One can- not be free while the other is not.’’ One thing sure that emerged from the meeting—as would be ex- pected—was that it was depressing meeting with no solutions and no answers to the questions raised. This is what is frustrating about most of such meetings, because nothing is achieved, as Bishop Imathiu himself noted. It is not surprising, therefore, that others see violence as the only solution to South Africa’s problems to bring about the desired change. Sources: tape recording by courtesy of the Methodist Church of South Africa. Greetings From First Community A.M.E. Church 500 James S.E. Grand Rapids, MI Dr. Jessie W. Cotton Pastor silo oir Shall We Remove All Bishops During. . . Continued from page 1 were careful to insulate the Committee from all overt interference by bishops. The fact that it sometimes fall heavi- ly under the influence of bishops despite these provisions, does not destroy the Episcopal Committee's crucial role as a Quadrennial om- budsman for the clergy and laity of our church, Only the Episcopal Commit- tee has the assigned duty of examining the bishops and, after examining them, making findings as to their moral and physical fitness to serve their current districts, other districts, or, indeed, whether they should serve at all. For the General Conference delegates to attempt to assume that duty, would be violative of sound organization func- tioning, and would, no doubt, create a season of anarchy in our church. If, after serious deliberation, the Episcopal Committee recommends that certain bishops who have not serv- ed eight years be moved, let them make such recommendations and let the delegates act on them on a case-by- case basis. Simply put, those who need to be moved, should be moved and those who need to stay, should be allowed to stay, I pray that the day will soon come when we will approach the General Conference of our church with weightier matters on our minds than: “Who will be elected bishops and where shall the bishops be assigned?’’ The harvest is plenteous, the laborers are few! What the harvest needs is more spirit-filled reapers and fewer political wizards. God has given us a great church, a church which could rise to meet the challenge of the most cataclysmic age humankind has yet seen. The threat of a nuclear holocaust; the reality of regional war and carnage; the abuse of the natural environment given to us by God; the world-wide exploitation of the poor and wretched by the rich and powerful; the continuing hatred and bloody strife between races, religions and peoples; all these, when one con- siders their enormity, put into proper perspective the matter of where bishops serve, or, indeed, where any of us serve, pastors or laypeople. Against this grim backdrop, questions of where we are sent become puny, in- deed! Our main concern should be to ‘‘oc- cupy,’’ with all the faith we can muster and all the service we can render, until the Master comes. “Rescue the perishing, duty demands it Strength for your labor the Lord will provide Back to the narrow way patiently lead them Tell the poor wanderer, a Saviour has died! Rescue the perishing, care for the dying Jesus is merciful, Jesus will save. Arthur S. Jones, Pastor St. Mark’s A.M.E. Church East Orange, NJ Delegate to General Conference Plan To Attend The General Conference This Year In July a sSS80 NN O_—=*=080 eee ===== DSC05446.JPG ===== March 7, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Ringing the Bell With Bob Tieuel Remembrances are the seeds of the past, ready to spring into instant and beneficial bloom. According to J. D. Scott, ‘‘memory can be a passport to the pleasant past, for most experts agree that we remember more good sit- uations than bad.’’ For example, we remember many years ago, as a kid, we would start counting the days be- fore Christmas and old Santa would make his appearance to bring us the little goodies and toys that we desired so much. We remember as a kid in central Oklahoma that several Christmas days would find the earth covered with deep snows and eagerly we looked for tracks of old Santa left in the snow, as we awoke early on Christmas Day to see what the old man had left us. And best of all, we could make snow ice cream and could shoot off our little firecrackers and Roman candles that we kids enjoyed most of all, it seems. Most of all, we remember how dis- appointed we were when we learned that ‘‘there is no Santa Claus, but your Mom and Pop’”’ are the ones who make Santa Claus come alive. This is what our older school mates told us and we were big kids before we per- ished the thought that Santa Claud was truly a spirit rather than a person. Yes, Virginia, we, too, believe that there will always be a Santa Claus as long as love, devotion, loyalty and faith remain with us. In fact, the most important things in life cannot be felt, touched or smelled. And we know these qualities still exist and will until the end of time. My Dad, who was a Methodist preacher for some sixty years, used to preach a sermon entitled ‘‘Memo- ries,”’ and, even as a small lad, we en- joyed his treatment of the days he grew up with a Mom and Dad who believed that all things were possible with God. Tears of joy would stream down from his eyes as he remembered the teach- ings and devotion of those who loved him and brought him into this old vale of tears and joys. How can we forget, bellringers, the good ole days? A thought from James Barrie: Fo TO BIAS **God gives us memory so that we may have roses in December.”’ We remember that in bygone days, religious conventions brought dele- gates and visitors to the homes and business places of Black people and that was an economic boom for people who really felt the pinch of times be- fore the days of integration of hotels, motels, etc. Today Black business people and residents of the average city hardly know when a convention has been to town. ‘*Religious conventions have a tre- mendous economic impact on a city where the event is held,’’ states D. S. Woodring, director of the Religious Conference Management Association of Indianapolis. Recent industry esti- mates show the average delegate at- tending a secular or religious conven- tion spends an average of $110 a day on items such as lodging, food, sightsee- ing, gifts and local transportation, Woodring said. The International Sunday School Lesson for Sunday, December 14, 1986: Bible Background, 1 Cor. 15:1-8; Luke 1:1-4; John 21:24-25. Subject: Spreading the Word Through Preaching and Writing. Thought: Had it not been for the writing of the apostles, we would have little knowledge of the life and teach- ings of Jesus, and the nature and growth of the early church. Many of us are searching for a fuller understanding and appreciation of Christian truth. Written materials are needed in order to satisfy this growing intellectual need. Let us who have the truth take a lesson from the cults who more often than not reduce their false teachings to the printed page which they require their converts to study and teach. How have the written testi- monies of Paul, Luke and John affect- ed our lives? The Christian Church? Theme: ‘‘These are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.’’ John 20:31 RSV. f 4-1965 documents EYES ON THE PRIZE: AMERICA’S CIVIL RIGHTS YEARS 195: } t this watershed period in American History. Above, the 1963 March on Washington. This important encore series is the recipient of numerous awards and international honors. Tax Advantaged Investments by Terry Stone A Happy New Year to one and all from Price Chapel A.M.E, Church, Los Angeles. Praise the Lord, for He is good, This is the first of several ar- ticles addressing your financial secur- ity. As the publisher permits we may from time to time respond to your spe- cific questions. Having recently experienced the on rush of tax preparation we thought a discussion of IRA’s and specifically the impact tax reform has had on them would be of interest. We find many people are still confused as to who may and who may not have an IRA. The question is whether or not your contribution is deductible. Our intial concern is whether or not your employer offers a retirement or qualified plan. If you are deemed to be an ‘‘active participant’’ and as an indi- vidual earn more than $35,000 adjusted gross income (AGI); $50,000 for mar- ried couples filing joint returns; mar- ried couples: filing separately over $10,000 you’ll lose your deductions. This fact does not make establishing an IRA necessarily undesirable. The earnings on your contribution still continue to grow tax free until distri- bution. For those earning $25,000-$35,000 adjusted gross income, and single, you’ll get a partial deduction. The same for marrieds filing jointly earning $40-50,000 AGI, and marrieds filing separately $0-$10,000 will receive par- tial deduction. The rule for partial de- ductability phases out in $10 incre- Twelfth Episcopal District 1988 Spring Convocation ' Thursday, March 24th Through Saturday, March 26th Visitor’s Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church 319 Church Street, Hot Springs, Arkansas Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Prelate Bishop Brookins and Guest Speakers Bishop H. Hartford Brookins Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand Dr. John R. Bryant Thursday Evening, 7:00 p.m.: Bishop Richard A. Hildebrand, Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, the preacher. Friday, 12:00 noon: Dr. John R. Bryant, Pastor, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Baltimore, Maryland, the preacher. Saturday, 12:00 noon: Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr., the Presiding Prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, the preacher. MUSIC Spirit of the 12th Mass Choir, directed by Mrs. Gladys Gill Hayes and Mr. LaBaron Mizer. SPECTACULAR APPRECIATION Friday Evening, 7:30 p.m.: Gala Spectacular Appreciation in honor of Bishop H. Harford Brookins—Magnolia Room, Majestic Hotel. PRAYER BREAKFAST Friday Morning, 8:00 a.m.: WMS Prayer Breakfast and WMS/YPD Meeting— Majestic Hotel OTHER EVENTS Thursday, 12:00 noon: Trustee Board Meeting, Visitor’s Chapel A.M.E. Church Thursday, 2:00 p.m.: Photography Session for all General Conference Delegates and Alternates, Visitor’s Chapel A.M.E. Church. Friday, 3:00 p.m.: Organization of Delegates to the General Conference, ‘ July 5-15, 1988, Fort Worth, Texas. Discussion of General Conference Legislation, and Candidates’ Hour. Saturday, 9:30 a.m.: Economic Development Session. ments of each full $50 of income over the base AGI amount, Example: single taxpayer with AGI of $32,500, $2,000 x 32,500 = $1,500 deduction. 10,000 If that has you totally confused take heart, the rest is basically simple. If you and your spouse are ot covered by a retirement or pension plan you can fully deduct your IRA contribu- tions and have no income limitations, It doesn’t matter whether your income is $50,000 or $250,000, married, single, filing jointly or the like, you can still do your 1987 IRA up to April 15, 1988, with full deductions. One suggestion is to do your IRA contribution as early as possible. Reason? The sooner its in- vested, the more money you’! have for retirement. Don’t count on Social Security alone. Talk to a financial pro- fessional to get details on which retire- ment plans and investment instruments are best for you. Don’t put it off, do it right away. ‘‘Our Religion Is Not What We Profess, But What We Live.’”’ § Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr. i ===== DSC05447.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder March 7, 1988 Education Initiative Earns High Marks And Receives Substantial Corporate Support More than 26,000 parents and students have been involved in the Na- tional Urban League’s Education In- itiative since its inception more than a year ago. In conjunction with the first anniver- sary of the Initiative, the Exxon Cor- poration has made a $625,000 grant to the National Urban League’s Educa- tion Initiative to increase parental in- volvement in the schools and to boost the achievement level of students. The grant will allow the League to implement programs that will help parents to take a greater role in monitoring and assisting their children with their school work and in alleviating student discipline problems. The initiative, which was officially launched on September 30, 1986 is designed to improve the educational achievement of Black students. It in- volves over 90 of the 112 NUL af- filiates and is being assisted by such organizations as the National Educa- tion Association, the American Federation of Teachers, the Black Child Development Institute, the Council of Great City Schools, the American Association for the Ad- vancement of Science, the Educational Testing Service and The College Board. Through parental involvement with the Initiative, parents and other adults involve themselves in such areas as homework support programs, mentor- ing and guidance, test taking skills development and educational policy. Some NUL affiliates have encourag- ed increased parental involvement by training a core group of parents in each of the Initiative schools, who in turn train other parents. The training in- volves how to work with teachers and principals to have an effective school and how to assess and improve the school’s environment. In some cases, student performance and achievement improved through the Initiative, affiliates have begun to report such improvements as better standarized test scores, increase in at- tendance and reduction in suspension and expulsion among target students. John E, Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the National Ur- ban League said, ‘‘Through the In- itiative, our affiliates have been developing programs suited to the needs of Black youngsters in their communities, using advocacy, coali- tion building, community mobiliza- tion, and direct services to parents and students. ““We believe that the Black com- munity must play a major role in responding to the crisis facing our children. We want to impact the in- stitutions that are responsible for educating our children,’’ said Jacob. Jacob added: ‘‘We are encouraged by the support we have received from the Black community and from educators, businessmen, church groups and other important consti- tuencies, especially the school superintendents, over 70 of whom have formally pledged to cooperate with local Urban Leagues in implementing these programs.’’ Other support has been received from Primercia Corporation and Readers Digest. The major aim of the Initiative is for each affiliate to work with community groups, parents, students and the public schools in order to facilitate corrective and progressive action need- ed to bring about education reform. The objectives are to work towards positive change which will lead to im- proved achievement and increased col- lege attendance. The Initiative was developed after the National Urban League’s Delegate Assembly was moved to act in 1985 by the continuing underachievement of Black students in the nation’s public schools. The broad-based, five-year program was undertaken after the year-long planning and development period be- tween the action of the Delegate Assembly and the official launching of the program in 1986. No One Can Make You Feel Inferior \ outlined below. Bill No. Title: Without Your Consent. Forty-Third Quadrennial Session General Conference AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH FT. WORTH, TX July 6-16, 1988 Those persons desiring to submit proposed legislation are requested to utilize the approved legislation format as PROPOSED LEGISLATION Page__of. Reference: Intent: Ve Ze 3 4. Etc. ARE REPEALED. Submitted _ by. ALL LAWS AND PARTS OF LAWS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS LAW Date oe ee ee we ae we es oe ee os a=Ss 0 se ae << FROM: Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. me ee we we ae ae awe eae wae ae as aes ase a — — = = = oe oo a eae Ss Ss = Emerson Fund For Unitarian Universalist Studies Created At Harvard Divinity School Boston, MA—The Unitarian Uni- versalist Association (UUA) and Harvard Divinity School (HDS) have announced the creation of the Ralph Waldo Emerson Fund for Unitarian Universalist Studies at Harvard Divini- ty School. The fund has been made possible through gifts totaling $770,000 from the Association, the Liberal Religious Charitable Society and the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society in Plandome, New York. HDS plans to combine this gift along with other existing funds to support a pro- fessorship in Unitarian Universalist studies and liberal religious traditions. The formal presentation of the en- dowment takes place today at the Unitarian Universalist Association’s headquarters at 25 Beacon Street in Boston. Dean Ronald F. Thiemann of HDS will accept the gift. Referring to the Emerson Fund, Thiemann said, ‘‘This generous gift ensures, in a way the Divinity School never could before, continuation of an association that is a wellspring of the HDS identity. Moreover, the establish- ment of the Emerson Fund will enable us to seek a tenured, full-time pro- fessor in this area.’ The school hopes to have the position filled by the fall of 1989. Harvard and its Divinity School share a long history with Unitarianism. In 1805 the appointment of the Reverend Henry Ware, Sr., as Hollis Professor of Divinity sparked the Unitarian Controversy. Nine con- secutive Harvard Presidents were Unitarians. Today, HDS is one of three principal schools providing theological training for Unitarian Universalists preparing for the ministry. UUA President William F. Shulz said, ‘‘I can imagine few developments during my years in office with which I will be prouder to be associated than this, The Emerson Fund will maintain a Unitarian Universalist presence at HDS into the foreseeable future and will guarantee that our students receive an education grounded in the tradi- tions of our faith. This gift both fulfills the promise of history and makes a pledge to the future.”’ Instrumental in pursuing the endow- ment fund, in addition to Dr. Schulz, were Robert Adelman of New York City, Vice-President of the Liberal Religious Charitable Society, and Ruth Reeves, former President of the North Shore Unitarian Universalist Society of Plandome, New York. Mt. Moriah Has Tutoring Plan Ready by Mary P. Felter Annapolis, MD—A dream is about to come true for Dolores R. Queene of Annapolis, the director of Christian ‘Education at Mount Moriah A.M.E. Church. Her hopes for an Annapolis Volunteer Tutorial Center are about to be realized, with a January 26 open- ing planned. Youngsters: from five Annapolis area elementary schools will be able to receive free tutoring on a one-to-one basis two evenings a week at the An- napolis Library on West Street, ac- cording to Ms. Queene. “We're set up to handle grades 3 through 6, up to 30 students per night,’’ she said. 5 The schools involved are Annapolis, Eastport, Georgetown East, Parole and Tyler Elementary. Ms. Queene and Rev. H. Michael Lemmons of Mount Moriah Church has been meeting with the school prin- cipals since last summer. The commit- tee has been designing the program which is going to need funding from businesses and individuals. Letters de- scribing the project have been sent to parents, who are asked to return the atiacned form if they desire tutorial services for their child. Ms. Queene also has been seeking “responsible adult volunteers” from her church and throughout Annapolis. Each volunteer will be assigned to one student for a period of one hour on Tuesday and Thursday from 6 to 7 p.m. Volunteers can determine wheth- er to tutor for a period of one week or a longer term. They will be coordinat- ed by Mildred Marlow, who has been a school volunteer for a number of years. ‘We're in the process of recruiting right now,’’ Ms. Queene said, with about 20 people committed. Parents must grant permission for their child to attend and provide trans- portation,”’ said Joan Crawford, direc- tor of Area II schools, which encom- passes the five elementary schools. After the parents return their form requesting a tutor, the volunteer coor- dinator will check with the student’s teachers to determine priorities for tutoring. Specific skills needing atten- tion will be identified. “There is no charge to the parent,” Ms. Queene said. One positive aspect of the tutorial project is that ‘‘it will get those volun- teers and parents who are available at night,’’ said Virginia Bradley, George- town East principal. The project is ‘‘an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of chil- dren. and to provide early academic skills,’’? Rev. Lemmons said. “We hope, if the project is success- ful, to add a transportation compo- nent,”’ said Ms. Bradley. The committee wanted to provide transportation initially, but was Teti- cent because of cost. They didn’t want the project bogged down because ofa lack of transportation. The Annapolis branch library was chosen because it is a central location and ‘‘everyone knows where the li- brary is,’’ said Joe Locascio, Eastport principal. ATTENTION! Have You Sent A Glossy Black and White Photo and Your Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 SS ===== DSC05448.JPG ===== the AME Christian Recorder Economic power and Black power together with prayer for extending the Church. A.M.E. Church Extension Department Continued from page 1 and buy at comparable discount prices, a luxurious hotel facility and retirement center for retired and super- annuated ministers, widows and lay- men of A.M.E. descent. Also in- cluded in the project will be a health care facility, a worshiptorium with adequate seating capacity, library and archives, a variety of restaurants, read- ing rooms, bookstores and a theme pod (with emphasis on African Ameri- can heritage and space exploration). The Afro-American center will utilize carrousal and animated characters to emmulate the dream of freedom for Black Americans. This complex is slated to begin con- struction in late 1988. Dr. Hercules Miles, Jr., Director of the Department of Church Extension, stated that this has been his intent and plan for the Department of Church Extension since his first election. Cur- rently, Dr. Maddox and Rev. Leak are involved in development projects in East St. Louis, already funded to the tune of 500 million dollars. Through the Department of Church Extension’s establishment of this divi- sion, it expects to involve itself in part ownership of banks, insurance com- pany credit card holdings, health care, Major Medical, and AIDS centers of Jamaica, the expansion and extension of churchs and colleges in all parts of the world. A.M.E. Bishop Frederick C. James, Chairman, says ‘‘this is the best thing that has happened to the Church since its founding 200 years ago, which is now being celebrated.’’ Presently, ac- quisition of two (2) banks will afford the Church leverage, which will allow a constant cash flow, thereby the Church will never have to panhandle its members for operation any longer. This merger between private invest- ors and Church Extension will bring about economic stability in the Black church and community that will con- tribute to freeing Black Americans, based on the principles of Richard Allen who advocated the concept of self-help 200 years ago. Greek Underlines Tragedy on Television Continued from page 1 thought to be the non-African races, he said, only began to evolve about 90,000 to 180,000 years ago—little more than an instant of time in the process of evolution. So all the alleged differences in human groups, he con- cluded, would have had to develop in something like 100,000 years. That, Gould said, ‘‘is simply just not enough time’’ for such differences to have come about. Yet, conveniently for those who consider themselves superior, the belief in innate racial inequality, though weakening, has persisted—de- spite Darwin’s Origin of Species—far into the 20th century, with infinitely more tragic consequences than the fir- ing of Snyder. e €22000000000000000 God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer Man Our Brother ‘““We only live once,’’ Gould ob- served. ‘‘We only get to go through this world once, as far as we know, and if our lives are thwarted, if our hopes are derailed, if our dreams are made impossible by limitations im- posed from without, but falsely identi- fied as residing within us, then in a way that’s the greatest tragedy one can im- agine. And millions—hundreds of mil- lions—of human lives have been so blighted.”’ That’s another way of stating the message of Martin Luther King, Jr., the power of whose thought and com- passion and commitment was recalled to us this week on television, and whose life honored not just one race, but all of our common humanity. ®) 6 OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOS Dr. G. Edward West Presiding Elder 12th Episcopal District Oklahoma and Arkansas Candidate for the Bishopric e Te rete ye ye ye ye ye ye ye Jo ye ye Je Je Je) GQQPIIIIBIIIIIIIIIIBIIIIIIVBIG National Urban League Calls For Increased Black Involvement In Presidential Election And In Community Reforms During Release Of ‘‘The State Of Black America 1988”’ “*The stock market crash encourag- ed a more sober attitude about the prevalence of greed at a time when poverty and homelessness were on the rise,’’ stated John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Na- tional Urban League during the release of THE STATE OF: BLACK AMERICA 1988 Thursday, January 14, 1988 in Washington, D.C. Jacob then added that, ‘While America was riding an economic boom, Black poverty rose, and we have slipped further back from our goal of parity with white citizens. “In the wake of the market crash, we’re hearing about the need for more austerity and more budget cuts. We have to remind Americans that the post-crash austerity must not be allowed to drive still more black and minority citizens deeper into poverty.”’ Turning his attention to the 1988 presidential election, John said that the real scandal of the election is ‘‘not who sleeps where; not who plagarized what -- but why the people who want to be president are satisfied with lily- white senior campaign staffs. “Not a single candidate on the Republican side has a minority person in a major campaign role and of the top ten minority campaign staff posi- tion on the Democratic side, none of the candidates has more than one minority person, other than Jesse Jackson, who has five,’’ said Jacob. “That’s a shocking indicator of the failure of the Democrats to under- stand that they can’t be elected with- out Black votes and they are not going to get Black votes unless they’ve got minorities who understand the Black community from the inside, and who can help shape campaign policies.”’ Referring to the recommendations that are made in THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 1988, Jacob said that, ‘‘we’re calling on the Black com- munity and its organizations to take the lead in actively mounting programs to deal with our problems. “‘That’s happening today, as Black churches, civil rights and social welfare agencies, and community-based groups are doing a tremendous job of helping to ameliorate conditions in poor Black neighborhoods,’ he said. Paying particular attention to the Urban League’s education effort, Jacob said that, ‘‘The Urban League Education Initiative has already begun to have a real impact on our kids and their schools.’’ Jacob also told the gathering of media at the National Press Club that other recommendations in the new edi- tion of the document include sugges- tions for legislation and government action to deal with problems of pover- ty, hunger, homelessness, and racism. “(THE STATE OF BLACK AMER- ICA documents the depth of the prob- lems facing Black Americans and the failure of most Blacks to participate in the economic recovery,’’ added Jacob. THE STATE OF BLACK AMER- ICA 1988 presents eleven papers pre- pared by experts in the fields of civil rights, education, economics, govern- ment, criminal justice and social wel- fare. The papers and their authors are: “Black Enrollment in Higher Educa- tion: The Unfulfilled Promise of Equality, by Dr. Niara Sudarkasa, President, Lincoln University “Tomorrow’s Teachers; Who Will They Be, What Will They Know,” by Dr. Bernard C, Watson, President and Chief Executive Officer, The William Penn Foundation with Mrs, Fasaha M. Traylor, Research Intern, The William Penn Foundation “Civil Rights And The Future Of The American Presidency,’’ by Dr. Dianne M. Pinderhughes, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of [Illinois at Urbana-Champaign “Critical Perspectives On the Psychology of Race,’’ by Dr. Price M. Cobbs, President, Pacific Manage- ment Systems “The Black Family; Striving Toward Freedom,’ by Dr. Charles V. Willie, Professor of Education and Urban Studies, Graduate School of Educa- tion, Harvard University “Black Youth at Risk,” by Dr. Bruce R. Hare, Associate Professor of Sociology, State University of New York at Stony Brook “Crime In the Black Community,” by Dr. Lee P. Brown, Chief of Police, Houston, Texas “Blacks in the Military: The Victory and the Challenge,”’ by Dr. Alvin J. Schexnider, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs, Virginia Com- monwealth University “Economic Status of Blacks 1987,’’ by Dr. David H. Swinton, Dean, School of Business, Jackson State University “Black Wealth: Facts and Fiction,’’ by Dr. Billy J. Tidwell, Director, Research Department, National Urban League “Crime Is Not A Part of Our Black Heritage: A Theoretical Essay,’ by Dr. Garry Mendez, Jr., Director, Ad- ministration of Justice Program, Na- tional Urban League. P.Q.C. Awarded $350,000 Grant Waco, TX—Paul Quinn College was awarded a grant of $350,000 for the Fiscal Year 1987-88 for the Title III Program. Mrs. A. DeJoyce Morgan, Director of Title III, said, ‘‘We are pleased to receive the grant from the federal government. Our fiscal year runs October 1, 1987 through Septem- ber 30, 1988. The following programs are funded through the grant: Learning Skills Center Dr. Viola Ellison, Director Pre-Professional Science Enhancement Program Dr. Weldon Walton, Director Office of Academic Effectiveness Dr. Paul Derrick Strengthening Faculty Develop- ment Programs Dr. Debra McCurdy, Director Project ‘‘Amigos’’ Dr. Gloria Aguila Project Administration Mrs. A. DeJoyce Morgan Director Student Development Center Mrs. Gwendolyn Neals, Director ===== DSC05449.JPG ===== 8 The AME Christian Recorder March 7, 1988 District Conference Explores Church Expansion and Seminary Course of Study—What Happened Quincy, FL—‘*Church Organization’ and ‘‘What’s Happening and Is Being Taught in Seminaries’? were subjects of workshops conducted by Presiding Elder E. L. Daniels and Rev. David Rhone, respectively when the Quincy District Conference convened at Oak Grove A.M.E. Church, pastored by Rev. Audrey Powell. Audience partic- ipation and interest were overwhelming and much information was imparted. Rev. Daniels presided over the three- day conference which boasted an above-average attendance, and which, at its conclusion, was rated by dele- gates and others attending, the most informative and rewarding anyone could recall. In a pre-conference activity, a Bicen- tennial program was presented by the Quincy District Lay Organization with the president, Brother Harry K. Holt, in charge. Following what proved to be a highly inspiring devotion, President Holt spoke informatively on the sub- ject ‘200 Years of Progress: A Blue- Print for the Future.’’ The message, along with a closing solo by Sis. Lucy Evans, set the pace for the memorable sessions that made up the conference. The first sermon of the meeting was delivererd by Rev. Ronnie Clark, pas- tor of Mt. Peasant A.M.E. Church, Monticello, FL. The audience was left spellbound by the message preached on the subject ‘‘The Door Is Open; What Are We Waiting For?’’ The text for the challenging discourse was from St. Mark 10:31. The keynote sermon for the confer- ence was delivered on the second day by Rev. G. W. Lane, pastor of Old Bethel-New Zion Circuit. He selected a text from Genesis 28:15, and preached from the subject ‘‘I Will Not Leave Thee.’’ Rev. Lane was accom- panied by his choir and their accom- panist and the very soul-stirring ser- mon he brought was one which will be long remembered. The three-day conference was mark- ed by outstanding preaching that gave those in attendance much to think about and to rejoice in. Rev. R. A. Anderson, pastor of Salem A.M.E. Church, Greensboro, FL, preached from John 3:3, using for a subject “‘We Need a Spiritual Awakening.’’ The Senior Choir of his church accom- panied him. More Than a Million People Watch ‘‘State of Black America’’ Via Satellite When the National League released THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 1988 from the National Press Club in Washington, DC, more than a million people watched via the Black College Satellite Network. The telecommuni- cations program was set up through the offices of Howard University’s Office of Satellite Communications. This year’s edition of THE STATE OF BLACK AMERICA 1988, contained eleven papers prepared by some of the nation’s leading authorities in the fields of economics, politics, criminal justice, education and sociology. Also included was an introduction by John E. Jacob, President and Chief Executive Officer of the League and a chronology of events important to blacks in 1987. Beginning at 9:30 a.m. EST on January 14, the press conference was beamed through the National University Telecommunications Network, the Campus Network, the College Satellite Network, the National Education Association Network as well as to home satellite users or other satellite receiving sites. “This is the beginning of many programs that the National Urban League will telecast in 1988,” said Jacob. In addition to the telecast, the League will be sponsoring forums on college campuses with authors presenting their topics to students and faculty on-site and through the satellite hookup. During the year, followup forums are planned in selected cities across the nation. Dr. Mabel Phifer, who is director of the Office of Satellite Communica- tions of the Black College Network at Howard University, said that the live hookup meant that with the Urban League’s 112 affiliates, ‘‘the press conference was seen by more than a million people.” THE STATE OF BLACK AMER- ICA 1988 is a widely recognized refer- ence book that examines the current status and condition of Blacks in America. The topics and their authors PD are: “Economics” by Dr. David Swinton, Office of the Dean, School of Business, Jackson State University; ‘Politics’? by Dr. Dianne Pinderhughes, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Afro-American Studies and Research Program; “Criminal Justice” by Dr. Lee Brown, Chief, Houston Police Department; “Military” by. Dr. Alvin Schexnider, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs at Virginia Commonwealth University; “Youth” by Dr. Bruce Hare, Associate Professor, Stony Brook College; “Black Family” by Dr. Charles Willie, The Center of Education and Urban Studies, Harvard University; “Education” by Dr. Bernard C. Watson, President and Chief Executive Officer of The William Penn Foundation; “The Psychology of Prejudice” by Dr. Price Cobb of Pacific Management System; “AIDS: Black Attitudes” by Dr. Robert C. Smith, professor at Howard University; and “Black Students in Black and White Colleges” by Dr. Niara Sudarkasas, President of Lincoln University. Send a Glossy Black and White Photo of Yourself and a Brief Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 00 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 On the final day of the conference, Rev. Melvin Bell, pastor of Union Chapel A.M.E. Church, delivered the midday sermon from Luke 22:27 and 9:46-48. ‘‘A Desire to Be Great’’ was the subject of the message that placed emphasis on the power and importance of prayer. In a closing sermon, Rev. O. C. Williams, pastor of Arnett Chapel A.M.E. Church, Quincy, moved the congregation with a stirring disserta- tion on the subject ‘‘I’ll Go,’’ based on Isaiah 6:8. Rev. Williams was ac- companied by his choir and congrega- tion. Sister Dorothy Jones served as mu- sician for the conference during each worship service. In addition to workshops conducted by Elder Daniels and Rev. Rhone, pas- tor of New Bethel A.M.E. Church, Quincy, Rev. Williams, assisted by Rev. J. H. Cobb, Rev. Bell and Rev. G. T. Barkley, held workshops on “Duties of the Stewards and Trus- tees,’’ miscellaneous topics requested by members of the audience, and “How to Prepare and Present Chil- dren’s Sermons.’’ : It Is Not ap Enough To Aim, ; You Must Hit! @ B'nai B’rith President Praises Martin L. King Seymour D. Reich, international president of B'nai B’rith, the world’s largest Jewish organization, issued the following statement in observance of Martin Luther King, Jr, Day: ‘*Today we celebrate the memory of a most extraordinary man, ‘‘More than 20 years ago, Martin Luther King, Jr. woke this nation from its moral slumber. He called on all of us for a renewed passion for justice and for a new commitment to the struggle for freedom. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the herald of a new dawn for human dignity. “Blacks and Jews are two peoples who have known the pain of oppres- sion, and that shared experience has strengthened our resolve and our faith. It has also forged a spiritual bond be- tween us. Today there are those who would seek to divide us by focusing on our differences. They would have us believe the cherished values we share are no longer relevant. But they are wrong. ‘‘Martin Luther King, Jr. saw a time when we would march hand in hand to freedom. His vision of brotherhood and understanding still brings us together. His cause remains our cause. We will not rest until his dream becomes our reality.’’ Sister and Brother Team Preach Annual Sermons Continued from page 1 Rev. Byfield, who was assigned to Bethel in 1983, has received over 225 “conversions and accessions; a record that was blessed by over 80 accessions in 1986. Rev. Henning, who has pas- tored St. Peters A.M.E. Church in St. Louis, and Ward A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles, during the last 22 years, has received more than 2000 members into the A.M.E. Church during that time. Both brother and sister have strong outreach services, counseling and change-oriented ministries. They worked together with many dedicated youth to secure voting rights for youth at the 1972 General Conference. (Gar- nett, Sr., was not so young.) This suc- cessful effort now guarantees that youth have a strong voice in the Gen- eral Conferences of the A.M.E. Church. Rev. Byfield’s ministries include a fellowship for the students at Indiana University, which provides academic counseling, Greek Unity Alliance and a Big Brother-Sister program. Her ministry also includes prisons, singles fellowship, children and youth fellow- shiv, and an overseas ministry for stu- denis worshiping at the church. St. Paul A.M.E., under the leader- ship of Garnett Henning, Sr., has a number of the above programs, plus a Black Adoptions program, a support network for children from the inner- city attending county schools and their parents. A special Black Male Role Model program has a large member- ship and includes educational tutoring, self-concept development, and sociali- zation activities. This 3-year-old pro- gram is a highly sought model in the St. Louis community. Although they both have strong out- reach and advocacy ministries, both also have equal zeal for spiritual growth and discipleship. Rev. Byfield is proud of the attendance at Bible Study, Sunday evening Happy Hour on the 1st Sunday afternoon, Prayer Fel- lowship, and Deliverance Ministry. Six persons have accepted the call to min- istry. Rev. Henning has received 12 persons into the ministry. Rev. Byfield, in addition to her pas- torate, is the Director of the Confer- ence Christian Education Board, and Coordinator for the Sisters in Ministry and a member of the Board of Exam- Dr. C. Garnett Henning St. Paul A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri Henning was born in an A.M.E. parsonage. He and his family have served the Church through four generations. Garnett will make a good Bishop Elect Him in 1988 een ia ee ===== DSC05450.JPG ===== March 7, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9, 1988 WMS Conference March 10-13, 1988 Allen Temple A.M.E. Church Sound View Road Somerset, Bermuda The Rev. Christopher Haynes, Host Pastor Church Telephone (809) 234-0433 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 234-2587 The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 15, 1988 WMS Conference March 16-20, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church 588 Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd. Newark, NJ 07102 The Rev. William D. Watley, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (201) 622-1344 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 325-8267 The Rev. B. C. Burton, Sr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13, 1988 WMS Conference April 14-17, 1988 Murphy A.M.E. Church 718 Yarnall Streets Chester, PA 19013 The Rev. A. T. Holtz, Jr., Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 497-9925 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 497-2127 The Rev. Atwood F. Foreman, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE - May 10, 1988 WMS Conference May 11-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 1525 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14208 The Rev. Eugene McAshan, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (716) 886-1650 Pastor’s Telephone: (716) 835-8992 The Rev. Vernon I. Lowe, Host P.E. PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17, 1988 WMS Conference May 18-22, 1988 Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church Baltimore Ave. at 50th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143 The Rev. J. D. Patterson, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 476-5340/747-0881 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 472-5905 The Rey. A. McNeil White, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 20, 1988 WMS Conference May 21-24, 1988 Grant A.M.E. Church 1906 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118 The Rev. Roland McCall, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (617) 427-0670 Pastor’s Telephone: (617) 986-2241 The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. ‘“‘God’s Part We Cannot Do, Our Part He Will Not Do.”’ SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP F. H. TALBOT SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-17, 1988 Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church Bainbridge, Georgia The Rev. L. A. Townes, Host Pastor The Rev. E. O. Benefield, Host P.E. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-24, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church Columbus, GA The Rev. John Rolle, Host Pastor The Rev. A. M. Threatt, Host P.E. REST WEEK April 25-May 1, 1988 OLD GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-8, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church Savannah, Georgia The Rev. Jack J. Bradshaw, Host Pastor The Rev. T. J. Kent, Host P.E. AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-15, 1988 First A.M.E. Church Athens, Georgia The Rev. Claude R. James, Host Pastor The Rev, M. S. Colquitt, Host P.E. REST WEEK May 16-22, 1988 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 25-29, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E. Church Milledgeville, GA The Rey. C. H. Boddy, Host Pastor The Rev. A. G. Conyers, Host P.E. ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rey. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. ATTENTION! Have You Sent A Glossy Black and White Photo and Your Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 It Is Needed For Future Publications. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE ba f BISHOP JAMES H. MAYO VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 3-6, 1988 St. Luke A.M.E. Church 28 Estate Grove, Fredericksted St. Croix, U.S. VI 00840 The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host Pastor The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 10-13, 1988 Fountain A.M.E. Church 136 E. Main Road Barataria, Trinidad, West Indies The Rev. H. N. Embrack, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 17-20, 1988 St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana, SA The Rey. U, A. Hendricks, Host Pastor The Rey. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. The Conference Branch Annual Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Society will be held on the Wednesday preceding the Annual Conference. The Way We ‘Treat People Is The Way We Treat God! WHTTTITTTTTTTT TTT Redemption n Black Theology o Olin P Moyd Interpreting God’s Word In Black Preaching by Warren H. Stewart, Sr. To assist the preacher with the task of interpreting and communicating the Word so that it will be relevant and understood by the congrega- tion. WHS-212A .....---+5: $8.95 PPTTTTTITTTITI TTT ld eccccccccccce ccc cece ccc ecccccocccescccecooossoocosocoooseooolll® PERERRE EER EEREER Plan To : Attend the General x Conference * July 1988 ee Worth, TX TRY AENRNIRINDINDSS The AMEC INFORMATION SYSTEM The complete church computer system designed specifially for the African Methodist Episcopal Church Contact the nation’s leading Church computer systems: AMEC Bicentennial Special! $995.00 A.M.E. Sunday School Union - Department 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 615/256-5882 “Church computer systems since 1984” Redemption in Black Theology by Olin Moyd Olin Moyd considers redemp- tion the vital core of Black theology. He describes his view of redemption as the need not only to be “delivered from something,” but also the need to be “accepted into something.” OPM-2626............ $8.95 © 000000000 000000CCOOOOOOOOO000 000000008 0000008000000000000000000000009000000000000000000000000008 ===== DSC05451.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder March 7, 1988 Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church Cornerstone Laying Service Is Success Bishop Vinton R. Anderson Cleveland Heights, OH—Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church was the site of a significant celebration when the church congregation dedicated the cor- nerstone, with Bishop Vinton R. Anderson serving as principal speaker ‘ for the occasion. Bishop Anderson, former presiding prelate of the Third Episcopal District, which includes Ohio, is currently Chairman of the Commission of Ecumenical Affairs for the A.M.E. Church. Other special guests present for the special event were Dr. David Van Ars- dale, Associate Minister of Fairmount Presbyterian Church and President of the Heights Interfaith Council; Coun- cilwoman Barbara Boyd of Cleveland Heights; Rev. Herbert Evans of Jones Chapel A.M.E. Church, Elyria; Rev. H. Calvin McMillan, pastor of Greater Avery A.M.E. Church, Cleveland; Dr. Donald Jacobs of Community A.M.E. Church, Cleveland; Rev. Ben- jamin Snyder, Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Cleveland, and Rev. James McLemore, the first pastor of Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church. The congregation, which included many friends who attended the service, gave rapt attention to the sermon deliy- ered by Bishop Anderson, who spoke on the subject ‘‘This Land Is My Land.’’ Using a text from the 28th chapter of the Book of Genesis, the speaker likened the stone on which Jacob slept—and later dedicated to the Lord, calling it ‘‘Bethel’’—to Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church, which stands for nothing other than the house of God. The BIG NEWS Breaking Tomorrow is growth... Po 1 1 1 1 ‘ 1 ' H We should know. We are writing the H lead story on it today! ; All with the help of a qualified staff, a H prominent editor and an efficient pub- t lisher/manager. A publisher who t knows what it means to meet a dead- ; line. A seasoned professional who {knows his business. ; We are ready to supply ai/ of your H printing and publishing needs — bro- 1 chures, calenders, labels, church pro- H grams, cards, certificates: Baptismal, H Stewardess, Steward, Trustees, Class ! Leader, Election, Appointment, Dedi- H cation, License to Preach, Ordination, | and many others. ‘ ' ‘ 1 1 1 ‘ ‘ 1 t ‘ 1 t 1 ' 1 Or better yet, call us at: (615) 256-5882 The sooner you involve us, the faster you get the finished product! The church is that of a young, grow- ing congregation and Bishop Anderson admonished the believers to continue serving in the community, making sure that the church stands as a beacon of light, a place where everyone is wel- comed to worship, a place where the hungry are being fed spiritually as well as physically, and where the naked are clothed. The cornerstone laying, he said, is just a beginning of the work to be done. A few years ago Bishop Anderson, Rev. Thomas McCray and others envi- sioned an African Methodist Episcopal Church serving the Cleveland Heights Community, bringing in servants for Christ, at the site on which the church now is located; thus, Christ Our Re- deemer A.M.E. Church was organ- ized. Members and clergy filed out of the church to witness the laying of the cor- nerstone. Everyone was invited into the fellowship hall for refreshments at the conclusion of the afternoon serv- ice. Under the leadership of Christ Our Redeemer’s pastor, Rev. Wilfred Messiah, this congregation has made significant strides. The Right Rev. Richard Allen Hildebrand is Presiding Bishop of the Third Episcopal District and Rev. Thomas L. McCray is Presiding Elder of the Cleveland District. Rev. Carl E. Willingham Associate Minister a He « Hurry Right Away and Send In a Glossy Photo and a Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203 It is because of our unique experi- ence in this area that we understand fully the complex nature of the chal- lenge of growth. When you are ready to start thinking about tomorrow, we would like to share in your thoughts to- day. Write us at AME Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 Frc ua aon ne eccne oneal camenemnaeete Bishops Listen to the WMS When the Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church assembled in Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 26-28 for their Winter Retreat, they “Listened to the People.” Accordingly on Tuesday afternoon January 26, our bishops listened and received with enthusiasm the goals and budget of the Women’s Missionary Society for =the 1987-1991 Quadrennium in a_ presentation coordinated by Connectional President, Delores L. Kennedy Williams. Connectional First Vice President, Dorothy Adams Peck gave an updating on the resolutions adopted by the Eleventh Quadrennial Convention of the Women’s Missionary Society in July 1987 and linked the resolutions to W.M.S. goals for the quadrennium. Christine Chambliss, Connectional Second Vice President, demonstrated how specific quadrennium goals have been positioned in W.M.S. Standing Committees for implementation across the Connectional Church. Rosa McCloud Baxter, Connec- tional Director of the Young People’s Division, presented YPD goals and long range plan for the quadrennium ZA ye Bishop William Paul Quinn MAY 17-19, 1988 Missouri side. Tuesday, May 17, 1988 WIE ddd ddd dL LLL Lhd Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr. President of the General Board PD th nS Monday, April 25, 1988 Tuesday, April 26, 1988 JULY 6-16, 1988 L//LLAOLDTLTLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL LL LILPUL ITLL LLL EL LLLLLLLLLLDLLLLYLLLTILLL IDET LLL IULIDLDLDDDLLLLLYLTID LLL LIL LLL LLLLELYSUL LIE LLLLLLL ILLES) WH lle BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION DETAILS From Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, Bicentennial Chairman THE WILLIAM PAUL QUINN FOCUS AND WESTWARD EXPANSION EMPHA- SIS—ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI/EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS This final event will be dually hosted by the 4th and Sth Episcopal Districts, connecting the east and west banks of the Mississippi River. We will dramatize Quinn’s preaching from the Illinois side to the slaves on the 9:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. The Paul Quinn Lectures 2:30 P.M.- 10:00 P.M. (a) Dedication of Historical Markers (b) The Dramatization of the Quinn Event (c) River Festival of Arts and Entertainment 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. General Board Meeting 7:00 P.M. Recognition Event—hosted by the 4th and Sth Districts General Board Closing Session Washington, DC GENERAL CONFERENCE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS (A culminating ceremony will close the Bicentennial Celebration) with the assistance of Sanjena Rogers YPD Director of the Eleventh Episcopal District. The 1987-1991 quadrennium budget for the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society was presented by Melanie Thibodeaux, Budget and Financial Estimates Committee Chairman. President Williams presented the connectional plan for the establishment of a $1 million W.M.S. Endowment Fund, and Chairman Norma Phillips managed audio visual resource support for the full presentation. Bettye J. Allen, Connectional Direc- tor of Promotion and Missionary Edu- cation, also accompanied the Connec- tional President to the ‘‘Listen to the People Session.’’ Episcopal Super- visors of the First, Second, Sixth, Sev- enth, Eighth, Ninth, Eleventh and Fif- teenth Districts and former supervisors Robinson, Primm, Nichols, and Ball attended the W.M.S. presentation at the request of President Williams. In evaluating reactions to the W.M.S. goals and budget presenta- tion, Host Episcopal Supervisor Joan Cousin remarked, ‘‘We had one hun- dred percent reception. Where there is no vision, the people perish.”’ ite ttt 4 Ve N N D Bishop H. W. Murph, Host ML VE. VIM Bishop John H. Adams Host Bishop eee ===== DSC05452.JPG ===== March 7, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Bridging: An Exciting Program Makes Impact on WMS by Ethel H. McNair Bridging Program Makes Impact on 1987 Women’s Missionary Society Convention. The year 1987 brought with it a new excitement as the increased requests for BRIDGING PARTNERS began to come in with the new year. As conven- tion time neared, it was evident that this 11th Quadrennial Convention would see demonstrated a greater ful- fillment of the fellowship that we have long sought. The excitement was there in Atlanta as BRIDGING PARTNERS met, em- braced, cried, laughed, shouted and exchanged gifts and pictures. Sadness blended with happiness was observed as partners left to go their separate ways, vowing to stay in touch, promis- ing to share programs, planning to save for an Overseas trip, as they continue to pray for each other. The BRIDGING PROGRAM, started at the 1983 Triennium, came about as the result of God’s creativity manifested through the mind of its first connectional chairman, Ethel H. MeNair (lst), and the collaborative ef- forts of Dr. Wilhelmina Lawrence, then Connectional President of WMS. This duo burned a great deal of mid- night oil and expended much of their energy to give birth to the New Idea in Missions. The program is designed for women of the Women’s Missionary Society to walk the distance between the United States of America and the Overseas Areas of African Methodism by build- ing bridges of understanding and by creating a climate of love and mutual appreciation of each other’s cultures. The logo represents the coming to- gether of the WMS women on the bridge of understanding and love; from my land to your land—from your land to my land. The colors chosen—green and white—just seemed to flow to- gether as they represented the growth of a newly-planted seed (idea). The brochure spells out the design, the qualifications for BRIDGING PARTNERS, and explains the BRIDGING activities; also, a map on the back is provided, showing the world outreach of the A.M.E. Church. To start the program, names were requested from and submitted by each district and pairing was done by the Connectional Committee. Each part- ner was requested to write and intro- duce herself to the other, sharing photos, and a few facts about herself. At the convention site a series of meet- ings were held to introduce the pro- gram and give guidelines. Partners were urged to spend some time each day in an activity together. During the intervening years of the Quadrennial partners shared remem- brances on birthdays, Christmas, Val- entine’s Day, Easter, etc. Partners also shared programs, such as Missionary Days, Women’s Day, and other special days, as well as poetry, recipes, etc. Communication is the key word and main ingredient of the success of the program. Many partners may never meet physically because distance, po- litical situations and economics pre- vent travel for so many. This has not deterred friendships and bonding. A BRIDGEE keeps her partner, unless there is a request for a change, and may have one or more at her request. The 11th Quadrennial Convention saw the largest delegation of Overseas women in attendance from all dis- tricts. They were comfortably housed at the site of the convention or across the street from the site, giving them easy access. The seating arrangements brought them into close focus with the happenings. The Overseas women were working members of all committees and were quite visible as part of the whole convention. Things As I See Them. . .Bob What Does It Mean to Be a Christian? Rev. Robert Lee Lilly, Minister Oliver Light A.M.E. Church Smackover, Arkansas The first big step, then, in becoming a Christian is to accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Master of life, and to accept His program as the blueprint by which to live and serve. Knowledge of Chris- tian living comes as the Christian grows and develops and devotes him- self to a systematic program of study and training and work. One does not become a Christian in a moment or overnight. It is a growth process which is not different from becoming an adult or a doctor or a lawyer, once one has made the initial decision and com- mitment. The local church has a responsibility to those who look to it for guidance in Christian living, which guidance in- cludes teaching the facts and imparting the Spirit, which equip people for Christian living. If a Christian is truly committed to Christ, he or she wants to learn the way by which to be re- sponsible and serviceable. Being a Christian is just as important as study- ing to be a doctor or lawyer or a pianist. So this is the way. Christ said, I am the way. As we move into the General Con- ference, let us put our best foot for- ward. We will elect church leaders. Think on these men. Look them over. they are Bishop Timber and General Conference Timber. Think of these men now: Dr. C. W. Howard, Secretary of the A.M.E. Church; Minimum Salary, Rev. A. W. Holman; The Secret Chamber, Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce. Bishop Timber: Drs. John R. Bryant, G. E. West. R. J. Hampton, Eugene McAshan, T. B. Brown, L. E. Grady, W. R. Leake, G. L. Champion, C. V. Boyd, N. C. Irving, Leodis Strong, John H. Gillison, Z. L. Grady, Robert L. Phillips, Dr. DeLeon Walker, C. G. Henning, O. H. Brown, Wesley I. Reid, R. J. King. D. C. Coleman, L. C. Wormley, T. J. Allen, McKinley Young, on his way; Jessie L. Boyd, H. F. Dodson, W. M. Jamerson, James Oxley, E. M. Martin and) Sima. Spenser. Let us pray: O, God, help us to keep our minds on Thee at all times. Amen. Amen. The BRIDGING PROGRAM came to port in Atlanta with over 500 part- ners representing all of the home and Overseas districts. At the end of the convention, an additional fifty-plus new applications had been received— we will soon reach 500. At the 1987 Convention, because of your concerns, we were able to provide a linguist to assist with any language difficulties. Orientation meetings were held, bridging pins were made available to the Bridgees, bridging bookmarks were placed in the kits, and pictures of partners were compiled and displayed. The Bridging Booth—a new addi- tion, located in the lowest level of the convention center—was visited by an appreciable number of delegates. It was decorated with the Bridging Ban- ner that was carried in the opening pro- cessional, along with a Bridging Pic- torial outlay. Special plaudits go to the team of women who assisted at the booth. They stood out in their white skirts and the green tops that sported the Bridging logo and pin. They rotated daily from 10:00 a.m. till closing to answer questions, enroll new partners, give out brochures, share educational materials about our overseas area, sell Bridging wallets and kitchen towels— mementoes of the convention—and to deliver notes and letters to and from partners. We are indebted to Barbara Lewis (1st), Ernestine Casson (3rd), Esther Bobo (Sth), Joan Byoer, linguist (Ist), LaVerne Sweat and her daughter Laneia Sue (13th), Constance Cook (Ist), Lou Ellen Johnson (10th), Katie Jeter (1st), Marybelle Brangman (Ist), Laurelia Joiner (13th), Barbara Allen (Ist), and Blanche Washington (lst). Rev. Luther F. McNair and Dyon McNair, age 9, husband and grandson of the chairman, assisted daily. We wish to thank God for His em- powerment through creativity, and Dr. Wilhelmina Lawrence, without whom this idea of BRIDGING might never have reached implementation. It was she who saw the possibilities of the number of apples in one seed. She poured her confidence in the chairman and spurred her on to plant and to ask God for the water and nourishment for the seed. ‘‘To God be the Glory.”’ We owe so much to so many of you. We bring to you no longer a seed- ling, but a plant whose roots are pene- trating deeper, and whose branches ex- tend and reach out. We look forward as we watch this plant—its roots going deeper and deeper and its top spiraling upward. We thank God for His sun- shine and His watering through you. We appreciate the enthusiastic and active support and encouragement of Anna Senatle, Supervisor of the 18th and 19th Districts, and Co-Chairman of Bridging; Dorrie Robinson, former Supervisor of the 15th District, also Co-Chairman, and Dr. Mary Frizzell, Consultant, all of whom gave invalu- able guidance and direction. Special thanks go to all Supervisors of our home districts for their interest, sup- port and concern. To Bishop and Mrs. Frank C. Cum- mings, my Bishop and Episcopal Su- pervisor, our special thanks are ex- tended to you for your special words of encouragement to a fledging ven- ture. We thank God that we have moved our Overseas sisters from the fringes of the conversation to the center of the discussion. Recommendations for the further cohesiveness of this program are listed in Quadrennial Report Book 1983- 1987, page 155. We will continue to meet you on the BRIDGE. The Silent Moment IT’S A MIRACLE At the AMEC Publishing House, ask and you shall receive. In fact, you'll receive a very attractive book and the best Daily Devotional Guide that is on the market today. The Silent Moment is a miracle! It gives you daily moments of inspiration and strength for the day. It is Biblically based! It is written for the young and also for adults. Reading The Silent Moment not only enriches your day. It can enrich your weekly Bible Study, too—espe- cially when you're studying AMEC’s Sunday School material. Price $1.15 per quarter or $5.75 per year. You have been praying for a MIRACLE, The Silent Moment is one. PPPTTTTTTTT TTT Yes! I’m interested in a “MIRACLE” in my life. Please send me The Silent Moment right away. NAME TITLE CHURCH —————__—— GUEST SUBSCRIPTION +?’ ADDRESS —————_____— @) OY es ae ee GT ATE ae aL PHONE ———————————————<———————— es Please add 13% postage and handling THE SILENT MOMENT AMEC PUBLISHING HOUSE 500 EIGHTH AVENUE NORTH NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 37203 a ===== DSC05453.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder Roosevelt Grier Became a Christian In 1969 by Holly Stacy Former NFL linebacker Roosevelt “*Rosey’’ Grier, who has dedicated his life to God, sings a gospel song at the Univer- sity of Florida. (UF photo by Walter Coker.) Gainesville, FL—At the beginning of his 12-year career as an NFL defensive linebacker, Roosevelt ‘‘Rosey’’ Grier wanted to be a quarterback—or at least a running back. “‘Of course the coach said I was too big, but I always wanted to run for a touchdown—just once. I never did,’’ said the 55-year-old Grier, who stands 6 foot 5 inches and won’t say how much he weighs now. The man who played in five Super Bowls in seven years for the New York Giants and then went on to even great- er fame as a member of the Los Ange- les Rams’ ‘‘Fearsome Foursome,’’ considers his new life as a Christian “another chance for me because this life is the most important game Ill ever play.’’ Grier, who became a Christian in 1969 at the end of his football career, has dedicated his life to traveling to college campuses, churches and schools to spread his religious mes- sage. He visited the University of Flor- ida recently (1/28), sponsored by Mar- anatha Campus Ministries Interna- tional. His target is the teenage and college- age population, in which Grier sees ‘‘a lot of hope for the future. I like to talk to them about the Lord in hopes that they won’t spend almost 40 years look- ing for the answer like I did,’’ he said. He said he believes love is the cure Roosevelt ‘‘Rosey’’ Grier for such teen problems as pregnancy, suicide, drugs and alcohol—and he means ‘‘the love of God.”’ Two divorces and the assassination of Robert Kennedy, Grier’s close friend, contributed to his search for inner peace that began in 1968, Grier said. Grier was present in the Los Angeles hotel kitchen when Kennedy was assas- sinated. He was the one who shielded Kennedy’s wife, Ethel, by pushing her to the ground and then jumped on the assassin, Sirhan Sirhan. ‘‘After I watched Bobby die, I was in a state of disbelief. It made me run inside,’’ he said. “I figured if my friend loved his country enough to die for it, I certainly had a responsibility to do with my life what I could for the good of this coun- try and its people,’’ he said. Bryan Foods Representatives nae i Attend King Week Activities IN Bryan Foods representatives Harold (lef) and Homer Ryland pose with Mrs. Coretta Grier has since remarried his second wife and embarked on a varied career that has included his own radio show, a regular role on the old ‘‘Daniel Boone’’ television series, numerous special appearances on television shows and telethons, and, most recent- ly, making gospel albums and writing books. Another of Grier’s ministries is “‘Are You Committed?’’ a nonprofit organization he directs in Los Angeles to provide educational, social and reli- gious guidance for inner-city youths. Grier frequently relates anecdotes from his football days and turns them into Christian messages. For example, he tells of the time he yelled ‘‘Ball!”’ as he was coached to do, when the op- posing quarterback fumbled. But be- fore Grier could get to the ball himself to run for the touchdown he’d always hoped for, his ‘‘Fearsome Foursome”’ teammate Merlin Olsen, hearing Grier’s cry, grabbed the ball himself and headed toward the goal line. “‘T ran alongside him and said, ‘Hey, man, just let me carry the ball a little way. I’ll give it back to you!” He said no, he was taking it all the way, so I didn’t block for him. And he didn’t make it,’’ Grier said. In Grier’s hands, that story turned into a lesson on the perils of selfish- ness and the need to be a ‘‘team play- er’’ in all walks of life. March 7, 1988 ~FPISEORAL CHURCH Polity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Joseph Gomez. A resourceful book with the prayer that it may serve to perpetuate certain basic truths, and that it will, also, insure loyalty and devotion through knowledge of the institution in which we serve, and appreciation for what it believes and why it believes. Thus we commend this book to each member of the church, BGP-101G Please add 13% postage and handling Education Is The Key, Preparation Is The Answer For the Future Don’t Let DOPE Scratch You Out! JUST SAY NO!!! Scott King, wife of the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Mosley and Ryland were in Atlanta to attend King Week activities sponsored by the Martin Luther King, Jr. Center for Non-Violent Social Change. PRESENTING THE VIDEO TAPED “PARADE OF HISTORY” A BICENTENNIAL PROJECT The “Parade of History” will be video taped at Bethel A.M.E. Church, Indianapolis, IN. The participants will be ministers and wives of the Central Indiana Ministerial Alliance. The young adult choir of Bethel will furnish the music. Dr. Hercules S. Miles Because of a wonderful Record of Service to our Connection Miles is the Church’s Choice for Secretary/Treasurer of the Church Extension Department. Dr. Henderson Davis, the Historiographer, and Mrs. Ruth V. Davis will narrate the presentation. The 60 minute VCR Tape is offered at cost — $15.00 postpaid, Make your checks and money order payable to: The Bureau of Research and History P.O. Box 783, Indianapolis, IN 46206
• February 22, 1988
  ===== DSC05430.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 11 February 22, 1988 World Methodist Council Delegation Meets South African State President Botha In Cape Town by Mrs. Sarah Nkele Matlhare International News Part 1 of 2 Parts In one of the rare occasions ever witnessed in South Africa, a World Methodist Council delegation, led by a Black President of the World Methodist Council and Presiding Bishop of the Methodist Church in Kenya, Bishop Lawi Imathiu, met State President P. W. Botha at his of- ficial residence, Tuinnuis, in Cape Town, South Africa, for more than two hours on the 11 November 1987. What was paradoxical, however, was that black South African Methodist Church leader Rev. Dr. Stanley Mogoba (who a week prior to the meeting had been Botha’s political prisoner for twenty-four hours) found himself face-to-face with the very man who, by the power of his draconial laws, had willy-nilly put such a respec- table man of God in jail. What would happen to a person who did not have an international backing like Rev. Mogoba? He would still be languishing injaik - - nanny One wonders whether such meetings are worthwhile or just exercises in futility? Because one thing is certain: the South African government is as hard as a rock. They will give up apar- theid over their dead bodies, as Dr. Verwoerd once said. They’d rather perish like fools than give up apar- theid. Of significance, also, was the inclu- sion in the delegation of our own Bishop Harold Ben Senatle, Presiding Bishop of the 18th and 19th Episcopal Districts of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Rev. Khoza Mgojo, President of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa said the heavens did not fall because blacks had violated the Group Areas Act and were sipping tea with a White president of South Africa from the same cups. Other ranking members of the World Methodist Council delegation present were Rev. Dr. Donald English, Vice President of the World Methodist Council, and General Secretary of the Home Mission Division of the British Methodist Church; Rev. Dr. Joe Hale, General Secretary, World Methodist Council; Rev. Jack Scholtz, Ex- President of the Methodist Church of Southern Africa,» and Rev. Dr. Spurgeon Dunnan, Editor, The United Methodist Reporter, Texas. A press conference was held prior to meeting President Botha, during which Bishop Imathiu introduced the delega- tion. One of the team, our own Mrs. Please turn to page 7 A.M.E. Missionary Journeys To Ghana Mrs. Delores L. Williams Delores L. Kennedy Williams, Con- nectional President of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church has announced the placement of Naomi Mitcham Clay in a missionary field assignment in the Republic of Ghana of the 14th Episcopal District, AME Church. The Right Reverend Vernon R. Byrd and Mrs. Theora L. Byrd are Presiding Bishop and Episcopal Supervisor of the 14th District respectfully. This assignment is consistent with the primary goals of the WMS for the 1987-1991 Quadrennium. It is the result of laudable effort, concern and commitment to human care, Christian growth and expansion of the church in Ghana by the Women’s Missionary Society and the 14th Episcopal Mrs. Naomi Clay Mrs. Clay welcomed this opportuni- ty for Christian service and fellowship on the continent of Africa where the founders of the AME Church in America had their roots. She will work at the side of Cynthia Randall, Overseas WMS Director of the 14th District. Naomi Clay is a life member of the Women’s Missionary Society, and she is well prepared for her Ghana Assign- ment. She is a missionary and church officer at St. John AME Church in In- dianapolis in the Indiana Conference of the Fourth Episcopal District. She has a record of mission service and leadership at the local church, con- ference and district levels of the WMS. Clay is co-author of a Handbook for Missionary Workers and the Camp Baber Story, an account of the Please turn to page 7 ip PRICE: 50 CENTS Methodist Episcopal Church 1787-1987 South Florida Annual Conference Has High Spiritual Moment Bishop Philip R. Cousin Miami, FL—With a processional of choirs from the host church, Greater Bethel A.M.E., and the Mt. Hermon A.M.E. Church, ministers, presiding elders and Bishops Philip R. Cousin and J. Haskell Mayo, the South Flor- ida Annual Conference was into its opening session. The Annual Sermon was delivered by Rev. C. Ellis Jenkins, pastor of Mt. Hermon, Opa-locka, who was present- ed by Bishop Cousin. The encouraging sermon subject was “‘If You Wait, The Lord Will Comfort,’’ based on a text from Isaiah 40:1, 28 and 31. More than 600 persons partook of the Holy Communion. The Conference’s business sessions were blessed with the presence of Bish- ops R. L. Pruitt and H. H. Brookins, as well as Bishop Mayo. Each prelate had occasion to preach to those gath- ered, and each carried their hearers to great spiritual heights. In a great show of unity, the election of delegates was accomplished with only one ballot. Florida, in so doing, is saying to the church that we are united, and that we are determined to HAVE BISHOP COUSIN RETURNED TO FLORIDA FOR THE NEXT FOUR YEARS; ELECT A BISHOP FROM FLORIDA; KEEP Y.B. BRUCE DI- RECTOR OF EVANGELISM, AND JOHN MAINOR ON THE JUDI- CIAL COUNCIL. This writer, C. E. Jenkins (not to be confused with C. E. of the 13th), firmly believes that Bishop Cousin should be returned to complete his eight years and finish the work started in the 11th District. At this, the 97th Session of the South Florida Conference, two stal- warts retired: Rev. J. B. Blacknell, a connectional person of the church, long-time member of the General Conference, former member of the Judicial Council, pastor and presiding elder, and Rev. W. W. Wells, former delegate to the General Conference and pastor of many churches in Flor- ida. Their announcements of retire- ment from the active ministry were made in a touching ceremony. Many of Rev. Blacknell’s spiritual sons in the ministry were present to lend him support. By strange coincidence, one of his first converts—at the beginning Please turn to page 5 Historic Church Stresses Struggles in Second Annual Homecoming Observance Dr. William P. DeVeaux Washington, DC—‘‘Staying the Course Through Difficult Times’’ was the theme selected for the Second Annual Homecoming observance at Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, March 1988. Emphasis is necessarily focused on difficulties this historic congregation has endured, especially during the past two years. It was during Advent Sea- son in 1986 that the church edifice was damaged by construction of an office building next door. The church was condemned and the congregation dis- placed until the structure was properly shored, by order of the District of Col- umbia government. According to the minister, Rev. Dr. William P. DeVeaux, Metropolitan is now engaged in a legal struggle with the American Chemical Society, owners of the newly-erected office building, and the Omni Construction Company, builders. “Our Homecoming observance un- derscores both our struggles and tri- umphs,”” Dr. DeVeaux said. ‘‘This great congregation, forced from its own ‘home,’ nonetheless, endured and continued to support Metropolitan. Our neighbors, both Christian and non-Christian, welcomed us during our ‘wanderings’ and gave moral sup- port. Now that we are back ‘home,’ ’” i DeVeaux continued, ‘‘we shall give thanks to God for His blessings and, as always, assert our indignation over injury we have suffered.”’ Heading the Homecoming observ- ance again this year is Ambassador Horace G. Dawson, Jr., a member of the Senior Board of Stewards. Accord- ing to Dawson, members of Metropol- itan have contributed over $130,000 beyond normal giving to pay legal costs in connection with the suit. Dawson said an appeal has been made to the connection to join Metropolitan in the struggle ‘‘because damage to the Please turn to page 7 ===== DSC05431.JPG ===== . The AME Christian Record ristian Recorder February 22, 1988 The Valentine’s Day Baby Named Richard Allen The fourteenth day of February is called Saint Valentine’s Day. The day got its name as the feast day, or name day, of the early martyrs who were named Valentine in the third century, A.D. Valentine’s Day traces its origin back to an ancient Roman festival. Two of the named saints, a priest anda bishop, are believed to have been mar- tyred near Rome on the same day: February 14, about 270. A tradition has developed—called ‘‘Sweetie’s Day’’ or ‘‘Lover’s Day’’—when gifts are exchanged. This is claimed to have originated from the Roman custom of boys drawing the names of girls in honor of Juno Februalis at the Luper- calia about the same date. In America, Valentine’s Day, though not connected with the saint, is a very popular day. Although not a holiday, it is recognized and celebrated by the majority of the people. This is the day that one’s spouse or sweetheart is com- plimented by the expressing of strong, sentimental love. The merchants also love this day that annually increases their sales. Flowers, cards, candy and diamonds, particularly, are items that get exchanged the most. So, it’s a big day as well as an important day. The Valentine’s Day baby named Richard Allen became the father of the first Black Christian denomination in the world. Richard Allen was ‘‘a child of destiny, by the Providence of God.’’ The following information from this editor’s book, Irony of Afro-American History, pages 27 and 28, on Richard Allen, who was born on Valentine’s Day, is shared during the Black History Month. ROBERT H. REID, JR. The first line of Allen’s autobiography reads: ‘‘I was born in the year of 1760, on February 14th, a slave to Benjamin Chew of Phil- adelphia.’”” LOOK AT THE IRONY OF HISTORY: 1. Benjamin Chew, a lawyer, judge and attorney general of the “City of Brotherly Love.”’ 2. Elizabeth Chew, the wife, names Allen ‘‘Richard,’’ after her uncle. 3. Richard Allen’s mother and father were sold as a ‘‘married couple’’ to Attorney Chew. The mother and father had been allowed to jump over the traditional broomstick by his original owner, Old Man Allen, to whom he had been a bodyguard. 4. Young Richard Allen, eight years old, and his whole family— the six of them—were sold to a Mr. Stockeley in Delaware, where three more children were born. 5. Stokeley, for the first time, separates the family of nine, selling the father, mother and four of the children, keeping the two older boys, John and Richard, and their oldest sister, Mary. 6. Richard’s mother, before the sale, talks to Richard about the separation, which reminds me of Jesus’ mother, Mary, who recog- nized that her son had a unique mission in life. Mary Allen tells Richard: Your life will be different from ours because you are different. God has His hand in your life in a special way. I’ve known this since the day you were born. The father told the boys, learn fast; work hard; trust God, and you’ ll be free someday. 7. My research does not tell what happened to the parents and the rest of the family after that. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday Schoo! Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 185- Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, vashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 Adver- tising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson. Or. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Dr. J. W. Yancy, tl, The Roving Editor, Or Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. M. L Felix, Special Editor, Or. Jimmie James, Jr, Music Editor, Rev. Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor, Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr, Public Relations Editor, Mrs. Theima A. Wills, Contributing Editor, Or. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs. Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor, Rev. Alonzo Middieton, Regional Editor, Rev. EL. Blankenship, Regional Editor, Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor, Dr. J. W. P, Collier, Overseas Correspondent; Or. W. 0. Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor, Capt. Carroll A. Chambliss, Special Columnist; Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter. Rev. O. Ureille Ifill, Sr, Contributing Editor, Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor, Dr. William P. DeVeaux. Career Development editor, Dr, Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev, Cecil Murray, Contribut: ing Editor. The AM.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general irterest. All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer, The A.M.E, Christian Recorder will occa: sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the AME. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements. 8. At the age of 17, Richard Allen was converted. Even though Master Stokeley was unsaved, he encouraged John and Richard to attend class and prayer meeting. 9. John and Richard were instrumental in the conversion of their master. They had free-born Garrison to come weekly and preach to Master Stokeley. After several months under the preaching of this free-born Black man, Stokeley was converted and truly became a changed man. 10. Stokeley’s Christian conscience caused him to let John and Richard buy their freedom for the sum of $2,000.00. Richard remembers his father’s words: learn fast—work hard—TRUST GOD—and you'll be free someday. 11. Master Stokeley allowed John, Richard and Mary to hold prayer meetings in his kitchen, later insisting they have family prayer in the parlor of the Stokeley’s house. 12. Three years of hard work, after the offer to purchase their freedom, saw John and Richard Allen free men. 13. Two hundred years later, after the walkout of 1787, when the A.M.E. Church celebrates its Bicentennial in 1987, with much activity centered around the city of its inception, a Black man will occupy City Hall. He, the city’s first Black mayor, already elected and sworn in, is the Honorable W. Wilson Goode, a sharecrop- per’s son. In the month of February this year, Valentine’s Day falls on the second Sunday, which is the 14th day. The celebration of Black History Month each and every year includes the achievements of Bishop Allen. Members of the African Methodist Episcopal denomination officially celebrate Founder’s Day on the second Sunday for the purpose of giving thanks for the Valentine’s Day baby named Richard Allen. POPS ESESESESESSSSSSSO SOSH SOSH Se Se Se SeSeSeSeSe Se Se So Ss GoHoHoGe “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr. Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to: “This Week in African-American History’ Box 19024 * Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part II For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘‘The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.” prewererertrir tr sett irs ste ===== DSC05432.JPG ===== February 22, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder ; Greater Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Nashville, TN One Hundred Twentieth Annual Temperance Report BISHOP AND MRS. CORNELIUS E. THOMAS. . .Officers, Members and Visitors of this the 120th Annual Session of the Tennessee Annual Con- ference of the 13th District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church . now in the 201st year of her organ- ization life. ..GREETINGS in the great name of our Lord, Jesus, the Christ. We, your honored committee, sub- mit this our annual report: Your com- mittee is not unaware of the traditional and customary presentations of this rather ancient disciplinary subject of ‘Temperance,’ and we do not now reg- ister a ‘brief’ against these customary presentations—we honor them. If there is any variation in our report, it will be that of subject extension rather than of curtailment. The ‘major’ of previous presenta- tions—‘‘Indulgence and/or overindul- gence of INTOXICATING LIQ- UORS”’’—is still a ‘major.’ Your com- mittee is yet deeply concerned, as must be this concerned august body of SOBER Christians. ‘‘King Rum’’ is not by any chance about to abdicate his dehumanizing, infamous throne of human bankruptcy and misery—and DEATH; nor has the persistent King ‘mellowed’ and become less harmful and dangerous, for they are becoming even more acceptable in a tinseled age. Since it is a competing and costly in- dulgence among its ‘harder’ and reput- ed to be even more dangerous, if not FATAL, drugs—as cocaine, ‘crack’ and associates—yet ‘‘King Rum”’ still holds his own, while yet sending all too many promising youth, not to mention the mature and aged addicts, to Alco- holics Anonymous, and others that will not go there, to run. . .and the GRAVE. Coping—or trying to cope— with today’s pressures, troubles and deficits, assures ‘‘King Rum’’ that he will have increasing numbers of his ““patients.’” However, your committee is quite mindful that intoxicating liquors are not by any calculation, the sum total of the problems and the burden of Temperance. We are admonished (in the Word) to ‘‘BE TEMPERATE IN Does Your Subscription Label Look Like This? ALL THINGS.”’ Shall not this com- mittee, in closing, dare suggest the OVERUSED and/or MISUSED TONGUES. . .are places to start the emphasis, if not the PRACTICE of “‘Temperance.’’ We all could wish there was in business that mission which may be captioned: ‘‘*GOSSIP TONGUES ANONYMOUS!”’ The “THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK’? adage of yesterday. . .now seems all but anemic and inadequate for today’s GOSSIPS. At the point of yielding credence to the ‘garbage’ of ‘loose tongueness’—thoughtful ones would do well to give no ready sanction— rather, challenge. DO NOT GIVE IN- STANT APPROVAL TO ‘HEAR- SAY’ GOSSIP! Among MEN. . .the indulgence may be reaching ‘trend’ proportions! SEX: it might be said that there are all too many persons who would ex- clude Temperance from this subject. However, the ‘invasion’ of AIDS has had a rather sobering impact. If, in- deed, TEMPERANCE is a legitimate concern for the HOUSE. . .the BED- ROOM must not be ‘‘off-limits.’’ EMOTIONS: Great! Although they must be under control, lest they be negative and destructive. TEMPERS? Yes! They are ‘dynamics’ to be dis- creetly used. . .and Kept! Temperance would advise all: ‘‘DON’T LOSE THIS COMMITTEE is not unmind- ful of innumerable social relation con- cerns in our garnished urban living— involving all. TEMPERANCE adroitly used could do much to ease the con- flicts and troubles in both Church and State, of which indiscreet indulgence in Intoxicating Liquors is but ONE evil. Your Committee, Rev. E. Paul Beavers, Chairman Rev. Webbie Rogers Rev. George Mobley Rev. Edith Billingsley Rev. Ned Knowles Rey. Eddie Marshall Rev. James McKissack What The Whole World Needs Most Is A ‘‘Faith’’ Lift! 11 Month John Doe 789 Main Street Anytown, USA 12345 If it does, and we do not hear from you, we will not be able to send future issues. The Post Office will not allow us to send The AME Christian Recorder free because of our Postal Permit. If your address label reads November expired, you have already received a few issues of The Christian Recorder free for two months. To stay on the mailing list, you must renew your subscription! If you do not have a coupon, write to The AME Christian Recorder, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37203, Attention: A. Lee Henderson, Publisher. = MADAME C. J. WALKER: TWO DOLLARS AND A DREAM ex- plores the life of America’s first self- made millionairess. Madame Walker (left) built a million dollar company specializing in hair and skin products for Blacks. The film paints a portrait of Black America from 1867, the year of Madame Walker’s birth, through 1933 when her daughter A’lelia Walker, a patron of the Harlem Ren- aissance, died. (Above) Madame Walker and her daughter on a sight- seeing tour. (2/22/88, 10:00 p.m. ET, one hour) The African Methodist Eptscopal Church LAY ORGANIZATION HANDBOOK {ts History and Its Progrom By Dy. Joseph C. McKinney Trewnurer, AME Church & ‘ore toma Ley Ongentea tion October 1986 The African Methodist Episcopal Church Lay Organization Hand- book, Its History and Its Program, by Joseph C. McKinney, Treasur- er, A.M.E. Church. Every Layman of the A.M.E. Church should have this in°ormation at hand for guid- ance and direction of the Lay Organization. LOH-47514 TWENTIETH BIENNIAL SESSION gt of the Connectional Lay Organization African Methodist Episcopal Church THEME STIRRING THE GIFTS WITHIN: Y MINISTRIES OF LIBERATION AND RECONCILIATION TIMOTHY 15-7 STUDY GUIDE Developed by Paulette Coleman, Ph.D. Third Vice President tor Program August 1987 WHY SHOULD | PAY CON- FERENCE CLAIMS? in the African Methodist Episcopal Church by Dr. Joseph C. McKinney, a loyal AME Layman. If you have ever asked yourself “‘Why do we pay Conference Claims?” purchase McKinney’s book and you will get the answers. It will be a joy to read this book. $2.00 plus postage. JCM-1110 “Why Should I Conference Chained” in the African Methodist Study Guide: Presented to the Twentieth Bien- nial Session—developed by Paulette Coleman, Ph.D. A basic tool for structuring pro- grams and training sessions in local, conference, and District Lay Organizations. On Sale PCL-2112 ......$10.00 Please add 13% postage and handling. ===== DSC05433.JPG ===== 4 The AME Christian Recorder February 22, 1988 ——— $$$ EERE African Methodist Episcopal Churches To Hold Offerings Of Letters Hundreds of churches helped raise $73 millon dollars last year to prevent malnutrition in women and children. This was one of the most successful - but little publicized campaigns against hunger in recent history. The money came, not from cash contributions or tithes, but from “Offerings of Letters” held by churches across the nation. An Offering of Letters is exactly what it sounds like. During or just after a worship service with special emphasis on hunger or development as a Christian concern, Christians use their gift of citizenship by writing letters to members of Congress, encouraging them to vote for legislation which will benefit hungry people. The letters may be dedicated and placed in an offering plate to be mailed the next day. Upon receipt at Congressional offices, the offering is invariably impressive and effective. An Offering of Letters is nota call fora donation, but a call for Christian action which is scripturally-based, easy to organize, and highly effective. At the AME Quadrannial Conference in Atlanta in July, the 9th Episcopal District alone, reported 4,534 letters written in the Offering of Letters on WIC. In effect, each letter was the equivalent of a $500 donation to help a hungry person. According to Florine James, Chairperson of the Christian Social Relations Committee of the Women’s Missionary Society, “the Ninth Episcopal District has under the leadership of Supervisor Irene Reid been encouraged to be more alert about hunger and Bread for the World has become our outlet to make world wide impact.” This year, AME churches are invited to bea part of a new Offering of Letters campaign to increase support for programs that help women’s development activities in the Third World. Bread for the World is encouraging Christians to send letters to Congress, in support of legislation to promote Women in Development (WID) programs in Third World nations. According to Dr, Sylvia Talbot, Sixth District Supervisor, “The AME church is a connectional church with members in Africa and the Caribbean and we must support legislation which opens up opportunities for women to participate more actively in development, Sometimes all a woman needs is a sewing machine. Once she gets that, she can generate income and take care of her family. For this she needs credit and Women in Development legislation addresses this crucial need. Members of the AME church should write to Congress encouraging this legislation to pass for it helps women get a start.” In the Third World, women are central to food production and to other areas of economic life. Women constitute one third of the world’s labor force and produce the majority of food for Third World countries. Their labor and income is vital for the survival of their families. In spite of their important role, most women in Third World countries are Speech For Service Honoring Henry McNeal Turner by Chaplain (MG) Norris L. Einertson Chief of Chaplains Savannah, GA—Distinguished bishops, fellow clergy, members of the AME Church, ladies and gentlemen. All of us have done some teaching. Many of us have done some preaching and public speaking. When we prepare for these activities we always learn more than those to whom we com- municate. That is one reason why I am so pleased that Bishop Anderson in- vited me to speak to you this after- noon. In preparing for this presenta- tion, I was introduced to a truly superb person, Henry McNeal Turner. I am absolutely amazed by his ac- complishments. They include his con- tributions as chaplain, diplomat, preacher, orator, scholar, statesman, and bishop, for starters. One of the sources I studied described him as “‘a true man at the most critical period of this nation’s history, and at the most dangerous and most uncertain epoch in the history of the American Negro.”’ Henry McNeal Turner was ap- pointed as a chaplain to Black troops by President Lincoln in 1863. Prior to that time the government had not enlisted Black men for while they had been declared free, they were not yet citizens. His initial service had many problems associated with it. He became a chaplain for a regiment com- posed of men who had no weapons (they trained with wooden guns), had no promise of pay, and were threaten- ed with slaughter by the Confederacy. Yet both Chaplain Turner and his troops insisted that they be allowed to fight to preserve the union. The Rev. R. French Hurley, an emi- nent AME clergyman, described Chaplain Turner and his regiment in these words, ‘‘Our regiment was a splendid one. It was twice favorably mentioned in general orders, once by MG William H. Smith and once by MG Benjamin F. Butler. A splendid regiment with a splendid record. The first Negro regiment recognized by the United States Government, a splendid regiment with a splendid chaplain.”’ One source states that Chaplain Turner was always found in the thickest of the fight ‘‘when shot and shell whistled and screamed about as if the air was filled with angry demons.” Thus, Chaplain Turner provides a odel for what an Army Chaplain should do: Be present to provide spiritual care for soldiers who are be- ing wounded and are dying on the bat- tlefield. I have been told, and it is in- structive to note, that during the Viet- nam War, of all the branches of the U.S. Army, only the Infantry and Ar- mor Branches sustained higher casual- ty rates than Army Chaplains. They were there when our soldiers most needed spiritual care. As the first Black Army Chaplain, he was a pioneer. He was a pioneer in many other areas of his life as well. Pioneers have always had it tough. My grandfather came from Norway to homestead in that bleak prairie of Southern Minnesota in 1870. In 1873 the grasshoppers consumed his entire crop. To earn money to support his family through the long winter ahead he walked 175 miles to the east to work in their harvest fields. Partial compensation for his efforts was a cow, which he led back to his homestead. I am told that he walked the entire 175 miles barefoot in order to save his shoes. That’s the tough life of a pioneer. But Chaplain Turner and members of his race during that period had to overcome problems that my grand- father couldn’t even imagine. While Chaplain Turner was born free, it was illegal in his home state to teach a Black person to read and write. For- tunately, good persons emerged, as they almost always do, who surrep- titiously taught him. Having said that, it is obvious that for the most part, Chaplain Turner was self-taught. His initial primary teaching resources were the Bible and his hymnbook. As time passed, he secured access to libraries, and read extensively in such diverse disciplines as anatomy, physiology, hygiene, law, theology, Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and German. Henry McNeal Turner was a pioneer, a forerunner and a model for such present day chaplains as John DeVeaux, Ed Mouchette, Cal Sydnor, Bill Liptrot, Norris Einertson, and all who know of this great man and his ac- complishments. He was a man to whom God gave almost unequalled talents and a fierce determination to overcome seemingly unparelleled obstacles. This he did in order to serve the spiritual and total needs, not only of members of his own race, but those of all people. He was a true pioneer, spiritual leader, servant of God, and inspiration, not only to members of the AME Church, but those of all religious bodies in our great land who, like me, have come to know him. Thank you for inviting me to this fine celebration this afternoon. Church of Tragedies Celebrates 87th . Anniversary Moorhead, MS—Lee Chapel A.M.E. Church, a church that has survived two tragedies in its history, celebrated its 87th anniversary at year’s end. Ina special service that was dedicat- ed to all the sick and shut-in, the audi- ence heard Mr. Sylvester Roberts, a member of Rasberry United Methodist Church, Indianola, MS, speak on “Working Together for Spiritual Re- newal.’’ The challenge and significance of the message was in keeping with the anniversary observance, and was ob- viously well-received by those in at- tendance. In recognition of the festive occa- sion, the entrance was beautifully dec- orated with evergreens and holly, thanks to Mrs. Carrie Enoch and Mrs. Margaret Clay. Deceased members were remembered with beautiful flow- ers on the altar. In 1928 Lee Chapel was struck by disaster when the building was totally destroyed by fire. Under the leadership of Rev. H. D. Hardy, the congregation held services in the Methodist Episco- pal Church. A building was purchased in 1929 from the White Baptist congre- gation. In 1971 tragedy struck again when a tornado moved the church from its foundation, making it unfit for worship. A building program was begun under the pastorate of Rev. G. C. Borrum and the sanctuary was completed; the first service was held July 1972. The mood of the church congrega- tion continues to be one of high optim- ism as they anticipate continued prog- ress under the leadership of their new pastor, Rev. J. L. Moore, Jr. Mrs. Lois Ingram, Chairlady Mrs. Hannah Irving, Co-Chairlady extremely poor. Moreover they are often unable to gain adequate credit or technical assistance to grow their crops or to start and manage their businesses, Most development programs principally benefit men, in a large part because attention is not given to incorporating women, By holding an Offering of Letters, you provide members of your congregation with an opportunity to effectively convince the U.S. Government and international agencies to 1) support and provide funds for projects that benefit third world women educationally, in their fields, in workshops, the marketplace and at home and 2) include women in the planning and implementation stages of development projects. Your Offering of Letters can be a major step in directing U. S. foreign aid from large impersonal inappropriate programs, to small-scale projects which provide women, and through them their families, the opportunity to, create their own hunger-free future. Bread for the World will provide you with information on how to help hungry people by holding an Offering of Letters in your church. Their Offering of Letters kit contains everything you need to know about the WID program and how to hold an Offering of Letters. To obtain one, send $5.50 plus $2.00 postage to Bread for the World, 802 Rhode Island Ave. NE, Washington, DC. 20018. ee ee ALL OF THE WOMEN OF THE SIBLE by Edith Deen Ea en ESS Edith Deen This the first comprehensive book ever written on all of the women of the Bible— women who comprise a feminine protrait galley unsurpassed in the world of literature. All are here—saints and harlots, faithful mothers and wives, queens, sorceresses, concubines, business women— in rich, inspiring detail. Flavored with the color and drama of the original stories, Mrs. Deen’s comments on these women, their influence, and their times give the book a quality that is as instuctive as it is enter- taining. Please add 13% postage and handling eee SSNs oem ===== DSC05434.JPG ===== February 22, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Texas’ David F. Harris Highly Qualified For Episcopacy Dr. David Harris (Candidate for Bishopric) Harris is Home Grown—Full Grown— Ready for Harvesting for Episcopacy. Austin, TX—Rev. Dr. David F. Harris, Sr., is a native Texan, born in Floresville. He is married to Dorothy Harris and is the father of five chil- dren. Rev. Harris has been an Itinerant Elder for 28 years. He is a dedicated Christian and has been a member of the A.M.E. Church all of his life. Rev. Harris, in pursuit of excel- lence, after graduating from Phillis Wheatley High School in San Antonio, Texas, did college, graduate and post- graduate work. He holds the Bachelor of Arts degree from Morris Brown College and the Bachelor of Divinity degree from Turner Theological Semi- nary, both of which are Atlanta, GA, schools. He did post-graduate studies in Atlanta University, Atlanta, and St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO. This mature clergyman not only has touched many bases, he has touched every base. He organized the Wilkes Chapel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, GA, and has built three educational buildings and remodeled four church- es. He has preached convincingly to thousands and added hundreds of new souls to God’s kingdom through the African Methodist Episcopal Church denomination. Dr. Harris has pastored many congregations, including Wilkes Chapel, St. James A.M.E. Church, Cape Girardeau, MO, and St. James A.M.E. Church, Hannibal, MO. His pastorates in his native Texas, the Lone Star State, include the following: Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Tyler; Wayman Chapel A.M.E. Church, Temple; Shiloh A.M.E, Church, Gal- veston; St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Dallas; Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, Fort Worth; Edwards Chapel A.M.E. Church, Waco, and Metropolitan A.M.E. Church, his current pastorate in Austin, Pastor Harris’ educational interest in youth has prompted him to lead the Metropolitan congregation to establish a $25,000 scholarship fund and a $25,000 maintenance fund. The $50,000 grant was donated by Dr. Lamar Kirven, a dedicated member of the congregation, Harris, who knows how to motivate people, has also dem- onstrated his leadership ability in the Galveston community, where he serv- ed on the City Council and as Mayor Pro-Tem. He was not only supported by the Black citizens, but by many of that city’s millionnaires who are num- bered among his friends today. This native son of the soil of Texas wants to bring honor to his state, the nation and the world by being elected a bishop at the 1988 General Conference to be held in Fort Worth. It has been 51 years since the connection has elect- ed a bishop from Texas. The 43rd Ses- sion of the General Conference, meet- ing July Sth through the 15th, would honor Texas again by electing this home-grown, fully grown, qualified episcopal candidate who is ready to be harvested for the bishopric. Candidate Harris has a sincere inter- est in preserving our historical sites, landmarks and buildings. He knows how to secure official markers. He knows how to open doors to financial coffers. He has a proven track record of receiving grants and low-rate loans from city, state and federal govern- ments. Several churches in Texas have been the recipients of markers and spe- cial recognition through Dr. Harris’ expertise and initiation. Metropolitan A.M.E. Church in Austin, through Pastor Harris’ leadership, is now listed as a Texas Historic Site. The members of Metropolitan are pledged to support Harris for the bishopric and have a HARRIS FOR BISHOP Boosters Club that will be in Fort Worth at the General Conference to help Harris to be elected a bishop in the 200-year-old A.M.E. Church. Special recognition for this dynamic pastor includes being elected five times as delegate to the General Conference, serving as leader of the Texas Delega- tion in 1980, and co-leader in 1984. He served as pastor-host for the first offi- cial Bishop’s Retreat of the A.M.E. Church, held in Galveston, Texas, while Bishop John Hurst Adams pre- sided over Texas. Harris was Out- standing Citizen of the Year (1975) by Alpha Fraternity, Inc., and the Holy Name Society of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church. He is member of the Board of Incorporators of the A.M.E. Church, the Texas Conference of Churches, Board of Trustees, Paul Quinn College, National Conference of Christians and Jews, National Association For the Advancement of Colored People, and the Prince Hall Masons. Rev. Harris is Director of Christain Education for the Central Texas Con- ference and Dean of Religious Educa- tion. Pastor Harris boasts of a proud record that, during 30 years as a pas- tor, he has never failed to make a 100% report to the annual conference, his presiding elder or to his bishop. The Church of Allen has always promoted excellence and, when the delegates meet in the next session of the General Conference, they will have an opportunity to select DAVID F. HARRIS, who is highly qualified for the episcopacy. S. Florida Annual Conference Continued from page 1 of his ministry—was the preacher of record at the conference of his retire- ment. We wish for them long life, assured that they will be preaching whenever they wish. C. Ellis Jenkins, Reporter Think, Pray And Work For The Upliftment Of The Kingdom Dr. Z. L. Grady Is a Qualified, Seasoned Christian Candidate For Episcopal Service Dr. Z. L. Grady, candidate for the Bishopric 1988, entertained in high style during the A.M.E. Church Bicentennial activities celebration in South Carolina, December 10-13, 1987. Dr. Z. L. Grady, the erudite Presid- ing Elder of the historic Edisto District of the South Carolina Annual Confer- ence of the ‘‘Super’’ Seventh Episco- pal District captured the attention of the A.M.E. Church leadership from across the connection during the A.M.E. Church Bicentennial activities celebration in the ‘‘Super’’ 7th, under the dynamic leadership of Bishop F. C. James, Presiding Prelate. The place was in the city by the sea, historic Charleston, SC, at the Shear- ton Hotel. It was Friday afternoon, December 11, 1987, when it all hap- pened. A luncheon, second to no other luncheon of its kind, sponsored by Rev. Grady, with the support of the Charleston business community, along with members of the Z. L. Grady “For Bishop’? Booster Club, made history. Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr., mayor of the fair city of Charleston, SC, spread out the welcome mat to the city and gave Rev. Grady his ‘‘flowers’’ in the presence of more than 375 guests of Rev. Grady. Joining the mayor were other civic and business leaders who left no doubts in one’s mind relative to the caliber of the person Rev. Grady is in the civic and social arenas. To compli- ment the assessment made of Rev. Grady by the mayor and other com- munity leaders, Rev. J. Arthur Holmes, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Columbia, SC, paid homage to Rev. Grady, and left no stones un- turned relative to Rev. Grady’s reli- gious accomplishments as one of the A.M.E. Church’s staunch churchmen in carrying out the mission of the church as a pastor and presiding elder of long standing. Bishop F. C. James, the Presiding Prelate of the ‘*Super’’ 7th, highly praised Rev. Grady and pledged con- tinued unity in the ‘‘Super’’ 7th, and referred to Rev. Grady as *“*humble.”’ Rev. Grady, who has paid his dues unequivocally, and is worthy of being elevated to the Bishopric. To compliment a superb luncheon were members of the Z. L. Grady “For Bishop’? Booster Club (dressed in the candidate’s colors of navy blue and yellow), who demonstrated the art of entertaining country style. To make the luncheon atmosphere complete, Rev. Grady put his candidacy in the hearts and minds of all those present, and humbly requested the prayers and support of the clergy, laity and the leadership of the A.M.B, Church, as well as other friends and well wishers. It should be noted that Rev. Z. L. Grady is well qualified for the office of Bishop. He knows the church; he loves his church, and deserves the opportu- nity to serve his church as one of its Bishops. On behalf of Rev. Grady’s candi- dacy, we entreat all loyal A.M.E.’s to please give their support and help elect Z. L. Grady Bishop in 1988. In this connection, in the candidate’s usual way of saying thanks, ‘‘Thank you very kindly.’’ A vote for Grady in 1988 is a vote for the church. Z. L. Grady Booster Club Rev. W. H. Alston, President No Gratitude is Bad Attitude 2 © HOLY BIBLE The New King James Version Dictionary—Concordance Pew Bible Hol Bible On Special $5.00 Please add 13% postage and handling. OUTSTANDING BLACK SERMONS Volume 2 Wolter @ Hoard ec Outstanding Black Sermons, Volume 2 _ by Walter B. Hoard | A new collection of sixteen ser- | mons by outstanding preachers from the Black Christian com- munity. A helpful sermon development resource for all preachers. WBH-123A . 0... . see eee $4.95 Please add 13% postage and handling. See ===== DSC05435.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder February 22, 1988 World-champion bull-rider Charlie Sampson will appear at the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, a salute to Black cowboys, Black Frontiersmen Lost In the Shadows of History Winston-Salem, NC—To the genera- tions who formed their image of the American cowboy by watching movies starring Hoot Gibson, Roy Rogers and John Wayne, the term ‘‘Black cow- boy’’ may seem a bit odd. When it comes to western movies, blacks have generally played bit parts. But in the real-life drama of the American frontier, black cowboys were sometimes the stars. Rounding up cattle and blazing trails, blacks were among the best of the Old West. “For the most part, historians haven’t done much better than Hollywood producers in highlighting Black History Month On Public Television This six-part series details the spirit, stories, and events of the civil rights struggle in America between 1954 and 1965. Each program focuses on an event or series of events, critical to the understanding of the overall progress of the civil rights movement. The series combines film footage from the 1950s and 1960s with contemporary in- terviews with more than 100 par- ticipants on all sides of the civil rights struggle. The series is also a television course licensed by the PBS Adult Learning Service. Order of Presentation: “‘Awakenings 1954-1965’’—The first program looks at the patterns of racial discrimination in post World War II America and highlights two events: courageous testimony from black witnesses against two white men accus- ed of lynching 14-year-old Emmett Till in Money, Mississippi, and the year- long bus boycott by 40,000 black residents of Montgomery, Alabama, that forced desegregation of the city’s bus system. “Fighting Back 1957-1962’’—This episode examines the rocky course of school desegregation in the South—at Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957 and in James Meredith’s 1962 challenge to the white- only enrollment policy at the Universi- ty of Mississippi. The situation escalates into a state-federal conflict. Despite violent opposition, however, integration is carried out. (February 1). fa the contributions of blacks on the frontier,’’ says George T. Baroody, director of marketing services for R. J. Reynolds Co. ‘‘With only a few expec- tions, black frontiersmen have been lost in the shadows of history.”’ For instance, Baroody notes, few people know that a black man named Estavanico was among the first to ex- plore Texas, Arizona and New Mex- ico, or that a Black fur trader, Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, was among the first people known to settle in what is now Chicago. And few people are aware that entire black communities existed on the American frontier. ‘“‘“Ain’t Scared of Your Jails 1960-1961’’ —College students take an increasingly active role in the civil rights movement and bring new tactics to the fight. They sit-in to desegregate lunch counters across the South, and they face death on the freedom rides to desegregate interstate bus travel. The students create their own voice within the movement through the formation of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coor- dinating Committee). (February 8) “No Easy Walk. 1961-1963’’—Mass demonstrations develop into a power- ful tactic in marches in three cities. In Albany, Georgia, the demonstrations fail when a law enforcement official uses the movement’s own nonviolent tactics against them. But civil rights leaders are not stopped and in Birm- ingham, Alabama, black children join the marches, despite Commissioner of Public Safety Bull Connor’s dogs and fire hoses. The triumphant 1963 March on Washington reveals broad support for the civil rights movement. (February 15) “Mississippi: Is This America? 1963-1964’’—Mississippi becomes a testing ground of constitutional prin- ciples and of the human spirit as the civil rights movement concentrates its energies on the right to vote. Freedom Summer 1964 is marked by the tragic murder of three young civil rights workers and the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party’s attempt to par- ticipate at the Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City. (February 22) Reynolds is helping to set the record straight through its sponsorship of the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo, The rodeo salutes the black cowboy and his contributions to the Old West. In addition, the Bill Pickett Rodeo series pays tribute to its namesake, one of America’s most famous Black cowboys. Bill Pickett is credited with inventing bulldogging. Often referred to as ‘‘steer wrestling,’’ bulldogging is the strenuous art of catching a steer by his horns and twisting his head until the beast hits the dust. During his long rodeo career, Pickett was assisted by many white cowboys, including Will Rogers and Tom Mix, both of whom later made it big in show business. Picket died of a fractured skull in 1932 at the age of 71 -- 11 days after he was kicked by a horse on his 160-acre Oklahoma ranch, But Pickett’s legend lives on -- and not only through the new rodeo that bears his name. On December 9, 1971, Pickett was granted his rightful place in rodeo history when he became the first Black cowboy to be inducted into the National Rodeo Cowboy Hall of Fame. Now in its second year, the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo is packing arenas throughout the country. Recent shows in Lawton, Okla., and Atlanta, Houston, Fort Worth, Detroit, Los Angeles, Chicago and Denver are help- ing to foster a new appreciation for the heritage, talents and skills of the black cowboy. ‘“‘When you watch just about any western movie or read any book about the Old West, you don’t get the full picture of how the West was won,”’ says Baroody. ‘‘Blacks haven’t gotten _their fair share of recognition for their role on the frontier. That’s why R. J. “Bridge to Freedom 1965’’—Ten years after the bus boycott in Mont- gomery, Alabama, the civil rights leadership becomes more sophisticated in its use of protest strategy. Yet, even as thousands of people band together in a climactic march from Selma, Alabama, to Montgomery, the move- ment begins to divide into factions. (February 29). Underwriters: Major funding is provided by Public Television Stations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Ford Foundation, Lotus Development Cor- poration, and the Lilly Endowment. Additional funding is provided by the Boston Foundation, Cummins Engine Company, Inc., Raytheon Company, and the San Francisco Foundation. A complete list of underwriters is avail- able upon request from PBS. NOTICE Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black And White Production A. Lee Henderson Publisher MOVING? Let us know in advance. Send old address. And also give us your new address, complete with zip code. KKK Reynolds Company is proud to pay tribute to the Black cowboy through our sponorship of the Bill Pickett In- vitational Rodeo,”’ The rodeo features black cowboys and cowgirls competing in several events, including barrel racing, bareback riding, calf roping, bulldog- ging and bull riding. Among the featured performers are Charlie Samp- son, the Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association’s first Black world- champion bull rider, and Black trick- rider Rex Purefoy. Equestrian Donna Cheek, who is training for the U.S. Olympic Show Jumping Event in the 1988 Olympics, is also traveling with the rodeo, The rodeo grand marshal is actor Danny Glover, star of ‘‘The Color Purple.’’ Annual Conference Schedule FIRST EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP FRANK C. CUMMINGS BERMUDA ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 9, 1988 WMS Conference March 10-13, 1988 Allen Temple A.M.E. Church Sound View Road Somerset, Bermuda The Rev. Christopher Haynes, Host Pastor Church Telephone (809) 234-0433 Pastor’s Telephone (809) 234-2587 The Rev. Conway Simmons, Host P.E. NEW JERSEY ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 15, 1988 WMS Conference March 16-20, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church 588 Martin L. King, Jr. Blvd. Newark, NJ 07102 The Rev. William D. Watley, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (201) 622-1344 Pastor’s Telephone: (201) 325-8267 The Rev. B. C. Burton, Sr., Host P.E. DELAWARE ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13, 1988 WMS Conference April 14-17, 1988 Murphy A.M.E. Church 718 Yarnall Streets Chester, PA 19013 The Rev. A. T. Holtz, Jr., Host Pastor Church Telephone: (215) 497-9925 Pastor’s Telephone: (215) 497-2127 The Rev. Atwood F. Foreman, Host P.E. NEW ENGLAND ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 20, 1988 WMS Conference May 21-24, 1988 Grant A.M.E. Church 1906 Washington Street Boston, MA 02118 The Rev. Roland McCall, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (617) 427-0670 Pastor’s Telephone: (617) 986-2241 The Rev. Herbert L. Eddy, Host P.E. NEW YORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 10, 1988 WMS Conference May 11-15, 1988 Bethel A.M.E. Church 1525 Michigan Avenue Buffalo, NY 14208 The Rev. Eugene McAshan, Host Pastor Church Telephone: (716) 886-1650 Pastor’s Telephone: (716) 835-8992 The Rev. Vernon I. Lowe, Host P.E. Please turn to page 9 Leen Ein ===== DSC05436.JPG ===== February 22, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder rE, Sherman Chapel Closes Out 1987—Rings In 1988 During Quarterly Conference Spencer, OK—Sherman Chapel AME Church kicked off its special holiday programs with a December 20th, spirit-filled, Christmas-flavored Gospel Musical. Guest participants in- cluded Mrs. Selma Wade of Allen Chapel, Oklahoma City; Mr. Donald Russell of Holy Temple Baptist, Oklahoma City; the Gospel Choir of New Chance Baptist Church, Spencer; and the Gospel Choir from St. John CME Church, also of Spencer. A special Christmas program was presented at the church on December 23rd, combined with a dramatic presentation entitled ‘‘The Devil’s Funeral,’’ a fashion show and an Ar- ticulate Forum for the discussion of Teenaged Pregnancies, Drugs & Alcohol Abuse and The AIDS Pro- blem. The Year of 1987 closed out with the convening of the 2nd Quarterly Con- ference, presided over by Rev. Dr. L. B. Quinn, Presiding Elder of the Oklahoma City District of the Oklahoma Conference, which is in the 12th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. The Rt. Rev. H. H. Brookins presides over the District. On January 29, Sherman hosted the first of the 1988 ‘‘BIG 6’? Women’s Missionary Society programs, which is a consortium of six of the smaller area AME churches. Sherman Chapel began the new year by continuing its tradition of Great Monthly Musicals. For the first quarter of the new year, joining the Fabulous Sherman Chapel Choir in January, was the ever-exciting and in- spirational Choraleers of Evangelistic Baptist Church of Oklahoma City, where the Rev. T. J. Roberts serves as pastor. In February, they were joined by the Great Gospel Choir from First A.M.E. Church of Oklahoma City, where Rev, C, T. Carrington is pastor; and in March, the Soul-Stirring Gospel Choir from St. Paul A.M.B. Church, Dallas, Texas, will share with Sher- man’s Chapel Choir. The Rev. Drinkard Timms is pastor of St. Paul. Historic Church Stresses Struggles in Second Annual Homecoming Observance Continued from page 1 Cathedral of African Methodism is damage to the A.M.E. Church as a whole.’’ The observance at Metropolitan fea- tured family communion, an inspira- tional sermon, music by a combina- tion of all choirs in the church, and a social hour, following morning serv- ices, in the church hall. Invitations went out to neighboring A.M.E. and other churches to send representatives to the Homecoming observance; and, in anticipation of the enthusiasm of the membership, Am- bassador Dawson said, ‘‘We are look- ing forward to an in-gathering of all our members. Whether old or young, regular or infrequent in attendance, all members will look forward to a grand reunion on Homecoming Day.”’ __ “I Cannot Change Yesterday. I C Black History Month Sweepstakes Highlights in Black history and a chance to win a $10,000 trip are part of “The AT&T Black History Month Sweepstakes,’’ which the company will sponsor during February. The sweepstakes is open to all U.S. residents 18 and over who have a tele- A.M.E. Missionary Journeys to Ghana Continued from page 1 development of the AME Camp in Cassopolis, Michigan. She has traveled in Europe, visited Monrovia, Liberia and attended the Causeway-Going to Dominican Republic for Church Women United. This AME Missionary was educated in Wisconsin and Indiana. She served 42 years as a distinguished teacher and elementary school principal in In- dianapolis. During Mrs. Clay’s prin- cipalship, her school was awarded federal funds in the amount of $250,000 to implement a program in- phone number listed in their names as of January 15. To enter, callers can dial 1-800-225-2257 toll-free. Callers will hear a taped message highlighting some famous Black Americans, including Frederick Douglass, Madame C. J. Walker and Sojourner Truth. The tape then prompts the person to provide his or her name, home address, and home telephone number, including area code. The caller is then entered in the sweepstakes. No purchase is necessary to enter or to claim a prize, but contestants can participate only by calling the toll-free number no later than February 29th. Only one entry per home telephone number is allowed. Winning home telephone numbers will be drawn in March by an indepen- dent judging organization. The top prize is a $10,000 trip for two anywhere in the world. Other prizes include 10 AT&T personal com- puters (the 6312 WorkGroup System), 25 AT&T Model 5500 answering ma- South African State President Botha In Cape Town Continued from page 1 Edith W. Ming, President of the World Federation of Methodist Women, was unable to attend the meeting due to ill health. President Imathiu forcefully informed the press conference about the purpose of their visit, namely, to address matters that relate to the situation in South Africa. This delegation was representing 54 million Methodists from all over the world, and was mandated by the World Methodist Council to express concern from all over the world over the problems of apartheid in South Africa. During their visit, they met Mr. Goven Kbeki, the African National Congress leader who had been languishing in jail for 23 years, serving a life sentence with Mandela, Sisulu and others. The visit of the Methodist delegation coincided with Mr. Mbeki’s release. They also met Mrs. Winnie Nomzamo Mandela, wife of the jailed A.N.C. leader Nelson Mandela. Bishop Imathiu, in his opening state- ment, analogized apartheid to the cut- ting of a tree. He said, ‘‘If you keep on cutting the tree, you will be able to fell it; the first cut is as important as the last one. We have come to fell that tree of apartheid and we pray that one day apartheid will tumble down.”’ He continued, ‘‘we cannot com- promise with apartheid because we believe it is a sin; it is evil and heresy and should be done away with in all ways and all respects. Black people of this country have no vote; a vote brings changes in people.’’ Dr. Donald English, in answer to a question which was inaudible, said, “‘we did not come here as political leaders, but as concerned Christians with Christian conviction, We have political parties where we come from: President Botha belongs to a political party; Bishop Imathiu also belongs to a political party. But we, as Christians, have come as a family of God.’’ He pointed out that the history of the religious lives of our faith in the church have not occurred in relation to mighty people striking mighty blows. Most of the great events of our history, from exodus to the birth and life of Jesus, have come from people who are small. People like Botha, who believe in the Bible, should come home, for they are standing on wrong ground. If President Botha is a Christian, said Bishop Imathiu, ‘‘he will talk with other people like Bishop Tutu. God is greater than all.’’ Bishop Imathiu presented to the press conference the formal agenda of the delegation based upon the resolu- tions passed in July 1986 at the 15th World Methodist Conference held in Nairobi. End of Part 1 NOTICE: Every Pastor and Lay- person Should Send a Black and White Picture of Yourself and a Biographical Sketch to: A. Lee Henderson 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 BIBLE: Figures, Peel & Play, and Play-Along | Recreate your favorite Bible story with Bible Peel & Play sets! Each set in- cludes 40 full-color reusable, washable vinyl pieces that stick again and again, a background playboard, instructions, and Bible story. eAdam & Eve — Garden of Eden Noah — The Great Flood playset eAnd more to come Order the story book and cassettes Bible Peel & Play Sets $10.95 7¥%2’’ Fully Posable Action Figures These exciting playtime companions come complete with authentic cos- tumes, an accessory, and a full-color story booklet about the character's Biblical role. A growth and educational toy for ages 4 and up. Action Figures David & Goliath eNoah w/Dove & Story Booklet itiated by Rosalyn Carter designed to “help parents help their children’’ develop reading skills. Mrs. Clay attended the planning ses- sion for this program at the White House at the invitation of then Presi- dent and Mrs. Jimmy Carter. Naomi Clay’s hands on encounter in Ghana will facilitate information gathering and the assessment of needs to ‘‘enable’’ relevant action by the 5 Missi Society upon her eS ihe Sister, tt the birthdays of Frederick Douglass Jerrye G. Champion, Reporter and Abraham Lincoln. eee SS SSSaaaeaewaewc_w_sw eDaniel w/Gold Necklace & Story Booklet eRuth w/Basket & Story Booklet eEsther w/Gold Crown & Story Booklet eJoseph wi/Coat of Colors & Story Booklet eMoses w/Tablets & Story Booklet eSamson wiReal Hair, Jawbone & Story Booklet eDavid & Goliath w/Accessories & Story Booklet chines, 50 AT&T Model 4400 Cordless eo Telephones and 100 $25.00 AT&T and figure set) | Long Distance Gift Certificates. i | February was designated ‘‘Black History Month’’ in 1976 by The Asso- ciation for the Study of Afro- American Life and History and evolv- ed from a one-week cultural celebra- tion recognizing the contributions of Blacks to America and the world. Feb- ruary was chosen because it contains Please add 13% postage and handling. ===== DSC05437.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder The Harassment of African American Leadership by Benjamin F, Chavis, Jr. Physical threats against the lives of progressive African American leaders are an ever-present reality in the Unit- ed States. However, this is not the only kind of attack which they risk when they speak out on the issues. A more veiled, but equally incidious, attack is the legal harassment of African Amer- ican leadership. This was redocument- ed in a study earlier this year, entitled: “Harassment of Black Elected Offi- cials: Ten Years Later.’’ The report was prepared by Dr. Mary R. Sawyer for Voter Education and Registration Action, Inc., a Washington-based re- search institute. An earlier report by Dr. Sawyer, conducted ten years ago, concluded: “The higher the level of office or the more outspoken the officials, or the greater the influence and power—the higher the incidence of harassment [of a Black elected official].’’ From the evidence presented in the current study, not much has changed. The weight of the evidence leads Dr. Sawyer to conclude that after much legal maneuvering by local and federal prosecutors, usually via a grand jury investigation, ‘‘[An] indictment typi- cally results in acquittal, or in a con- viction which is ultimately overturned on appeal—which then receives a three inch announcement on page 17 after the story had been front page, headline news for months on end.”’ This is a major point of the study. Black elected officials under attack are not being tried by a jury of their peers. They are being tried in the press by prosecuting attorneys who selectively leak information helpful to the prose- cution. Certainly this has been true of the witch-hunt now being carried out by U.S. Attorney DiGenova against Washington, DC Mayor Marion Barry. As hard as he has tried—and he’s tried very hard—DeGenova can’t seem to substantiate any charges against Mayor Barry. Thus, he has stooped to trying Mr. Barry in the Patience Is Bitter But Its Fruit Is Sweet. 4 Orcccccccccccccccsocccccccccosscsccoosooooooossonosooeenee 0200200000 000% press, Papers like the Washington Post and the Washington Times have been only too happy to oblige. Some have said, ‘‘So what? They treat White officials the same way. Just look at what happened to Gary Hart.’’ But the differences are context and proportion, Let us remember that the most recent investigations have been mounted against vocal African American politicians by U.S. Attor- neys under the Reagan Administration. The Justice Department’s aborted attack against key African American elected officials in the Alabama Black Belt was patently political. These offi- cials, civil rights leaders all, had been instrumental in increasing African American voter registration and partic- ipation to one of the highest levels in the nation. They had also been con- stant critics of the Reagan Administra- tion. Charges against the leadership were either dropped or those charges were eventually acquitted, but vindica- tion came only after a long, finan- cially-draining trial, and after the Jus- tice Department had harassed scores of elderly Black voters. Another major difference between the investigations of African American and White officials is the dispropor- tionate number of investigations aimed at African American elected officials. There are 490,770 White elected offi- cials in the United States. Of that num- ber only a small percentage are being investigated. In stark contrast, only 6,400 (or 1.5%) of elected officials are African American. Yet when William Webster was FBI Director, he admit- ted that 40% of African American elected officials were under investiga- tion. This is not a random occurrence. It is a deliberate and systematic scheme to prevent further political empower- ment of the African American com- munity. In this nation, when a people are singled out for racial and political intimidation, the result impedes and strangles democracy for all citizens. When I Am Talking . I Ain Not Learning February 22, 1988 Social Action Corner ~ Dr. John Q. Owens Bishop S. S. Morris called many of the ministers and laypersons of Chica- go together to discuss strategy, follow- ing the untimely death of Mayor Harold Washington. They met at Grant A.M.E. Church, where Rev. Wilfred Reid is the capable pastor. This was an important meeting, since one of the current candidates is a member of Grant: Alderman Timothy Evans. They agreed that it is most im- portant to keep our third largest city in Black hands as we approach the Presi- dential elections of 1988. ‘“Peace Sunday’’ was celebrated by many different denominations in this country, in light of the fact that Pres- ident Reagan and Secretary Mikhail Gorbachev of the Soviet Union were coming together in a summit relation- ship for the purpose of arriving at an agreement on medium range nuclear weapons, their dismantlement and de- struction. Therefore, the stated pur- pose of the Peace Sunday was to ask God to guide the proceedings in a posi- tive manner and to mobilize our peo- .ple so as to get them involved in the peace process through prayer and any other action that seemed logical to them in pursuing that end. This is the reason to make special efforts of missions, charity, love and sharing with the less fortunate. Please don’t forget them. I have already seen some African Methodists manning the Salvation Army volunteer solicitation pots in front of stores and super- markets; God bless them. There are other agencies that need volunteers: hospitals, social service agencies, blood banks, civic agencies that need volunteers to sort pack donations, churches and nursing homes. Let's represent Our Lord and our Zion by being very much involved in the service of others; this is the only way to balance our worship. The Holy-Day—Holiday Seasons are also a time of loneliness and sad- ness on the part of our senior citizens who find themselves alone and stress- ful at a time when the memories of their loved ones are most vividly por- trayed. What a great act of love it would be if individual African Meth- odists and churches would adopt a sen- ior citizen or a group of senior citizens that they know are alone and share a meal and a gift with them! Praise God! My message for the Holy-Day— Holiday Season is: ‘‘Remember that God cares; and because He cared so much for mankind, He acted. Even though man was mired down in sin, God so loved the world that He came incarnate in Immanuel, and paid the penalty for man’s sins, which gave to everyone the priceless privilege of for- giveness and the possibility of return- ing back to Him in God’s good grace. My prayer and my wish for the lead- ers and the members of this great church of God, through Richard Allen, is that we continue in gratitude, re- solve, and research for the privilege of manning a Zion that has dueled Satan for two hundred years, and is still holding on. May you and your family —both secular and sacred—survive the onslaught of economic emphasis that comes our way as we celebrate our Lord’s birth. Peace on earth, in the church, and goodwill towards all men. Amen!!! Rev. John Q. Owens, Jr., Director of Social Action, and Family. Bishop H. H. Brookins, Chair of the Commission. BiCentennial Special Offer! To: Pastors, Lay Workers, Youth and Adult Study Groups THE KNOW YOUR CHURCH MANUAL by Andrew White $1.50 each per 100 copies (postage — 18 percent) Send order to: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South ‘| Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 WILLIAM M. PHILPOT, EDITOR war he about my Father's duaiwens by ANOREW WHITE KNOW YOUR CHURCH MANUAL Wyatt Tee Walker AMEC Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Best Black Sermons “Somebody’s Calling hville, T ee 37203-4181 ; by William M. Philpot My Name’ Nashville, Tenness ae bis ify the best by Wyatt Tee Walker Amount enclosed $ _ plus postage These sermons typ e bes Walker presents a thorough study tracing the musical ex- pressions of Black religion from its ancestoral roots in Africa to its influence upon Black religion today. preaching that is done in Black churches today. Each sermon has been chosen be- cause of its excellent homilet- ical form and accuracy in de- picting Black experience. WMP-I11 ......----+- $4.95 To Address City/Town Signature PPYTTTTITITITITITI CIT ©.0.00.0.0.00.0.0.00.0.0000.0.0000.0000000000000000000900000000000000000000000000000000000000 ===== DSC05438.JPG ===== February 22, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder The Coalition On Southern Africa Awards Student Aid Grant Washington—Bishop Richard L. Fisher, President of the Coalition on Southern Africa announced today the award of a $3,200 student aid grant to Mr. Dylan Grewan, a black South African student at Norfolk State University, Norfolk, Va. In announc- ing the grant, Bishop Fisher stated, ““Mr. Grewan is only one example of the hardships imposed on black South Africans by the disinvestment of US companies in South Africa. Those who have advocated and encouraged US companies to leave South Africa have failed to take into account the tremen- dous human suffering that has resulted.”’ Mr. Grewan, whose family lives in Johannesburg, South Africa, is a sophomore studying business manage- ment. He had been living and studying in the United States under a grant pro- vided by Citibank, South Africa, where his father had worked for several years. With Citibank’s disinvestment last year, Mr. Grewan was notified that his financial support would not be continued. Determined to continue his educa- tion in America, he appealed to the Coalition for help. In his letter to the Coalition he stated, ‘‘In the past Citibank, South Africa, was generous enough to sponsor me here in America, but with Citibank’s recent disinvestment out of S.A., myself like many other black South Africans get a chance to see how bleak our future looks without the aid of the American Co.”” For Mr. Grewan his education is his top priority. He says, ‘‘For me to return to South Africa without a degree, I don’t feel I could make a positive contribution to the dismantl- ing of the system of Apartheid. With a valid education gained here in America, my role as a black South African citizen could become much more influential in my search for freedom and equality. Without the help of the Coalition I would be unable to continue my education.”’ The Coalition on Southern Africa was formed July, 1987, by a group of concerned clergy, educators and business leaders in order to determine the economic and educational em- powerment needs of the majority population and to find the resources to address those needs. Men Stumble One Mole Hills Not Mountains Real Failure Is Blaming Others For Mistakes. An Old-Fashioned Christmas Philadelphia, PA — The Philadelphia Conference Branch Women’s Mis- sionary Society of the First Episcopal District, under the dynamic leadership of Bishop and Mrs. Frank C. Cumm- ings, observed its Annual Christmas Festivity. Theme for the celebration was ‘‘An Old-Fashioned Christmas.’’ The gala event was held at Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church in the social hall. The Rev. James L. Dandridge is pastor of the church and Sister Forestyne Ogden is president of the Philadelphia Conference Branch. Sister Florence Smith served as general chairperson. The singing of the beautiful Christmas carol ‘‘Joy to the World’’ set the mood for the program, which was presided over by Sister Mary J. Patterson, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Landsdowne. Prayer was offered by Master Marcellus Norris, Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church Y.P.D., and Sister Grace Hughes, Lamott A.M.E. Church, followed with ‘‘The Occa- sion.”’ As a reminder of ‘‘What Christmas Is,’’ including the traditions and sym- bols of the special season, verbal ex- pressions were given by Sister Mildred Gilyard, chairperson of the South Suburban Area, on ‘‘The Christmas Tree’; ‘‘Christmas Carols,’’ Sister Debra Young, Mt. Pisgah and the YPDers; and ‘‘Christmas Sup- per/Family Gathering,”’ Sister Rosa Browning, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Coatesville. The YPDers ensemble sang ‘‘The Twelve Days of Christmas’’ with vibrant enthusiasm, which aroused the innermost spiritual souls of the au- dience, which felt impelled to join in the singing. Rev. Dandridge prayed a blessing on the scrumptious old-time supper, con- sisting of turkey and dressing, candied sweet potatoes with nuts and cereal, turnip greens, cranberry sauce, ice cream, cake and hot apple cider, which was served by the Philadelphia Con- ference Branch Missionaries and YPDers. The theme of the program was car- ried further with the topic ‘‘Gifts,”’ presented by Sister DeVaunte Ogden, New Bethel, Germantown, YPD. The specific aim of the Christmas festivity was to help the Youth Study Center of Philadelphia provide gifts for the underprivileged youth of the city and nearby vicinity. The gifts were presented by Sister Elizabeth Butler, Bethel, West Chester, to Mr. Simons, head of the volunteer group of Y.S.C. Gifts were donated by all church mis- sionary societies of the Conference. Sister Lucy Brown, St. Matthew A.M.E. Church, presented the topic “‘Jesus.’? Remarks were given by Sister Florence Smith, Sister Ogden and Rev. Dandridge. The closing topic, ‘‘The Christmas Story,”’ was narrated by Sister Patricia Crawford, Mt. Pisgah Church, and the evening concluded with a candlelight service and the singing of ‘‘Silent Night.’’ Credits are given to the various com- mittee members: Sisters Alvine Sims, Adele Brown, Mary Hodge, Mary Pat- terson, Carolyn Fletcher, Mattie Sue Brown, Mildred Géilyard, Beatrice Sims-Harper, Grace Hughes, Debra Young, Adele N. Brown, Elizabeth Butler, Ethel Graham, Helen Rayon, Ella Bailey and Bro. Arthur Boyer. Mary Ann Norris, Reporter Public Relations, WMS Annual Conference Schedule PHILADELPHIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 17, 1988 WMS Conference May 18-22, 1988 Hickman Temple A.M.E. Church Baltimore Ave. at 50th Street Philadelphia, PA 19143 The Rey, J. D. Patterson, Host Pastor Church Telephone; (215) 476-5340/747-0881 Pastor's Telephone: (215) 472-5905 The Rey, A, McNeil White, Host P.E. SIXTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP F. H. TALBOT SOUTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 13-17, 1988 Nelson Chapel A.M.E. Church Bainbridge, Georgia The Rev. L. A. Townes, Host Pastor The Rey. E. O. Benefield, Host P.E. SOUTHWEST GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE April 20-24, 1988 St. Paul A.M.E. Church Columbus, GA The Rev. John Rolle, Host Pastor The Rev. A. M. Threatt, Host P.E. REST WEEK April 25-May 1, 1988 OLD GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 4-8, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church Savannah, Georgia The Rev. Jack J. Bradshaw, Host Pastor The Rey.-T. J. Kent, Host P.E. AUGUSTA GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE May 11-15, 1988 First A.M.E. Church Athens, Georgia : The Rev. Claude R. James, Host Pastor The Rev. M. S. Colquitt, Host P.E. REST WEEK May 16-22, 1988 MACON GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE THE NEW CATECHISM The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to y2uth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLO-G91C ... FR ie aes $3.50 May 25-29, 1988 Wesley Chapel A.M.E, Church Milledgeville, GA The Rev. C. H. Boddy, Host Pastor The Rey. A. G. Conyers, Host P.E. ATLANTA-NORTH GEORGIA ANNUAL CONFERENCE June 1-5, 1988 Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Allanta, GA The Rev. McKinley Young, Host Pastor The Rev. W. L. Scarbrough, Host P.E. POST CONFERENCE CONVOCATION June 18, 1988 Steward Chapel A.M.E. Church Macon, GA 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Rev. C. E. Shepherd, Host Pastor The Rev. R. H. Martin, Host P.E. SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE BISHOP JAMES H. MAYO VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 3-6, 1988 St. Luke A.M.E. Church 28 Estate Grove, Fredericksted St. Croix, U.S. VI 00840 The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host Pastor The Rey. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 10-13, 1988 Fountain A.M.E. Church 136 E.. Main Road Barataria, Trinidad, West Indies The Rev. H. N. Embrack, HostPastor~ ~~ The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 17-20, 1988 St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana, SA The Rev. U. A. Hendricks, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. The Conference Branch Annual Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Society will be held on the Wednesday preceding the Annual Conference. ~ CHURCH COMPUTER SOFTWARE It’s aS easy as AMEC! Contact the nation’s leading church computer systems: AMEC Plus and AMEC Jr. A.MLE.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 615/256-5882 “The Committee’s choice. . .since 1984” SSS eee ===== DSC05439.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder OOOO ————EEeEeEeeEEeEeEeE————e_E ee February 22, 1988 Pastor James M. Proctor Sets Priorities For 3rd Century by Beulah McClellan Jacksonville, Fla.—Under The Rev. James M. Proctor St. Paul A.M.E. Church has become the leading church in the Eleventh Episcopal District on every important index. St. Paul leads the district in stewardship, evangelism, planning, administration and the com- prehensive nature of its ministry. Pastor Proctor has added approx- imately 200 persons to the membership roll, increased the stewardship budget eight fold, provided new directions in short and long term planning. He believes all Christians are given gifts from God to be used in ‘‘building up the body of Christ.’’ Therefore, his focus is on equipping the ‘‘saints’’ for ministry. Under Rev. Proctor’s leader- ship a small group of persons have been recruited, trained and are being Rev. James M. Proctor employed in a lay pastoral care ministry for the members and friends of St. Paul. The Ralph Waldo Hilson Saga Several decades ago, Ralph Waldo Hilson, a child of destiny, was born to Rev. and Mrs. Thomas Clayton Hilson in rural Alabama. He was raised in the atmosphere of a Christian home that germinated the seed which later blossomed into a fruitful career of service to God and his people. Upon the death of his father, Rev. Hilson assumed the role of the family’s patriarch—providing fiscal and character stabilization for his siblings. He was a graduate of the Coffee Country Training School, Enterprise, Alabama, and the Daniel Payne College in Birmingham. Awesome achievement later led to Rev. Hilson’s being awarded honorary degrees by Daniel Payne College and Monrovia College, Liberia, West Africa. His enviable and incomparable record asa pastor includes ministerial leadership in the following assignments: Chaplain for the Civilian Conservation Corps, 1933-34; Grant Chapel, Dothan, 1934-35; Lockhart Chapel, Lockhart, 1935-38; Pinkard Circuit 1938-40; St. Paul, Ozark, 1940- 42; Payne Chapel, Birmingham, 1942- 50; St. Luke, Birmingham, 1950-54, and St. John, Montgomery, 1954-59. The Rev. Dr. Hilson was rewarded for faithful pastoral leadership by being assigned to the Florence- Huntsville District, where he served from 1959 to 1962. For the last quarter of a century, he ministered with distinction as the Presiding Elder of the Birmingham-Florence District, He took understandable pride in being the Senior active Presiding Elder of African Methodism in Alabama His numerous affiliations and associations include the African Methodist Episcopal Ministerial Alliance of the Greater Birmingham Area, the Mayor’s Council on the Handicapped, Clergy That Cares and the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance Rev, Hilson, in the annals of African Methodism, was noted as a national and an international figure He perennially served as a delegate to the governing body of the denomination, the General Conference. He will long be remembered as the secretary of the General Conference Commission and Vice Chairman and Chairman of the Credentials Committee, Across the length and breadth of African Methodism, Rev. Hilson was known as the chairman and leader ol Alabama’s African Methodists. He was a master of the system and ai initiator of improvements that thrust the African Methodist Episcopal Church into an era of growth and productivity. This stately person, who departed life on Saturday, August 8, 1987, at 11:25 am., is survived by two daughters, four sisters, brothers-in- law, grandchildren, nieces and nephews. The ministry and the African Methodists of Alabama have been blessed with the life and labors of the Reverend Dr. Ralph Waldo Hilson. Ecumenism, Liberation, and | | Black Theology James H.Cone ‘James Cone is the premier black theologian writing today. And this book is vintage Cone —prophetic, passionate, pertinent, and provocative.” —CORNEL WEST Asvine concern to speak the truth with love, courage, and care for the poor and voiceless 1s | richly and powerfully evident | inthis collection of recent essays by James Cone Cone addresses topics of black theology and its rela tionship to other Christian theologies and secular ideologies, the role of the black church in American his tory, Christian faith and polit ical praxis, and the umique features of black worship ‘A helpful, substantial, and thoughtful work... .l am increasingly impressed with the growing maturity of Cone’s writing, and this certainly marks one of his finest books to date.’ HARVEY COX “A valuable contribution to on- going religious dialogue,”” —BOOKLIST | Paper, $8.95 | Publisher / i M, B, EERDMANS seomess PUBLISHING CO. ORDER FROM A.M.E.C, Suaday School Union $00 Bighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 (G15) 256-8852 Rey. Proctor has the unusual ability of making detail plans and motivating persons to work toward the achieve- ment of common goals. This is demonstrated by his leadership in the purchasing of approximately eight acres of land on which to build a com- prehensive worship/service facility. The new facility will be located on a major highway, accessible to all per- sons including the elderly and han- dicapped of the community. The ‘‘Build for Christ’’ project has unified the congregation. St. Paul’s members have a new sense of hope, and a renewed faith to believe, ‘‘with God all things are possible.’’ The ministry is multi-dimensional: it in- cludes voter education/registration, weekend retreats, workshops of a variety of issues, such as; ‘‘Prevention Reduced their needs and aspirations today Every True AME should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hym- nal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly African Methodist Episcopal Church The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God's word, and worship Him, in the language of Lo) eee err Please include 13% postage and handling . - -$5.00 and Caring for AIDS victims, Alcohol and Drug Abuse,’’ ‘‘Getting the Most From Your Bank,’’ ‘‘Music Ministry.’’ Among the other ministries are such things as 24 hour prayer vigils, food pantry, housing, clothing, transportation, and counseling. In ad- dition the church provides several youth oriented ministries, such as education enhancement, recreation scouting for boys and girls, leadership training and music both instrumental and voice. With all his pastoral duties as pastor of this vibrant and dynamic church, Pastor Proctor is still growing in knowledge and stature. He has com- pleted the residency requirements for the Doctor of Ministry degree at Drew University. The degree will be awarded during the fall of this year. Only $5.00 ANNOUNCEMENT GENERAL CONFERENCE ELECTION COMMISSION Lr Bishop Henry A. Belin, Jr. Vice Chairperson Election Commission Candidates for the Office of Bishop/ Judicial Council/General Bishop Philip Robert Cousin, Sr., Chairperson Disciplinary Requirements for Candidates It is imperative that all candidates formally register their credentials with the General Secretary of the Church, Said credentials being: (1) The formal announcement for a specific office. (2) Verification that you are a bonafide Elder/Layperson in Good and Regular standing in your Quarterly/ Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. @)) A certified copy of your birth certificate or other legal proof of your birth date, (Candidate for Bishop/General Officer only) Official registration forms may be secured from: ===== DSC05440.JPG ===== February 22, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder 11 A Tribute to the Late Rev. Julius C. Williams Rev. Julius C. Williams by Frederick Hilborn Talbot Bishop and Chief Pastor, Sixth District To the Chief Officiant, my brother Bishops, General and Connectional Offi- cers, Sister Maggie Williams and family, Presiding Elders, Brother and Sister Pas- tors, members of the family of Flipper Temple, and brothers and sisters: The Sixth District is here. Every An- nual Conference is fully and amply represented. In this district Reverend Julius C. Williams was loved, highly respected, adored and by many young men and women he was held in awe. He was a living legend. For many he was their pastor pastorum—a confi- dant, counsellor, a pontifex in the de- notative sense of bridgemaker, a re- conciler, a builder of consensus. A pastor of unusual gifts and graces, he was truly called by Jesus Christ and proved himself to be a caring pastoral- father, a mentor, a living inspiration, a man who pastored the community. He was a man of integrity, unflappable and unshockable, full of good humor and a capable manager of God’s boun- tiful gifts. An African Methodist to the manner born, he loved its polity, tradi- tions, protocols and praxis, and de- lighted in its liturgy and revelled in its rich history. “J. C.’’—as he was familiarly called —was no stress-producer; and if he an- ticipated areas of conflict, he would sit with me as his chief pastor and express his concerns for our collective min- istry. His was a vision for a new Turner Seminary and he saw the erection of the building from afar and brought it nigh by his ready support and faith. He strongly urged us to keep our annuity for Turner in tact, and today that en- dowment stands at nearly $600,000. /t is in tact. He had several positions in Georgia and this fact bespeaks the high esteem in which he was held: —He was Treasurer-Secretary of the Brotherhood Fund designed to provide support for the widow of preachers. Under his steward- ship, the award has grown from $300 to $750 for each widow. —He was Chairperson of the Turn- er Building Committee and Trus- tee of the Turner Board; District and Annual Conference Trustee; Treasurer of the Atlanta-North Georgia Conference; Chairper- son, Wilkes Memorial Lectures on Preaching and Pastoralia. —Delegate to the 1988 General Conference, We remember the advertisement by Smith-Barney, financial investor. The actor would say with impeccable preci- sion and diction: «We make money the old-fashioned way. We earn it.”” Julius Williams grew in influence and respect in Georgia and made it the ‘*old-fashioned way.’’ He earned it. He had my full confidence and re- spect and was most cooperative at all Bishop F. H. Talbot times. He made it the old-fashioned way. He earned it. He received 24 appointments to Flipper Temple beginning with Bishop E. L. Hickman who first appointed him here; from Bishops Hildebrand and Bearden, and from me for 7 years. And I would have appointed him for an eighth year at the next Annual Con- ference. He made it the old-fashioned way: he earned it by faithfulness, com- mitment, loyalty, and service. He earned it. Because of his commitment to theo- logical education and support of many young men and women, I shall lead our district in establishing the Rev. Julius C. Williams Memorial Scholar- ship at Turner Seminary. Our district extends to our Sister, and his beloved Maggie, our profound sympathy. We thank her for giving him to us and for his enriching and endear- ing service. Sister Maggie, you may be assured of our creative goodwill, con- tinuing respect and support in the future. “*J. C.”’ often led the district in sing- ing his favorite song, which was a vital part of his buoyant faith. Farther along we'll know all about it. Farther along we’ll understand why: Cheer up, my brother, live in the sun- shine: We'll understand it all by and by. Sleep on my brother! Take your rest! You have earned it. Obituary John Wesley Addison was born on August 17, 1909, in Jasper County, Georgia. He was the first of eleven children born to Milton and Osalena Addison. In 1923 the family moved from Little Rock, AR, to Cleveland, OH, where they attended St. John A.M.E. Church. He later became a life member of Quinn Chapel A.M.E., and became an active participant in the Christian Endeavor League, a youth group. After attending the Cleveland Public Schools and studying at Western Re- serve University, he worked for many years as a machinist at Eaton Axel Manufacturing Company. Later he formed his own business and became a plastering contractor. Four years ago he retired, but remained active doing work for friends and church. In 1937 he married Ruth Anna Lucas. This marriage was blessed with three children. In 1941 Ruth and their infant son departed this life. In 1953 he married Martha Taylor. This marriage increased his family of living children to seven. They were blessed with sev- enteen grandchildren, eight great- grandchildren and six great-great- grandchildren. From early childhood, and through- out his life, he was a faithful source of support for all of his family. He gave them his love and shared his practical philosophy of living. He was an active member of the A.M.E. Ministerial Al- liance, a member of the NAACP and the Urban League, and a member of the Samuel Davis Masonic Lodge. In 1953 he was divinely called into the Christian ministry. After his ordi- nation, he served as pastor of Jesus Christ Holy Temple. His pastoral work in the A.M.E. Church included assistant pastor, St. Mathews, Lorain, OH; pastor, Grace Mission and Allen Temple in Cleveland, OH; New Bethel in Oakwood Village, OH; Ashbury Chapel in Waynesburg, OH, and Hatcher’s Chapel in Cleveland, OH. On October 22, 1987, he gave his final report to the annual conference for Hatcher’s Chapel A.M.E. Church at St. John’s A.M.E. Church. After delivering his report and returning to the side of his beloved wife, he received his ‘‘call home.’’ He is survived by many relatives and friends, including his loving wife, Martha Addison; seven children, Ruth Anna Addison, John Ellsworth Addi- son, Anna Louise Harris, Gladys Evelyn Fowler, Jean Elores Porter, Alice Armanda Muhammed, Donald Edward Taylor; seven siblings, Mamie Hinton, Eula Hinds, Odessa Nance, Thessalonia Wade, Clarence Addison, Jewel Jordon and Carol Burns; an aunt, Carrie Adams; four sons-in-law and two daughters-in-law; three gener- ations of grandchildren; hundreds of nieces and nephews and many cousins. Traveling With the Presiding Elder Jackson, MI—The Reverend Earl Alfred James, Presiding Elder of the Jackson-Greenwood District, conducted the First Quarterly Conference of the 1987-88 conference year in Pearl Street AME Church’s newly-acquired edifice at 2519 Robinson Street. At an 8:00 a.m. worship service, Elder James greeted the Pearl Street family and thanked them and the pastor, the Reverend Johnny Barbour, — Jr., for having hosted the annual God’s People ‘‘Had A Mind To Work’’ Fountain Inn, S.C.—The work was begun on Monday, September 21, 1987. The men of Mount Carmel African Methodist Episcopal Church began their labors to make needed repairs in the sanctuary of their church. An inspection of the main floor revealed that a new floor was needed because of the deterioration of the wooden substructure of the floor itself. Pews must be removed and all carpet pulled away before work could begin. The trustees and some stewards, working with Pastor Casey Childs, Il, under the overall supervision of Billy Wharton and Mitchell Saxon, began their monumental task. The entire wooden floor, which was over 100 years old, was torn out, with much of the earth beneath having to be replac- ed. Along with other men of the com- munity, the concerned men of the church began filling in the sanctuary flooring with soil before a backhoe machine was utilized to expedite the task. The Women’s Missionary Socie- ty, under the leadership of Mrs. Mary Anderson and Barbara Wharton, prepared delicious meals for the enjoy- ment of the workers. On October 11, 1987, the member- ship returned to the church for their first worship service following the completion of repairs that included the installation of a new concrete floor, in stallation of new ‘‘Cameo Green” carpet, painting of the entire sanctuary area, installation of new heating and air-conditioning ducts and vents and construction of the frame and brick work for the new handicap ramp. The concrete was later poured and finished by Bro. James Dorrah. On Friday, December 11, George Stoddard, Mitchell Saxon, Jesse Stod- dard, Jr., James Dorrah, Idine Brown and Otis Wharton began working with contractor Bobby Owens on the job of constructing the pulpit and choir area, The men of Mount Carmel are to be commended for their faith in God and in themselves, so that the house of God could be renovated. In difficult days when Black men are under tremendous pressure to be ‘‘men,”’ it is refreshing to know that there are still men who have an unswerving belief that God will not fail us if we put our trust in him. These men of God who “had a mind to work’’ used their abilities as carpenters, cement finishers, electricians, painters, plasterers, etc., so that the church could be renovated and beautified. For the work that has been performed, we say, “TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE THINGS THAT HE CONTINUES TO DO.” Bro. James Barksdale, Chairman Public Relations Commission conference in an excellent manner. He also congratulated the pastor and members for making a smooth transition from one church structure to another and for continuing to develop community and Christian training programs. “Christ Meets the Unexpected” was the message title for Rev. James’ sermon, which was based on St. John 6:35, He stressed the fact that just making a living is not enough; we must make for ourselves a life in Christ, and the living will take care of itself. He said Jesus knew that houses, clothes, food, and other things were not enough, that Jesus told us to have no thought of such, but “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and these things will come.” The message was timely and well-received by those assembled. The conference business session followed the worship service and was held in the Fellowship Hall. In this session, Elder James commended the pastor, stewards and trustees for their dedication and loyalty in managing the church affairs and for continuing to challenge the congregation and community with good programs. he also lauded Pastor Barbour and the officers for launching a six-week stewardship training session for the officers. Once officers have completed the training, the congregation will begin the training process. For the church's having revitalized the daycare center, the Elder commented favorably All departments made full reports and the presiding elder words of praise for the Sunday School superintendent, Mr, B. F. Harper, Jr., for the tremendous growth in the Sunday School program. In his final remarks, Elder James said he would be praying that Pearl Street would continue to thrive spiritually and financially under the dynamic leadership and pastorate of the Rev. Johnny Barbour, Jr Dr. Shirley Hopkins, Reporter ead ew ===== DSC05441.JPG ===== U.S., Soviet Church Officials The AME Christian Recorder February 22, 1988 Hold Prayer Vigil During Summit About a dozen prominent church officials from the Soviet Union came to the United States for a prayer vigil in Washington, DC, December 610, 1987, during the Reagan-Gorbachev Summit meeting. Along with U.S. counterparts, they prayed that Presi- dent Reagan and General Secretary Gorbachev would find ways to work together for peace. The vigil took place at the Washing- ton Cathedral, Massachusetts and Wisconsin Avenues, N.W., Washing- ton, DC. News reporters were invited to cover all public services (opening service 4 p.m., Sunday, December 6; vigil continued December 6-10), and were present for the opening news conference (9:30 a.m., Monday, De- cember 7), at which a joint U.S.- U.S.S.R. church leaders’ message to Reagan and Gorbachev was released. Individual interviews offered oppor- tunities for questions to Soviet church leaders about the effect of Glasnost on the churches in the U.S.S.R., and about plans for the observance of the 1000th anniversary of the ‘‘baptism and evangelization of Rus’’ as that part of what is now the U.S.S.R. was then called. That anniversary is being celebrated in 1988 throughout the world. Soviet church leaders included Rus- sian Orthodox, Georgian Orthodox, Baptist, Armenian Apostolic, and Lat- vian and Estonian Lutheran clergy. U.S. participants in the vigil included top officers of the National Council of Churches and of many U.S. national church bodies, and clergy of the Wash- ington Cathedral. The vigil, in which the public was in- vited to participate, was co-sponsored by the National Council of Churches and the Washington Cathedral. Prayer services also took place in churches across the United States and the Soviet Union. St. John Steps Up Activities Pastor Glass, an empowered leader by God has done a magnificient work in only a few months since serving the St. John Church family. Along with his queenly wife, Sister Sarah B. Glass, who works very conscientiously by his side to enhance the cause in kingdom building. They are a beautiful team. The family graciously thanks God for his Divine Power, for our illustrious Bishop, Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr, for his infinite foresightedness and Godly judgment, the family is very grateful to you for such dedicated leadership. Our very efficient Pastor delivers sermons of inspiration, spiritual and counsel. Certainly the listeners enjoy these profound messages. In addition to previous ac- complishments in articles published before of their achievements, a self- service altar has been installed, a Prayer Room has been set up in order to make us aware of our need for com- munication with God daily. St. John Church is over one hundred years of age and never had a church deed. They have been sought but never obtained. It was through leadership of Pastor Glass and trustee Johnny A. Knight, the church family now have deeds to the church property. Glory be to God. On this glorious Lord’s day, the sanctuary was filled to its highest capacity to witness our guest speaker, troduced by steward Ishmeal W. Jem- mott. The address was super. In rela- tion to the theme, Mr. Jones stated that men are full of excuses and disap- pointments, therefore, he advised the women to help keep the men in step. A continuation of the service was performed with a mortgage burning by Pastor Glass and Church Trustees. Brother John W. Jackson, Sister Willa Bloodsaw, Sister Mary L. Jones, Brother Johnny A. Knight, Brother William Ray Thomas, Sister Mary Person and Brother Willie Guilford. The named Trustees were the ones pre- sent. Congratulation to Pastor Glass, the trustees, St. John Church family and friends. A special thanks to Sister Willa Bloodsaw and Sister Mary L. Jones for standing by from the beginn- ing to the end of mortgage signing and church improvement in over $100,000. Glory be to God. Good things always come to those who have the Faith, work hard, have patience, vision, and prays. The job was a tedious one, but God brought us through and now labor is very rewarding. Glory be to God. Thank God for the leadership of Pastor Glass and the followship of the church family. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage and he shall strengthen thine heart; wait, I say, on the Lord. Psalm 27:14. Bro. Johnny A. Knight, Chairman ae GON ELSTSaY PH SLOOU Today! Version). NELSON/REGENCY GIANT PRINT Reference Bible WITH CONCORDANCE KING JAMES VERSION ur gundy (women Ovetiop vie Feast of ihe Passover 37 Then hall the ‘cighteons answer him, saying, Lad, whee saw we thee an’ hun F Buc they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar a- mong the people, oes 66 was in | “Bethany, in the house renga meets of Simon ROL CAD eWords of Christ in red eRegular Price $24.95 eSale Price $10.00 while they last Please add 13% postage and handling. Order Yours Take advantage of this special offer on the Giant Print Bible (King James Giant Print Bible/King James Version Roots of Resistance The Nonviolent Ethic of Martin Luther King, Jr. William D. Watley. A special tribute for the first national holiday honoring _ this dynamic leader! Beginning with King's early theological roots in the black church, this is a story of his lifelong search for nonviolent ways to combat injustice. Trac- ing the influences shaping King's thinking from seminary student to pastor and pro- test leader, this study paints a very per- sonal portrait of Martin Luther King, Jr. — his life and his dreams. Hardbound, $10.95. After June 30th, $12.95. The Church in Bro. Ishmeal W. Jemmott, Co-chairman Sis. Mary S. Hines, Public Relations Rev. B. L. Glass, Pastor Mr. Frazier Jones, a member of the Rocky Mount Church. He was in- the Life of the Black Family Wallace Charles Smith. Establishes the black ex- tended family as a viable means of liberating a res black people. Suggests innovative ideas for an oe ; holistic program which considers today’s needs in education, employment, housing, health care, and personal identity. Sample young adult curriculum shows how suitable resources can be developed to heighten self-image and enrich family life. Paper, $9.50. Those Preachin’ Women Fila Pearson Mitchell, editor Fourteen powerful sermons authored by a new generation of black women ministers. These messages of hope bring assurance that God hears prayer and will liberate the oppressed from fear and prejudices. Sermons emphasize the need for Christians to develop positive attitudes and to find their identities through oneness in God. Paper, $7.95. To order, send check payable to AMEC SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 8th Ave. South, Dept. A-223, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Include Name, Address, and 13% postage and handling The work of Langston Hughes is highlighted in the new public television series VOICES & VISIONS. In the episode ‘‘Langston Hughes: The Dreamkeeper, Hughes, through the use of archival footage, discusses the importance of the Harlem Renaissance on his artistic development.
• February 8, 1988
  ===== DSC05414.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 10 Episcopal Fathers discuss the progress of the Church during a Bicentennial event. Seated left to right: Bishops H. N. Robinson, S. S. Morris, H. W. Murph, V. R. Anderson, F. H. Talbot, C. E. Thomas, H. T. Primm, V. R. Byrd, R. A. Hildebrand and D. W. Nichols. Dr. McKinney signing the document accepting the $600,000 from USA-AID as Bishop Mayo and Mr. Wilkerson from the AID office in Washington look on. The lady is Ms. Linda Morse, Director of the AID office in Haiti. Blacks Reduce Educational Gap The gap between the proportions of Blacks and Whites completing high school narrowed substantially since 1940, according to a report by the Commerce Department’s Census Bu- reau. About 81 percent of Blacks and 87 percent of Whites aged 25 to 29 were high school graduates in 1985. The proportions in 1940, when the bureau began gathering such statistics, were 1W) percent for Blacks and 41 percent for Whites. For the population aged 25 and over in 1940, the proportion of White high school graduates was 3.4 times greater than for Blacks, 26 percent compared with 7 percent. The ratio in 1985 was 1.3, with 76 percent for Whites and 60 percent for Blacks. The report notes that in 1940, Whites were four times as likely as Blacks to have completed college com- pared with twice as likely in 1985. The proportions were 5 percent for Whites and 1 percent for Blacks in 1940 com- pared with 20 percent and 11 percent in 1985. As in all surveys, the data in this re- port are subject to sampling variability and response errors. Copies of Educational Attainment in the United States: March 1982 to 1985, Series P-20, No. 415, are available from the Superintendent of Docu- ments, U.S. Government Printing Of- fice, Washington, DC 20402. A ~ PRICE: 50 CENTS 1787-1987 NCC Governing Board Celebrates Bishop Philip Cousin’s Four-Year Presidency Jacksonville, FL—Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr.—described as ‘‘friend, leader, ambassador for Christ, drum major of justice’’—was honored here . .as he nears the end of his four years of service as president of the National Council of Churches. The ‘‘Service of Celebration’’ drew about 700 persons to St. Stephen A.M.E. Church in Jacksonville, head- quarters of the A.M.E.’s 11th Episco- pal District, of which Cousin is the bishop. Attending were members of the NCC Governing Board, holding its fall meeting here, NCC staff and lead- ers and members of the A.M.E. Church. Bishop Cousin is an ‘‘articulator of vision, never indifferent or neutral, a man of sparkle and integrity, a broad- scale Christian,’’ according to one tes- timony. Said another, Bishop Cousin is an ‘‘ecumenical servant and pioneer, peacemaker and pastor.’’ The National Council of Churches is the nation’s largest ecumenical or- ganization. It includes 32 Protestant, Orthodox and Anglican church bodies with a combined membership of more than 40 million. Bishop Cousin, the NCC’s 13th president, is its first president from a predominantly African American de- nomination. The A.M.E. Church— celebrating its 200th anniversary last year—was formed when persons in St. George’s Methodist Episcopal Church withdrew as a protest against color segregation. Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Sr. In addition, by the end of his term, Bishop Cousin will have served as pres- ident of the NCC longer than any pre- vious president, each of whom filled a standard three-year term. He assumed presidential responsibilities in Novem- ber 1983 following the resignation of James Armstrong from that post, and was elected by the Council’s Govern- ing Board in November 1984 to con- tinue as president through 1987. Bishop Cousin is likely to hold the rec- ord for a long time because, according to new NCC Constitution and Bylaws adopted at this Governing Board meet- ing, beginning in 1988 terms for NCC president will be limited to two years. The evening’s service included a ser- mon by Presiding Bishop Vinton R. Anderson of the A.M.E. Church, who praised Bishop Cousin’s integrity and challenged the NCC, from its ‘‘strate- gic high ground’’ and ‘‘position at the crossroads,’’ to never ‘‘stand aloof Please turn to page 14 First Seminar on Evangelism SHOPS os and Church Growth Held Bishop F. C. James Chairman, Commission, Church Extension—W orship—Evangelism Dr. Yale B. Bruce—General Officer Director—Dept. of Worship and Evangelism Orlando, FL—There was an air of ex- citement and expectancy in Orlando. Bishop Philip R. Cousin, host and Pre- siding Bishop of the 11th Episcopal District; Bishop Frederick C. James, prelate of the 7th Episcopal District and Chairman of the Commission on Church Extension, Worship and Evan- gelism, along with General Officer Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce, Director of the Department of Worship and Evangel- ism, were euphoric about the First An- nual Seminar on Evangelism and Church Growth. They were vindicated. The excitement enveloped all the bish- ops, general officers, connectional of- ficers and other church leaders—both ministerial and lay—who came to Or- lando.to experience a third century ac- tivity of the 201st year of the Black movement known as African Method- ism. The keynote sermon was preached by that erudite and sophisticated churchman, Bishop Philip Robert Cousin. His text was from the Acts of Please turn to page 15 —————— NORRIE RD F. RICHA # OQ BARRINGER 2 oo ii ® ) PA. PHILADELPHIA, ===== DSC05415.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder Jimmy The Greek — May Your Tribe Decrease value or personhood of all humanity, regardless to previous conditions of ser- vitude. May their tribe not only decrease, but cease to be. The record must show that all whites are not of the Jimmy the Greek breed. That gives hope that Jesse Jackson, the candidate, and Martin Luther King, Jr., the crusader-emancipator, are more than symbols. They are the hopes and dreams of a lot of people of this great nation for a new day of equality. These are, indeed, times of world oppression, worldwide aggression, threat of extinction and total annihilation as a result of nuclear and outer-space technology. Jimmy Snyder must be made to know about the history of the na- tion and of the world. These are not times for being emotional and irrational, but for being very realistic about equality, sisterhood, brotherhood and the rights of mankind and womankind; yes, and for people everywhere to share in Rt care deblacl Seeexbonahire, and enjoy the bounties and blessings of God’s world. The world for which Stes OF tarde aleayel in: ny ane Btn erpelne I think Jimmy The Greek was irrespon- ferior—or, a Ficadiiespocted.ie fexiiain ROBERT H. REI D, JR. pea. i : hei 0 e pri ie: pss never really work in er oaleaes eS ec ta are determined to try to orce the old Philosophies are I am afraid that ‘‘The Greek’’ is not alone in the attitude that the coach and ak hd 5 in jeopardy of te ee the quarterback cannot be BLACK! May their tribe be decreased. Thank Roa RET Ai ‘i inority journali. God, CBS Sports put some distance between them and him by summarily fir. Sg Tati Rec! Seek JO ae ae Enea ane ‘ape : : M Mau others who support and laud the quick and decisive action of CBS in dismiss- ite a ne Ps . - a. aka bea are rose sgitae os ing Jimmy (‘The Greek’’) Snyder for racial remarks, and call on all media to - : : e find them to : aes : 2 ee cciieheatbitsa aay dd’ they reflect the wews'of CBS Sports” May conduct a self-examination of how blacks are depicted and portrayed in sports their tribe increase. nana tlio line is, people in ibl iti i CBS Sports commentator Jimmy (‘‘The Greek’’) Snyder said, in an inter- J cman “tepacntime ee : : : , May their tribe i ! view on King’s birthday, that if blacks ‘‘take over coaching jobs like yet ee rece everybody wants them to, there’s not going to be anything left for the white ANANATANANANANANANANANANA NANA NAA NANA NAAT people. I mean all the players are black. The only thing that the whites control is the coaching jobs.’’ Willis Edwards, President of the Beverly Hills- 1 i Hollywood Chapter of the NAACP, said Jimmy (‘‘The Greek”’) Snyder’s The A.M -E. Christian Recorder remarks ‘‘could set race relations back 100 years or more, particularly in the February 8, 1988 The irony of the remarks made by Jimmy (‘‘The Greek’’) Snyder, CBS Sports commentator, is that they were made while the nation was revved up for the Martin Luther King, Jr., holi- day celebration marking the progress that blacks have made in America. It’s hard for me to decide whether “The Greek’s’’ untimely remarks were simply a ‘‘flip of the lip’’ or the expression of a Caucasian mentality The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- ” + oe + + area of sports. Edwards said, What a beginning for 1988. How long must weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee the black people of this country endure these publicly touted demeaning and 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee. humiliating attitudes?’’ The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852. When ‘‘The Greek’’ w: int iew *. fs . : Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver- & 4 erviewed with WRC TV in Washington, D.C. { tising rates available on request. Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and and asked about the progress blacks have made in sports, he said, ‘‘The black cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson is a better athlete to begin with because he’s been bred to be that way because of his thigh size and big size...(which) makes him jump higher and run faster. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher The white man has to overcome that. But they don’t try hard enough to over- EDITORIAL STAFF come it.” Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor : ee ‘ . Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions He went on to say, ‘‘I’m telling you that the black is the better athlete and he practices to be the better athlete and he’s bred to be the better athlete Dr. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor; Mr. H. L. Felix, because this goes all the way back to the Civil War when during the slave Special Editor; Dr. Jimmie James, Jr., Music Editor; Rev Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries iod the sl ldb d his big black with his bi hat Editor; Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor; Rev. W. F Ball, Jr., Public Relations Editor; Mrs. PEuO ae lui Ae fi Bes = VAS a wit Ss big woman so that Theima A. Wills, Contributing Editor; Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor; Mrs. he could have a big black kid. That’s where it all started.” Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor; Rev. Alonzo The decision of the Reverend Jesse Jackson, a black man, to runa second Middleton, Regional Editor; Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor; Rev. W. J. Jackson, Regional . . . : . P. ty W. D. time around for the Presidency of the United States of America, and officially Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor, Dr. J. W Collier, Overseas Correspondent; Dr. . A P ; a Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr. Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Capt. seek the nomination and endorsement of one of the nation’s two parties, not Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist; Mrs. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter; Rev. O. only signals the achievement of a giant step in America, but reinforces the fact : Urcille Ifill, Sr, Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor; Dr. William P. DeVeaux, that blacks can run for more than a homerun on the bases of the baseball dia- Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev. Cecil Murray, Contribut- mond or carry a football over a goal, or run the length of a basketball court ing Bates and make a slam-dunk for two points. In fact, Jesse Jackson is running for The AME. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from its readers on matters of general interest. All the most powerful elective position in the world. letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa- Many may question Rev. Jackson’s decision to run for the highest office of sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves the right to re- the most prestigious land in the world today because of the mindset of all the ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements. ‘Jimmy the Greeks,’’ who will not vote for a black to occupy the White House. It’s obvious — at least, to Jimmy Snyder — that blacks do not have QQWWNAAANANANANANANANAMANANANANANANANANAAANANAN AAA AMAA ABAD brains enough to be the quarterback or the coach, so being President is un- thinkable. QWWwVwVwwwwewe Ee In this nuclear age, the timing for dignifying human rights could not be more “The ideal nor more necessary for people like ‘“The Greek’’ who is still living in the antebellum days. He, and all who think like him or share his views about the RICHARD ALLEN place of blacks in this contemporary America, do not recognize the individual STORY” in VIDEO rs U BSCE I B E ! : to the Christian Recorder The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY ONLY $15.00 per year BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF aie MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name, address, zip, phone number to “This Week in African-American History” Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘‘The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.’ GOVE eee fe e The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for Send check or money order pawable ' A. The Christian Rec a $00 Bighth Avenue, South, Neale TN 37203-4181 Please print, Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. (Addr wed (Chey Ste 2p : oi ch ge ie RE Ce SEMEN | | ! ===== DSC05416.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder New Minister Appointed to Oak Grove A.M.E. Church Rev. Gregory G. M. Ingram Detroit, MI—Rev. Gregory G. M. Ingram, newly-appointed minister of Oak Grove A.M.E. Church, was born in Detroit and graduated from Persh- ing High School. He was licensed to preach the Gospel in 1965. He holds a B.A. degree in Philosophy and Reli- gion from Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, OH, and a Master of Divinity degree from Garrett Evangel- ical Theological Seminary, Evanston, JEL Rev. Ingram has a_ professional background as lecturer, preacher, pub- lic and private school teacher and co- ordinator of Summer Youth Pro- grams. He once served as a minister on the religious staff at Southern Illinois University, and was selected by Mayor Harold Washington as one of the fifty outstanding ministers in Chicago, IL. Active in community and civic af- fairs, Rev. Ingram is a member of the NAACP, People United to Serve Hu- manity (PUSH), serving on the Minis- terial Religion Affairs Committee of that organization, and is a member of the Chicago Urban League. He has also served on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Unit of the American Cancer Society, the Intervarsity Chris- tian Fellowship, USA-Campus Minis- try, Kenny King City College and the Church Federation of Greater Chi- cago. He was a member of the Board of Trustees of Henry Booth House and a member of the Health Advisory Board for the Chicago Public Schools. In addition, he was a member of the Chicago Conference Board of Exam- iners of the A.M.E. Church. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Frater- nity and a Third Degree Mason, Prince Hall Affiliation. Rev. Ingram’s literary contributions include that of editor and publisher of Ain’t That Good News? and Go Preach My Gospel. His writings include, Bi- centennial Meditation Messages. He comes to Detroit from the historic Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, Chica- go, IL. Rev. Ingram is married to the for- mer Jessica E. Kendall, also a minis- ter, and the couple has one daughter, Jennifer Eman’ KeAnne. “‘Treating Social Ills With Divine Guidance’ Elect Lewis E. Grady, Jr., For Secretary of Missions public schools, along with my pastoral experience. I have also spent many hours counseling as a prison chaplain. Today’s needs and concerns are not much different from yesterday’s. DOM WWW Www \S MMW WWW % DMM MAA iA AM MAA AP SS SVRAMMiMOMQu AQ Wii WwW d\owMi0WOlww0Wwodoadyoggg DOW WWW s WWW AWWW WwW OW. Wy ov.” SAI MIMWMWAW WWW, *‘Slavery is a bitter pill.’’ Dr. Robert Webster Jacksonville, Florida Candidate for the Bishopric —Richard Allen SSSA ASS i mittee aati en ate ae “acy” Slavery is the execrable sum of all villianies. —_ —— —John Wesley Dr. Robert Thomas Ebenezer A.M.E. Church Detroit, Michigan Candidate for the Bishopric DOOM MW WW WW WWMM awa awinawMoa0woMd DPD XOVOBQM MW WWW DAA WWW Www ES SS SAMA Mii i iio Wii OPPO BBs ROW What is different and what is needed is xe our approach to these concerns Jie I come before you as a ‘vessel’ to AP We must break bridge the gaps left by those not com- mitted to the concerns and problems p- of today. j \ Rey. Lewis E. Grady, Jr. My Christian friends, greetings in the name of our blessed Savior! The 1988 General Conference is fast approaching and, with God’s direction and your prayers, | am announcing my intentions of seeking the office of Sec- retary of Missions. There is an evergrowing need in the area of work through the missions of Christ. As your candidate, I bring to you a background in teaching in the ANNA NANA NANA NANA NANA NAN ANA SWADANAN 4 When we pull together, we all come out ahead. AOI WWWWWWw® OX MRAALAASAAAANAAANAN AAA ANAM AMA PWM Wii wi wmir6owuoWi WwW WW VW VV VL NENA NANENENE NNN NNN As your Secretary of Missions, I will work toward closing these gaps that seem to be steadily growing. I will develop programs desperately needed to widen awareness among us to help and teach those who cannot do for themselves. I am soliciting YOUR support and will do my utmost to reflect credit on the position I am seeking as Secretary of Missions. Yours for His Cause, Rev. Lewis E. Grady, Jr “4 SNONANS NANA NAN ANN NNN NNN ANN? AN Dr, John Gillison Sumter, South Carolina Candidate for the Bishopric ===== DSC05417.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder nee TY 8, 1988 2 Position Paper Is Urged For Adoption By the 1988 General Conference “SLI LD Bishop F. C. James Chairman Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Director To: The Council of Bishops From: Bishop F. C. James, Chairman of the Commis- sion on Worship and Evangelism, and Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce, Director, Department of Worship and Evangelism Proposed Thrust for the 1988-92 Quadrennium The First Annual Seminar on Evan- gelism and Church Growth, meeting in Orlando, Florida, January 6-8, 1988, with representation from a majority of the Episcopal Districts in the African Methodist Episcopal Church Connec- tion, gave considerable time and dis- cussion to the issues of ‘‘Evangelism and Church Growth.’’ The Seminar had more than one hundred and sixty (160) registered par- ticipants (Bishops, General Officers, Connectional Officers, Presiding El- ders, Ministers, Laypersons), and at least 50 recognized observers who took part in the most spirited and meaning- ful deliberations held in recent times by this kind of diverse group. The en- thusiasm for what could be done about increasing A.M.E. membership during the next quadrennium was over- whelming. The concern, interest and genuine good feeling was a source of great satisfaction for many of us as we contemplated and exchanged ideas about how church membership could be vastly affected in the next few years, provided we implement some of the suggestions and proposals which were being discussed. The Seminar adopted a Position Pa- per, without a dissenting vote, to the effect that the Council of Bishops and the General Conference be petitioned by the Chairman and the Director of this Commission, using the full force of their influence, to wit: “The membership of this Sem- inar respectfully request that the Subject: Bishop F. M. Reid, Jr. Presiding Bishop 9th Episcopal District Council of Bishops present to the 1988 General Conference the idea that the focus of Church ac- tivities for the 1988-92 Quadren- nium be relegated to church evangelism and growth and... for us as a church to establish as a connectional emphasis church growth with a- million-member increase goal to be accomplished during the quadrennium.’’ In the event this focus is established, the Seminar would like to recommend that the following list of activities be employed in helping to achieve the goal: 1. That the topic for discussion during the early morning teaching/study periods of The Institute at the An- nual Conferences be designated for church growth and evangelism. 2. That the District Conferences will have church growth and evangelism as their workshop emphasis. 3. That the Lay Organization will have church growth and evangelism as its major focus from the Connectional down to the local chapter. 4. That the Class Leader (cell groups) be utilized for witnessing and win- ning new persons into the life of the church for evangelism and living the Christian life. 5. That the Biblical foundations be taught and utilized for winning and nurturing new members in the faith with the goal being to lead the new members toward Christian maturi- ty. 6. That the Sunday School be used as a teaching/evangelistic tool for win- ning and keeping new members in the church. 7. That we affirm the gifts of the Holy Spirit within the context of our African Methodist Episcopal tradi- tion. ae Bishop H. H. Brookins Presiding Bishop 12th Episcopal District Bishop Henry W. Murph Senior Bishop Bishop John H. Adams Presiding Bishop 2nd Episcopal District Bishop F. C. Cummings Presiding Bishop 1st Episcopal District Bishop D. G. K. Ming Presiding Bishop 8th Episcopal District Bishop R. E. Stokes Presiding Bishop 10th Episcopal District Bishop R. A. Hildebrand Presiding Bishop 3rd Episcopal District St. Petersburg, FL—It was not a con- ference, a caucus, or a business meet- ing. It was a ‘‘good ole fashioned’’ re- vival, accomplishing exactly what it was planned for. It only lasted three nights, but that was ample time for Bishop Cousin to discharge his power- ful sermons: ‘‘Come and See’’ (John 1:44); ‘‘Backing the Longshot’’ (Acts 9:13-15), and ‘‘Putting On the Wings’’ (Isaiah 40:31). Worshipers and minis- ters traveled from throughout the State of Florida to experience the great teachings and preaching of Bishop Cousin. His sermons kept the audi- ence mesmerized each night and yearn- ing for more. The souvenir booklet, with over fifty-five ads and numerous patrons, was indicative of the enormous wel- come precipated by the Bishop’s pres- ence. In addition, he was presented the key to the City of St. Petersburg by the vice mayor. Bishop Cousin’s preaching ignited more and more spiritual intensity each night. Numerous choirs from local churches, and members of numerous denominations worshiped in song and praise. Bishop Cousin maintained that unity as he reflected that people travel many different routes to get to the same destination. This was symbolic of the many worshipers of varied de- nominations, all trying to make heaven their final destination. Although there were no converts from the revival, Bishop Cousin em- phasized that all revivals are not de- signed for such and ‘‘their success should not be determined by the num- ‘Bishop Cousin ‘‘Reaches the Masses’’ Bishop P. R. Cousin ber of people you get out of the street, but the street that you get out of the ones in the church.’’ His teachings were profound, and the splendor of the true Christian fellowship was over- whelming. Rev. Samuel L. Green, Sr., pastor of Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, St. Petersburg, was the host pastor, along with his supportive congrega- tion. Tapes and videos were made available for purchase immediately after each sermon. Peripherally, some people quietly probed the decision of Bishop Cousin to hold a revival. He, however, put all minds to rest by initially stating his purpose for being there. He asserted that he ‘‘was caught up in the business of making religion alive.’’ It comes as no surprise that he has matriculated to such high acclaim. Indeed, this great man of God and humble humanitar- ian, educator, public servant and phi- losopher made religion ALIVE and meaningful. ===== DSC05418.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to y uth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLC-991C (Left to Right) Pastor Pacifique—Haiti; Dr. Mike White, Chief Public Health Officer USAID Haiti; Dr. J. C. McKinney; Mr. John Wilkerson—Deputy Chief USAID—Washington. Mr. Wilkerson made a special trip to Haiti to sign the document with Dr. McKinney. Bishop J. Haskell Mayo—U.S.A., and Bishop of the 16th District. Pastor Spoul Louis, Presiding Elder and Pastor—Haiti. Rev. Abellard—retired A.M.E. Minister—Haiti—he is blind. “‘Purpose Is What Gives Life A Meaning’”’ Ecumenism, Liberation, and Black Theology James H.Cone “James Cone is the premier black theologian writing today. And this book is vintage Cone—prophetic, passionate, pertinent, and provocative.” —CORNEL WEST driving concern to speak the truth with love, courage, and care for the poor and voiceless is richly and powerfully evident in this collection of recent essays by James Cone. Cone addresses topics of black theology and its rela- tionship to other Christian theologies and secular ideologies, the role of the Left to Right: Bishops Cousin, James and Nichols paused to reflect on the progress of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Ps SRRAARAANAAAAARANAANLANAVVAALVS Builder, Author, Preacher and Nashville, TN 37203-4181 ORDER FROM: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 (615) 256-5882 Candidate for the Holy office — Bishop PP &.- - ae . 2 " black church in American his- @ Administrator. He is ready to serve. S NOTICE: tory, Christan fath and pol. S $ Every Pastor and features of black worship. ©. > a 1, sub 1, and ; I need your 2 Layperson Should hance Fuca am , 2 prayers and your $ Send a Black and pomeecmicee ns en. : Pp) Q , , writi h 1 < VOTE. @ | White Picture of ire Pott see S I will not - Y ourself anda todate.” = __HARVEY COX Spel ae 2 Biographical i Ps trust. 2 Sketch to: —BOOKLIST . Rev. G. Lovelace Champion S Paper, $8.95 en of The Greater Grant A.M.E. Church Py) A. Lee Henderson ublisher: i i ae +s J WM. B. EERDMANS $ ees toe tae 6 500 Eighth Avenue South | PUBLISHING CO. 2 @ € ? exe oe AARAAAAARARRNARARARARAAN ASS eee, EEE ===== DSC05419.JPG ===== 6 The AME Christian Recorder Production Company Focuses On Black America Through ‘Story Of A People’ Specials ‘*The image of the Black American is often distorted by the media today,’’ states Los Angeles-based television producer Bob Dockery, Jr., who with the production of two new one-hour television specials on the ‘current history of Black America’ is trying to set the record straight. “* *Story of a People’ is a profile of Black America, presented by Black Americans, that attempts to give a well balanced appraisal of the issues and trends that are affecting our culture,”’ Dockery points out. The two programs, ‘‘Who Is This Black Man Anyhow?’’ and ‘‘The Gospel According To...’ (a look at today’s Gospel music industry), are hosted by Robert Guillaume and will be broadcast in February through na- tional syndication. Dockery, who is the president and founder of Syndicate It, Inc., a na- tional syndication and production firm, conceived the idea for the two shows as a result of his successful “Story Of A People’’ 24 hour-long radio series, which began as a produc- tion for Black History Month in 1984. “* ‘Who Is This Black Man Anyhow?’ is four unique profiles of Black American men with a common thread,’’ Dockery notes. ‘‘It is a deter- mination to succeed no matter what obstacles are placed in front of you...”” Filmed throughout the United States, the program looks at the songwriting team of Cliff Roquermore and Mickey Stevenson, whose latest work ‘‘Gospel Truth,” is now a highly acclaimed musical theatre production; Chuck Morrison, who as Vice Presi- dent of the Coca-Cola Company, oversees the organizations’s successful marketing efforts to minorities; For- rest Green, Sr. and Forrest Green, Jr., the father and son proprietors of a Detroit-based barber college; and the Delphi of Louisville, Kentucky, a pro- minent Black men’s club started over 30 years ago, with members now located across the country. “Our attempt in making this special was to show what these Black men have done to preserve their culture and what they are doing now to secure their future,’’ Dockery said. ‘‘By seeing their daily routines, listening to con- versations and watching these men with their friends and families, the au- dience is allowed the opportunity to make a more accurate and honest assessment of the American Black Male achievement contribution and struggle in American culture in the 1980’s.”’ As a result of the rapidly growing phenonmenon of Gospel music in America, today, Dockery conceived the idea of ‘*The Gospel According ‘‘Gospel music is not only deeply rooted in Black heritage and forms a base for overall American pop music, it is also the fastest growing segment in the music business today. It has nursed artists like Aretha Franklin, Sam Cooke, Dinah Washington, The Roll- ing Stones, Marvin Gaye, Little Richard and Ray Charles, to name a few, and pulled a young Elvis Presley into a Southern Black Church to ab- sorb its sound and intensity.’’ ** “A Gospel According To...’ looks at the performers currently involved in Black Gospel Music (including the established legends), talks with in- dustry leaders, and shows who is buy- ing this music and its movement out of the church into mainstream America.”’ While Dockery is confident that both Blacks and non-Blacks alike will find ‘‘Story Of A People’ entertain- ing, his main goal is to fill a void that he believes currently exists in much of today’s television production. “With the creation of our first ‘Story Of A People’ television series last year, we went for more of a documentary-oriented show that ex- amined the topics of youth, family, image and power. We stated the myths and misconceptions about Black America and tried to counter-act it with the truth. While we received universal acclaim for our content, there were those who criticized us on our technique. In producing our cur- rent two shows, I believe we not only had learned from our mistakes, but went well beyond our previous efforts.”’ Raised in Louisville, Kentucky, Bob Dockery earned a degree in History and Political Science, before com- pleting two years of Law School. In 1968, he became the first Black to be hired for Aetna Life and Casualty’s Group Division, graduating from their prestigious executive training program. In 1972, he moved to Los Angeles, to run the advertising department for Ebony Magazine, and after a brief stint as head of his own advertising agency, he accepted the position of Licensing and Merchandising Director for the West Coast Division of Columbia Pic- tures. In 1980, Dockery was approached by a college friend with the idea of pro- ducing and syndicating quality radio Please turn to page 9 May I have your prayers and your vote? Iam a faithful servant of the Church, and I will always remain faithful to God and to my Church. —Cecil W. Howard Dr. Cecil W. Howard St. James A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri 5th Episcopal Distrith Candidate for General Church Secretary February 8, 1988 In 1793 Richard Allen built a church for his people at Sixth and Lombard Streets. It was an old, abandoned blacksmith shop, which he hauled from in front of the Walnut Street Prison at Sixth and Walnut Streets. He removed it with his own team of six horses. —Benjamin Rush N S N N N N Union A.M.E. Church Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Ist Episcopal District Candidate for General Church Secretary Dr. O. U. Ifill YALL LLLLLLLLLL LALIT ILLS LE Lb “If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who propose to favor freedom, and yet deprecate agita- tion, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean’s majestic waves without the awful roar of its waters.”’ —Frederick Douglass Dr. Floyd Alexander Bethel A.M.E. Church — Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 3rd Episcopal District Candidate for the Pension Department rnd ord Pood Pork Voss My country ’tis of thee, Sweet land of liberty, Of thee I sing; Land where my fathers died, Land of the pilgrim’s pride, From ev’ry mountain side Let freedom ring! Dr. A. W. Holman Emanuel A.M.E. Church Charleston, South Carolina 7th Episcopal District Candidate for the Department of Minimum Salary “7 called to the Eternal in my plight, I cried to my God for aid. . . he heard my voice.’’—Psalm 18:6 Dr. Charles Jones St. James A.M.E. Church Memphis, Tennessee 13th Episcopal District Candidate for General Church Secretary ===== DSC05420.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder W.M.S. President Announces Goals Mrs. Delores L. K. Williams Connectional President Women’s Missionary Society AMEC The Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church has inspired the membership of over 80,000 Christian women throughout the world. The purpose of the WMS is to help all women and youth grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, and to seek fellowship with women in other lands. This purpose is achieved through working committees and special human service and social action pro- jects and activities. Mrs. Delores L. Kennedy Williams, was elected Connectional President of the Women’s Missionary Society in mid-July, 1987 by an overwhelming majority. Since her election, she has established the following action oriented goals designed to focus the service direction of AME Missionaries around the world for the next four years. ESTABLISH on the field mis- sionaries overseas in the Caribbean and in the United States. ESTABLISH Sarah Allen Care Centers at points of entry into the United States to foster easier transi- tioning of immigrants into this coun- try. These centers will be supported and staffed by missionaries and coor- dinated by the Connectional Women’s Missionary Society of the AME Church. INCREASE the registration of black voters by at least 10,000 annual- ly. This objective will be achieved through the implementation of Annual WMS Voter Registration Drives in local communities around the country climaxing with an Annual Voter Registration Day coordinated by the Society’s Connectional Christian Social Relations Committee. ESTABLISH AME Church Mis- sionary Housing Shelters for America’s homeless in at least twenty- five cities under the care of the WMS Christian Social Relations Committee. INITIATE a Connectional AIDS Education and Blood Donorship Pro- gram and sponsor an Annual Blood Donor Drive facilitated by the Society’s Family Life Committee. ESTABLISH an AME Missionary Endowment Fund under the direction of the organization’s Hughes-Smith Life Membership Committee. INSTITUTE an AME School of Missions to complement the Society’s Annual Mission Institutes. This school will provide preparatory mission train- I love Thy Church, O God, Her walls before me stand; And graven on my hand. MMOOAIV AMMO OOS Avy Dear as the apple of mine eye, —Timothy Dwight ASSIA ANA NAMA NAT ing appropriate to specific field assignments and other specialized mis- sion functions undertaken by AME Missionaries. IMPLEMENT a Summer Work Program of Missions in every overseas district of the AME Church. CELEBRATE AME Adoption Day annually, The Society’s Family Life Committee will plan and implement this celebration, provide information and work to ‘‘enable’’ every AME Church in the connection to facilitate the legal adoption of at least one child during the drive. MOTIVATE every AME Mis- sionary to subscribe to the ‘‘Mis- sionary Magazine,’’ the official house organ of the Women’s Missionary Society. At present, there are about 6,000 subscribers to this monthly publication in North, Central and South America, the West Indies, England, Canada, Bermuda and Africa. MAKE a positive ‘‘impact’’ on every city the AME Connectional Women’s Missionary Society enters during the quadrennium. This special goal will be realized by the develop- ment and dynamic implementation of a Connectional Communication and Promotion Network. This network will be responsible for matters relative to communicating and interpreting the Society’s connectional goals and in- volvement to its membership, the AME Church and the general public through AME Church publications and all media. This endeavor will in- clude every district in the AME Church. Under Delores Williams’ leader- ship, the Women’s Missionary Society will move forward to implement_the aforementioned goals in accordance with the legacy of human service and social action left this organization by its immediate past president, Dr. Wilhelmina Lawrence, and the other WMS leaders who preceded her. Historically, the Women’s Mis- sionary Society of the African Methodist Episcopal Church has given leadership support to such worthy endeavors as Cancer Education and Research, Sickle Cell Research, the Tunica Mississippi Food and Clothing Relief Project, Assault on Illiteracy Programs, African Relief Projects and scores of other national and interna- tional human causes. Delores Williams is a creditable Christian leader, and she brings a diversity of training and experience to her position as President and Chief Ex- ecutive Officer of the Women’s Mis- sionary Society. She is the immediate past editor of the Society’s Missionary Magazine. Before that editorship, she served as a Community Services Specialist with the U. S. Department of Commerce. President Williams is the wife of The Reverend Leonard N. Williams, Sr., Pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church in Indianapolis, Indiana. The Williams’ are the parents of five children and one grand-daughter. Jerrye G. Champion, Reporter Dr. Cyrus Keller Editor of Religious Literature Incumbent QUVAVANANANAAANANANAAALANA ar ~ : Keepers Of The Dream : a Dr. Hercules Miles Secretary-Treasurer Church Extension Department y Incumbent e RURARARAAAAAARARAAAAARAAAN RARAAAAAAAAAAASD RARARARARAARALRA z. + ae highest honor we can give him is to work to make his dream come true. Dr. Edgar Mack Christian Education Incumbent Dr. Preston Williams St. Paul A.M.E. Church Atlanta, Georgia Candidate for the Bishopric Sixth Episcopal District . . One day in Alabama, that little Black boys and Black girls will be able to join hands with little White boys and White girls as sisters and brothers—I have a dream today! —Martin Luther King, Jr. Their prayer was... A change is going to come. Dr. McKinley Young Big Bethel A.M.E. Church Atlanta, Georgia Candidate for the Bishopric Sixth Episcopal District ===== DSC05421.JPG ===== 8 The AME Christian Recorder February 8, 1988 Key Word For Blacks: Responsibility ———— Ss by Vernon Jarrett Black History Month is needed now more than ever before, but for a dif- ferent set of reasons. Launched 61 years ago as ‘‘Negro History Week,’’ this annual celebra- tion initially was designed to fill those missing pages of our history textbooks whose authors deliberately had denied American schoolchildren a knowledge of black contributions to world civilization. In the old days, these celebrations served as a source of renewed ‘‘Negro Pride’ for thousands of black youths whose horizons were limited. Throughout the Southland, where most blacks lived, ‘‘Negro History Week’’ was the vehicle to introduce black children to the names and pic- tures of famous black inventors, scien- tists, scholars, poets, painters, actors, writers, abolitionists and forgotten black heroes of ‘‘every war fought to Allen, a methodist minister, made history in 1787 when he and Rev. Ab- solam Jones, another freed black, founded the Free African Society of Philadelphia, America’s black mutual- aid movement. Allen later became the founder and first bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was one of the more distinguished leaders of aboli- tionist thought before the American anti-slavery movement was formally organized. Allen’s name evokes a sorely needed attitude among today’s youth of all races. There was a man who upon achieving freedom and a degree of wealth for himself never forgot his responsibility to serve as a model and crusader for those left behind. Will somebody please pass on to our high-salaried athletes the message from the lives of Richard Allen, Ab- salom Jones and the seven other men Dr. A. Lee Henderson Secretary-Treasurer win and preserve American : : Sunday School Union democracy.” who formed Philadelphia’s Free incumbent Black History Week’s central African Society 200 years ago. message to my generation of schoolchildren was pride and achieve- ment. ‘‘You can do it, too,’’ just as ‘‘others before you _ have achieved.... You are not of an inferior race.”’ Today Black History Month must become more than a vehicle stressing racial pride and achievement. Respon- sibility, through a knowledge of the past commitments and sacrifices of black heroes of yesteryear, must become the keynote. For example, this is an excellent time for schoolchildren to observe the birthday of Bishop Richard Allen who was born a slave on Feb. 14, 1760, in Philadelphia. As a young man, Allen became a blacksmith and a minister who worked extra hours to earn enough money to buy his freedom. But his personal freedom was not his only goal. One of his first com- mitments as a free man was to the freedom and elevation of all blacks. Especially those athletes and enter- tainers who use their big paychecks to buy cocaine. Will somebody please remind all young black achievers in all walks of life that their improved status can be attributed to the simple fact that prior generations acted responsibly in their behalf. This is why I’m making a personal appeal for concerned clergy, educators and other professionals to join the ACT-SO program of the NAACP in an effort to have black high school students throughout America par- ticipate in a year-long tribute to the founders of the Philadelphia Free African Society. ACT-SO is the acronym for the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technologi- cal and Scientific Olympics at 7 East 63rd Street, Chicago, IL 60637. For information call (312) 684-4500. Vernon Jarrett’s columns appear on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. ‘‘My dungeon shook and my chains fell off, and I cried ‘Glory to God, I 255 am free. Dr. H. L. Parks Presiding Elder 2 —Richard Allen 13th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric [CORSROES | CORNET! |CORRORET] ONS). CS | TRAD! “The NAACP is organized to agitate, in- vestigate, to expose, to defend, to reason, to appeal. This is our program and this is the whole of our program. What human reform demands today is light — more light; clear thought, accurate knowledge, careful distinc- tions.’’ Dr. R. J. King St. Luke A.M.E. Church Birmingham, Alabama Ninth Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric —W. E. B. DuBois, 1921 I know there is a God and that He hates injustice and slavery. I see the storm coming, and I know that His hand is in it. If He has a place and work for me, and I think He has, I believe I am ready. Iam nothing, but truth is everything, I know I am right because I know that liberty is right, for Christ teaches it, and Christ is God. —Abraham Lincoln SLAVERY Heaven is not reached at a single bound; But we build the ladder by which we rise from the lowly earth to the vaulted skies, and we mount the summit, round by round. —Holland Dr. Joseph C. McKinney General Church Treasurer Incumbent cqocencencepcensencencencencencencencencenoenoenouseae ===== DSC05422.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder McKinney signing documents at Citicorp Bank in Haiti opening the SADA Account to receive the $600,000. Continued from page 6 Production Company Focuses on Black Americans left Columbia Pictures to form Syn- dicate It. With Syndicate It now in its eighth year, Dockery is still looking ahead to create new avenues in both radio and television, as well as feature films. Several new programs including a half- hour weekly sports series and a music- oriented variety show are currently in the works. “I’ve always felt that it was impor- tant for Black Media people to do everything they can to create radio and television programs and feature films that show the Black American in a positive image. We constantly hear complaints about how the Black image is distorted. Only by getting Blacks in- volved in the creative process can we ever hope to change that.’’ Dockery’s accomplishment in mak- ing ‘‘Story Of A People’”’ a reality hopefully will both serve as an inspira- tion and an opportunity for other Black producers to make important contributions. Better Keep Yourself Clean And Bright; You Are The Window Through Which You Must See The World.’’ —George Bernard Shaw Dr. C. Garnett Henning St. Paul A.M.E. Church St. Louis, Missouri 5th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric Dr. Joseph Joiner Secretary-Treasurer Pension Department Incumbent “Before I'd be a slave, I’d be buried in my grave, and go home to my Lord, and be saved.”’ —Author Uncertain Dr. Jamye C. Williams Editor of the 4.M.E. Review Incumbent PEACE Dr. Cecil ‘‘Chip’’ Murray First A.M.E. Church Los Angeles, California Walt Allen’s coming to a sav- ing knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ was similar in content to that of John Wesley, who said that he felt his ‘‘heart beating strangely warm.’”’ WL NN dad Dr. Eugene E. McAshan Bethel A.M.E. Church Buffalo, New York 1st Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric © ED & CR) © GED 3 GR 6 GS 6 GAP S IHS © HID © ED 6 OD 6 BY CD 6 GS GD Oa CED Capes, Seventy-seven years before the Emancipa- tion Proclamation, or in 1786, Richard Allen reasoned that what one alone could not do, several banded together in a united effort could do. Dr. James K. Baldwin Dover, Delaware 1st Episcopal District Candidate for Director of Worship and Evangelism cam oam cam cam eam eae eam eam oa eae ew ean eee eae ea@eaweadl gi leegng pew dd ===== DSC05423.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder February 8, 1988 Carrie T. Hooper, before accepting the ministerial call. Carrie T. Hooper, an evan- gelist. Carrie T. Hooper, an Itine- rant Elder. Rev. Carrie T. Hooper, or- ganizer and pastor of True Vine A.M.E. Church. Rev. Carrie T. Hooper, pas- tor of True Vine A.M.E. Church 41 years, now a re- tired minister of New York Conference of the A.M.E. Church. Rev. Carrie T. Hooper, Re- tirement Service at New York Annual Conference at Bridge Street A.M.E. Church, under Bishop Hildebrand, Presiding Bishop. Rev. W. L. Free- man, Presiding Elder of Manhattan District, stand- ing beside him. Rev. Carrie T. Hooper Retires Rev. Carrie T. Hooper, the first woman to aspire for the office of Bishop in the A.M.E. Church, was honored for her long and outstanding church and fraternal work. Rev. Hooper’s church work began at an early age. For many years she worked in the evangelist field, ccvering the greater part of the United States. She organized True Vine A.M.E. Church under the leadership of Bishop David Henry Sims, pastored under Bishop R. R. Wright, Bishop D. Ward Nichols, Bishop George Wilber, Bishop John Douglas Bright, Bishop ON wesc 281001010001018101818181010 1818181018 Rete RIB eteHeTeteHe Tere HB eter! The Christian Church is a missionary enterprise, and when it loses its impulse to propagate itself by carrying the Gospel of the Lord, its unique distinction will be gone. Dr. Wendell H. Able 4th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric 161010101010 1810 181818101810 1818 181810181 e ie ela ete B ele! George W. Baber, Bishop E. L. Hick- man and reited under Bishop R. A. Hildebrand in 1987 at the New York Annual Conference. The church, and various organiza- tions of which she is a member, be- stowed upon her the highest honors that could be given for her outstanding work in the church and the following organizations: the church; the Grand Lodge of Elks of the Word, Eureka Grand Chapter, Prince Hall Affilia- tions, the jurisdiction of the State of New York; the Heroines of Jericho, and Bethany Royal Court of Cyrenes. 101018181018)B18)81818 1818181818188 1BIBIB BIBS Ierereererete ere terete ese fe. mm PPP PPP PPP ptt lob tft bt ‘History has thrust upon our generation an indescribably important destiny—to complete a process of democratization which our nation has too long developed too slowly, but which is our most powerful weapon for world respect and emulation,”’ —Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. D. C. Coleman Presiding Elder 4th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric ULL ddd ddd “itttte Christian Principles and Moral Integrity “I seek my brethren.’’ Genesis 37:18 WH Where there was strife, Let union be; Where bondage was— Liberty. Lovell Johnson will make a good bishop. Dr. Lovell Johnson St. Mark A.M.E. Church Milwaukee, Wisconsin 4th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric VI EE ddddaatctktittttstaeaaaaaceeceeeee.eecet.tcdaaaaadde LL LLL LULULLLLAL ALLL LLL IL ILULLLU LLL ALIA LULL LULULUL ILL LLLLELLLL LLL LLL LULL LLL LLL LALLA LLL LLL LALLA LULL S Ss Continue PROG By Electing Dr. David Harris. He Is Ready! Dr. David Harris _ St. Paul A.M.E. Church — Austin, Texas — 10th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric ala eta LL Nall 5 = Dr. Jno D. Walker Presiding Elder 10th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric If you think I came to tell you to hate White people, you have the wrong man. Our goal is not to defeat or humiliate the White man, but to win his friendship and love! —Martin Luther Kings, Jr 0101010101 8)818)8101010801018)8 10181818) 8)8)0)0 1818181818188 818 ewe 710) 0101010) 1818181818)8)8)8)81818)0181810)8)8)818)8)8)8)8181818sB18181B)81818) QNDNB1B 1010 )010)01010)0 18/01 8/0)818 1818/8) 818)8 i888 8818888 Cie eee ete eee ne ee Gees eee eee eee ee ===== DSC05424.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 ee L The AME Christian Recorder ‘*Turning Back Doomsday Clock’’ Historical Perspective on Doomsday Clock Moving back the hands of the “‘doomsday clock’’ was a symbolic, yet fitting, epilogue to the Reagan- Gorbachev summit. The hands of the doomsday clock are easily adjusted, since the clock only exists on the cover of the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists. The prestigious publication adopted the logo in 1947 as a symbolic means to measure the globe’s proximity to nuclear annihila- tion. The hands of the clock are moved when the bulletin’s editors and board members decide, based on global nu- clear events, that the world has moved closer or further from nuclear war. The paper timepiece has only been ad- justed 11 times in its 30-year life. The closest it has ever been to midnight was in 1953, when it was set at 11:58 after the first Soviet hydrogen bomb tests. Since 1984 the clock’s hands have been fixed on three minutes until mid- night. The board voted last week to change the time to six minutes until midnight. Editors of the publication explain that the decision to move the clock back was not based solely on post- summit optimism, Other factors taken into account were a 1986 agreement concerning the exchange of nuclear test data, and the emergence of the In- ternational Physicians for the Preven- tion of Nuclear War. Nevertheless, the summit was a tre- mendous factor; and the clock’s ad- justment was an encouraging reminder that the summit’s objective was not just to agree to remove a certain class of weapons from certain territories. Neither was the objective to see which nation’s leader could get the last word, or which nation’s first lady had the most clout. The objective was a global one—world peace. Rock Temple A.M.E. Church Celebrates Proclamation Honors Rock Temple A.M.E. Church Members of the Rock Temple A.M.E. Church celebrate the church’s 117th anniversary with a proclamation signed by (seated, left to right) Rockdale County Commission Chair- man Charles Smith, Rev. S. S. Giddings, the church’s pastor, and Conyers Mayor Charles Walker. Looking on are (front row, standing) Corey Printup and (back row, left to right) Effie Ingram, Dwynelle Aikens, Nellie Hamm, W. C. Cadler, Charlotte Render, Katie B. Elliott, Grace Ella Cornwell, Jerome Levett, Quilla Flanagan and Willie Turner. Atlanta, GA—As African Methodism observed its bicentennial anniversary, the pastor and members of Rock Tem- ple A.M.E. Church, Conyers, GA, celebrated the 117th year of the church. Using the theme ‘‘Into the Future by Faith,’’ the congregation praised and thanked the Lord for His blessings over these many years. The congregation and community heard challenging and inspiring mes- sages from Rev. William George, pas- tor of Poplar Hill A.M.E. Church, VARRAAAAAAAALALANY > Richard Allen, like the Apostle Paul, worked with his hands, and earned a living by cutting cord wood, a brick mason, and driving a salt wagon during the Revolutionary War. Dr. Thomas Brown Union Bethel A.M.E. Church New Orleans, Louisiana Candidate for the Bishopric CUMNARAAARERANARRAAAAAAASLE and Rev. Julius Kidd, pastor of White Chapel United Methodist Church. As our denomination enters its third century of service, the ‘‘Liberating and Reconciling’’ descendants of Richard Allen here at Rock Temple will keep the faith and carry out Christ’s com- mission. Rev. S. S. Giddings, the pastor, has challenged the church family and is providing dedicated leadership as we attend to ‘‘our Father’s business.” M. Giddings, Reporter Pa RARARAARRARARA a ltt so ill tio otto ool {pemneee SSSSSSOSSS SESE GSES OOOO TN » % ‘Behold, I make all things new.”’ There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken in the flood, leads on to fortune; § Omitted, all the voyage of the life Is bound in shallows and miseries. On such a full sea are we afloat, And we must take the current when it serves, Or los se our ventures. —Shakespeare, Julius Caesar Dr. U. A. Hughey Brown Chapel A.M.E. Church Cincinnati, Ohio Past Professor at Paul Quinn College Waco, Texas Former Dean of Payne Theological Seminary Wilberforce, Ohio Candidate for the Bishopric Richard Allen dedicated his life to the crusade for religious freedom. Even in the 1700’s he was the first civil rights leader. It was his dream that the chains of bondage would be broken and Black men would become free. Dr. R. J. Hampton Presiding Elder 12th Episcopal District Oklahoma and Arkansas Candidate for the Bishopric Man must evolve for all human conflict a method which rejects revenge, aggression and retaliation. The foundation of such a method is love.”’ —Martin Luther King, Jr. Dr. Richard A. Chappelle, Sr. General Secretary Candidate for the Bishopric OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOCOOSs God Our Father, Christ Our Redeemer Man Our Brother Dr. G. Edward West Presiding Elder 12th Episcopal District Oklahoma and Arkansas CPGGAWAIIIAIIBIIIDIIIIO, o Te Te Jo To te te Je ye Jo Yo to Je To Te Ye fe) 2Q2QG2GGGBO2BIBIIIIOIIIIOIOG ===== DSC05425.JPG ===== Rn The AME Christian Recorder February 8, 1988 Serving God and His People We the Laity of Our Great Zion Salute You! Dr. Kathryn M. Brown President Connectional Lay Organization We Are Serious About Our Mission Count On Us, We Will Be Hand In the Time Of Need. Mrs. Delores K. Williams President Connectional Women’s Missionary Society Dr. Armistice Polk Fourth Episcopal District Candidate for the Church Extension Department With One Bus Dr. King and Rosa Parks Moved An Entire Nation! y y y There With a Helping E COPED OCPD EEE eee Se Within eleven years after the Bill of Rights and E the Declaration of Independence were signed, Richard Allen and other free Blacks in Philadelphia realized that the terms ‘‘created equal’’ and ‘inalienable rights’’ did not apply. When Blacks were pulled from their knees while praying in a White Methodist Church in November of 1787, they walked out and formed the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Henderson Davis Historiographer Incumbent ST = SUTTON ry SUMMITS ISILILILILILLL TTT att dtl ttt Tyson is a seasoned leader. He will bring to Bench of Bishops brotherly love and seasoned judgment. Dr. A. D. Tyson, Sr. Union A.M.E. Church Newark, New Jersey Candidate for the Bishopric First Episcopal District STU U UU ULL SUTURE RL SOU OOOO UU UHURU OOOO UNUM UOT OUGEIOIO DO DMIC MCD ILI Diy © Served as Executive Vice President of the Auto Host Parking System of New York and New Jersey e Past Owner and President of F and D Garage Corporation of New York City CAMPAIGN PLATFORM. . . e Insurance offices with qualified repre- sentatives in each Episcopal District e Insurance Seminars available to all VOTE FOR fe District Sateen HER Guinae © Offer assistance in securing mortgagers DEPAR through banking and lending institu- tions CONTRIBUTIONS... e Hold periodic seminars relating to new construction and rehabilitation of existing churches e Prepare proposals to submit founda- tions for the solicitation of funds for expansion of A.M.E. Church programs e Offer services for construction and ° Chairman of the Housing Commit- rehabilitation throughout the A.M.E. tee—First Episcopal District of the Church, both at home and in Foreign A.M.E. Church Fields e Serves on the Board of Examiners for the New Jersey Conference e Served on the Mayor’s Human Rights Commission in Monmouth County, e 1972—Built ‘‘Vita Gardens’’ in Asbury Park, NJ e Serves on Housing Commission for Black Churchmen of Newark, NJ e Serves on Curriculum Committee at Rutgers University, Newark, NJ NJ ELECT © Served as Delegate to the International REV. CARL F. HUNTER Brotherhood of the Teamsters of the FOR World SECRETARY-TREASURER CHURCH EXTENSION DEPARTMENT OF THE A.M.E. CHURCH e Served on the Pension and Welfare Board of the International Teamsters Organization e First minority to receive a contract with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey ===== DSC05426.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder The 21st Century Pastor Hard at Work Rev. J. M. Proctor, an Innovator, Pastor, Preacher and Administrator, Implements “St. Paul A.M.E. Church Proposed Complex’’ by Edrena Houston Brown Jacksonville, FL—Greater St. Paul A.M.B. Church, under the illustrious leadership of Rev. James M. Proctor, administrator and pastor, and the offi- cers and members of the African Methodist Family, has been blessed since the inception of its building for Christ. During the past three years, a capital funds campaign has been established, designed to give St. Paul the needed financial support to continue and ex- pand its ministry. St. Paul’s spiritual emphasis and direction has enabled the church to become one of the most progressive and spiritually-rewarding churches in African Methodism. Prior- ities for the new church include (1) re- location of the worship/service center; (2) extending the ministry; (3) provid- ing of easy access for the aged and youth alike; (4) adequate parking, and (5) recreation and specialized minis- tries for the youth. St. Paul envisions completion of the project without a long, tedious mort- gage, and has begun implementing this proposed complex. The church is suc- cessfully working toward three goals, including a $300,000 Victory Goal, which would pay off the existing debt and complete the plans and purchase of land. The $750,000 Challenge Goal will allow the church to begin the construc- tion of the main Auditorium/Educa- tional Building. The $1,500,000 Faith Goal is a financial commitment for the expanding of the ministries and the providing of greater support to the members of the community. Pastor Proctor and the membership believe that God is directing the con- struction of the new building to pro- vide the members with a tool to fur- ther His work. The new building would not only relieve current crowd- ing, but would also allow for expan- sion to accommodate new members and additional diversified programs. In fewer than five years, Rev. Proc- tor has improved the spiritual, social and financial climate of St. Paul. Under his leadership and administra- tion, the ministry of the church has been completely reorganized and re- structured. Innovations include a continued in- crease in the expansion program to ap- proximately $1,000,000 and a gigantic renovation of the interior and exterior of St. Paul. The improvements include a new administration office with mod- erm equipment and a full-time secre- tary, as well as other administrative staff; the installation of an energy- saving ceiling in the sanctuary; the modernizing of the altar rail; a confer- ence room; the purchase of a duplex, grand piano, cushioned pews, public address installation; relocation of the day care center, and increased parking facilities. Rev. Proctor is an outstanding ora- tor and conducts workshops and semi- nars to further enhance evangelism, stewardship and spirituality. In the 11th Episcopal District, he serves as the Director of the Christian Educa- tion Congress and is presently pursuing a doctorate degree in theology from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey. The indefatigable minister is making an outstanding contribution to Greater St. Paul and the community through the services provided many individuals through the diverse ministries, includ- ing worship, Bible study, educational enrichment, Christian Education, ath- letics, visitation, Bell Choirs, Mission- aries, YPDers, prayer retreat, music, lay ministries, housing, food pantry, clothing ministry, recreation, acolytes, Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, to name but a few. Currently, the Capital Funds Cam- paign is growing and the members of St. Paul are committing themselves toward this project. Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church is a tithing member- ship, as one of its members expressed it, ‘‘For we walk by faith, not by sight.”’ A.M.E. Pastor Granted Educational Award Savannah, GA—Reverend Dan Steven- son has received a Candler educational assistance grant and will participate in the Graduate Theological Foundation program, located in Notre Dame, In- diana, where he will continue work on a Doctorate of Ministry degree. The program involves approximate- ly two years of study. Rev. Stevenson will spend a month during the two years attending formal classes in In- diana; the remainder of the time he will be doing independent study. A native Savannahian, Rev. Steven- son is a graduate of Savannah High School, Savannah State College, Sa- vannah Graduate Center and Turner Seminary at Interdenominational The- ological Center in Atlanta. He holds degrees in sociology and political sci- ence, and has a Master of Divinity degree. Apartheid—A Special Frontline Series With Judy Woodruff Parts 4-5 Part 4 — 1978-1986 When P. W. Botha became Prime Minister of South Africa two years after the Soweto uprising of 1976, he realized that apartheid must ‘‘adapt or die.’’ Part IV of ‘‘Apartheid—A Spe- cial FRONTLINE Series with Judy Woodruff’? explores the reforms undertaken by Botha to maintain White supremacy, changes that have deeply divided Afrikaners and have provoked explosive reactions from many Blacks. Under Botha, some Blacks were allowed to buy houses in their town- ships and Black workers were able to form trade unions. Botha also pro- posed a new constitution that would give the small Indian and mixed race communities some power, but still ex- clude the huge Black majority from the government. When the new constitution was in- augurated, Black townships erupted. The South African army was called in and a state of emergency was declared. School children became the most extreme anti-apartheid militants. ‘‘A lot of students have reached the point where they say ‘If I die, so what,’ ”’ says Black student Sebastian McKay. “But as long as liberation is gained. And many of them are prepared to sac- rifice anything for liberation.”’ Part 5—1987 The confrontation took place not across barricades inside South Africa, but across meeting tables in West Africa. For eight days in July 1987, dis- sident White Afrikaners met with Black leaders from the outlawed Afri- can National Congress (ANC), South Africa’s leading Black liberation movement. The meetings were held in Senegal, Burkina-Faso (formerly Upper Volta) and Ghana in West Africa because the ANC is banned in South Africa, where it is illegal for Black or White citizens to possess or publish ANC statements or writings. The White South African delega- tion, many of whom were once part of South Africa’s White establishment, included leading Afrikaner intellec- tuals, politicans, church leaders, busi- nessmen and professionals. The Black exiled resistance leaders included Thabo Mbeki, Mac Maharaj and Pallo Jordan, all members of the ANC executive committee. In formal meetings and informal conversation, Afrikaners and Black leaders discussed strategies for change in South Africa, the issue of violence and the armed struggle, the role of communists in the ANC and future economic and political structures for a new South Africa under majority Black rule. Thabo Mbeki, the ANC’s leading spokesman, explained the ANC’s participation: “You see, we’ve got to get this mes- sage across...to get White South Africa to understand that they’ve got a place in this future. . .and that even in terms of their own self-interest, let’s have democracy.” The meetings were risky, especially for the Afrikaners. Back in South Africa, the Afrikaner press attacked their breakaway countrymen, calling them traitors. The Afrikaner right- wing threatened them and their fam- ilies, but they believed it was worth the risk. Journalist Max du Preez, formerly a political correspondent for a pro- government newspaper, said, ‘‘I think more myths and misunderstandings have been exploded in the last four days on both sides. . .mow we have proved that it’s possible for South Af- ricans to sit down together and really talk.’” ANC leader Mac Maharaj, impris- oned for 15 years with Nelson Mandela, saw new meaning in these events: ‘‘The discussion showed great understanding for the first time. . .not only that the Blacks are being brutal- ized, but that the White youth are being brutalized, that all of us have been, are being, brutalized by that (apartheid) system.”’ “This story of forbidden talks, of human contact and discovery,’’ says executive producer David Fanning, ‘‘is important because it is the first step towards understanding what it will take to achieve a peaceful future in South Africa. In the end, after all the fighting and all the bloodshed, people will have to talk to people.’” “‘Apartheid,’’ Part V was produced for FRONTLINE by Irv Drasnin. FRONTLINE was produced by a con- sortium of public television stations: KCTS Seattle, WGBH Boston, WNET New York, WPBT Miami and WTVS Detroit. Funding for FRONT- LINE was provided by public tele- vision stations and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. FRONTLINE was closed captioned for the hearing impaired. The anchor for FRONT- LINE was Judy Woodruff. The execu- tive producer for FRONTLINE was David Fanning. Frederick Douglass the Great Abolitionist (anti-slave leader) was a member of Metropolitan A.M.E. Church Dr. Z. L. Grady Presiding Elder 7th Episcopal District Candidate for the Bishopric Washington, DC Coen ===== DSC05427.JPG ===== \4 the AME Christian Recorder February 8, 1988 STRIDES IN HISTORY This limited edition poster entitled ‘‘Strides in History’’ is available at selected Kinney Shoes Stores during Black History Month. Kinney Shoes Celebrates Black History Month New York, NY—Kinney Shoes offers Black History Month calendars at se- lected stores across the country as part of the company’s observance of Mar- tin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and Black History Month. Entitled ‘‘Strides in History,’’ the calendar highlights the contributions made by Black Americans in sports. “Kinney Shoes is excited about in- volving its customers in the company’s celebration of Black history by provid- ing the calendars,’’ Joy Wilkins, spe- cial market manager at Kinney Shoe Corporation, said. ‘‘This is a wonder- ful opportunity to salute the achieve- ments of many Black Americans.”’ Presented by STADIA, Kinney’s line of athletic footwear, the calendar is featured on a full-color poster suit- able for framing. The artwork was created by Kansas City, MO based ar- tist Dell Godbold. ‘Proper training of our children is an investment in the bank of tomorrow.”’ —Bishop H. T. Primm Dr. Rosa M. Baxter Connectional YPD Director IVWNNNNNVNN NNW Wow oq The A.M.E. Church, at one time in its history, operated three news- papers: the Christian Recorder is the oldest. The Southern Christian Recorder was founded in 1882 by Bishop Henry McNeil Turner. The Western Christian Recorder was founded in 1900 by Dr. J. Frank McDonald. The Christain Recorder and the Southern Christian Recorder were officially merged at the General Conference in Los Angeles in 1960. The 1980 General Conference changed the Christian Recorder from a weekly newspaper to a fortnightly, now published every 14th day, with Monday as the publishing date, from the A.M.E. Sunday School Union Publishing House, Nashville, Tennessee. Dr. Robert H. Reid Editor of A.M.E. Christian Recorder Incumbent SSS SS SS SSS SSS SSD DOO SS SSS XARA Ss WAV VW AQAA AMAA ANA Za WWW AVA NAMM AA SS OO BODO GD 0 SD OSD OGD 0 ED OD 0S 1S 14 EDWI DIDI VDIGQOM AMMA MWVWDD DAW PW AW AWA WMMWDDWPVDBWBWBWBWBIwIsI9Qds» Continued from page | NCC Governing Board Celebrates Bishop Cousin’s Presidency from human pain,’’ Several gifts were presented to Bishop Cousin, including the tradi- tional gift given to outgoing presi- dents—a gavel. Rev, Arie Brouwer, NCC general secretary, presented the gavel, commenting that Bishop Cousin never used a gavel when chairing NCC meetings. ‘‘It’s simply not his style,’’ Brouwer said, Another of the gifts, introduced by its presenter as a ‘‘token of apprecia- tion,’’ was a check for nearly $31,000 from A.M.E. Churches in Florida. (Bishop Cousin announced to the Gov- erning Board. . .that he will use the money to establish a scholarship fund for Black theological students, having as its purpose the development of Black ecumenical leadership.) We salute you, daughters of Allen, and congratu- late the Publisher, Editor and staff for this fine issue of Black History. It also was announced that a special fund has been created in tribute to Bishop Cousin, with contributions to be designated at his discretion, for work for ‘‘unity, justice and an inclu- sive church.’’ As of the time of the service of celebration, NCC member communions had contributed $5,525 to the fund. The service featured special music by the Concert Choir of Edward Waters College, a college of the A.M.E. Church, and by Rev. Charles Walker of Philadelphia, PA, an NCC Governing Board delegate from the National Baptist Convention U.S.A., Inc. Dr. William Watley of Newark, NJ, and Dr. Genna Rae McNeil of Valley Forge, PA, chaired the celebra- tion committee. (DBD Bi Di Dis DPA MAAPMawagawgaseiwgiai scala the sons and Dr. R. A. Washington California Conference 5th Episcopal District a UT TT Rev. Robert Phillips Gary, Indiana 018/08 /0)8)8/8/8/81810/018/8/818)818)81818 1818188181818) OOOO UU UU OOO UOUUOUUOOO UDO IUD ITI Tt thas CHECK THE RECORD! His record as a pastor is an open book. Good pastors make good Bishops. If a pastor cannot stay = and get along with his people, he cannot and will 5 = not change when he is elevated to the Holy Office of the Bishopric. Check his record and elect him. 111010118181018101018101010181618101818181810 181816181818 18 1818181818181 18I8r8Ie tee etere te eieieieiereteereieiete URUE IIE ENNIS 4th Episcopal District Candidate for Bishopric 0/018 1010 10188188188 1G 818i 8iG 8888 ieee ieee ieee) ES) tS The Mission of the A.M.E. Ministry ““Go teach the mind to think, the heart to love and the hands to work.’’ CHURCH GROWTH IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY Dr. Y. Benjamin Bruce Department of Worship and Evangelism Incumbent ===== DSC05428.JPG ===== February 8, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder United Negro Colle A MIND IS A TERRIBLE THING TO WASTE Strong UNCF Supporters — During the recent United Negro College Fund (UNCF) national telethon, Emmy Award-winning actress Esther Rolle (left) presented McDonald’s systemwide donation of $429,210 along with Fran Jones (right), McDonald’s owner/operator in Ojai, CA. Ms. Rolle also helped kick off McDonald’s new Crew College Education Program, where local restaurants earmark 25 percent of their UNCF dollars for financial aid to McDonald’s employees who attend member colleges. The first two recipients of $1,000 grants were Dwayne Williams, a freshman at Dillard University, New Orleans, and Dena Lovinggood, a sophomore at Clark Col- lege, Atlanta (center). McDonald’s restaurants nationwide have contributed more than $3 million since 1978 to the United Negro College Fund. Gutenberg Bible Brings $5.39 Million A Gutenberg Bible, printed in 1455 in Mainz, Germany, was sold at an auction October 22, 1987, for more than twice the record price for a printed book. The Bible is one of 48 surviving copies from the 185 believed to have been printed partly by Jonan- nes Gutenberg. The buyer was Maruzen Co., Ltd., of Tokyo, Japan’s largest bookseller, who paid $5.39 million for the Bible. The previous record price for a printed book sold at auction was $2.2 million when another Gutenberg Bible was sold in 1978. ‘*Friendships, Like Marriages, Are Dependent On Avoiding The Unforgivable. ”’ ‘Oppressed people can- not remain oppressed forever—the yearning for freedom eventually manifests itself.”’ —Martin Luther King, Jr. St. John A.M.E. Montgomery, AL Rev. Anderson Todd, Pastor First Seminar on Evangelism and Church Growth Continued from page 1 the Apostles, chapter 2, verses 46-47: “*And they, continuing daily with one accord in~the temple, . . .Praising God, and having favor with all the peo- ple. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.’’ His subject was ‘‘A Formula For Church Growth.’’ Preaching with Fire— Teaching With Grace—Witnessing With Power, equals GROWTH. The Holy Spirit made itself evident in this worship that ended with Holy Communion. One would have had to be there to see, feel and know how God, with the Holy Ghost, blessed the service. I believe that Bishop James and all of his colleagues present will attest to the blessings of that hour. The church’s third century mission on spir- itual growth and expansion was off to a good start. Also preaching at this Seminar Growth session was Dr. T. Larry Kirkland, that West Coast pastor whose evangelistic preaching as pastor of Brookins Community A.M.E. Church, which started with zero members in Los Angeles and has grown to more than 4,000 members, is an excellent demonstration of the ef- fect of powerful preaching on church growth. The classic example of church growth was underscored by the power- filled sermon Rev. Kirkland preached on the second night. Excellent choirs and singing groups were present for both preaching services, including one that traveled from Miami, Florida. A partial list of outstanding lay and clergypeople includes the following: Rev. James Proctor, whose St. Paul congregation in Jacksonville, FL, has in six years, grown from a $68,000 budget to one of nearly $400,000. Rev. Proctor is now preparing to build a $3.5 million church complex on 10 acres of land purchased for the new facility. Rev. Charles C. McLemore, a native South Carolinian and, probably, the youngest person participating in the Seminar, has pastored from the Pine- wood Circuit to Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in Charleston, SC, with more than 3,500 members. Mrs. Delores Kennedy Williams, the Chief Executive Officer of the Wom- en’s Missionary Society, with more than 1,000,000 women, was a pro- grammed Seminar participant, making a meaningful contribution to the suc- cess of this first church growth meeting. Dr. Paulette Coleman is President of the 2nd Episcopal District Lay Or- ganization. She has lectured and con- ducted seminars throughout the U.S.A., Africa, and the isles of the sea, including Bermuda. Dr. Coleman is Senior Scientist and Division Mana- ger at a private applied behavioral re- search firm in Washington, DC. She holds the Ph.D. from M.I.T., Cam- bridge, MA. Dr. James L. Davis is pastor of St. John A.M.E. Church in Birmingham, AL. He holds the Doctorate of Minis- try degree from I.T.C. His church building expertise and expansion work brought fresh challenge to the Church Growth sessions. Rev. Dr. Reginald Jeffery Hamp- ton, Presiding Elder of the Hot Springs District in Arkansas, and former col- lege president, served as one of the seminar meditation leaders. Rev. Albert D. Tyson, III, pastor of one of Chicago’s metropolitan church- es, St. Stephen A.M.E. Church, with some 3,000 members, was one of the planners for the Seminar and helped in the actualization of the success. Rev. Attorney James Golden, who is pastor of Hurst Chapel A.M.E. Church in Orlando and a practicing at- torney with an Orlando law firm, gave full support to the Evangelism-Growth Seminar. Rev. Dr. George Flowers is pastor of the Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church in Summerton, SC, holds the Doctorate of Ministries degree from Boston Uni- versity, and serves as Associate Direc- tor of the Youth Development Pro- gram in South Carolina and in many other positions of leadership in that state. Rey. Grainger Browning, Jr., pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Ft. Washington, MD, holds the Master of Divinity degree from Howard Univer- sity. He was programmed to help make the success that the Seminar en- joyed. General Officer Joseph C. McKin- ney, Treasurer of the A.M.E. Church, who was employed for more than thir- ty years as Research Engineer by the U.S. Department of Defense, gave counsel and consultation, making the Seminar richer. He is an honored grad- uate of A&T State University, Greens- boro, NC. Rev. P. H. Lewis is pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Mobile, AL. He was educated at Daniel Payne College, Ruffin Nichols Seminary and the Ur- ban Training Center, Chicago, IL. Having hosted the historic Martin Luther King, Jr., march from Selma to Montgomery, and, with much church- and community-related involvement, he is vital to any growth movement. Rev. Fred Lucas Rev. Fred A. Lucas, a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and pastor of historic Bridge Street A.M.E. Church, is a legend in his own time. He has added more than 1,200 new members and seven new ministerial staff persons to the church. His budget has expand- ed from $261,000 to more than $700,000. Rev. Dr. Adam J. Richardson, Jr., is pastor of the new multi-million- dollar Bethel A.M.E. Church that he built in Tallahassee, FL. It is affec- tionately referred to as the “A. J. Richardson Gospel Mall.’’ He received his doctoral degree from I.T.C. in Atlanta, GA. Dr. John R. Bryant Rev. Dr. John R. Bryant is pastor of the 6,000-member church in Balti- more, MD. He holds the Doctor of Ministry degree from Colgate Divinity School, Rochester, NY. His phenom- enal church growth and programs made for an added dimension to the first Church Growth Seminar. Dr. Bruce thanks all of the mention- ed persons in this news release, and all others, including his wife and many other friends whose names do not ap- pear here, for making this First Annual Growth Seminar a success. Following articles to be released will name all bishops and general officers who came to Orlando to make New Year’s his- tory for the church’s third century. Dr. Bruce Issued The Following Statement The great majority of our churches in African Methodism want to grow, but the startling realization today is 75 to 80 percent of the churches in the connection have plateaued or are in decline. I am more than convinced that de- nominational church leaders, like you, have the most significant role in help- ing a large number of churches turn this statistic around and witness invig- orating new life and growth. The commencing of the third cen- tury of African Methodism will con- cern itself with church growth and it is the goal of the Department of Worship and Evangelism, sponsoring these sem- inars, to undergird local congregations in their efforts to evangelize, nurture and grow. The Department of Worship and Evangelism staff wishes to extend sin- cere thanks to our Commission Chair- person, Bishop F. C. James; the Epis- copal Host, Bishop Philip R. Cousin; Bishops, General Officers, Connec- tional Officers, Presiding Elders, Pas- tors, Missionary Workers, Laity, and Seminar participants for the support and encouragement given in this en- deavor. May the New Year, 1988, be the time of love, peace, and growth for the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Bishop Ernest L. Hickman Says, “Thank You!” It is with deep gratitude that I say “thank you” to the many, many kind and thoughtful friends and constituents throughout the African Methodist Episcopal cHurch who have remembered me in so many ways as we observed the special Holiday Season just past. Your expressions of loving concern have given me great joy. May God bless everyone of you and may you enjoy abundant living in the year of 1988. Bishop (Retired) Ernest L. Hickman 1320 Oakcrest Drive, SW Atlanta. GA 30311 0 Ea ===== DSC05429.JPG ===== 16 The AME Christian Recorder ee SY 1988 Alderman Timothy Evans, Rev. David C. Coleman, Jr., Bishop Vinton Anderson, Bishop S. S. Morris and Presiding Elder W. D. Davis paused during a Bicentennial event for pictures A.M.E. Church Bicentennial ‘Logo Markers”’ Produced By an A.M.E. Layperson R. M. Stanfield, Sr., is the only Black manufacturer of plaques in the U.S.A. It is with a deep sense of humility that I write this article. | consider it a distinct privilege to have been granted the honor of manufacturing this item for the entire African Methodist Epis copal Church. Plaques Installed 1. Rt. Rev Alexander Payne, Wilberforce University Daniel 2. Rt. Rev, Richard Allen, Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church 3, Philadelphia-Delaware, Balti more Trek, Bethel A.M.E Church, Baltimore, MD 4. Bishop Henry McNeal Turner and others, Emanuel A.M.I Church, Charleston, SC 5, Bishop Henry McNeal Turner, First Black Chaplain, U.S, Mil itary, St. Philip Monumental A.M.E. Church, Savannah, GA I feel that I would be remiss if I did not inform the membership of our Zion have such prior knowledge that I along with others who may not of these and other contributions have been privileged to render for our Zion First, I created and designed the logo, which, in due course and for the first time in the glorious history of the A.M.E ly accepted, African Methodist Episcopal Church Church, became the universal official emblem of the To have accomplished this was, by no means, a simple feat Second, I was granted the privilege, once again, of manufacturing not only the logo insignia of the Women’s Mis- sionary Society of the A.M.E. Church designed by the late Mrs. Hazel Gomez, but of putting this logo into a plaque form. This effort was in con junction with a promotion on behalf of Mrs. Margaret Tyson and Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, who, at the time of its inception, was Director of the Young People’s Division, WMS, A.M.B. Church. This Y.P.D or prompted me to devise and manu endeav facture pins, plaques, embiems, sta well as many other allied items, which have contributed to hionery, etc as the promotion of the theme of the Y.P.D I was also asked to *Grow—Go—Glow!’ create a logo for the connectional Lay Organization of the A.M.E. Church edge, | am the only Black manufac turer of plaques in the United States To my knowl | broadened my horizons and turned my attention to the Protestant Episco pal Church, designing and manufactur ing the ‘*Crest’’ of the denomination in a plaque form, Recognizing the di! ficulty at times of locating an A.M.F “outdoor Church, 1 introduced the By this time | had decided to print a brochure which street directional signs.” contained items that | had produced for our Zion, I was commissioned by Rev Lovell Johnson (the Anvil Man’’) to design/manu facture an an vil, including a bas-relief of our lustrious founder, the Rt. Reverend Richard heights, I Allien. Striving for other to tc received a co design/develop/manufacture the Cen tennial Medallion for the Women's Missionary Society, A.M.1 rel For me to have been selected to do this job for the Society was—and still is—a There have been many Other occa- sions for accomplishment in my life to date, including the manufacture of the official plaque for the Progressive Baptist Church (Fellowship-Progres- sive-Service-Peace), the National Bap- tist Convention, U.S.A., Inc. (Cross- Crown), and, at this point in my en- deavors, the taking of the Flame Cross of the United Methodist Church and putting it into plaque form, there- by making me one of the few Black vendors for Cokesbury Looking back over the years, I recall many of the individuals whom it has been my joy to work for, from Pres- idents of the United States, Heads of foreign governments and dignitaries from all walks of life, to laypersons throughout the world *To God be the glory!”’ Mrs. Christine Chambliss Zad Vice President Connectional Women's Missionary Society SRN NANA NNN NAAN AANA aaa al EE | Allen's coming to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ was similar in content to that | of John Wesley who # I said that he felt his || ‘heart beating strange- i ly warm.” | Rey. John White I Bethel A.M.E. Church Miami, Florida | Dr. Dorothy Peck Ist Vice President Connectional Women's Missionary Society
• January 25, 1988
  ===== DSC05402.JPG ===== Vol. 137, No. 9 January 25, 1988 PRICE: 50 CENTS Methodist Episcopal Church 1787-1987 Big Bethel, Atlanta, Celebrates 140 Years 18M Employees Bishop H. I. Bearden Bishop F. M. Reid, Jr. Dr. McKinley Young Historial Records indicate that our con- gregation (Old Bethel, Bethel, The African Methodist Episcopal Tabernacle, and Big Bethel) had its origin in the Union Church in 1847. In 1865 Bishop Daniel Payne sent Rev. James Lynch to organize the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South. In Atlanta, Rev. Joseph Woods became the organizing pastor of Big Bethel, and served as the spirit- ual leader until 1865. The church was first build on Jenkins Street, later on Wheat Street and finally on the corner of Auburn Avenue and Butler Street. Since 1847 Big Bethel, with a noble leg- acy and a rich heritage, has sought to serve the people of Godin Atlanta dili- gently and faithfully. To this 140th Celebration we invited a distinguished and compelling preach- er of the Gospel, Bishop E. L. Hick- man, to inspire and lift us up at our One Night Revival held recently. Bishop Hickman preached on the sub- ject, ‘Carry Your Corner: The True Mission of the Church.’’ An enthusias- tic congregation listened intently to African Methodism’s Preaching Bishop. Bishop H. I. Bearden, retired Senior Bishop, elevated to the Episcopacy from the pulpit of Big Bethel in 1964, stirred the early morning congregation with his vast historical knowledge, spiritual fervor and prophetic fire. Bishop Frederick H. Talbot, Chief Pastor of the Sixth Episcopal District, whose schedule prevented his presence, joined hands with Pastor McKinley sary Speaker at the 10:45 a.m. Wor- ship Service. Bishop Reid challenged the congregation to be relevant in the 21st Century. He assisted in the dedi- cation of the Anita Brown Glover Organ of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church, the signal effort of our congregation in this bicentennial year of our denomi- nation. Big Bethel has had 32 pastors since its founding, four of which have been elected Bishops in the A.M.E. Church: W. J. Gaines, 1808; J. S. Flipper, 1908; I. N. Ross, 1916, and H. I. Bearden, 1964. The entire congregation, along with Young, candidate for-Bishop-1988,-the-----our~many. friends. in- Metro. Atlanta, officers and members of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in extending an invita- tion to Bishop Frank Madison Reid, Jr., President of the General Board and Presiding Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District, to be the Anniver- around the state of Georgia, and across the length and breadth of our great connection, are working hard to elevate our son, Rev. McKinley Young, to the Episcopacy in July 1988. We solicit your prayers and support. Bishop Brookins Spearheads and Whacks Million Dollar Debt at Shorter College by A. Lee Henderson Bishop H. H. Brookins North Little Rock, AR—Bishop H. Hartford Brookins, Presiding Prelate of the 12th Episcopal District (Arkan- sas and Oklahoma), has long felt a real commitment to education. As a result, he has taken the lead in an effort to retire a million dollar debt owed to the Federal Government by Shorter College. This obligation was incurred when an audit revealed 1.1 million dollars was due the Federal Government. Since that indebtedness Shorter Col- lege has experienced circumstances where business and civic leaders have expressed concern about the future of the school. With this debt present, Bishop Brookins knew that the viabil- ity of the school must be demonstrat- ed to renew confidence and once again secure the support of donors. Under the leadership of Bishop Brookins, the Shorter College Board of Trustees has reduced the indebted- ness from $1.1 million to approximate- ly $280,000. Fund raising activities will continue with the prospect that the re- maining amount will be secured. “There are good reasons to be opti- mistic,’’ according to Bishop Brookins. ‘‘Shorter College has done an excellent job to position itself as a valuable institution to change the educational landscape in the 12th Episcopal District. If we put all of our shoulders to the wheel and get behind our school, we can provide our young people with that opened door to higher education that equalizes their chances to succeed in society.”’ During this period of fundraising and new life for the college, Shorter has also installed a new interim presi- dent, Dr. H. Benjamin Williams. Im- mediately after assuming this post in July 1987, Dr. Williams began to work closely with Bishop Brookins, and with civic and religious leaders. In addition to his activities with the debt retire- ment, Dr. Williams has targeted in- creased enrollment, additional alumni support, striving for excellence in scholarship, and improved relation- ships throughout the 12th Episcopal District as priority items for the col- lege and this new administration. Shorter College is also proud to note that it is currently the recipient of a new 1.5 million dollar federal grant, which is administered by Dr. Williams. Bishop Brookins, Dr. Williams and the Board of Trustees hope that 1988 will see the retirement of this indebted- ness which has held back the progress of Shorter College of what the found- ing fathers intended for it to be. Bishop Brookins states, ‘‘Our church colleges were started with the single, thriving idea that all of our children should have an opportunity to receive a higher education. We must not see these institutions closed at a time when we need them more than ever. I will continue to work very hard to make the opportunity available to all per- sons seeking a higher education.”’ Bishop Brookins went on to say, “‘Our slave forefathers founded these institu- tions of higher learning with their meager talents. We, today, have great- er financial resources, therefore, we cannot close these institutions. How- ever, we do need to do whatever is necessary as churchmen and educators to upgrade them.”’ Challenge South Africa Sales Seven IBMers, including the leaders of Black employee organizations, have submitted a shareholder resolution calling on IBM to ‘‘end its de facto support for apartheid’ by halting sales to South Africa. Although IBM sold its facilities in South Africa, it contin- ues to sell computers there through a new company it helped establish be- fore departing last March 1. The resolution charges that ‘‘IBM’s sales patterns fit and maintain the’ apartheid model of inequality and white supremacy.’’ In a letter published in the Los Angeles Times on April 19, 1986, IBM management acknowledged that in South Africa ‘‘very few of our customers are Black.”’ “By selling high-tech products almost exclusively to white customers in South Africa,” resolution author James Leas said, “IBM has fallen into an extreme model of apartheid inequality. IBM sales support one side in the racial conflict, the minority rulers.” Leas is an IBM electronics engineer. The resolution is being cosponsored. _ by Ken Branch, head of the National Black Workers Alliance of IBM Employees, a group of over 500 IBM employees; by Spencer Chambliss, head of People for Progress, a civic and social organization composed of Black IBM employees; and by the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility, a coalition of church groups opposed to apartheid. Spencer Chambliss said “IBM sales to South Africa are the only reason | ever feel reluctant to say | work for IBM. This resolution is one way we can help the company change that policy.” Ken Branch added, “It is extremely embarrassing to admit that the corporation is still selling computers in South Africa. Many religious and social leaders are rightfully asking that we boycott companies doing business in South Africa. This causes a conflict in the minds of many employees, black and white, who otherwise like working for IBM. IBM must stop selling to South Africa.” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: The Private Man The many facets of the private side of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. are showcased in a special section, “The Intimate King,” in the January Ebony. Ebony shows rare photographs ranging from Dr. King sharing a private humorous moment with his wife Coretta Scott King, to his blowing out the candles on his 36th birthday cake. The January Ebony also features: “The Continuing Struggle For A National King Holiday,” “Remembering The Young King,” and “Advice For Getting What You Want In 1988.” T7179 =] rs 19119 * [CHARD F. NORR ST BARRINGER ~ADEL PH TA DR. ===== DSC05403.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder January 25, 1988 The Hands of Doomsday Clock Have Been Set Back Much transpired at the Super Power Summit Conference between two lead- ers of the two most powerful nations of the world on December 7, 1987. Russia’s Chief Executive Officer, Mikhail Gorbachev, said, ‘‘A poor peace is better than a good quarrel.’’ Mr. Gorbachev and President Ron- ald Reagan met to make ‘‘WISDOM ARRANGEMENTS”’ by the reduc- tion of war missiles and the banning of nuclear weapons. That was history in the making, where common sense and reason have won a peace treaty of a sort. A young school child was asked, “‘What do you think about Mr. Reagan and Mr. Gorbachev’s meeting to talk about peace?’’ The youngster said, ‘‘I think it’s not what they did, but what they are going to do that’s important. Will they really keep the peace?’’ The summit talks were very strong, especially when they talked about no more nuclear weapons for an eternity. Austin Kiplinger, a Washington news editor, assessing the summit, said, “Don’t read too much into the current summit talks. Important, but mainly as a stepping-stone to more significant future discussions. Remember, the deal covers only 3% of the two nation’s nuclear arsenals. Agreements on more comprehensive reductions will be MUCH harder to reach. Meanwhile, the treaty is a political grand slam for Reagan and Gorbachev. “As for what comes next. . .U.S. and Russia have different goals, and any hope of even broader agreements must take that fact into account. The Rus- sians want first to reduce the nuclear threat to their homeland. . .second to get the U.S. out of Europe. U.S. aims to maintain a deterrant to Soviet aggression and wangle reductions in Russian troops and tanks. Balancing the difference will take years . . .beyond Reagan’s term. He’s unlikely to sign a wide-ranging treaty at the Moscow summit in ’88. That’s a goal for the next President. . .and Gorbachev or his successor.”’ Well, the fact that they are talking about and agreeing to the dismantling and destruction of medium and short-range missiles constitutes a vital and necessary beginning. That does, indeed, set the hands of doomsday’s clock back. These treaties do deal with those possibilities that can destroy the human race. The world is concerned about the potential for its destruction by man-conceived and man-made devices. The one great threat, of course, is the nuclear power that is so lethal and devastating that survivors would choose death over life. Someone phrased it, ‘THE LIVING WOULD ENVY THE DEAD.”’ This is what all seem to agree on as the only results of a nuclear war; life would have no further meaning to any who might survive. When one looks at nuclear power and the performance abilities of this ‘‘miracle power,”’ and reflects on the attitudes of those who hold the control—or who may come to possess that capacity—rational beings, both secular and religious, will be glad that the hands of the doomsday clock have been pushed back just a little bit. You see, it doesn’t really make factual difference whether our neighbors or our enemies like us or we like them. The issue is SURVIVAL—and I don’t mean survival of the fittest. In this nuclear age, SURVIVAL is the order of the age, today and all of our tomorrows. This editor agrees that we need genuine action in this day of nuclear power which can very easily become the world’s doomsday or Judgment Day as a result of a tragic nuclear disaster that will become THE holocaust. I concur ROBERT H. REID, JR. OCRAMAAQoAdo QA WWW QU ww» qu vu wu wu xu quou won www wwwowWweawM iw WWW The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi- weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday Schoo! Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The AM.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver- tising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A, Lee Henderson. Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Or. J. W. Yancy, I, The Roving Editor; Dr. Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. H. L. Felix, Special Editor, Dr. Jimmie James, Jr, Music Editor, Rev. Miss Nurjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor; Atty, Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor; Rev. W, F. Ball, Jr, Public Relations Editor, Mrs. Theima A. Wills, Contributing Editor, Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs. Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor, Mrs Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor, Rev, Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor, Rev. E. L Blankenship, Regional Editor, Rev, W, J. Jackson, Regional Editor; Atty, Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor; Dr. J. W. P, Collier, Overseas Correspondent; Or W.0 Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr, Kenneth S. Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Capt Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mra. Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. 0 Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor; Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor; Or, Willlam P. DeVeaux Career Development Editor; Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor; Rev Ceci! Murray, Contribut- ing Editor. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters trom its readers on matters of general interest, All letters must be signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E, Christian Recorder will occa sionally withhold the name of a writer of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given, No defamatory, libelous or slanderous letters will be printed; and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder reserves (he right to re ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, atyle and space requirements NANANNAANANANANAANA NAAN ANA NAA aa DAWA NNN NNN AN NANA NNT that one of the most urgent options of the 21st century for us all is to choose life that mankind may live with the benefits of nuclear power. Our priorities must be established so that the world can be a liaven. Defense for life, and not death and destruction, should claim our best efforts. Feeding the hungry, housing the poor, educating the illiterate, providing medicine and health care for the sick, and making jobs for the unemployed Ought to be an important agenda for every nation and, particularly, for the wealthier governments. Nations and individuals owe something to our children and theirs. Recogni- tion of the Sovereign and Superior Intelligence of the Universe would help mankind, even in a crisis, to develop a basic and verifiable trust and apprecia- tion for one’s fellowman, for one’s neighbor. Let us hope that there are enough COMMON SENSE people in this world to keep any leader of the world from destroying this universe by accident or on purpose. If this is not the answer, then let us truly hope that God will not let the world that He created be destroyed by nuclear power or any other power that would wreak needless suffering on humankind. Whether you believe that God created this world and gave it purpose, or that, through evolution and by accident the world came to be, we are all here and none should play the part of a fool or an idiot and help destroy the good earth and its inhabitants by DOOMSDAY POWER—or any other POWER! So, let’s not just set the hands back on doomsday’s clock. It’s best we stop the clock at five minutes ’til midnight, or five minutes before doomsday, and live happily ever after. ee Lt ttt | SUBS CRPBaaS to the Christian Recorder The bi-monthly newspaper to keep you informed about your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Send check or money order payable to. A. Lee Henderson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB 500 Kighth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 City/State/Zip _ aii aa ' : ' { 1 i 1 H Please print. Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. 4 : ' ' Name 1 H 1 t nee eee ~ : ; 1 ; 1 ; 1‘ : o f a by OAM eee miaeyele yey “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W, Robinson, Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer Vv CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND CIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY NTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY Y THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHI CHURCH ethodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name address, zip, phone number to This Week in African-American History” Box 19024 ¢ Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part Il How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part Il For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world { its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world ===== DSC05404.JPG ===== January 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Reverend Felix Receives Northern Calif ~ J Conference Lay Organization Pastor Of The Year Award Rev. Felix D. Dancy The Northern California Confer- ence Branch Lay Organization of the Fifth Episcopal District recently pre- sented its first Service Award for ‘‘Pastor Of The Year’’ to Rev. Felix Delano Dancy, pastor of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Berkeley, CA, a lead- ing candidate for the office of Secretary-Treasurer/Church Exten- sion Department of the A.M.E. Church. Speaking to a packed house on the occasion on which the award was pre- sented to Pastor Dancy, Mrs. Helen Helton, President of the Conference Branch Lay Organization, expressed appreciation for Pastor Dancy’s sup- port of Lay Organization activities and meetings in his local church, as well as on the Conference, District and Con- nectional levels. Mrs. Helton praised Pastor Dancy for being not just a man of words, but a man of works to sup- port his words. Mrs. Helton stated that, when the members of the Confer- ence Branch Lay Organization agreed to give this award to one of the minis- ters of the California Conference and began to select a worthy recipient, Pas- tor Dancy was their unanimous choice. In accepting the handsome plaque, Pastor Dancy thanked the Laity of the Conference for bestowing upon him the honor of being the first recipient of the Pastor of the Year Service Award. Pastor Dancy, who is deeply sensitive to the urgent need for developing a program for the next century of the A.M.E. Church’s growth and ministry in a changing and challenging world, shared with the audience his dreams and vision for the future of the Church Extension Department. Pastor Dancy, who is optimistic that he will be elected the new Secretary- Treasurer with the prayers and support of the Connectional Church, highlight- ed a few of the plans that he proposes to institute after assuming the office: 1. To work with the Bishops, Con- ference Trustees, Pastors and local parishioners in selecting or developing suitable houses of worship for new and young congregations. 2. To develop a program of loan guarantees and to provide some limit- ed collateralization of loans. 3. To advance a program to gener- ate funds to supplement the Depart- ment’s annual allocation. 4. To build a working relationship with other related Departments of the Church to cooperatively provide the necessary early undergirding that will ensure the success of new work being carried out under Episcopal direction. 5. To support and give guidance and direction to congregations developing or expanding extended ministry pro- jects. 6. To provide efficient, effective, productive, profitable and accountable administration of the Church Exten- sion Department. Pastor Dancy will bring to the office a wealth of experience and a solid busi- ness and pastoral background. His election is an investment in the future of the A.M.E. Church. Your support and vote is solicited to elect Pastor Felix Delano Dancy to the office of Secretary-Treasurer of the Church Ex- tension Department in Fort Worth in 1988. “GO AND GROW WITH DANCY” The Dancy Election Committee Mrs. Esther A. Hemphill, Public Relations Committee = by R. J. Hampton There are mountains and valleys, harvests and springs in all of our lives. This need not be if we could but learn to plant at harvest- time. Every True AME should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hym- nal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly Reduced j The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our chu! rch. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God's word, and worship Him, in the language of their needs and aspirations today. BOW-815 Please include 13% postage and handling «- -$5.00 Stallone, Madonna Make Rich List wy by James M. Kennedy New York, NY—The richest captain of the entertainment industry still smokes a big cigar. Comedian Bill Cosby is the world’s highest paid entertainer, with estimat- ed earnings of at least $84 million in 1986 and 1987, according to Forbes magazine. The stogie-chomping Cosby—ttelevi- sion star, best-selling author and ubiq- uitous commercial pitchman—is a one-man growth industry, the maga- zine says in its September 21, 1987, issue, Cosby’s earnings will jump from $27 million in 1986 to at least $57 mil- lion this year, Forbes says. And that doesn’t count the syndication value of this year’s episodes of his hit TV series, The Cosby Show, or his invest- ment in such enterprises as a Florida television station and a Coca-Cola bot- tler in New York. If Cosby got paid today for the re- run value of this year’s 28 shows, the comedian’s income could swell to almost $100 million in 1987, the maga- zine predicts. “If Cosby continues to rack up earnings like this,’’ the magazine said, ‘the is all but certain to be the first en- tertainer to become a billionaire.’’ By comparison, America’s top- grossing executive, Chrysler Corpora- tion’s Lee Iacocca, collected a measly $32 million over 1985 and 1986, the most recent two-year period for which Forbes has kept executive pay records. The magazine notes that the top 10 averaged at least $20 million for the last two years. Iacocca is the only chief executive who approaches that income level. The Forbes ranking also contains another 30 entertainers, the lowliest of whom—TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey—earned $10 million over 1986-1987. Eighteen of the 40 made their fortunes in the music business, and five of the 40 are women. In addi- tion to Madonna, Whitney Houston and Winfrey, the other women on the last are Jane Fonda and Barbara Strei- sand. Top-Paid Entertainers: 1) Bill Cosby, actor and author, $84 million; 2) Sylvester Stallone, actor and screen- writer, $74 million; 3) Bruce Spring- steen, rock singer, $56 million; 4) Charles M. Schulz, Peanuts cartoonist, $55 million; 5) Eddie Murphy, come- dian and actor, $50 million; 6) Steven Spielberg, movie maker, $50 million; 7) Madonna, singer and actress, $47 million; 8) Whitney Houston, pop singer, $44 million; 9) Michael Jack- son, pop singer, $43 million, and 10) Johnny Carson, TV host, $40 million. God to Be Female in Hymnal Nashville, TN—God will be referred to as ‘‘mother’’ in two hymns in the new 625-hymn United Methodist hymnal, according to potentially explosive ac- tion taken Friday by the denomina- tion’s hymnal committee. “*T think this is a gift we can give to the church even if it’s not a pleasant surprise,’’ said Rev. Beryl Ingram- Ward, of Bellevue, WA. ‘‘One of these days it will be far more accept- able to think of God as father and mother. I know that sounds strange to many of us now.’’ She Lord Is Lhe Sireagth f My Gf ===== DSC05405.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 25, 1988 Statement to Pope John Paul II, by Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Spokesperson for Representatives of Christian People In the U.S.A., Columbia, South Carolina Bishop Philip R. Cousin It is a privilege and an honor to pre- sent this statement on behalf of the Anglican, Orthodox and Protestant Christians in this historic meeting. 1. As representatives of Christian people in the United States of Amer- ica, we welcome you, Pope John Paul II, in our country and in this city on this occasion. We greatly appreciate that you have made this visit to our country, for we believe that it is impor- tant that you become better acquaint- ed with Christianity in America and with our nation, and that we as Chris- tians and citizens here, increase our understanding of you, and your minis- try. 2. We wish to express our gratitude and joy for this occasion, which has been initiated at your request, and occurs as a result of your own ecu- menical commitment. We view this meeting as one of historic significance. The prayers and the hopes of many American Christians uphold us in this meeting, that it may represent another step in the journey of reconciling the divided people of God. The Churches In America 3. As Bishop of Rome and chief pastor of your church, you have come here today as an ecumenical pilgrim. By this very action you symbolize much of what is the United States. Most of the people of our land, either personally or in their family histories, share the immigrant experience. Some found their place here by forced slav- ery or impressment. But with the ex- ception of Native Americans, citizens ofthis country keep in their memory a journey and a heritage from other places of culture. South Carolina is an illustration of this characteristic. In this place are native Americans— Black and White persons—most of whom are Christians. Early in the his- tory of this state, Anglicans, Baptists, Lutherans, Methodists, Roman Catho- lics and other Christians settled here. In its diversity South Carolina is typi- cal of the American scene. 4. You will again notice, as you no doubt did during other visits to the United States, that this nation is like no other you have encountered during your extensive travels, This is true cul- turally and socially, and it is also true of our religious life. Many of our earliest immigrants from Europe— Jew and Christian alike—came here seeking religious freedom, From the beginning of our constitutional life we have had a commitment to freedom of religious expression, though some- times unrealized. We have neither an- cient sees nor state churches, a gather- ing of Christian traditions, American Christians have been shaped by this pluralism, which includes freedom of religious expression, and have helped in turn to influence the nature of this pluralism, The variety of church life almost exceeds imagination. It in- cludes the Roman Catholic church, the Black churches, the Orthodox church- es, movements and organizations with American origins, and a variety of forms of witness. 5. In the course of American his- tory religious identities and divisions have been questioned and tested. Some Christians are challenged in their identity in America. Some are seeking an overarching and basic Christian identity that is beyond and behind the present identities and divisions. The encounter of living communities repre- senting Western Christianity and East- ern Christianity, for example, gives the opportunity for mutual discovery of the Christian Tradition, including life, faith and spirituality. 6. In our time, pressures of secular- ism and materialism are great through- out the world as they are here. Never- theless, church attendance here is com- paratively high. The vast majority of Americans report in annual surveys that they believe in God. This reflects the paradox of being a most religious and secular people simultaneously. A sense of religious strength is present among us, which may offer the possi- bility of unique evangelical expression and ecumenical advance. Trends and Issues 7. Today, moral and ethical values are being questioned, reflecting change in the diverse and complex American scene. Inadequacies of the past and present are being acknowledged. For examples, we experience changes in re- lationships between women and men, the role of state and church in various aspects of family life, and the relation- ships between the poor and those who establish structures which either per- petuate or seek to ameliorate these conditions. While current trends can be threatening, they can also be liber- ating. The present situation is not only a social challenge and source of per- sonal pain, but is a theological chal- lenge to Christianity in America to re- spond with integrity. 8. There is among us in the United States a heightened consciousness of the profound problems of the world and our nation, These include the issues of hunger, injustice, poverty, sexism, racism and militarism, There is particular concern about the oppres- sion of Blacks, Hispanics, Native Americans, Asians, and women, and the needs of those who have disabili- ties. This oppression exists in both society and the churches, New ways must be developed to address it wher- ever it is found. 9. Such concerns necessarily involve the themes of justice, authority, and the movement of the Holy Spirit in society and church, These concerns in the church relate to personal free- doms, freedom of inquiry, the author- ity of bishops and other church lead- ers, and even the authority of Scripture and traditions, The spirit is the source of a liberty which permits us faithfully to renew traditions and to be open to new occasions which call for new duties. 10. There is also among us in the United States a continuing deep inter- est in the Bible and its application to life and society. This has taken various directions among Christians, with a re- sulting spectrum of understandings and applications. In all of this we sense a spiritual yearning which cannot be satisfied by secularism or materialism. 11. There is as well among us an in- creasing interest in spirituality. In the midst of our materialism, Bible study, retreats, meditation, and prayer are in the ascendancy. 12. A continuing interest in ecumenism is also present among us. The councils and associations of churches across this country, the dia- logues, and continuing relationships between churches all keep the vision of ecumenism alive. The dialogues among some of us have produced a movement of convergence indicated in such a landmark document as Bap- tism, Eucharist and Ministry. There is interest in the official response of your own church to this document. 13. There is also in our nation a re- newed attention to Christian witness and evangelism. This is widespread, in- volving both the traditional churches and para-church organizations in a wide variety of contexts and methods. There is continuing debate about the manner of responsible and effective witness. Points of Conversation 14. I) Christians share a concern for moral values because of their com- mon desire to witness to faith in Jesus Christ. Issues such as social justice, family life, the impaci of technologies, stewardship of creation, and global peace remain urgent for us. In what concrete way is collaboration possible with the Roman Catholic Church to promote justice, to exercise compas- sion, and to search for the peace of the resurrection? 15. II) Christians share a concern for the evangelical mission of the Church. Does our commitment to the proclamation of the Gospel to the world bring us together or keep us apart? With growing insights into the principles of common witness resulting from closer contact and dialogue, how can we work with the Roman Catholic Church in concrete ways to bring the witness of the Gospel to unbelievers? 16. III) Christians recall with hu- mility the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ for the unity of the Church. Since the Second Vatican Council much has happened through theologi- cal dialogues and various contacts among churches resulting in an in- creased awareness of Christian com- munity (koinonia). Based on the con- siderable and careful work since the Council, how can we work with the Roman Catholic Church in concrete ways to take practical and responsible steps now to manifest this Koinonia? Oe Better Keep Yourself Clean And Bright; You Are The Window Through Which You Must See The World.’’ —George Bernard Shaw Basic Sunday School Growth In Black Methodist Churches by A. Lee and Bobbye J. Henderson. Basic Sunday School Growth in Black Methodist Churches is a book created to fill the void of teaching and organizational tools that Black Methodist Churches lack. It is a new approach to doing Sunday Schoo! work. Its fresh approach goes beyond the traditional teaching and organizational methods to focus on Sunday School growth. The clear, concise manner of the author gives courage to instructors as well as students, and this timely piece of literature will be embraced by all who read it. RA3555ALH Please send me ________ copies of Basic Sunday School Growth in Black Methodist Churches. Enclosed is payment in the amount of $ ____ plus 13% postage and handling. Name _ Church. Address City State Phone ee : AMEC Publishing House 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 ===== DSC05406.JPG ===== January 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Bethel A.M.E. Church, Co Politics The picture shows Judge Marquette Floyd, in the center, and Rev. Floyd N. Black, on the far end. During the last election in Suffolk County, located on Long Island, New York, Judge Floyd was the only male republican to sur- vive the election. He is a proud mem- ber of Bethel A.M.E. Church and is liberal in his thanks to Rev. Black for the part he and Bethel A.M.E. Church played in his reelection. His wife, Mil- dred, who stands at the other end of the picture indicating ‘‘we’re number one,”’ is by his side in church as well as politics and at home. Men’s Day Would you believe that the men of Bethel beat the ladies again? Well, they did. Mr. Colin Smith, Chairman of the Men’s Day effort led the men to a net of $30,000 for the day. You can believe that these men walk proud and stand tall around Bethel. Pastor Black is truly pleased with them. Mortgage Burning Pastor Black has led the Bethel Family in the burning of our second mortgage, clearing the church of debt on the parsonage and grounds. Both church and parsonage are free and clear. Bishop Frank C. Cummings pre- sided, and Bishop Decatur Ward Nichols, fondly known to Bethelites as “Our most distinguished member,’’ beamed with pride and paid glowing tribute to his Pastor, brother and sister Bethelites for a job well done. te piague, New York ““Yes, we are number one!’’ Pastor Black and this group rejoice after winning victory. Steward’s Day and Communion In spite of the fact that the weather- man had promised snow storms for Saturday and Sunday, on Sunday morning as Bishop and Mrs. Cum- mings approached the awaiting limou- : sine they were greeted with a sweet, warm, gentle breeze of fifty degrees. As they rode along they listened to the one hour broadcast on WNYG of Mrs. Cummings delivering a _prere- corded message to the women of Bethel, telling them to continue to strive for life and unification in Christ Jesus. She was the principal speaker for the Women’s Day Kickoff Service. The 1988 Women’s Day is scheduled No One Can Make You Feel Inferior Without Your Consent. @ THE BICENTENNIAL BOOK OF DISCIPLINE A MUST For Every AME Member—The Book of Laws governing every facet of our Church. GOLD DISCIPLINE AMEC — 0-415-01232-4 @ $7.95 ORDER FROM THE AMEC SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 EIGHTH AVENUE SOUTH NASHVILLE, TN 37203 Please add 13 postage and handling for Sunday, May Ist, and the goal set is $35,000.00. Bishop Cummings preach- ed powerful sermons both Saturday and Sunday at the Steward’s Annual Day. Converts Bethel has over one hundred con- verts so far this year. They had their first all night prayer vigil, fasting and praying as a weekly engagement for many of the members. Bible study is a fun experience with Rev. Charles Watkins as the Instructor. New mem- bers’ class is a must led by the Pastor and members of the Ministerial Staff. When we stop and look back, we all ask, ‘‘Is this Bethel, Copiague?’’ Pastor Black says, ‘‘This is it.’’ A Smile Never Goes Up In Price Nor Down In Value A Study Of The African Methodist Episcopal Church The Romance of AFRICAN METHODISM By GEORGE A SINGLETON The Romance of African Methodism George A. Singleton ; The late Dr. George A. Singleton, in his book entitled ‘‘The Romance of African Methodism,” traces the rise, expansion and development of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in the United States. The republication of the original manuscript, written by Dr. Singleton under the caption The Romance of African Methodism, is intended to serve, not alone as a survey of our denomination'’s growth and development but also as a commentary on the personalities who laid the founda- tions for Black freedom, equality and fraternity. It is a must for every AME. Makes an excellent gift. RA1-200173 Please add 13% postage and handling Xerox’s $5 Billion Man A. Barry Rand, 43, has made history by becoming the first Black to become president of Xerox’s $5 billion marketing Operation, reports the January Ebony. “Iam an overachiever, The keys to my success have been the legacy of the civil rights era, preparation, and performance,” explains Rand of his unusual upper-level corporate success, He is responsible for a work force of 33,000 that handles direct sales and service of Xerox products and systems. Although Rand moyes comfortably in the corporate world, he readily acknowledges his roots in Washington, D.C.’s Black community. “I've been able to deal with the Black world and the corporate world simultaneously. Obviously, roots are important, because they determine who you are and who you will be,” states Rand. C U In Conference SIXTEENTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT AME CHURCH ANNUAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULE JAMAICA ANNUAL CONFERENCE February 4-7, 1988 Chapel of Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church 15 Swallowfield Road Kingston 5, Jamaica, West Indies The Rev. B. S. Lawrence, Host Pastor The Rev. J. E. Meiklejohn, Host P.E. HAITI ANNUAL CONFERENCE February 11-14, 1988 St. Paul Egles A.M.E. Church Port-au-Prince, Haiti The Rev. Saul Louis, Host Pastor The Rev. Saul Louis, Host P.E. DOMINICAN REPUBLIC ANNUAL CONFERENCE February 18-20, 1988 New Bethel A.M.E. Church Jose Marti No. 251 Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic The Rev. Benito Jones, Host Pastor The Rev. Jorge G. Kelly, Host P.E. VIRGIN ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 3-6, 1988 St. Luke A.M.E. Church 28 Estate Grove, Fredericksted St. Croix, U.S. VI 00840 The Rev. Louis C. Davis, Host Pastor The Rey. Louis C. Davis, Host P.E. WINDWARD ISLANDS ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 10-13, 1988 Fountain A.M.E. Church 136 E. Main Road Barataria, Trinidad, West Indies The Rey. H. N. Embrack, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. Fleming Joseph, Host P.E. GUYANA-SURINAME ANNUAL CONFERENCE March 17-20, 1988 St. Peter’s A.M.E. Church Queenstown, Georgetown, Guyana, SA The Rev. U. A. Hendricks, Host Pastor The Rev. Dr. H. E. Hinds, Sr., Host P.E. The Conference Branch Annual Meeting of the Women’s Missionary Society will be held on the Wednesday preceding the Annuall Conference. ===== DSC05407.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 25, 1988 St. James A.M.E. Church Celebrates 138th Anniversary Havre de Grace; MD—Recently the members of St. James A.M.EB. Church, Havre de Grace, MD, started an observance of the 138th Anniver- sary of its church. This celebration is expected to continue one Sunday each month up until the end of this fiscal year. St. James A.M.E. Church is the old- est Black church in Havre de Grace, and is thought to be one of the two oldest Black churches in Harford County. The second church being Union United Methodist Church in Swan Creek, MD. Maryland was a border state during the Civil War, therefore, its sympa- thies were with both the north and the south. Therefore, there were both free and bond Blacks therein. Harford County was no exception. Havre de Grace was the second largest Black settlement in Maryland, having free Negroes and freed Blacks and runaway slaves in it. It was common knowl- edge, through the grapevine, that if a slave succeeded to get to Havre de Grace, they wouldn’t have to fear bon- dage ever again. Baltimore City was the first largest Black settlement in Maryland. In 1849 a small group of saints (free Blacks) from Havre de Grace and Stewartville, now known as Gravel Hill, saw the necessity of a church in this area. They met in the home (a double brick house) of Mr. and Mrs. James Peaco, who built their home on a tract of land near Havre de Grace, called at that time Zion Hill, now known as Ontario Extended, which Mr. Peaco had purchased in 1828. Here the first church was called “Mt. Zion Meeting House.”’ In 1850 the members of Mount Zion went to Philadelphia to their first A.M.E. Conference and prevailed upon Bishop A. W. Wayman to furnish them with a pastor. Rev. W. M. Waters was sent, thus becoming the first pastor. The men of the church built a small church building beside the Peaco home, and the people from far and near came in horse and buggy, buckboard, on foot and horseback from as far as Darling- ton, MD, to attend Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church. The members of the church elected Mr. James Peaco church trea- surer. Shortly after the church was built, a school was also established in the Peaco home (around 1852 or 1853). Mr. Peaco was a very progressive man, far beyond his time. He felt that Blacks should know how to read and write, so that they would not be cheat- ed by the White people. He secured teachers from the north to come to teach. Some of them were also the pas- tor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church, who preached on Sunday and taught school five days a week. One such person was Rev. Josiah Hughes who served 1870-71. In 1873, under the leadership of Rev. Joseph Robinson, plans were made for anew and larger church because of the membership. A plot of land was pur- chased on Green Street at the corner of Centennial Lane, which was centrally located in town. This made the church more accessible to the aged members of the church. The land was poor and swampy, and diagonally across Centennial Lane was a slaughter house. Hogs and cows were driven down the middle of the street to be slaughtered. There were only two houses on the street, how- ever, this area later became one of the choice spots in the community. The men of the church, with the aid of Mr. Tobias Skinner’s horse, brought the church building down from Zion Hill to its Green Street location in 1874. The Mitchell brothers were hired to do the construction on the building. Mr. James Peaco, who was still treasurer of the church, played a larger part in this operation, When the work was completed in 1875 under the pastorate of Rev. William Arnold, the congregation changed the church’s name from Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church to St. James A.M.E. Church, which stands today in honor of Mr. James Peaco. In 1883 Rev, John Cox, who was then pastor, saw to it that a parsonage was built to house the pastor. In 1904 Rev. Joseph Robinson returned, and a lecture hall was built behind the church. In 1924 Rev. Ross Barnum built a garage and put the parsonage on a foundation. The church has had sev- eral renovations since its present loca- tion. In 1928 Rev. Robert Stansbury, a native Harford Countian and great uncle to Rev. Marcus G. Stansbury, placed the choir in the back of the pulpit, put in a central heating system, stained glass windows in the church, and had the outside of the church stuc- coed. During the pastorate of Rev. Henry Thomas, from 1938 to 1949, the lec- ture hall was attached to the church and became the social hall and Sunday School room. The old-fashioned pump organ was replaced with a new electric organ, and the outside of the church was given a stone facing. Rev. Thomas was interested in the youth of the church, and each Sunday morning at worship service, we were favored by a youth duet (a soloist and a guitar player), Lillian Perkins and Robert Hill. Robert Hill is now a member of the Men’s Choir of the church. Rev. Thomas also organized the Junior Choir and Senior Choir No. 2. New altar furniture was added by the efforts of the officers and mem- bers of the Christian Endeavor League, consisting of pulpit and chairs. Bishop Hemingway appointed Rev. M. G. Carpentier to St. James in 1949. Rev. Carpentier had the parsonage ren- ovated for the first time since it had been built. He also established the Hamilton: Court A.M.E. Sunday School in Aberdeen, MD, as an exten- sion to the St. James Sunday School. Rev. Carpentier felt that even though it was considered a slum area by some, God should be in the midst of it. As a result of this two of the little Sunday School girls, Idenia Walls and Candice Copeland, grew up and are now mem- bers in good standing in St. James A.M.E. Church. In 1951 Bishop Hemingway appoint- ed Rev. Mack B. Simpson to St. James. He served for 15 years. During his stay here, the inside of the church was completely renovated to its pres- ent appearance. New pews and carpet- ing were added to the church. Glass doors were added to the outer ap- proach and swinging doors were added to the inner approach. A new and modern kitchen was installed, and modern rest rooms were moved inside the church. The Simpson Women’s Chorus was formed, who sang for eight years. They later expanded themselves to be- come the well-known Woman’s Unit- ed Choral Ensemble. Still later, they dropped the word ‘‘Woman,”’ and for the last eight years have added men to the group. During Rev. Simpson’s stay with us, Bishop Frank Madison Reid came on the scene, After preaching a dynamic sermon at a St, James morning service, Bishop Reid sat down and died, This registered deeply on the minds of the members for years to come in the his- tory of St. James. Bishop Baber fol- lowed him. Bishop Baber appointed Rey. Emmanuel G. Terrell to St. James. Rev. Terrell remained with us a year and a half, and became involved in home missions and denominational youth activities. He initiated improve- ments to the church property. He also had the deteriorating out-building which housed the old rest room facili- ties removed. In January 1967 Rev. Terrell established the Floral Club of St. James. Rev. R. L. Curtis was sent to finish out Rev. Terrell’s term. During those six months the accent on youth activi- ties continued. The Sunday School had a rapid growth and through the aid of Mrs. Curtis, then First Lady, a little children’s choir, ages 3 to 9 years, was formed and sang under the name of “‘God’s Little Children.’’ This later became known as Youth Choir #2. In 1968 Rev. Fred G. Jones became our pastor. Prior to Rev. Jones’ occu- pancy, the trustees, under the aegis of Brother George Hawkins, declared the parsonage unlivable and completely renovated it for the second time. Rev. Jones set up the central budget system and a finance room was added to the church, along with a finance commit- tee. Air conditioning was added to the sanctuary and a new organ was added to the choir. After serving three terms here, Rev. Jones was appointed presid- ing elder of the Eastern District of the Baltimore Annual Conference. Bishop Henry W. Murph appointed the very able preacher, Rev. William Vernon Sewell, along with his darling wife, both native Harford Countians, as leader of this branch of Zion. He worked toward modernizing the church room and social hall. He had a lounge added to the ladies rest room facilities. The sanctuary was recarpet- ed and extended to include the vesti- bule and the rear of the chancel rail. He realized an increase in membership as well as a more informed laity. Rev. Sewell’s goal was to liquidate the then present mortgage on the church. To do this he set in motion the Centennial Celebration, to fall during the summer of 1984, which was a momentus occa- sion in the history of St. James. Rev. Sewell fell ill right after the New Year of 1976 and died February 24, 1976, and was laid to rest Saturday, Febru- ary 28, 1976, in Fairview A.M.E. Cem- etery in his home community. Presiding Elder William E. Mosley conducted service the first Sunday, March Ist, and on the following Sun- day, Rt. Rev. Henry Murph sent a very young and energetic pastor, Rev. Earle M. Brooks, to be the leader of the flock. He saw to the purchasing of the property in the back of the church, which was badly needed, and a pas- tor’s study was built on to the church. New clocks, one in the sanctuary and one in the social hall, were added by two of the dedicated members. The death of the previous pastor left such an indelible impression on the young people under him that they formed a musical group and named it the Vernon Sewell Ensemble, which bought a new piano. New cooking utensils were purchased by the trustee- aid. New dishes and silverware were donated to the church by friends of St. James. Rev. Brooks stayed with us for three years. At the Baltimore Annual Confer- ence in April 1979, Bishop Murph sent another just as young and full of ener- gy, Rev. Robert M. Pritchett, to be our pastor, Through him a new par- sonage was obtained and remodeled, Also, the Young Adult Choir was es- tablished, which later became the St, James Ensemble, Rev. Pritchett was determined to get more men involved in the church work. A men's usher board was formed by the head usher, Beatrice James. Rev. Pritchett, still not satisfied, organized a men’s choir under the direction of his long-term friend, Brother Reginald Ryan, and Mrs. Delores Richardson (now Rev. Richardson). This brought the men of the church out, They seemed to fall out of every crack and cranny, and are now very active in the church. We real- ly didn’t know until this event that there were so many men in the church. Bishop John Hurst Adams, in 1984, sent to us a fiery, shouting, Holy Ghost preacher in Rev. Michael O. Thomas, along with his equally holy, spirited wife, Rev. Debyii S. Thomas, to minister to this branch of Zion. Ina little over a year the present mortgage was lifted. Bishop Adams preached and conducted the mortgage burning service. Attending the service was Har- ford County Sheriff Domenic Mele, his wife and mother-in-law. At present the men of the church, with the pastor’s permission, are about to put a new roof on the social hall of the church. Rev. Thomas’ intention to widen the sanctuary, as the congrega- tion has out grown the size of the church with a total membership of 364. Obituary Mrs. Katie Hagler, loved by many, departed this fair earth on Sunday, November 8, 1987. Born in Marianna, Florida, to Mr. and Mrs. Israel Pope. If you asked anyone who knew her, the response would be, ‘‘She’s like a mother to me.” Katie lived a beautiful and Chris- tian life. Along with her husband, Rev. Jacob Hagler, church was like a second home. Most everyone knew her as “Aunt Katie.’”? Most everyone will remember her as everything good! Katie is survived by one loving daughter, Clara; four grandsons, Emanuel, Marvin, Jimmy and An- thony; four great-grandsons, Darren, Keenan, Kareem and Dalone; four great-granddaughters, Tayna, Kaiesha, Vaikesha, Varmeka; two great-great- granddaughters, Tayna and Monique, and three daughters-in-law. Katie loved traveling. Many, many friends and relatives in New York and Florida will surely miss her warmth, love and kindness. No more traveling Katie Hagler. Heaven is now your home! A Great Loss “Harold Washington’s death represents a tragic loss to Chicago, to the nation, and to all black citizens. He was a bold fighter for equality, a champion of democratic principles, and a mayor who left his mark on his city. Harold Washington’s leadership will be greatly missed.” —John E. Jacob ee ===== DSC05408.JPG ===== January 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder The crowd listened with great enthusiasm during the session of the Planning Conference. A New Day Has Come to the Wichita/Omaha District On a crisp, Saturday, November morn, the sanctuary doors of St. Mark A.M.E. Church swung open at 9:45 a.m. However, by 10:00 a.m. the at- tendees to the Presiding Elder’s Plan- ning Meeting had filled the 200 seating capacity sanctuary and were looking for seats. This was the beginning of the Wich- ita/Omaha District Planning Meeting of the Kansas-Nebraska Conference, in the Fifth Episcopal District. Senior Bishop Henry W. Murph, in his godly judgment, which he has used well in his tenure of the 5th Episcopal District, appointed Dr. Theodore Roosevelt Evans for his third term at the helm of this great district. The Planning Meeting began with worship and praise to God through Christ for His goodness. Then we broke for a marvelous lunch, after which the Business Session began. The District theme is ‘‘Christian Unity Through Example.’’ The Dis- trict program, presented by Presiding Elder Evans, supports this theme. Let me share a few of the highlights of the program: I. The District Conference. . .spe- cial reenactment of the Last Sup- per. . . Workshops: Church Ad- ministration, Pulpit/Pew Eti- quette, Church Budgeting, The Work of the Stewardess, Sub- stance Abuse, AIDS... The Opening Sermon by Presiding Elder Richard Allen Washing- ton. A great Christmas gift! Record Album — $10.00 Cassette Tape — $10.00 (Shipping & Handling Included) Send Check or Money Order to: Reverend J. E. Taylor 7609 Ashford Court Savannah, Georgia 31406 PLEASE PRINT: Name How Shall We Celebrate? ORDER NOW! The Sermon every A.M.E. member should hear. The Annual Sermon—122nd Session of the Old Georgia Annual Conference. II. The Sunday School Convention —two day convention at Rock Spring Ranch—attendance goal of 250. Focus will be on Basic Sunday School Growth in Black Methodist Churches, by Dr. A. Lee Henderson. . .seminars also on teaching teachers to teach. III. District-wide Founder’s Celebration IV. Harvest Festival at the end of the Conference Year. This is a time of thoughtful reflection and re- joicing together as a district. Day Space does not allow justice to be given to Elder Evans for his thirty page, bound program. Believe me when I tell you, it is great and the church shall be uplifted. Also, Elder Evans has totally computerized his of- fice, wherein any information anyone needs about the district is at the touch of a key! Many in attendance were shocked, yet all were proud and inspired by the diligence and hard work of Elder Evans. The Wichita/Omaha District spans some 500 miles of territory, twenty churches, memberships ranging from 3 to 900, and salary that does not come up to the work load! The summation of the day was given by Rev. General Woods, seasoned pas- tor of 65 years at Gregg Memorial in Omaha, Nebraska, ‘‘Now we have something to work with here that’s not just A.M.E. truth, it’s the truth from earth to heaven!”’ Address Baldwin Cancer Victim Critically acclaimed writer, James Baldwin, died of cancer early Tuesday, December 1, 1987, at the age of 63. Born in New York City, Baldwin began writing after an early career as a young preacher. His first novel, Go Tell It on the Mountain, was published in 1953. Two years later his first col- lection of essays, Notes of a Native Son, won favorable critical acclaim. Following the success of Notes of a Native Son, Baldwin’s second novel, Giovanni’s Room, was published in 1956 along with his second collection of essays, Nobody Knows My Name, which brought him into the literary spotlight and established him as a ma- jor voice in American literature. Baldwin wrote his third novel, Another Country, in 1962. A year later he wrote, The Fire Next Time, which was an immediate btst-seller and was regarded as one of the most brilliant essays written in the history of the Black protest. Two of Baldwin’s most famous plays include, Blues For Mister Charlie and The Amen Corner. Other well- known novels are, Tell Me How Long the Train’s Been Gone and If Beale Street Could Talk. Lrofantt Ss Weak oa Voment The AMEC INFORMATION SYSTEM The complete church computer system designed specifially for the African Methodist Episcopal Church Contact the nation’s leading Church computer systems: AMEC - Bicentennial Special! $995.00 A.MLE. Sunday School Union ; Department 500 Eighth Avenue South Bishop R. E. Stokes The Rt. Rev. Rembert E. Stokes, Host Bishop Convenes: General Conference Headquarters Transportation I: Youth Activities: Family Banquet: Booths: (all) Courtesy & Hospitality: Transportation II: Courtesy cars and vans Souvenir Booklet and Program July 6-16, 1988, Ft. Worth, TX Worthington Hotel Tandy Center 200 Main Street Fort Worth, Texas 76102 817/870-1000 Rev. B. L. McCormick 1037 Morningside Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76104 817/924-2118 or 336-5326 Rev. W. B. Langham 2902 Prospect Street Fort Worth, Texas 76106 817/626-9462 Mrs. Sallye B. Coleman 3620 Avenue N%% Street Galveston, Texas 77026 409/762-9711 Mrs. Izean Davidson 4509 Rolling Hills Drive Fort Worth, Texas Rev. Richard Tankerson 4055 Frankford #912 Dallas, Texas 75252 214/248-6756 Rev. Albert L. Dunn 804 West 20th Street Houston, Texas 77008 409/864-6827 Rev. Revell B. Simpson §235 Bonnell Street Fort Worth, Texas 76107 817/738-6329 or 738-1529 Rev. James R. Anderson 5015 Rockport Drive Dallas, Texas 75232 214/376-1842 ===== DSC05409.JPG ===== The AME. Christian Recorder A doctor with a degree in law, this pastor helps people in his spare time. PUBLISHER’S PAGE Dr. Herman Hyatt’s cluttered office is filled with tigers—depicted in paint- ings, photos, ceramics and toys. “‘I just like them because of their strength and their agility,’’ he says. “The tiger is aggressive, and he has great strength. He’s not lazy like the lion.”’ Those who know Hyatt understand his admiration for this particular feline. His friends and colleagues don’t necessarily call him aggressive, but they’d probably agree about his strength. And they’d never, ever call the man lazy. He’s well beyond age 50, has many callings and shows no signs of slowing down. He has worked days as a pediatri- cian while going to law school nights. He taught Sunday School while he was attending medical school. This doctor with a law degree is also an ordained minister. Since 1981, Hyatt has served as pastor of the Mount Hermon Afri- can Methodist Episcopal Church, a small San Jose ministry he founded as a church for troubled children. So what does he do in his spare time? “‘Think,”’ he responds without miss- ing a beat. ‘“What can I do to help other people? I want to be useful to the people to whom I preach and to the people I serve.”’ Recently Hyatt found himself si- multaneously preaching and serving 24 members of his church’s tiny, 60- member congregation. As Sunday School was ending, and before the service began, Hyatt was heading off to buy orange juice for some of the congregation’s children. But one of Hyatt’s own kids had borrowed the car, so the preacher asked if anyone had a car he could borrow. At which point an adorable child ran up and handed Hyatt a toy car. So the preacher launched into a child’s game of ‘‘let’s pretend.’’ He sat on the thing and said he couldn’t get it started. ‘‘Is it out of gas?’’ he asked. The kids loved it— just as they clearly love their doctor/ minister. Indeed, children were run- ning up to the pulpit to hug Hyatt throughout the service that followed. He also found himself holding various kids in his lap—even bottle feeding one of them—during hymns and Bible readings. At the same time, he was trying to put final touches on the morning’s ser- mon and asking for prayer requests, such as the following: “Anthony had a pretty earth- shattering week. I’m hoping it will open his eyes,’”’ said one. ‘‘Pray for him.”’ “‘A prayer for me and my family,” offered another, ‘‘and a thanks for praying for me. I got a job.”’ “It’s working,’’ Hyatt proclaimed after a rousing chorus of amens. Deborah Wright, 31, says she met Hyatt—and found God—the day her son, Trevor, was born. Hyatt was the pediatrician on duty at the time. “God bless you. You have a perfect child,” she remembers him saying. She and her two children, Brittany, 8, and Trevor, now 2, have been going to the Mount Hermon church ever since. “<1’d tried church before,’’ she says. The difference? ‘‘He has real, true love and genuine concern for human beings. I never found that before.” A native of Cleveland, TN, a small town 30 miles north of Chattanooga, Hyatt moved to California to serve his internship at Bakersfield County Hos- pital after graduating from Meharry Medical College in Nashville in 1956. Though medicine is his chosen trade, he says he’s been involved in the church ‘‘since Day One.’’ Sitting in his office early one morn- ing before his young patients began ar- riving, Hyatt was decked out in a snazzy blue-and-white cowboy shirt, a string tie, a studded belt and boots. “‘That’s him,’’ laughs Elsa Hendrix, who served as Hyatt’s nurse and office manager for 20 years and is now minis- ter of music at the Church of Philadel- phia in San Jose. ‘“He loves cowboy clothes. He wears them at the pulpit on Sunday mornings and really thinks nothing of it. He’s just a down-to- earth guy, a common person.”’ “J just want to serve people better. That’s all I want to do,’’ Hyatt says matter-of-factly. ‘‘It’s very important to me to help families and children and to turn around their lives. If I can turn around just one life, it’s worth it.”’ Hyatt’s regular-guy demeanor is January 25, 1988 Dr. Hyatt has a love for all humanity—young or old. : part of the reason he’s begun playing a central role in the religious affairs of San Jose’s Black community. ‘‘Dr. Hyatt is an humble person, a natural person,’’ notes Rev. Shubert Hamil- ton, president of the Interdenomina- tional Ministers’ Alliance of Greater San Jose and pastor of the Martin Luther King Memorial Church. ‘‘Most men who have achieved his level of education tend to become stiff and formal. Dr. Hyatt is unusual in that he has not let his education get in the way of being brotherly to the community.”’ Hamilton has chosen Hyatt to head the alliance’s evangelism committee, which he hopes will help to ‘‘broaden the outreach’”’ of the city’s Black reli- gious leaders from prayer meetings and revivals to such problem areas affect- ing inner-city Blacks as ‘‘proper economics, drug education, halfway- house training for people leaving incar- ceration’’ and AIDS education. Indeed, Hyatt says it was just sucha calling that moved him to begin attend- ing the San Jose branch of Lincoln University’s law school at night, even as he was serving as minister at the St. James A.M.E. Church. He received his law degree from San Francisco- based Lincoln University in 1972. “<T wanted to use the law to help in my practice, and in my church in coun- seling people,’’ he says. ‘‘And to help teach my children not to get involved in illegal activities.’”’ When Hyatt refers to ‘‘my chil- dren,’’ the words can be taken three ways—at least. He could be referring to his patients, the kids in his small congregation or the kids on several area high school football teams—in- cluding Piedmont High and Oak Grove—where he’s served as team doctor. He could also be talking about his own kids. Hyatt, described by friends as an essentially private man, chose not to reveal his age, saying that his young patients think anyone over age 20 is over the hill. But he did say he and his wife, Elizabeth—who sings in the church choir—have been married for 40 years. Their children range in age from 15 to 36. Two years ago his second oldest son, Richard Sterling Hyatt, died of a heroin overdose at the age of 32. Hyatt says he knew nothing about drugs, or drug abuse, at the time. ‘‘I don’t drink and I don’t smoke. I don’t even drink coffee or tea.’” He doesn’t understand what drove his son to drug use, but he’s determined to do what he can to save others from a similar fate. No matter what subject he chooses for his Sunday sermon, Hyatt always manages to include a heartfelt message about the evils of drugs. On Easter Sunday, he recalls, his message was ‘‘Christ died, but he’s alive in our hearts today.’’ It’s a stand- ard Easter topic, but Hyatt also made a point of delivering this rousing mes- sage to the kids: ‘‘There is no need for alcohol, drugs or the sinful sex. They’ |I kill us in the long run. Through Christ, we’re able to be sustained by the Holy Spirit.’’ Last Sunday he offered this mes- sage: ‘‘God is the only master and you must seek him out. But first you must clean up your act.’’ He also managed to throw in at least one keen observa- tion about real life. Don’t pay your bills with credit cards, he advised. “Not with today’s interest rates. They’re too high.’’ “‘He’s more of a teacher than a preacher,”’ says Elsa Hendrix, ‘‘and he lives what he teaches.’’ “Dr. Hyatt’s role has been as a very inspirational person in encouraging us to continue our work and our plans,” adds Paul Cummins, Black ministries coordinator at City Team Ministries, a non-denominational Christian urban ministry in downtown San Jose. ‘‘One of his visions of the church is to be a place that encompasses the whole needs of the individual.’’ Cummins says Hyatt left his minis- try at the St. James A.M.E. Church after 10 years because he felt the church had grown to the point where it could stand on its own, and he wanted to devote more time to his medical practice. He notes that Hyatt began the Mount Hermon church ‘‘mainly as a ministry for children.’’ Initially the services were held in his pediatrics of- fice. ‘‘And then their parents began to come,’’ Cummins says. Currently the congregation meets in a nondescript building on East San An- tonio Street that is leased from San Jose’s Church of the Living God. Hyatt hopes to build his own church eventually. This year marks the 200th anniver- sary of the African Methodist Episco- pal Church, founded on a Sunday in 1787 when Black worshipers stalked out of a White Methodist church in Philadelphia that discriminated against them. Hyatt’s aware of the anniver- sary, but has planned no specific local celebration, saying he’s more con- cerned about the future of the Black church in San Jose. Which of his roles does he prefer? “The timing controls,’’ he says. “Sun- day morning in the pulpit it’s the preaching. During the week in the of- fice it’s the healing. I just want to do whatever I can to help people in any way that I can.” ===== DSC05410.JPG ===== January 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Organ Restored and Rededicated at Big Bethel Atlanta, Georgia The Great Moller Organ of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church, Atlanta, was recently rededicated and named the Anita Brown Glover Organ, in mem- ory of Anita Brown Glover, Chair- person of Big Bethel’s Renovation and Restoration Project (1981-1982). The Big Bethel A.M.E. Church organ was initially installed in 1924 by the M. P. Moller Organ Company of Hagerstown, MD. The instrument was a three manual and pedal pipe, with sixteen ranks. The instrument reflect- ed the finest craftsmanship of its period. Over the years this great organ has Paul Quinn Receives $25,000 Grant Waco, TX—Paul Quinn College has been awarded a grant totaling $25,000 from the Hatton W. Sumners Founda- tion based in Dallas, Texas. Paul Quinn President Warren Morgan said, ‘‘The grant will be used by the college in acquisitions for our library.’’ Mr. Monte Hulse, Vice Pres- ident of MBANK and board trustee for the college, was instrumental in the acquisition of the grant. Morgan added, ‘‘Mr. Gordan R. Carpenter, Executive Director of the foundation, has received an invitation to visit the college campus in the very near future, and he has indicated he will take advantage of this oppor- tunity.’’ been played by many renowned artists. Indeed, the initial dedicatorial recital on the organ was performed by the late Dr. Sheldon, organist for the city of Atlanta. Since then it has been played by notables such as the late Dr, Wendell Philip Whalum, Dr. Colonius Davis, Dr. G. Johnson Hubert and Dr. Joyce Finch Johnson. For many years this fine instrument was played by Mrs. Florine Dyer Furlow and Mrs. Harriet Baynes Enous, both of whom have been church organist for Big Bethel. The first major repair work was done on the organ in 1964, whereupon the organ was partially rebuilt. The Great Organ and Swell divisions were reinforced. The organ was comparable with the finest instruments in this area. The most recent restoration and ex- pansion of the organ was undertaken by the Big Bethel congregation in 1986-87, under the leadership of the late Dr. Wendell Philip Whalum, Consultant. Pipe Organ Sales and Service, Inc. of Lithonia, Georgia, Mr. Arthur Schleuter, President, was con- tracted to complete the work of refur- bishing, rebuilding and reinstalling the organ at a cost that exceeded $101,000. Today the instrument reflects the finest in organ design and craftsman- ship. It is now a three manual and pedal pipe with thirty-three ranks. The organ has been expanded to add an eight foot trompette en chamade which is made of copper with 73 trom- a IBM Stockholder Resolution On South Africa by James Leas In announcing the sale of its South African assets, IBM appeared to deal a blow to apartheid. But IBM told customers in South Africa that “a full range of IBM products and services will continue to be available.” 1BM’s sales are about a quarter of a billion dollars, 0.5% of South Africa’s GNP. Before “departing,” IBM had advertised its efforts to “work actively for change” and provide a “model” for equality. But IBM’s real priority in South Africa was and is sales. IBM acknowledges that “in a country where the majority of people are Black, very few of our customers are Black.” The effects of apartheid keep Blacks out of the computer market. While not deliberately unfair, IBM’s sales patterns fit and maintain the apartheid model of inequality and white supremacy. In defense of its South Africa policy, IBM cites its grant programs for Black education. In 1985, IBM quadrupled education grants to $15 million over five years (averaging $3 million per year). But this fund is less than 2% of the company’s sales — and even smaller than tax payments to the white minority government. The education grants have a self- serving aspect: showcasing Black education gives IBM an easy response to persistent questions about whether technology sold almost exclusively to Whites helps perpetuate White domi- nation. IBM can look to its own past for a more clear-cut model of corporate withdrawal: in 1977, when IBM pulled out of India after a dispute with the Indian government, the company provided generous severance settlements for employees and totally discontinued sales, service, parts, and supplies. Furthermore, Kodak fully departed from South Africa — selling assets and halting all shipments — with “minimal financial impact to the company.” IBM has frequently called attention to its support for the Sullivan Principles. On June 3, 1987, Reverend Leon Sullivan changed his stance, calling for a “total United States embargo” on shipments to and from South Africa and for companies to withdraw and “end all business relationships” there. Sullivan cited South Africa’s “intransigence to fundamental change” and condemned the growing repression and brutal- ization. He urged ‘‘maximum non- violent use of moral, corporate, and government force against the inhumane system” and asked municipal, state, and other governmental bodies to limit purchases from companies continuing to operate in South Africa. Certain municipalities, such as Los Angeles, by law restrict purchases from IBM because of IBM’s continuing sales to South Africa. An important competitor, which refuses to sell to South Africa, suffers no such restriction. Major newspaper articles called IBM’s departure a “sham” and a “shell game.” We urge IBM to end sales to South Africa and to end its de facto support for apartheid. In our view, this would serve the best interests of the company, the Black majority, and South Africa. RESOLVED, shareholders request IBM to immediately stop all sales and services to South Africa, including all direct or indirect shipments of IBM computers, equipment, software, parts, supplies, and materials, until apartheid ends. NOTICE Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black And White Production A. Lee Henderson Publisher pette pipes which add to the impres- siveness of this grand instrument. The organ has some 2012 pipes and over half of the facade contains speaking pipes. In addition, the sixteen foot violoin are constructed out of sugar pine. The visible wood case behind the choir loft is made of oak. The greatest care has been taken to restore the au- thentic wood sections of this organ, The officers and members, under the leadership of Pastor McKinley Young, proudly presented our great organ to the Atlanta community in the first Florine Dyer Furlow-Harriet Baynes Enous Concert Series. The Concert Series was named in honor of two of Big Bethel’s senior organists, who have given a combination of more than a century of service as organists at Big Bethel A.M.E. Church. Mrs. Florine Dyer Furlow, a former principal in Atlanta public schools, served as Senior Organist for the church, organ- ist for the world renowned ‘‘Heaven Bound’’ pageants, and organist for Choir No. Two. Mrs. Harriett Baynes Enous, a music teacher in Atlanta public schools for more than forty years, began her music career as church organist at the age of twelve, and continued as organist for Choir Number One and the church’s assis- tant organist for the ‘‘Heaven Bound’’ pageant. At 6:00 p.m. on September 27, 1987, we presented Mr. Michael Duane Johnson in concert. Mr. Johnson, a your order. A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union ¢ 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 © Phone (615) 256-5882 AME Church Robe Center ORDER IMMEDIATELY! Beautiful Choir Robes and Clergy Robes are now available through the Sunday School Union. Call us or write today for native of Steubenville, Ohio, is pres- ently the Assistant Minister of Music and church organist for the West Hunter Street Baptist Church, pas- tored by Rev. Dr, Ralph David Aber- nathy. In addition to his church re- sponsibilities, he is also the chapel and college organist and Administrative Assistant to the Music Department Chairman at Morehouse College. October 4, 1987, brought Dr. Timothy Albrecht to Big Bethel in re- cital. Dr. Albrecht is university organ- ist and Assistant Professor of Music and Church Music at Emory Univer- sity in Atlanta. In addition, Dr. Albrecht is organist at Glenn Memo- rial United Methodist Church. Mr. Philip Skerrett, Jr., was ap- pointed Senior Organist of Big Bethel A.M.E. Church in the spring. The tal- ented Mr. Skerrett was presented in re- cital at the last concert in the series. Performing and accompanying Mr. Skerrett were members of the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, under the capa- ble direction of Mr. William Fred Scott. This is a great and magnificent in- strument, capable of effective worship accompaniment, as well as recital liter- ature. We look forward to many years of hearing and sharing its inspiring sounds of praise. C. T. Young N. McGee W. C. Grimes L. C. Henderson ===== DSC05411.JPG ===== R—E———E Eee 10 HR eee bet ee A The AME Christian Recorder SAGE ea eh PE be abe eae eR Oa Res cial Ge we Red ak el January 25, 1988 —eeeeeeaueaeauauquauanuaununuayqq REESE Central New Orleans Bogalusa District Celebrates 200 Years “Sign Me Up For The Christian Jubilee” was sung by our Presiding Elder, Rev. Clarence Collins, Mr. Mary Collins, Pastors, Officers and members of the Central New Orleans Bogalusa District, as they gathered to- gether celebrating 200 years and the District year’s work. All were dressed in green and white tee shirts stamped with Christian Jubilee “87” Central New Orleans Bogalusa District A. M. E. Church. Doughty Chapel A. M. E. Church, Crystal Springs, LA, and Union Chapel A. M. E. Church, Kentwood, LA, formed a mass choir, with Jackie Vernon and Rev. Leon Sanders as musicians. Everyone celebrated with Rev. and Mrs. Herbert Sims and congregation. Mrs. Donice Thomas, chairperson for the occasion, did not leave a stone unturned. This glorious occasion began at 8:00 a.m. with prayer service. Beginning at 9:00 a.m., Rev. Robert Hall, Mrs. Leona Fisher, and others lectured on topics: “Child & Parent Relationships,” “Helping your child to say no to Alcohol, Sex, and Drugs”, “Short tips on AIDS— The Churches answer to the problems.” At 11:00 a.m. Worship and Praise with Rev. M. J. Black, Jr. presiding, Sermonettes: Rev. Robert Hall, Rev. C. Muse. The mass choir sang “Sign Me Up For The Christian Jubilee.” Then came the invitation and worshiping with gifts, Rev. David Campbell presiding. At 12:00 noon dinner was served in the church cafeteria. All returned to the sanctuary for the remainder of the service at 1:30 p.m. Flowers, fruit, and candy were presented to Rev. and Mrs. Herbert Sims as a token of Thanksgiving and Appreciation. A toast was made to the Central New Orleans Bogalusa District from Presiding Elder Collins, that all would live one thousand years and continue to work with him. In return, the District made a toast to the Elder that he would live 2,000 years and remain their Elder, The Mass Choir sang “Sign Me Up.” Mrs. Evelyn Markey rendered a solo, “I Give You Jesus”; Doughty Chapel Choir sang” Revive Us Again.” The Mass Choir sang “Thank You Lord.” The service ended with remarks from Pastor Sims and Presiding Elder Collins. Refreshments were served immediately afterwards. The Sunday morning service began at 9:30 a.m. with Sunday School. At 11:00 a.m. Presiding Elder Collins was present to hold Union Chapels’ Fourth Quarter for this conference year. Our hearts, minds and souls are still rejoicing over our “Christian Jubilee.” The Holy Spirit remained, enabling us to have a shouting good time. Elder Collins spoke from Proverbs 14:34, “The World Series.” The business of the Quarter was taken care of immediately after the service. After the closing of the service, the presiding Elder and his wife dined with Rev. and Mr. Sims at the parsonage. After such a glorious Christian Jubilee and spiritual 4th Quarter, Pastor Sims thought it no more fitting a time to have a week of prayer service before going into our annual Revival, with our Presiding Elder as the Evangelist, beginning August 31st through Sep- tember 4th. Monday night’s message, “What Must I Do to be Saved?”’ (Acts 16:30); Tuesday night, ‘‘Ezekiel’s Vision Midst Dry Bones,’’ (Ezek. 37: 1-3); Wednesday night, ‘‘You Can Run, But You Can’t Hide.’’ (Jonah 1:3); Thursday night, ‘‘When It Seems the Lord Is Taking Too Much Time.”’ (St. John 11:1); and Friday night, ““We’ve Come This Far By Faith,”’ (Cor. 13:13). Each night the Presiding Elder let the Lord use him. The Holy Spirit came in and Union Chapel caught on fire. Twenty-six adults and youth re- committed themselves to Christ. Isadora Sims, Reporter Stuttgart-Forrest City District Holds Planning Council The Planning Council for the Stutt- gart-Forrest City District was held recently at Nicholes Chapel A.M.E. Church, DeWitt, AR, Rev. L. R. Neal, Host Pastor. The pastors met at 9:30 a.m. and made their reports. All charges made full reports. The Wor- ship Service began at 10:00 a.m., with the Presiding Elder in charge. After singing ‘‘Down at the Cross,’’ He pre- sented Rev. Napoleon Davis to preside for the opening session. The call to worship was by Bro. Johnny Kelly. Then the hymn ‘‘O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing’? was sung. The Morning Prayer was led by Rev. W. L. Scott. The District Choir led in singing ‘‘I Am On the Battlefield For My Lord.” The Old Testament scripture was read by Rev. W. A. Doubois (Psalm 115), and the New Testament scripture by Rev. Diane Burl (Matt. 25:1-10). The Decalogue was led by Rev. M. C. Lawson, and the Mission Offering was taken by Rev. Welton Boyce and Rev. Selma Moore. The District Choir led in singing “Prayer Changes Things.”’ The Presiding Elder was presented by Rev. A. S. Johnson, who in turn presented Rev. James Clark, who brought the morning message. He se- lected for his subject: ‘‘Don’t Let Your Light Go Out’’ (Matt. 25). The invitation for Christian Discipleship was given by Rev. L. O. Taylor, pas- tor, St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Forrest City. The Finance Committee accept- ed the public offering. The Presiding Elder thanked all the people for their support, and asked for their support for the New Year. The Business Session was held—set- ting dates for the New Year. The pas- tor and members of Nicholes Chapel A.M.E. Church left no stone unturned in making this Council a great success. Rev. M. H. Elliott, Presiding Elder, was presented and brought greetings from the New Port-Jonesboro Dis- trict. Rev. C. C. Akins is the Presiding Elder of the Stuttgart-Forrest City Dis- trict. The First Quarterly Conference for Bethel A.M.E. Church, Nicholes Cha- pel A.M.E. Church and Hill Chapel A.M.E. Church was held at Bethel A.M.E. Church November 1, 1987. The Conference was presided over by Presiding Elder C. C. Akins, and was well attended. All reports were made and much progress has been made. They are looking forward to another good year. To God be the glory! cece ee ee ee ee ee ee Forty-Third Quadrennial Session | General Conference j | AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH ( i FT. WORTH, TX | i July 6-16, 1988 { | Those persons desiring to submit proposed legislation are ( \ requested to utilize the approved legislation format as outlined below. j PROPOSED LEGISLATION ( (Bill No. Page ___of ( | Title: \ ( Reference: ) | Intent: \ (1. { \ 2. \ 4 3. ‘ (4. \ | Etc. | ( ALL LAWS AND PARTS OF LAWS IN CONFLICT WITH THIS LAW | | ARE REPEALED. \ \ Submitted _ by. \ \ Date \ ! FROM: Dr. Richard Allen Chappelle, Sr. - 2 ew ew ew oe a a ee ae ae ae eae ae ae ee = Idd BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION DETAILS From Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, Bicentennial Chairman Z ULLLL Bishop William Paul Quinn Bishop H. W. Murph, Host THE WILLIAM PAUL QUINN FOCUS AND WESTWARD EXPANSION EMPHA- SIS—ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI/EAST ST. LOUIS, ILLINOIS This final event will be dually hosted by the 4th and Sth Episcopal Districts, connecting the east and west banks of the Mississippi River. We will dramatize Quinn’s preaching from the Illinois side to the slaves on the Missouri side. MAY 17-19, 1988 9:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. The Paul Quinn Lectures 2:30 P.M.- 10:00 P.M. (a) Dedication of Historical Markers (b) The Dramatization of the Quinn Event (c) River Festival of Arts and Entertainment Tuesday, May 17, 1988 Bishop R. E. Stokes Host Bishop Frank M. Reid, Jr. President of the General Board 10:00 A.M.-6:00 P.M. General Board Meeting 7:00 P.M. Recognition Event—hosted by the 4th and Sth Districts General Board Closing Session Wednesday, May 18, 1988 Thursday, May 19, 1988 GENERAL CONFERENCE, FORT WORTH, TEXAS (A culminating ceremony will close the Bicentennial Celebration) Nr OU LUUHELPULUTLULUALLLULLLULULULLULULULLLLLLLLULLLLULLLLLL LLL LULU LALLA ALi JULY 6-16, 1988 N LLL ZZ LLLLLLL LLL LALLA LALLA ULLAL LLL LLL LILLE LLL LLL LLU LLL LLU LULU LLU LLL ULL LLL LLL LL LLL LULL LL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL LLL ULLAL LLL LULL LLL ULLADULLA LLL LLLLLL LLL LLL LULL ALLL LLU LLLLLU LLL LLL LLL LLL DLL LLL LLL ===== DSC05412.JPG ===== January 25, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder SSS il What’s White and Read All Over? The Media. by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. Racism in the media—it is a con- Stant refrain. However, the recent pro- gram sponsored by the esteemed Schomburg Library in Harlem to dis- cuss this issue was different. On the panel were some of the best journalists in the business. All of them were Afri- can Americans and they did not bite their tongues. These were no newcomers to the field. All were seasoned veterans, and some had more than 20 years in the business. There was Les Payne, a Pul- itzer Prize winner and now a syndicat- ed columnist and Assistant Managing Editor for Newsday. There was Jill Nelson, former President of the New York Association of Black Journalists and currently a reporter for the Wash- ington Post Magazine. There was David Hardy, the main organizer of the successful landmark discrimina- tion suit against the New York Daily News, and there was Marquita Poole, an Emmy-award winning producer with the ‘‘CBS Evening News.’’ Mod- erating was Thulani Davis, a crusading reporter with the New York Village Voice. If you want to know why media coy- erage is often racist, you just need to listen to the litany of statistics recited by Ms. Davis at the beginning of the session: Blacks make up less than 1% of the newsroom management at this country’s dailies, Only 6.3% of the staff of these dailies is minority, and that includes ail racial and ethnic em- ployees. Fully 60% of the approxi- mately 1750 dailies in this country have no racial and ethnic employees at all. Statistics are useless unless we begin to analyze their importance in human terms. David Hardy spoke with anger about the fact that racial and ethnic stories are not given the same weight as White-centered stories. When they do become important, the story is often taken from the Black or Hispanic re- porter who had been covering it and given to a White reporter. In fact, it was being taken off an Abscam story which he himself broke, and seeing it given to a White reporter, which finally made Hardy organize and initiate the Daily News suit. Jill Nelson agreed, saying, ‘‘Black reporters are not allow- Talbot A.M.E. Academy Holds Graduation Georgia’s only A.M.E. School, K-12, culminates its 1986-87 year with its first kindergarten graduation exercises. Savannah, GA—It was a joyous occa- sion! Laughter and tears were mingled in the sanctuary of Flipper Chapel A.M.E. Church. Parents, students, faculty and friends filled the building to capacity. All were reflecting over a school year of some struggles, disap- pointments, sacrifices and many good times. Rev. Dan Stevenson, organizer and present director, says that much thanks should go to those who helped by actively participating and praying for its success. Deep appreciation goes to the head of the 6th Episcopal Dis- trict, Bishop Frederick Talbot, and to Dr. Sylvia Ross Talbot for demon- strating special concerns by journeying to Savannah to share in the establish- ment of the first accredited A.M.E. school, K-12, in the State of Georgia. Rev. Stevenson further states that both of these dynamic individuals have been mentors in his life, and he is grateful to God for having put him in the midst of individuals such as these —individuals with an understanding concern, caring leadership that sparked his move on a venture that seemed im- possible, not having a budget, but rely- ing on prayer. Through this endeavor society is being revolutionized and an- other milestone in the history of the A.M.E. Church is being marked, and we, as followers of God, are sending a signal to the world that we still believe in the promise from which this church evolved—that is, self-help. Pastor Stevenson feels the need to remedy the ills of society through the use of education through prayer. He feels this can be done by recommend- ing an old remedy for a new approach. He believes that with the inception of a program such as he is proposing, and which addresses the basic needs of all mankind, the ills of our present-day society can be solved. A well-known psychologist, Maslow, said, “‘In order to satisfy man, you must satisfy his basic needs: food, shelter, and cloth- ing.’’ Another educator said, ‘‘The most important thing in the world to achieve success is to be able to master the three ‘‘R’s’’: reading, writing and arithmetic. Now, Rev. Stevenson goes on to say, he does not necessarily disagree with the earlier statements, because all three, in separate instances, are im- portant to have a complete person. He continues by saying there is a fourth “R’’ concept, religion (spiritual de- velopment of a person). Oftentimes, people are not comfortable with this concept, therefore, it is not usually used as a basis for psychological ap- proach to cure or solve a problem in the area of education. Most people see religion—spiritual development—as a means, but only a means to itself, not interlocking with the other educational points of view. Rev. Stevenson sees spiritual devel- opment as a means to undergird all other areas mentioned. Why? Be- cause, surely, just as it is necessary for man to have food, shelter and clothing, or the knowledge to read, write and do arithmetic, man needs something to “hold on to,’’? and that something is religion (spiritual development), which offers a number of answers to ques- tions he cannot resolve with just having the basics. It may not instantly answer a question, but it can instantly give hope to the true believer. Now, with this philosophy in mind, the academy has had a number of suc- cesses this past school year. Accredi- tation was granted from the Georgia Accreditation Commission for mem- bership as the first A.M.E. school in Georgia’s history for grades K-12. An- other accomplishment was the endors- ing of the school, by the 122nd Georgia Annual Conference, as the official A.M.E. school for the Old Georgia Conference, pledging their support for a major fundraiser during each year. Acting on the philosophy of doing something for oneself, the Parent Association has purchased and paid for a 60-passenger bus with the help of donations and chicken dinner sales. A special moment during graduation exercises came when one of the stu- dents of Flipper A.M.E. School, Telanna Kelly, presented Bishop and Mrs. Talbot with a T-shirt and jacket bearing the new name of the school. By vote of students, the name of the school was changed from Flipper A.M.E. to Talbot A.M.E. Academy, in honor of the support given by the Talbot family. ed to be visionaries, (0 comment or to analyze’’ to which Davis added, ‘‘or to be the final authority."’ Les Payne suggested that this racism will continue to exist unless we chal- lenge it—in the courts and by organiz- ing. As he said, ‘*The media, one of the most powerful forces in this coun- try, is also the most racist. Only the media is allowed to ‘correct its own test papers’. . .and the test papers of everyone else as well.’’ But, he added, what the Daily News suit showed us was that we were not at the mercy of the media; we could take the case out- side—to the courts—and win, The fact that racial and ethnic com- munities could effect a change, how- ever, was the real nut of the discus- sion. The numerous discrimination suits and boycotts which had been suc- cessfully mounted against the New York Times, the Baltimore Sun, UPI and others were heralded, The impor- tance of passing on the legacy of strug- gle among the younger racial and eth- nic reporters and teaching critical thinking to all our youth was noted. But particularly emphasized was the crucial role which the community must play. As Hardy said, ‘‘Change has to come from the top, but it can- not come without the involvement of the community.’’ Supporting this, Nelson noted that we must organize to respond to the media, both positively and negatively. She noted that news or- ganizations generally assume that each letter represents 200 others. Yet, racial and ethnic groups don’t use this tool as aggressively as they should. It really is up to us. If you don’t like something you’ve heard or seen in your local paper or on a radio or TV station—take a few minutes to call or write, and-get your friends and family to do the same. Also support those in the media who take positions you agree with. We cannot bemoan our lack of power when we refuse to-exer- cise the power we do have. “James Cone is the premier black theologian writing today. And this book is vintage Cone—prophetic, passionate, pertinent, and provocative.” —CORNEL WEST A driving concern to speak the truth with love, courage, and care for the poor and voiceless is richly and powerfully evident in this collection of recent essays by James Cone. Cone addresses topics of black theology and its relationship to other Christian theologies and secular ideologies, the role of the black church in American history, Christian faith and political praxis, and the ship. He also offers his initial reflections on his 1985 trip to South A frica—an experience that has had a deep influence on his theological perspective. “A valuable contribution to on- going religious dialogue.” —BOOKLIST Paper, $8.95 ORDER FROM: A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181 (615) 256-5882 Buy Your Religious Supplies From Your Own Publishing House A.M.E.C. Publishing House 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 (615) 256-5882 DR. GEORGE ALEXANDER SEWELL Where Are You Going, by Dr. George Alexander Sewell. Rhetorical and personal in content with the social concerns in “trouble times”, the author, in his collec- tion of sermons, gives his readers new thoughts in which mankind can seek something constant and dependable. — Please add 13% postage and handling ===== DSC05413.JPG ===== 12 The AME Christian Recorder January 25, 1988 Paul Quinn College Receives Matching Grant For Campus Waco, TX—Paul Quinn College is one of 51 independent colleges selected by Lilly Endowment, Inc., to receive a matching grant for a major investment in its campus. According to Dr. Warren Morgan, HUD Secretary Addresses White House Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, Samuel R. Pierce, Jr., told a New York City conference on drug abuse December 16, 1987, that “by glamorizing or accepting drugs in our society, we make a mockery of the loving support we offer our young.” The conference was held at the Marriott Marquis. In addressing the White House Conference For A Drug-Free America, Secretary Pierce focused particular attention on the responsibility of adults in educating today’s youth against the use of drugs. “I draw attention to the young because it is our responsibility to teach and train them. Youngsters welcome our attention. They can ac- cept our high expectations if we let them know those expectations are founded in a commitment to nurture their growth and development. ~ 1 hey can be receptive to the guidance and discipline we offer if our commitment tells them we care, that we believe in them,” the HUD Secretary added. “But, all the guidance we impart will ring hollow, if our actions defy that guidance.” The Conference, mandated by the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986, and established by President Reagan’s Executive Order No. 12595, on May 5, 1987, is authorized to review and assess all areas of the drug abuse crisis in the United States. A member of the National Drug Policy Board, Secretary Pierce has been at the forefront in involving his Department in the battle against drugs in public housing. Last May, HUD co- sponsored a National Conference on Drug-Free Public Housing with the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. The Conference proved so useful, the Department has subsequently held a series of five additional regional conferences. I LLOF THE WOMEN OF THE. BLE by Edith Deen ee Edith Deen This the first comprehensive book ever written on all of the women of the Bible— women who comprise a feminine protrait galley unsurpassed in the world of literature. All are here—saints and harlots, faithful mothers and wives, queens, sorceresses, concubines, business women— in rich, inspiring detail. Flavored with the color and drama of the original stories, Mrs. Deen’s comments on these women, their influence, and their times give the book a quality that is as instuctive as it is enter- taining. Please add 13% postage and handling President, Paul Quinn College plans to address five discrete areas of concen- tration: * Student Assessment/Counseling * Co-Curricular Activity Programs * An Incentive Program * Curriculum Design and Revision Program * Career Placement Program Total project costs are estimated at $1,385,000, If Paul Quinn successfully raises $500,000, Lilly Endowment will provide $500,000. Last fall the Indianapolis-based charitable foundation challenged the 32 independent, four-year, accredited undergraduate colleges and universities in Indiana and the 40 affiliated with the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) to dream of a major capital project or other one-time investment that could significantly raise the quality and dis- tinctiveness of their academic or cam- pus offerings. Furthermore, the endowment chal- lenged these institutions to raise sup- port for their projects, with the prom- ise that if their dream was among the most distinctive submitted, the En- dowment would match each dollar raised up to $500,000 per school. The Endowment pledged to fund as many distinctive proposals as it could, up to an approximate maximum of $12 mil- lion for each group of schools, A total of 66 schools submitted pro- posals: 28 from Indiana and 38 from UNCF-affiliates. Independent judges selected proposals for funding from 25 Indiana and 26 UNCF-member institu- tions. Assuming they all meet their fundraising goals, the Endowment will divide a total of $24.3 million between the two groups. In announcing the grant recipients, William C. Bonifield, Lilly Endow- ment’s vice president for education, described the intended benefits of the program. ‘‘Many of these independent schools, strapped by the pressures of immediate survival, have now had an Opportunity to pursue a vision and in- ventory their fundraising resources. The net effect of their efforts will be the creation of nearly $50 million worth of major educational improve- ments, all contributed by the private sector.”’ The ‘‘Dream of Distinction’’ grant program reflects Lilly Endowment’s commitment to independent colleges and universities, particularly those that Serve minorities and Indiana students. CATECHISM The New Catechism For Youth Proba- tionaries Members Of African Methodism, by G. Lovelace Champion, Sr. Instruc- tional as well as informative to y .uth and adults, the author is concerned with doc- trines and usages of the A.M.E. Church and Christian Faith. GLC-WIC . has 0 6s on ta ee $3.50 JOHN W. DE GRUCHY Minister of the United Congregational Church of Southern Africa Associate Professor of Religious Studies, University of Capetown THE CHURCH STRUGGLE IN SOUTH AFRICA by John W. de Gruchy “De Gruchy presents a South African church history. an ness and the black theology that has grown from it ingly fair in explaining beliets with which he disagrees...” Edited by John W. de Gruchy and Charles Villa-Vicencio provide historical. ethical. and theological critiques of the idea of apartheid. which. as the authors indicate. had its origins in the churches... - Paper, $5.99 BONHOEFFER AND SOUTH AFRICA by John W. de Gruchy Remarkable Bonhoefter is one of the most relevant theo- logians tor South Africa today least known... We now have a this state of affairs Southern Africa Paper, $9.95 analysis of the roots of apartheid. and the story of black conscious- He is unstint- Paper,$10. 957 Library Journal APARTHEID IS A HERESY These essays by Christian leaders — Choice but he is possibly also one ot the book that can do much to remedy — Journal of Theology for South Africa DESMOND TUTU Anglican Bishop of Johannesburg Winner of the 1984 Nobel Peace Prize HOPE AND SUFFERING by Desmond Tutu Whether or not he had won a Nobel. Tutu. by the evidence in this small but stunning volume would still have been a force that no regime could stop or silence — Washington Post Book World “For anyone wishing to understand the church s challenge in South Atrica. this is the essential book _National Catholic News Service Paper, $5.95 CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS by Desmond Tutu Tutu is eloquent in describing the suffering of black people under the racist government — Kliatt Young Adult Paperback Book Guide Paper,$6.95 ALLAN BOESAK Minister of the Dutch Reformed Mission Church in South Africa President of the World Alliance of Reformed Churches WALKING ON THORNS: The Call to Christian Obedience by Allan Boesak Boesak speaks most tellingly of the courage and trust in God necessary for anyone who seeks to be obedient to the gospel in the reality of fear for personal or tamily satety Paper,$4.95 — Sojourners ORDER FROM: A.M.E. Sunday School Union 500 Eighth Avenue South Nashville, TN 37203-4181 (615) 256-5882
• January 11, 1988
  ===== DSC05390.JPG ===== =, Vol. 137, No. 8 January 11, 1988 PRICE: 50 CENTS Methodist Episcopal Church 1787-1987 Texas Has Much “On Tap” For General Conference In Fort Worth by Dr. J. W. Yancy, I, Public Relations The first official General Conference Arrangements Meeting, held by Dr. B. L. McCormick, Texas General Conference Coordinator, November 28, revealed in reports that Texas has much “on tap” for the entertainment of the General Confer- ence in Fort Worth. Bishop Rembert E. Stokes, official episcopal host to the General Conference, and Dr. Nancy Phillips Stokes, official General Conference hostess, were present to give support and expertise to this arrangement group. Dr. Nancy Stokes has formed a “Blue Ribbon Entourage” for special courtesies to bishops’ wives and widows. Bishop Rembert E. Stokes, Prelate One of the several Blue Ribbon courtesies will be a visit to the world- famous Neiman-Marcus Fashion Center, as special guests of Neimah- Marcus. Marian Anderson, the singer, was the first Negro to be invited as a guest to Neiman-Marcus, when she appeared years ago in concert at Dallas’ Fair Park Auditorium. As a special guest, Miss Anderson wrote her name in the Neiman-Marcus Book of Gold, and Dr. Stokes and her guests, the bishops’ wives and widows, will also write their names in this rare Book of Gold. Making “progress reports” on arrangements and entertainment for the forthcoming General Conference were Dr. McCormick, housing; Revs. W. B. Langham, transportation for bishops and wives and widows; Revel Simpson, general transportation; James R. Anderson, General Confer- ence Brochure; E. F. Boyd, Comptrol- ler; R. E. Takerson, Booths and Ex- hibit Space; W. L. Davis, preaching assignments; Dr. J. W. Yancy, II, Public Relations; Prof. T. E. Bass, Mammoth General Conference Choir; Mrs. Marie Davis, Hospitality and In- formation Booths, and Mrs, Izean Davidson, General Conference Ban- quet. As a special “Health Service” for bishops, their wives, bishops’ widows, and general officers and their wives, Bishop Stokes has appointed Mrs. Loyce B. Cawthon, R.N., and officer of St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Waco, as Please turn to page 5 Two South African Whites Join Allen Temple Church in Soweto For the first time in the history of the Church in South African two white persons joined ALLEN A.M.E. Church in Soweto South Africa thus violating the Group Areas Act, and many other Acts enshrined in the statute of the South African Government Constitution. The first White man to join a Black church in South Africa a few years ago was Dr. Beyers Naude - the well known anti-Apartheid Activist, who is the former General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches. He joined the Black Dutch Reformed Church in Alexandra Township outside Johannesburg. Rev. Paul Vilakazi, Pastor of Allen Temple informed me that Brothers Alf James and Carlo Guipotti were friends of the late Arthur. ‘‘The fighting Prince Mayi- sela,’’ Arthur Mayisela was a well known boxer in South Africa who died in a tragic car accident this year. He was a member of Allen Temple. Rev. Vilakazi said in an interview, “I believe this is the mighty plan of Jesus to bring us together with White brethren 200 years after we broke away from them at St. George’s Meth- odist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia in protest against discrimination.” He informed me that Alf James is writing a book on the life of the black legendary boxer Arthur Mayisela. a Bishop and Mrs. C. E. Thomas Inspire Missionary to Liberia, West Africa Mrs. Beverly Pitts, on leave of absence from Board of Education, Memphis, TN TS Liberia, WA—Hats are off to Bishop and Mrs. C. E. Thomas for giving the kind of leadership in the 13th Episcopal District that would inspire a young school teacher to secure a leave from her job in Memphis, Tennessee, to spend one year in Liberia, West Africa, as a missionary. The bishop of the District was on hand with the welcoming party to greet Mrs. Pitts upon her arrival in late July 1987. Bishop Vernon R. Byrd stated that “Perhaps, this is a first in a long time. Without funds, or a job, or a place to live, Mrs. Pitts came by faith—faith she claimed at St. James A.M.E. —————————————————————————eeeseseseesee Church, Memphis, where she is a member.” Rev. C. A. Jones is pastor of St. James. Along with the Home District Missionary Society, Evangelist Shirley Prince of St. James has chaired a special committee to help meet some of the needs of their sister. Beverly is living in an apartment at the episcopal office and working part time as a registrar at Monrovia College, of which Dr. L. C. York is president. Bishop Byrd is seeking, searching and praying for three ministers of faith to come and build a church in Accra, Ghana, where many, many people need a church building and a pastor. There is also need for a pastor in Cape Palmer, Liberia, to operate a school and pastor a congregation. The appointment has a parsonage, church building and school that needs heavy renovation. Lastly, a pastor is needed in Lower buchannan Bassa, Liberia. If interested persons find a sponsor and/or money to try for two or three years, contact Bishop Byrd, 131 Ashford Road, Cherry Hill, N.J. 08003, or P.O. Box 4191, Monrovia, Liberia, frica. et G. Franklin Holt Secretary, Liberia Annual Conference Centena Mrs. Nellie Austin Inkster, MI—Mrs. Nellie Austin, 105 years old, was one of the honorees at a gala, combined birthday celebration at Smith Chapel A.M.E. Church, where Rev. Melvin D. Reed is pastor. Mrs. Austin, along with 30 other members, was a special celebrant at the beautiful party hosted by the Senior Citizen’s Circle Advisory Board. rian a Special Honoree “‘Mama’’ Austin, as she is affec- tionately called, was born in 1882 in Springfield, Ohio. She moved to Mich- igan before World War I and later set- tled in Inkster in 1924. She has been in- strumental in helping to organize two churches during her lifetime. The hon- oree joined Smith Chapel in 1927, and can recall all of the pastors of the church since that time. Mama Austin is a beautiful person, one who has been diligent in her church duties and remains faithful as a servant of God. She was married to her late husband, William, for 37 years; he passed away in 1977 at the age of 99. Mrs. Austin lives alone in her apart- ment in a senior citizen’s building. She enjoys life and at every opportunity at- tends church and other social gather- ings. Mrs. Frances Spencer, a long- time family friend, is her daily helpful companion. Theola Jones, Reporter sai aaa White House Rejects Justice’s Criticism Washington, DC—The White House rejected criticism Wednesday from Su- preme Court Justice Thurgood Mar- shall about President Reagan’s civil rights record and said it was inappro- priate to judge the administration by the number of blacks in key jobs. Marshall, in an unusual public criti- cism of a sitting president, said Reagan ranked at ‘‘the bottom’’ of American presidents in terms of racial justice. Speaking of Reagan, Marshall said, “Honestly, I think he’s down with (Herbert) Hoover and that group. (Woodrow) Wilson. When we (blacks) really didn’t have a chance.” At the White House, presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said Rea- gan ‘“‘has an outstanding civil rights record” and ‘‘has supported racial equality in the last six years of this ad- ministration, and I can’t understand his (Marshall’s) remarks, frankly.’’ Reagan has expressed frustration about his reputation among blacks. Leanne ee evel Thurgood Marshall. . .surprises White House ST Critics have noted that Reagan pro- posed giving tax credits to schools practicing racial segregation, had opposed making Martin Luther King’s birthday a federal holiday and had re- sisted extension of the Voting Rights Act. Reagan’s Cabinet includes one black, Samuel Pierce, the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. At the White House, Lt. Gen. Colin Powell, a deputy assistant to the presi- dent on the National Security Council Staff, is the highest-ranking black. 5 # 4102 DR BOUIE R P. STMON a PA E BARRING 1135 19119 ; PHILADELPHIA ===== DSC05391.JPG ===== 2 The AME Christian Recorder January 11, 1988 Anno Domini: The Year of Our Lord One Thousand Nine Hundred Eighty-Eight Albert Einstein said there is no such thing as a new year, except in human consciousness. It is true that Chris- tians celebrate their New Year on the first day of January, anno Domini, and not anno mundi, the year of the crea- tion of the world. The Chinese New Year is celebrated on January 25th. The Persians cele- brate the New Year on March 21st; the Jewish New Year begins on September 18th, and the Moslem New Year begins on October 18th. On December 31, at midnight, peo- ple rang out the old year, 1987, and rang in the New Year 1988. At one minute after midnight, we celebrated the first day of one thousand nine hun- dred eighty-eight, anno Domini. Someone commented to me, while we celebrated, it really should have been the beginning of 1992, because the mathematicians were off four years in their calculations. At one minute after midnight, 1988, however, the traditionalists, with bells of celebration, rang in the brand new year. Yet, the New Year’s bells that I write about somehow escaped the gifted pen of Edgar Allen Poe in his onomastic writing entitled ‘‘The Bells.’’ Edgar Allen Poe invites one to ‘‘hear the sledges with the bells, silver bells!’? In a previous writing, Poe sings of golden bells, brazen bells, iron bells and wed- ding bells. . .but no New Year’s bells. Einstein says there is no such thing as time and space. Time has no indepen- dent existence apart from the order of events by which we measure it. Space has no objective reality except as an order, or arrangement, of objects we perceive in it. Time and space do not exist except as a construction of human consciousness. Structures of conventional symbols shaped by the sense of man, calendars, clocks, sun dials, milestones and other instruments of measurement are qualities that have no reality, independent of our senses. Just as there is no such thing as color without an eye to see it, so an instant of an hour, or a day, is nothing without an event by which we remember, and an instrument by which we gauge it, or a human consciousness to perceive it. The Bible explains it in a similar manner. ‘‘Beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.’’ Of course, God is a timeless entity, referred to as ‘‘Alpha and Omega.’’ I, however, think of history, as opposed to eternity, in a rather simple way. Time broken into chunks is history; and time disintegrated becomes eternity. We are pushed into history that begins at our birth, when we take our first independent breath. We are thrown, or rather hurled, into eternity that begins with our death. Finites have their place in history; it is that chunk or span of time we call life. Infinites have place in eternity; it is that existence without end. Finites have medical histories, academic histories, social histories, personal histories, and some even have criminal histories. History is record and proves in every person a mixture of good and evil. It has been said that history is little more than the register of the crimes, follies and misfortune of mankind. History is always temporary. It is yesterday, it is today, the very present moment of ones’ life. Eternity, however, is permanent; it is tomorrow and forever—the after-life existence. History is human experience and eternity will remain a timeless existence. This new year of 1988 I again turn to the First Book of Chronicles, the 4th Chapter and 8th Verse. ‘‘And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh, ROBERT H. REID, JR. SNA ANA NANA NA NANA NDNA NAAN The A.M.E. Christian Recorder The Christian Recorder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (USPS 016880) is published bi weekly by the A.M.E.C. Sunday School Union, 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Second Class postage paid at Nashville, Tennessee The A.M.E. Christian Recorder was established in 1852 Executive and Editorial Office: 500 Eighth Avenue South, Nashville, Tennessee 37203-4181. Adver tising rates available on request Subscription rate $15.00 per year by mail. Make all money orders and cashier's checks payable to A. Lee Henderson Dr. A. Lee Henderson, Publisher EDITORIAL STAFF Dr. R. H. Reid, Jr., Editor Mr. Churchel Swarn, Subscriptions Promotions Or. J. W. Yancy, Il, The Roving Editor; Dr Cyrus Keller, Religious Literature Editor, Mr. Hi. L Felix Special Editor; Or, Jimmie James, Jr Music Editor; Rev. Miss Nurfjahn Govan, Women Ministries Editor; Atty. Leroy Nesbitt, Social Action Editor Rev. W. F. Ball, Jr, Public Relations Editor, Mrs Thelma A. Wills, Contributing Editor, Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams, General Features Editor, Mrs Wilhelmina Lawrence, Senior Missions Editor; Mrs. Ruth Hill Jones, Consulting Editor Rev. Alonzo Middleton, Regional Editor Rev. E. L. Blankenship, Regional Editor, Rev. W. J. Jackson Regiona Editor; Atty. Mary R. Turner, Basic Law Editor Or. J. W. P. Collier, Overseas Correspondent, Dr, W. D Johnson, Roving Photographer/Reporter, Dr. Kenneth S Robinson, Medical Ministries Editor; Capt Carroll R. Chambliss, Special Columnist, Mrs Sheridan Reid Banks, Special Features Reporter, Rev. O m P. u Urcille Ifill, Sr., Contributing Editor, Dr. Henderson Davis, Archives Editor, Dr. William P. DeVeaux Career Development Editor, Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson, Contributing Editor, Rev, Cecil Murray, Contribut ing Editor The A.M.E. Christian Recorder welcomes letters from ils readers on matters of general interest, All signed and contain the address of the writer. The A.M.E. Christian Recorder will occa of a signed letter, if there is a valid reason given. No defamatory reserves the right to re letters must be sionally withhold the name of a writer libelous or slanderous letters will be printed, and the A.M.E. Christian Recorder ject or edit any letter or article to conform with good taste, style and space requirements AAAAAANANANANANANANANANANANANAN AANA Ad OS that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.”’ People of Bible times, more than 2,000 years ago, were really no different from us. People in 1988 will want peace, love, happiness, prosperity, success and all the other blessings. The more difficult your struggle in life, the more likely you are to lean on a higher power. For Jabez, it was his God. I read that his mother had a hard time giving birth to him, thus, she named him Jabez, which means ‘‘distress.’’ It is interesting that Jabez does not only wish for his requests, he earnestly prays to his God for them. Out of his history and culture, his religious knowl- edge and training, he called on the God of Israel, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, and Jacob, the God of his people. In the Year of our Lord one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, let’s not keep wishing for blessings. Line up with the Higher Power. If you add faith plus love plus work, you will have the desired victory. Faith is dynamic; love energized is power, and commitment to work gets results. The great Apostle Paul said, “‘though I have all faith, and have not love, I am nothing.’’ I am en- couraging all in 1988 to use their space and life to their fullest ability, and none will become a nothing, a zero or a failure. Then your new anno Domini will become your anno regni, the year of the reign of peace, love, success, hap- piness and prosperity. Let’s get with it now, before another year has passed you by and you will have missed again! Sh de he ae he ete bh ee beh ee nh hh eh eh ah ee a hh th bh th th hh th he hh bh he th th id “The RICHARD ALLEN STORY” in VIDEO The Richard Allen Story/Color Videotape on VHS or Beta Videotape Narrated by Dr. Edward W. Robinson, Jr Noted Historian, Author and Lecturer A NEW CONCEPT IN UNDERSTANDING AND APPRECIATING AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY. AUTHENTICATED AS TO HISTORICAL ACCURACY BY THE HISTORICAL COMMISSION OF MOTHER BETHEL CHURCH. Founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church For more information and free brochure send your name address, zip, phone number to “This Week in African-American History’’ Box 19024 * Philadelphia, PA 19138 Also available on video: Mother Africa Story, Part I Mother Africa Story, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part I How African-American Soldiers Won the Civil War, Part Il For phone orders ONLY call (215) 548-5897 (incoming calls only) W.E.B. Dubois (The Souls of Black Folk) ‘The A.M.E. Church is the greatest Negro organization in the world and its bishops among the most powerful Negro rulers in the world.” SOS EO ES ES ESE SESESESES ES ESOS ES ESE SES SSCS SOSe Se Se Se Se Se SeGeGe SUBSCRIBE! to the Christian Recorder he bi-mon newspaper to keep you inform mut your church for ONLY $15.00 per year Sew heck oF me y order pravubdle A. Lee Headerson The Christian Recorder, Dept. SB S00 Righth Avenue, South, Nashville, TN 37203-4181 Please print, Payment must accompany order. Allow 4 weeks for first delivery. a Name a . 7 — Address. " — City/State/Zip ——— | ce ee ===== DSC05392.JPG ===== January 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Reverend and Mrs. V. L. Brenson Celebrate Their 36th Wedding Anniversary From a Close-up View by Rev. V. L. Brenson Rev. V. L. Brenson, the pastor of Bryant Temple A.M.E. Church, Los Angeles, CA, is serving his 19th year. The Brensons were married in Clarks- ville, Tennessee, on November 16, 1951, by Rev. H. L. Parks. The Bren- sons have two daughters, Beverly Brenson Payne and Verdella Renee Brenson, and a grandson, Little Teddy Payne, IV. The Brensons like to refer to themselves as Bride and Groom when they are near their wedding anni- versary. The Bride and Groom left Los Angeles at 7:00 a.m. and arrived in Baltimore at 3:59 p.m. After checking in at the hotel, Rev. Brenson called Dr. John Bryant to let him know he was in town. Dr. Bryant is the pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Baltimore. Dr. Bryant had invited Rev. Brenson to be his guest preacher at the 8:00 a.m. service. Sunday at 7:40 a.m. Dr. Bryant and his son picked up the Bren- sons and took them to Bethel, which was half-full when they arrived at 7:50 a.m. By 8:15 a.m. the church was full. You that have never worshiped at Bethel, it seats 1500 persons. Yes, what you have heard is true and the half of it has not been told about John Bryant and the Bethel Family. Dr. John Bryant is a candidate for Episcopal Honors at the upcoming General Conference. At the last Gen- eral Conference he was left at the door. I predict if the church elects 4 bishops, he will be one of the 4; if they elect 3, he will be one of the 3; if they elect 2, he will be one of the 2, and if they elect 1, he should be the one! Bishop and Mother Bryant came to the 8:00 a.m. service. As we all know, Mother Bryant has not been too well for some time. We would have been Hampton Feeds 5000 ——— ae t In Baltimore, MD Rev. and Mrs. V. L. Brenson celebrate their 36th wedding anniversary in Baltimore, MD. disappointed if they had not been pres- ent. I feel Bishop and Mother Bryant went beyond the call of duty to attend the 8:00 a.m. service. After the sermon, Bishop Bryant ex- pressed his appreciation for the ser- mon and said, ‘‘the Lord used you this morning, I can see why you have done so well at Bryant Temple.’’ After the service, we were served a delicious home cooked breakfast. Bishop Adams, Presiding Bishop of the 2nd Episcopal District, arrived before the service was over. The Bryants know how to make you feel at home away from home. After breakfast Bishop Adams took us to Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church for their 92nd Annual Men’s Day cele- bration. Bishop Adams was to deliver the message; instead, he presented your humble servant to deliver the message, making this the last annual Men’s Day in the old building. Rev. Howard R. Camper, pastor of Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church, is getting ready to build a new church. After the close of the service, the Chairperson The Feeding of the Multitude by Charolett Martin, Reporter 4 Dr. R. J. Hampton LT You would have thought the hands of time had been turned back to the Biblical days when Jesus fed the multitude of 5,000! The occasion?? A 20th century feeding of 5,000 hosted by Dr. R. J. Hampton, candidate for Episcopal Honors, and the Hampton for Bishop Campaign Committee. It’s not often that 5,000 people receive a dinner invitation to the same dinner. But, this was the case in Tulsa, OK during the Connectional Lay Organization Meeting. It was an exciting day filled with laughter, musical entertainment, Joy and good will. The grand host himself (Dr. R. J. Hampton) worked the crowd untiringly; as he mingled for six straight hours, greeting people and extending well wishes. Every now and then you could see him wiping sweat from his brow—and reasonably so, the temperature soared in the high 80's But, he wasn't alone; Mrs. Nora Hampton, Mrs. Nora Hampton his wife was right there by his side spreading her Southern Hospitality The Hampton Campaign workers were also visible on every hand greeting guest, serving food, and checking to make sure “all was well” with their dinner guest. The festive outdoor picnic-style dinner was carried out in grand style. A long stem red rose was placed in the center of every table covering and over-all radius of half-a-mile. The entire area, warmly decorated in red and white uncannily invited all to a “down-home” good time Heaping portions of brisket, pork, deer, squirrel, pig feet, raccoon, goat, turkey, ham, chicken and fish along with cole slaw, baked beans and melon made up the menu as thousands filed through the serving line Among the 5,000 dinner guest were churchmen from across the connection Dr. Hampton's own bishop, Bishop H Please turn to page 5 thanked the Bishop for coming and also thanked him for bringing a good preacher with him. Rev. and Mrs. Camper took the Brensons out for dinner at one of the nicest places in Baltimore and then showed them the city. There is nothing like old friends and nothing like mak- ing new friends. Old friends and new friends go together. At 7:00 a.m. Monday morning someone knocked on our hotel door. After they had knocked several times, we thought maybe we should answer it. Our daughter, Verdella, had ordered our breakfast from Los Angeles, and had it sent to our room. Early that afternoon we were the dinner guests of Bishop John and Dr. Dolly Adams in Washington, DC. The next afternoon Dr. John Bryant and his family picked us up and took us out to dinner. As you can see with a bird’s eye view, everybody went out of their way to see that we had a beautiful anniver- sary away from home. We arrived back in Los Angeles Thursday night. St. Matthew A.M.E. Church Observes First Quarterly Conference The conference was opened with a very spiritual devotional service, fol- lowed by an uplifting sermon delivered by the Presiding Elder Wilson. The Elder’s sermon came from the book of Matthew, with highlights from the fifth chapter. The business session was opened with all boards offering written and verbal reports. All boards were adopted and approved and all officers were confirmed The Elder Wilson highlighted events on the local and national level. The Elder expressed his gratitude for a very good quarter GQQQVWIQWIVIIIIO Speak Gently—It Is Better To Rule By Love Than By Fear 22QQQIWIIIIIGS St. Paul Holds Bicentennial Harvest Rally Pittsburgh, PA—The Rev. Ernest Dokes, Sr., and the Mass Choir of Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church of Warren, Ohio, were guests for a service at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, which was the culmination of a ‘‘Harvest Rally Celebration.”’ The Rev. Mr. Dokes previously pastored in the Pittsburgh Conference at Trinity A.M.E. and Brown Chapel, prior to his transfer to the North Ohio Conference. There he pastored St. Paul in Akron before becoming the minister of his present charge. He serves as President of the Ministerial Alliance and is a member of the NAACP, the North Ohio Conference Board of Examiners, Deeds and Abstracts, and the General Budget Committee. He is also a North Ohio Conference Bicentennial Committee member, which has been emphasizing 200 years of African Methodism throughout the forty-five churches located in Northern Ohio. Rev. Dokes has a rich heritage in African Methodism, as did his father, the late Presiding Elder Fred D. Dokes, Sr. His brother, Fred, pastors in Huntington, West Virginia, and the late Rev. Norman Dokes pastored in the Pittsburgh Conference. Rev. Dokes and his wife, Ernestine West Dokes, are parents of seven children. A Thanksgiving feast was shared between the morning worship service and the four o’clock P. M. service, with Mrs. Faye Johnson serving as din- ner chairperson and Ms. Ruth G. Dalton the program chairperson. The Rev. Taylor T. Thompson is the pastor of St. Paul Church. NOTICE Do Not Send Color Pictures For Our Black And White Production A. Lee Henderson Publisher Happy New Year! Dr. R. A. Washington Presiding Elder Fifth Episcopal District == ee — | ===== DSC05393.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 11, 1988 Liberia’s President Doe Sends Representation and 91st Anniversary Donation Liberia, West Africa—Nearly a thou- sand people gathered in the sanctuary of Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church for the church’s 91st anniversary. It was a joy to smell fresh paint, see beautifully hung lights, and sense a wonderful atti- tude of the congregation. Minister Yancy Peters Flah, Deputy Minister for Presidential affairs, was the chair- man for the day. Chairman Flah ex- plained to the eagerly awaiting congre- gation that President Samuel Kanon Doe regretted that he could not be present, as promised, due to a goodwill tour to Nimba County. President Doe sent a representative from his office and a generous contribution. The crowd applauded the great leadership that President Doe is giving to the the Republic of Liberia. God blessed in a mighty way, as Bishop Vernon R. Byrd challenged the church to “Make Somebody Strong.” Luke 22:32. “What do you say to a black boy or girl in South Africa, where the mountains are violent; the hills are angry and where the roads are black with uncertainties?’ HELP MAKE THEM STRONG with a faith in God that will not shrink.” Souls were won for Christ on that day and much money was raised. Immediately following the 11:00 a.m. service, Bishop Byrd dedicated a new Sunday School building of Mrs. Watkins, one of the prayer warriors of the congregation, donated by a friend of the church. Director of WMS Well Received by Elaine B. Horace Mrs. Bettye J. Allen Promotion/Missionary Education Di- rector of the Women’s Missionary Society elected Secretary of the PCEM Commit- tee Friendship Press. Chicago, IL—Mrs. Bettye J. Allen, our newly elected PME Director of the WMS, was also elected in the Septem- ber meeting of the PCEM, as secretary of the Committee. The PCEM (Pro- gram Committee for Education in Mission) is an ecumenical committee of the Friendship Press who develops the mission themes. The themes serve as a guide for mission study. Usually two major themes are developed—one of a geographical nature and the other a general theme. Each denomination is at liberty to add a supportive theme for reinforcing the ecumenical themes if so desired. PME Director Allen, though new, with the PCEM Committee, was viable in her input in the committee’s func- tion. She, being knowledgeable, enthu- siastic, and a spirit to share, won her the respect of the committee to the ex- tent that they wished her to render a service on the committee as secretary. We know that Mrs. Allen will give both the PME office and the PCEM Committee the quality and quantity of service that we all will be proud of. She is an educator, hard worker and a pro- ducer. She is a member of the Woodlawn A.M.E. Church in Chicago, and of the Fourth Episcopal District. Mrs. Allen is a devoted Christian worker, with a strong family background. She is the mother of two children, Mr. Cedric Jenkins, a Supervisor Manager with the American Gaston Company, and Dr. Jondelle B. Jenkins, a Podiatric Surgeon. We all congratulate Director Bettye J. Allen, one of our own whom we love and respect for her untiring and unselfish service. She has rendered a service as YPD Director Locally, Conference and Dis- trict along with many years of service on the Connectional WMS level. She loves her God, her Church and holds her leaders in the highest of esteem with respect, love and honor. Mrs. Elaine Baily Horace Blankets Given To Fight Off Winter Cold In Tennessee Chattanooga, TN—Operation Blessing will disburse 400 new blankets in Chat- tanooga, 300 in Knoxville and 500 in Nashville. The initiative, one of numerous Operating Blessing projects, will give away 65,935 blankets this fall and winter. Each gray wool blanket costs between five and six dollars, depending on transportation costs. Another program, CBN’s 1987 Back-to-School Clothing Project for disadvantaged children, has just been completed. Children have received everything from socks to winter jackets in 39 communities around the country. Overall, Operation Blessing has administered the allocation of about $6 million worth of new garments to deserving persons in 1987. Operation Blessing routinely sup- plies funds, goods and services to chur- ches and other charitable organizations on a matching basis in order to reach out more extensively to the poor and hungry. For the blanket project, however, all funds are directly from Operation Blessing. All assistance is carefully monitored by Operation Blessing to ensure that items go to those truly in need. CBN has been operating Operation Blessing since 1978 under the direction of Ben Kinchlow, CBN Executive Vice President and popular co-host of the “*700 Club.’’ In fiscal 1986-1987 alone, Operation Blessing made available about $50 million in CBN funds and matching gifts, services and products to help people in need worldwide. For further information on the blanket project, contact Marie Crowe, CBN Area Manager in Tennessee, at (615) 899-6904. eb hb DD DJ Somer i> — > —~D—4 [> —<2>—<P>—<0> 2) =o=So=om PD p> <<) D> — 7 === == = Seon b> > ~~ == cSomemom em SF =o oemememm D—<D—~< {<<>> = CS b> — <p Pp D>—D—< <>< — 2) <I te rE Je 2 Eliza Turner A.M.E. Church, 35 Camp Johnson Road, Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, Dr. J. E. January, Pastor. Civil Rights Journal—Commentary #313 James Baldwin: Teacher, Friend, Freedom Fighter by Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr. At the funeral service in New York City for noted author James Baldwin — a service which was truly a celebration of his life — novelist Toni Morrison spoke to Baldwin as if he were still alive. She commented on ‘“‘the astonishing gift of your art and your friendship... a tenderness so delicate I thought it could not last, but last it did and envelop me it did .... The season was always Christmas with you there.” Playwright and poet Amiri Baraka, in his eulogy, recalled Baldwin as “my friend, my older brother,” and added, “He was close, as man, as human relative; we could make it some cold seasons merely warmed by_ his handshake, smile or eyes.” Author Maya Angelou also spoke of the warmth of his support, saying, “He is my brother.” Though the recollections of this great friend and teacher were intensely personal, they were also _ intensely political. Baraka called Baldwin “this glorious, elegant grist of our oppressed African American nation . . .” who, he said, “made us feel, for one thing, that we could defend ourselves or define ourselves, that we were in the world, not merely as animate slaves, but as terrifyingly sensitive measures of what is good or evil, beautiful or ugly... .” Baraka also noted, “Jimmy was a ‘civil rights leader,’ too . . . at the hot peak of the movement Jimmy was one of its truest voices.” And so he was. From the earliest days of the Civil Rights Movement, James Baldwin was there to give active and visible support to the struggle, even though it made him unpopular in some circles. 1 personally remember, while in prison in North Carolina as a member of the Wilmington 10, that Baldwin’s powerful, life-affirming writings helped us continue the struggle, even from behind prison bars. Then in January of 1977, Baldwin wrote a lengthy public letter to President Carter, decrying the continued persecution of political prisoners. The letter, written from Paris, appeared in the New York Times and was instru- mental in galvanizing the international public pressure which would eventual- ly help lead to the Wilmington 10 case being overturned in Federal Court. After being freed from prison, Baldwin and I had long conversations — conversations in which we sifted through the politics and events of the day and strategized about the on-going liberation of African American people. He always understood and validated the strength of our people, constantly prodding us to take the risks necessary to struggle for freedom. Or, as Baraka noted, “He always made us know we were dangerously intelligent and as courageous as the will to be free.” At the same time Baldwin also understood and championed the plight of all oppressed peoples. As he noted in his letter to President Carter, the situation of U.S. political prisoners was “but a very small indication of the situation of the wretched in this country: the nonwhite, the Indian, the Puerto Rican, the Mexican, the Oriental.” We have seen three great African Americans leave us in recent days: John Oliver Killens, Harold Washington and, now, James Baldwin. Yet, their legacy lives on. Maya Angelou asked, “Where are the Black writers who will confront this racist nation?” This is the legacy for us all — writer and non-writer alike. As Baldwin, himself, said: “For while the tale of how we suffer, and how we are delighted, and how we may triumph is never new, it always must be heard.” N? LOMO? LOUD? LOMO? AOVOM? BS @ May Your New Year Be Filled With Joy! Q Dr. D. C. Coleman Presiding Elder Fourth Episcopal District 5 8 § 8 § § ? ¢ Bune § 9 g : § | gy ‘ ; ROWIO”P AQHO” AQHO”? AOHIO/ KOU ===== DSC05394.JPG ===== January 11, 1988 13th District Missionary PSS DLOF ates Bicentennial Through Writings Mrs. Ruby N. Doyle of the 13th Episcopal District, and a member of the West Kentucky Conference Branch Missionary Society, contributed to the great Bicentennial celebrations of the A.M.E. Church through her writings about the A.M.E. heritage. Mrs. Doyle, a member of Youngs Chapel A.M.E. Church of Louisville, KY, used her considerable writing talents for writing a 252-page A.M.E._history/ textbook; “The Dover Trek,” which was the drama used in Dover, Delaware, on June 13, during the Philadelphia Bicentennial celebrations; a chronology spanning 200 years of A.M.E. women’s participation in Christian, social, and civic endeavors; and a book of four religious plays about the A.M.E. Church. Mrs. Doyle, a life- long member of her church, feels that the amazing history of the A.M.E. Church and the inspired lives of its dedicated leaders and foreparents needs to be known by every Christian who sails under the banner of African Methodism. Mrs. Doyle’s twenty-chapter history /textbook, entitled Twenty Daring Decades: An A.M.E. History/Text- book for Young Readers, came about in a rather novel way. She says that sometime after the 1984 General Con- ference, she was leafing through the booklet ‘‘Quadrennial Report and Re- commendations of Bicentennial Com- mittee,’’ which had been put under the section entitled ‘‘Bicentennial Literary Works,’’ she came across a sentence that said, ‘‘The committee further rec- ognizes that a need exists to develop a book of poems and essays aimed at youth. . .’’ She says that she especially appreciated that recommendation be- cause, as a Y.P.D. advisor, she knew that she could use the material in her young adult Y.P.D. class. But, realiz- The AME Christian Recorder = Mrs. Ruby Nell Doyle ing the bicentennial was some years off, she decided to write some material herself that would be of interest to her class; and the end result was the idea for writing the twenty-chapter book. The book has a chapter for each decade that the church has been in existence, starting with the 1787-1797 decade and ending with the 1977-1987 decade. It details the development of the church and the labors of the consecrat- ed leaders from its beginning in Phila- delphia through the pre-Civil War per- iod, the Civil War, Radical Reconstruction, WWI and WWII per- iods, on through the ‘‘Armageddon’’ days of the Sixties and up until today. Many church controversies which could have divided or torn the church apart, but only made it stronger, are detailed in this 200-year history book of the church. Mrs. Doyle says that she is extremely pleased with the reception her book has received throughout the Connection; and says she is constantly amazed at some communications she has received telling about creative ways in which particular chapters—especially the chapters dealing with the 1857-1867, 1917-1927, and 1958-1967 decades, had been presented and what the response had been. Another A.M.E. bicentennial literary project in which Mrs. Doyle engaged was the writing of a drama entitled, “The Dover Trek,” which was presented during the Philadelphia Bicentennial Celebration on June 13, in Dover, Delaware. It was written from guidelines and directions supplied by the Bicentennial Committee chaired by Bishop Vinton R. Anderson. This particular project came under the task team of the bicentennial Youth Activity Committee whose members included Mrs. Johanna Green, Connectional Y.P.D. Director; Mrs. Frank C. Cummings, First Episcopal District Supervisor; Mrs. Ruth Hughes, First Episcopal W.M.S. President; and Mrs. Shermanita Dixon, First Episcopal Y.P.D. Director. “The Dover Trek” drama is composed of four acts, and each act depicts highlights from the life of Richard Allen in his journey from slavery in Dover, Delaware, until his permanent move to Philadelphia. After the drama was written, the manuscript was submitted to the Smithsonian Institute to be checked for historical accuracy of the facts presented. Edward D. Smith, historian, sent back a letter expressing his “pleasure of reviewing” the four skits and his “congratulations” on the work. A condensed version of “The Dover Trek” drama was ably performed by Y.P.D. members from the First Episcopal District under the superb direction of Mrs. Shermanita Dixon. Mrs. Doyle said that watching the performance of “The Dover Trek” by such talented performers was, indeed, a moving and gratifying experience. Mrs. Doyle says that one of the most rewarding literary projects in which she Apartheid — A Special Frontline Series With Judy Woodruff by Judy Woodruff Many white South Africans claim that the entire country is theirs by right. No black man, they say, oc- cupied South Africa before the first tiny Dutch settlement in 1652. But, part I of ‘Apartheid — A Special FRONTLINE Series with Judy Woodruff’’ makes clear that blacks were, in fact, in South Africa hundreds of years before whites. Archeologists’ discoveries have proved it. The Afrikaner nationalists who created Apartheid distrusted other whites as well as blacks. The young Afrikaner Republics battled the British in the Boer War in the 1890’s and were brutally suppressed. The British im- prisoned Afrikaner women and children in concentration camps where tens of thousands died. Black South Africans suffered on a far larger scale. After they were defeated by the British and Afrikaners in the late 1800’s they were herded on- to tiny reservations that could not sus- tain them. Denied the rights of land ownership, they were systematically forced to become cheap laborers for white mines and farms. The desperate situation of blacks gave rise to the first black liberation movement in Africa; the African Na- tional Congress (ANC). In 1948, united by a hatred for the British and a fear of the black majority, the Afrikaners voted—in a Nationalist Party government that would put the interest of Afrikaners first. Its motto: “apartheid’’ or ‘‘apartness.’’ Part 2 (1948-1963) “The black man, he would overrun you, and then what would you do? You shoot him. That was the thing we wanted to avoid. We don’t want to shoot the black man. We would rather govern him.’’ Wentzel du Plessis, an Afrikaner politician, explains the policy of the white Nationalist govern- ment swept into power in 1948. Part II of ‘‘Apartheid — A Special FRONTLINE Series with Judy Woodruff’, lays out the details of the new apartheid policy, including: classi- fying all South Africans by race, removing blacks from cities where many had lived for generations, and establishing separate and unequal schooling for blacks, But apartheid spawned increasing black resistance. The 1950’s brought forth new leaders like Nelson Mandela, a young lawyer, who led mass campaigns in defiance of apar- theid laws. In 1960, during the last non-violent campaign, police fired on a crowd at Sharpeville, killing 69, The black resis- tance movement went underground and turned to force. But soon all the major leaders were arrested. Nelson Mandela, convicted of staging a sabo- tage campaign, was sentenced to life. Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd had asserted total control Part 3 (1963-1977) “Independent homelands’’ for blacks was the centerpiece of Prime Minister Hendrick Verwoerd’s vision of ‘‘grand apartheid.’’ Part Il of ‘*Apartheid — A Special FRONTLINE Series with Judy Woodruff?’ shows how the white government found African leaders to collaborate with them on this policy. The government’s plan was to make all blacks citizens of nominally in- dependent homelands. South Africa’s race problem would then disappear — at least on paper — since all blacks would then be foreigners. The policy meant deporting three and a half million blacks into rural areas that desperately meeded investment to make them economically viable, The government refused to spend the money. This homeland policy bred increased resistance to apartheid. Black students were the vanguard, led by a charismatic medical student, Steve Biko. In 1976, school children in the huge black ghetto of Soweto rebelled against their education and set off the first sustained nationwide attack on apartheid, Steve Biko hoped to unite the student militants with black military groups living in exile, He did not realize his hopes. In 1976 he died of injuries suffered while in police custody. (To be continued) The Feeding Of The Multitude Continued from page 3 Hartford Brookins spoke to the gathering as only Bishop Brookins can do Expressions were given by Bishop D Ward Nichols, Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, Rey. Floyd Flake, congressman and the hosts Rev. & Mrs. R. J. Hampton It was truly an occasion to remember—The Feeding of 5,000! Were you there”? engaged of the Bicentennial Celebration was researching information for a writing “A Bicentennial Chronology: Women of the A.M.E. Church (1787- 1986).” This chronology details the outstanding labors of dedicated and inspired A.M.E. women from 1787 until today. Many historical figures who grace the pages of history books and who were prominent in anti-lynching movements, voting rights for women, and other civil rights movements were A.M.E.’s chronological entries from 1787 when Jane Murray walked out of St. George Methodist Episcopal Church with Richard Allen until now, when A.M.E. women hold connectional positions in the church and hold positions of leadership in worldwide and national ecumenical bodies show how the women have helped to make the A.M.E. Church the great influential church that it is today. This literary work is dedicated to Mrs. Wilhelmina Lawrence for her many years of inspired service to the W.M.S. Mrs. Doyle said that when she was in Atlanta at the Missionary Quadrennial, she was very pleased to see that a copy of the chronology had been placed in the “Women’s Missionary Archives, which was under the leadership of Mrs. Octavia Dandridge, W.M.S. Connectional Historiographer. Mrs. Doyle is also the author of A Richard Allen Celebration: Religious Plays and Pageants for All Age Groups, a 100-plus-page book of four plays about the A.M.E. heritage, which will be going into its second printing soon. Mrs. Doyle, a retired high school English teacher, is currently enrolled in Simmons Bible College in Louisville and is working toward a B.Th. in Chnistian Education. She hopes this background will enhance her effectiveness as a Christian worker and as a wniter of religious literature. Mrs. Doyle’s A.M.E. books and information pertaining to them may be obtained by writing to her aE Mrs. Ruby Nell Doyle 345 Glendora Avenue Louisville, Kentucky 40212 . Texas Has Much On Tap For General Conference In Fort Worth Continued from page 1 “Bishop Stokes’ Special Health Service Coordinator.” Nurse Cawthon’s “Health Service Suite” will be located in near proximity to the residence of bishops and wives and widows and general officers. This health service is not proposed to circumvent or conflict with general church health nomenclature; rather, it is merely a special health facility offered the A.M.E. Church by official General Conference episcopal host Bishop Rembert E. Stokes All Texas is marching to the “drum beat” of Bishop Stokes for the entertainment of the General Conference in Fort Worth. Bishop Stokes is the “Texas Drum Major,” Dr, McCormick, as coordinator, is the “baton-wielder” for the Texas entertainment of the 1988 General Conference Dr, James R. Anderson, Director of the General Conference Brochure Production, is taking advertisements now. His full-page announcements will appear in the A.M.E, Christian Recorder subsequently, Those interested in taking out brochure ads may contact Dr. Anderson as follows: Dr. James R. Anderson 1717 Meadow Valley Dallas, Texas 7$232 ===== DSC05395.JPG ===== 6 The AME. Christian Recorder i | it News From The Northwest Texas Conference The Northwest Texas District Min- isters and Laity met with their most capable Presiding Elder of the North- west Texas District, Rev. I. C. Cooper, recently at Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church, Big Springs, Texas, for their yearly Planning Meeting. Registration began promptly at 9:00 a.m., with the General Session begin- ning at 10:00 a.m. The laymen of the district rendered a spirited devotional period, which set the tone for the meeting. After the devotion, the busi- ness session of the meeting was turned over to Presiding Elder Cooper, who presided with dignity and poise. After the reading and approval of the minutes, the district was organized. Mrs. Leola Jones William was elected vice chairperson of Stewardesses. Elected as Marshals were: Rev. Floyd Green, Jr., Rev. Richard Green and Willie I. Graham. Presiding Elder Cooper brought be- fore the district body for consideration suggestions and voting: Ads for the General Conference Souvenir Book, and Paul Quinn Homecoming Souve- nir Book. The district decided to take a full-page for each. The Northwest Texas District body, along with the ministers, elected the host churches for the following: the District Conference will be held at Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church, San Angelo, TX, March 2425, 1988, Rev. E. L. Wright, pastor. Sunday School Convention, Greater St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Midland, TX, June 15-17, 1988, Rev. S. V. Ferguson, pastor. Annual Conference, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lubbock, TX, Rev. D. A. Smith, pastor. It was announced by Presiding Elder Cooper that the General Conference would be held July 6-16, 1988, Fort Worth, TX. July 27-29, 1988, Con- vocation, Paul Quinn College, Waco, TX. Presiding Elder Cooper presented the newly-elected Lay President, Mr. Worthy Gilbert, who introduced his officers for the 1987-88 Conference year. Mr. Gilbert stated briefly some of the work that would be going on this conference year. Mr. W. I. Graham, Conference President of Ushers, gave a brief sum- mary of plans for the conference year. He also read the Ushers’ Budget for each church. Rev. C. L. Boyd, pastor of Johnson * : * Best Wishes For a * Bright New Year! »% Bethel A.M.E. Church Baltimore, Maryland Dr. John R. Bryant Perevetretrrrseccrccosroser eset ss ess soso oy SII KS IIS III ISIS II IAI SSSI ISISTISISISISISISSSSSSIS SION Chapel A.M.E, Church, Amarillo, TX, presided with distinction over the highly spirited Noon Worship Service, with pastors within the district assist- ing. Presiding Elder Cooper presented the speaker, Rev. Floyd Green, Jr., pastor of Simms Chapel A.M.E. Church, Stamford, TX, Rev. Green se- lected his scripture from Matthew 18, beginning with the 9th verse. He chose as a theme: ‘‘There Is a Hell.’’ This was a soul-searching message—a mes- sage that touched everyone. Rev. Green was superb. The Green Trio was excellent in lift- ing the name of Jesus through songs. Rev. E. L. Wright, pastor of Great- er St. Paul A.M.E. Church, San Angelo, and Chairman of the Tutorial Program, gave brief remarks concern- ing the program and its goals. The Missionary Society of the Northwest Texas District met in an afternoon assembly with our newly and most capable President, Mrs. Anna D. Jones, who presided with charm and poise. Mrs. Ora Jean Wilson, Conference Worship Direc- tor, led the group in a most eloquent devotion. It was a spirited challenge of faith, hope, love and devotion. As the beautiful hymn, ‘‘I Surrender All’’ was being sung, one could visualize their love and faith in Jesus. After the devotion, Mrs. Jones out- lined in detail what to expect during the conference year. She introduced the elected officers for the year 1987-88. Mrs. Anna J. Lowe, Second Vice President, read the Standing Committee Chairpersons for the year. At the conclusion of the Second Vice President appointments, Presi- dent Jones called for the election to fill the vacancies of Treasurer and Parlia- mentarian. Mrs. Catherine Robinson, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lubbock, was elected Treasurer, and Mrs. Ronetta Howard, Bethel A.M.E. Church, Lub- bock, was elected Parliamentarian. Presiding Elder Cooper, district of- ficers, pastors and laity wish to say to Rev. M. L. Goffney and members of Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church, thanks for the kind hospitality shown while visiting your church and the city of Big Springs. Naomi L. Graham, Reporter KEKKKKKKK eR IAI III IIR III II IRI HI KIRA I III II IIIA Southwest Texas Conference District Holds Planning Meeting The Southwest Texas Conference District Planning Meeting was held at St. Paul A.M.E. Church, Flatonia, Texas, Dr. O. W, Hodges, Presiding Elder, Rev, Effie P. Blandin was Host Pastor, and Dr. N. H, Franklin, Dean. The meeting began with an impres- sive Spiritual Fellowship and Coffee. The opening convocation was at 10:45 a.m, with Dr. Hodges presiding, There was a devotion, then organization and reports of the churches. After a 5-minute recess, the Wor- ship Service convened with the Dean, Rev. Franklin, presiding. The Old Tes- tament scripture was read by Rev. A. Burke (Ezekiel 1:15), and the New Testament scripture was read by Rev. R. D. Sanders (John 15:1), A powerful message was delivered by Rev. M. L. Lewis, the theme being ‘Be Content With What You Have!’’ (Hebrews 13:5). There was a special solo by Rev. R. D. Sanders entitled *‘] Made It," A delectable dinner of roast turkey and all the trimmings was served after the service. The services reconvened with Dr. Hodges presiding. The devotion was a spiritual love feast, followed by the presentation of Certificates and the in- stallation and charge to the officers. There were three proposals discussed. All were thankful to the Master for their spiritual and financial success, and to the Host Pastor for the superb hospitality and fellowship that was enjoyed. Mrs. I. V. Greene, Reporter In Jubilee for Bicentennial And In Family Solidarity During This Holy Season — We Praise God And Hope For Peace and Love In 1988 a Reverend and Mrs. Thomas L. McCray Cleveland District Pastor North Ohio Annual Conference wy A PAS NSIS NNN NIN NIN NSIS NSN NSS SISA ASS SS NOMMMMDMMDMAD DADAM OIDI OOOO IOOOIOMNOAO OOO SA May Your New Year _ Be Filled With Joy! Price Chapel A.M.E. Church SWOVAAAVAVANANANANANAN ANA NAAN AANA oO; WS Y Rev. Richard Tankerson Dallas, Texas EOAAA WA AANA AAA AAW A AiAP9d 4A Ad AAPAE A APAey AMA OAPI QD Rev. James R. Anderson Dallas, Texas ===== DSC05396.JPG ===== January 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Atlanta—The chains that hold back Black Americans from realizing their dreams in an educational handicap handed down by history, a corporate executive recently told 100 leaders of historically Black colleges who met in Atlanta. Marshall B. Bass, senior vice president of RJR Nabisco, Inc., addressed a conference on student financial aid organized by the Southern Education Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. The Chains That Hold Back Black Americans Atlanta, GA—The chains that hold back Black Americans from realizing their dreams is an educational handi- cap handed down by history, a corpor- ate executive recently told 100 leaders of historically Black colleges who met in Atlanta. Marshall B. Bass, senior vice presi- dent of RJR Nabisco, Inc., addressed a conference on student financial aid organized by the Southern Education Foundation and the U.S. Department of Education. Bass praised the group for addressing student financial aid problems at traditionally Black col- leges. “Social consciousness has weak- ened prejudice. Legislation has out- lawed discrimination in housing, employment and other arenas, but an educational gap continues to shackle the Black race,’’ Bass said. “‘Education is the primary tool that will enable minorities to keep moving ahead in our society,’’ Bass continued. ‘“‘Uplifting educational standards should be the highest priority in every Black household in America, because the desire to achieve begins at home. But achieving higher academic goals requires monetary resources as well as motivation. And I believe that the bus- iness sector is becoming increasingly important to enhanced educational op- portunities for Blacks.”’ He noted that U.S. business funds a growing array of educational programs that benefit both Black youth and adults, including undergraduate schol- arships, internship programs, graduate study assistance, and basic adult edu- cation programs. “Corporate support of minority education enhances the pool of well- qualified corporate job candidates, and prepares people for other careers in which they can make a positive con- tribution to the economy. That, in turn, enhances the climate in which we do business,’’ he explained. Bass said that RJR Nabisco is par- ticularly concerned that cutbacks in federal aid, weak recruiting efforts, ris- ing tuition costs and lack of education- al encouragement have contributed to a3 percent drop in college enrollment among Blacks since 1980. “It’s estimated that one year at an average public college now costs about $5,600,’ Bass said, ‘‘while a private school requires more than $10,000 a year. Considering that one-third of all Black American families have incomes under $11,000 a year, the implications for our nation’s future educational standards are alarming.’’ For those reasons, RJR Nabisco is the largest contributor to United Negro College Fund schools; makes substantial grants to the Consortium for Graduate Study in Management for minorities attending nine major universities; and has helped fund con- struction of new facilities at histori- cally Black colleges. In addition, the company funds numerous scholarships earmarked for minority youth study- ing business, engineering and journal- ism. “For us, support of minority educa- tion is a matter of corporate con- science, and common sense,’’ Bass said. ‘‘Educational issues cannot be shouldered by civic and government agencies alone.’’ RJR Nabisco, Inc., an international consumer products corporation with headquarters in Atlanta, GA, is the parent company of R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. and Nabisco Brands, Inc. —<<——S>-—E St /* Dr. William Lee Freeman Presiding Elder First Episcopal District Consultation Calls For Urgent Action By Churches On AIDS Toronto, Ont,—'*We believe that at- tempts to link the AIDS crisis with the wrath of God are irresponsible, ser- iously harmful and misrepresent the character of God, God calls us as a people, a whole people, and no one is expendable.’’ This conclusion is among those reached by a gathering of 130 ethicists, theologians, persons with AIDS, health care professionals, community workers and church representatives at- tending a three-day meeting this past weekend to discuss the theological and ethical issues related to Acquired Im- mune Deficiency Syndrome. The consultation, sponsored by the National Council of Churches (U.S.A.), the World Council of Churches and the Canadian Council of Churches, drew participants from across Canada and the United States. The purpose of the event was to devel- op a “‘blueprint’’ that would encour- age the mainline churches to become constructively involved in the AIDS crisis. Among the recommendations adopted by working groups at the con- sultation were the following: *We confess that in Canada and the United States our churches have been almost totally silent on AIDS. *We the churches must take up the challenge to participate in and provide leadership in both sex education and AIDS prevention so that the epidemic will be stemmed. *We the churches have failed to re- spond to the global health crisis, espe- cially the concerns of those people liv- ing in conditions of extreme poverty in developing countries. *We the churches need to challenge governments and health care profes- sionals to assure all people the right to medical care. *We the churches must lobby for the passage and application of laws which provide human rights for all per- sons and protect against wrongful dis- crimination, *We the churches must encourage the distribution of AIDS-related infor- mation, even when it relates to behavy- ior which may be in conflict with church teaching, in order to save lives. For example, how to use condoms properly and the use of non-contami- nated needles. *We acknowledge that the role of health care providers is to care for the sick regardless of illness, race, color, creed, lifestyle, sexual orientation or economic status, even in situations of personal risk. *Throughout the world, women, children and men are dying of AIDS. WE MUST ACT NOW. We commit ourselves to eradicating the bigotry and hatred that are feeding on this dis- ease. AIDS has no religion, no nation- ality, no gender and no sexual orienta- tion. The report and recommendations of the consultation will be forwarded to the sponsoring church councils and cir- culated widely through local congrega- tions in Canada and the United States. It is the hope of the consultation par- ticipants that their work will not only help stimulate open dialogue on the ethical and the theological issues re- lated to AIDS, but also prompt urgent action by the churches. Arkansas Governor Bill Clinton Appoints A.M.E. Pastor West Memphis, AR—Rev. Robert Nelson, Jr., of West Memphis, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, has been notified by Governor Bill Clinton of his appointment to the Highway Safety Program Advisory Council. Rev. Nelson’s appointment will be brought before the Senate for confir- mation at the General Assembly. The term will expire January 14, 1989. RARARAARARAARAAAAAY ADS é Best Wishes for the New Year! b Yh Yh “h “a hh “hy hh ‘A A HH Rev. Leslie White Wichita, Kansas IAAAAA ===== DSC05397.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder January 11, 1988 Unions, Civil Rights Groups Denounce South African-Backed TV Miniseries Washington, DC—Communications Workers of America (CWA) President Morton Bahr, and Randall Robinson, Executive Director of Trans-Africa, were joined by William Winpisinger, President, International Association of Machinists (LAM), Jack Sheinkman, President, Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union (ACTWU), and John Sweeny, President, Service Employees International Union, in de- nouncing the television miniseries “Shaka Zulu’’ as a violation of the United Nations-sanctioned cultural embargo against the South African government. ** ‘Shaka Zulu’ is an outrageous ex- ample of the South African govern- ment’s attempts to shore up their op- pressive regime,’’ said Randall Robin- son of The Free South Africa Move- ment/Trans-Africa. ‘‘The purpose of this show is not to celebrate African history, but to weaken American iden- tification with South Africans by por- traying them as savages,’’ Robinson continued, ‘‘We would never tolerate such a presentation of European his- tory, and we should not allow this de- famation to stand.’’ The account of Shaka, who was an outstanding military and political lead- er, has been distorted into a stereo- typical portrayal of Africans as bar- baric, savage and inferior to Whites. The nudity, violence, and sexual over- tones of this series are unprecedented in prime-time entertainment television, while this demeaning portrayal of Black people is excused as ‘authentic.’ ‘*Why is it that American news cam- eras are banned from bringing South African news to the televisions of America, but the South Africans are allowed to put this racist, demeaning propaganda on American television?’’ > LOMO? LONG? LOMO? CONG? LOMO LOMO? LOMO? MLOWOM? MOWO 9 MOO? May Your New Year Be Bright! MWOHOP? AOHOPH AOHO” AOHOP AOHO* AOHOPH AGIOH AOUO” AOQUO” AOI «& You can relax when you’ve placed your order with The AME Christian Recorder ay THE BICENTENNIAL BOOK OF DISCIPLINE A MUST For Every AM: Laws governing every facet of our Church. GOLD DISCIPLINE AMEC — 0-415-01232-4 @ $9.50 eee << E Member—The Book of ORDER FROM THE AMEC SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION 500 EIGHTH AVENUE SOUTH NASHVILLE, TN 37203 Please add 13% yostage and handling asked CWA President Bahr. “Shaka Zulu’’ has been surrepti- tiously placed on American television by an independent distributor, to con- ceal the involvement of the South Afri- can government in its production, The miniseries was produced by Harmony Gold with at least $2.5 million in fi- nancing by the South African Broad- casting Corporation and with the full support of the South African Parlia- ment, Since when has the South Afri- can government spent $2.5 million on anything to benefit Black South Afri- cans? “We live in the information age, when images and information can be exchanged around the world in the blink of an eye,’’ commented Bahr. “We must be ever vigilant in opposing those who would use electronic enter- tainment, television, to support op- pression and injustice.’’ An Educator’s Opinion Sane The leaders emphasized that Ameri- can working people know that an in- jury to one is an injury to all, and will stand beside their brothers and sisters in the labor and freedom movement in South Africa. The series, which has met with pro- test in Los Angeles and New York City, and which recently aired in Washington, DC, is scheduled to begin in Atlanta, Georgia, and has aired in other cities around the country. The leaders objected to Fox Broad- casting using the American airwaves to spread this propaganda, which the other networks rejected. The series is in syndication and can be shown in any part of the country at any time. There- fore, they urged everyone who believes in peace, justice and freedom to write protest letters to Fox Broadcasting and its local affiliates who schedule the series. Mentoring: Collegiality In Action More than a few of my colleagues in the teaching profession recall their first day in the classroom with a shudder. They recall feeling anchor-less, adrift on uncharted seas, with navigation in- struments nowhere to be found. What had gone wrong? They had taken all the prescribed courses, ab- sorbed the material on the psychology of learning and the tenets of effective pedagogy, deepened their dedication. But what these teachers were missing (this knowledge dawned slowly) was the help of those who had stood before where they stood now. They needed _ Mentors. Instead, they received lessons from on high—dictates from bureau- cracies far removed from the day-to- day realities of classroom practice. Sadly, not much has changed. In very few schools is there an alternative to the sink-or-swim process of induc- tion to teaching. In very few schools is there a formal means to ensure that novice practitioners receive counsel from veteran teachers. The result, far too often, is rigid re- liance on state- or district-mandated curricular materials—standardized practice. And standardized practice, as the Rand Corporation’s Linda Dar- ling-Hammond has asserted, is mal- practice. The people most able to save novic- es from this syndrome are seasoned practitioners. Recent studies drill home the message that the surest route to improved instruction is a formal system of teachers helping teachers. At least one district—California’s Bellflower Unified School District (B.U.S.D.)—has taken this lesson to heart. With the passage of the Hughes- Hart Educational Reform Act of 1983, the California legislature gave birth to a comprehensive teacher mentor pro- gram. The Reform Act stipulated that mentor teachers would receive $4,000 in addition to their regular annual salaries. The California Reform Act stated that mentors must continue to teach at least 60 percent of the time. But the local NEA affiliate—the Bellflower Education Association (BEA)—found this provision unacceptable. BEA members worried that teachers re- duced to nearly half-time status would become increasingly detached from classroom realities. As a result, NEA members in the Bellflower district negotiated a con- tract stating that all mentoring activi- ties shall be in addition to regular classroom duties. The contract further states that a mentor teacher ‘‘shall not be exempt from any other extra assign- ment or staff meetings’’ required of other teachers. The BEA guidelines reflect the un- derstanding that the goal of mentoring is not only to acclimate novice teach- ers, but also to promote movement to- ward a schoolwide culture of coopera- tion. BEA members took every pre- caution to ensure that the mentor pro- gram would not isolate mentors from their faculty colleagues. I’m excited by the success of the Bellflower mentor teacher program. It demonstrates again that local debate and deliberation—not a fixed formula —offer the keys to effective, workable reform strategies. The Bellflower pro- gram stands as a tribute to the ideal of local faculty autonomy. I recommend the creativity of my NEA colleagues in the Bellflower dis- trict. At the same time, I look forward to the day when all teachers will be mentors to all teachers. In an ideal set- ting, all teachers would work collegial- ly to help each other hone instructional skills, translate abstract research re- sults into practical classroom strate- gies, and expand subject-area knowl- edge. Education, after all, is not an indi- vidual act performed by individual teachers. Education is a collective fac- ulty responsibility, and it works best when schools create working environ- ments that facilitate teacher inter- action, that foster the exchange of ideas and insights. This exchange—this collegial give- and-take—needs to become a career- long process. No teacher has complet- ed—or ever completes—the process of professional growth and development. The best of teachers is a lifelong learner. The Bellflower mentor program of- fers one example of the advances that are possible when schools guarantee teachers the time and the autonomy ¢o help each other help learning come alive for each and every student. That’s an example that we ought not to ignore. Reputation Is For Time, Character Is For Eternity ===== DSC05398.JPG ===== January 11, 198% The AME Christian Recorder Children are the poorest Americans and poverty is the greatest child killer If we don’t raise our voices for chil- dren: THOUSANDS OF THEM WILL CONTINUE TO DIE YOUNG EVERY YEAR ® Poverty kills an American child every 53 minutes. * The United States is tied for last place among 20 industrialized na- tions in keeping our babies alive in the first year of life. ® The Black infant mortality rate is almost twice the rate for White children. If Black and White infant mortality rates had been equal in 1984, 5,309 fewer Black babies would have died that year. TENS OF THOUSANDS WILL CONTINUE TO SUFFER PRE- VENTABLE HEALTH PROBLEMS e Nearly one in four American babies is born to a woman who does not receive prenatal care in the early stages of pregnancy. Among teen mothers, almost half do not receive early prenatal care. Babies born to mothers who re- ceive no or little prenatal care are three times more likely to be born at low birthweight, placing them at much greater risk of death and life- long disabilities. e Almost 20 percent of our pre- schoolers are not fully immunized against one or more of basic pre- ventable diseases like measles and diptheria. e One-third of America’s 35 million uninsured persons are children. Overall, one in six children has no health insurance. One in three has never seen a dentist. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WILL GO HUNGRY AND WITH- OUT NEEDED NUTRITION In Celebration of Children— Children and Bovert ® The Physician Task Force on Hun ger in America estimated in 1985 that malnutrition affects almost $00,000 American children * 3.4 million pregnant women, in fants, and young children go with out the nutrition supplements of the WIC program for which they are eligible. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WILL DROP OUT OF SCHOOL e Every year about 700,000 students at the ninth-grade level or above drop out of school. ® More than 30 percent of our youth do so badly on skills tests that they would be turned down for enlist- ment in our armed forces, except in special circumstances. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WILL GROW UP WITHOUT DE- CENT SHELTER ¢ More than 20 percent of the popu- lation in homeless shelters are chil- dren, not including those in run- away shelters. e Families with children make up about 30 percent of the homeless population; in many major U.S. cities the number is closer to 50 percent. HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS WILL BECOME PARENTS TOO SOON e About 1 million teenage girls get pregnant each year and almost half a million babies are born to teen- agers. This is equivalent to the pop- ulation of Boston. MILLIONS OF CHILDREN WILL GROW UP POOR e Nearly thirteen million children, or one in five, live in families surviving on an income at or below the poverty level ($8,400 per year for a family of three in 1985). Why are so many American children poor? ¢ Parental unemployment: Over million Americans are looking for jobs * Eroding family wages; Over 5 mil- lion Americans working at a mini mum wage earn less than 75 per- cent of the poverty level for a fam- ily of 3, The minimum wage has not been indexed for inflation since 1981. ¢ Changing family demographics and the growth of single parent house- holds. Over 1 out of 2 children ina female-headed household is poor. If that household is headed by a mother under 25, 3 out of 4 are poor. e Unfair budget policies: Since 1980 federal funding for poor children and families has declined in real terms. IT’S NOT TOO LATE TO HELP No moral or sensible nation can dare write off such a significant por- tion of its human assets. This is espec- ially true now that young people are a shrinking percentage of our popula- tion. Our future prosperity as a nation now depends in large part on our abil- ity to enhance the productivity of a new generation of students and work- ers that is disproportionately poor, minority, undereducated, and un- trained. The budget deficit and the trade de- ficit pale in comparison to this human development deficit and the national spiritual deficit that permits it. A principal challenge of the next American decade is the protection of our children from death by arms, want, and neglect. Between now and the year 2000, the nation must mount a carefully conceived, comprehensive human investment effort in all our young and in all our families to over- DAO «OWONM ADUGN2 LOO? LOW»? MOWVOM? OVO? MLOWIO? AMOWO I? MOWON? MOWVOM? MOO? MOV? LOW? HOWE? MOWO? MO ¥ Wishing You a Prosperous New Year Filled With Joy! q KOLO” KOQHO” AOHO” AQHO”? AOI AQUOH AOUIOP AOI AQHOH KOH? AOHOH SOHO? AOHIOPH AOHIOH? KOU? KOI. A.M.E. Christian Recorder Dr. Robert Reid, Jr. Editor Nashville, Tennessee y: Key Facts come the debilitating effects of dec ades of poverty, racial discrimination, neglect, an eroding employment and family wage base, and budget and tax thefts from the weak by the military and wealthy. We must begin with a na onal commitment to ensure that every child has basic health, nutrition, and early childhood services and thus has the capacity and opportunity to learn well and to develop strong basic academic skills, Fortunately, most child poverty can be eliminated or alleviated. The meth- ods and programs for preventing child poverty are proven and tested, avail- able and cost-effective. We know the way—we need the moral urgency and the political will. Children are not a special interest group. They are our moral responsi- bility, as well as our future. It is up to all of us to see that none of them is robbed of their God-given human po- tential. Their nutrition, education, health care, and protection cannot be part of the ‘‘balancing of competing interests’’ that government does. We all must assure that their lives are pro- tected and nurtured. WHAT CAN YOU DO? e Educate yourself and others. e Reach out and serve children and families directly. ¢ Work in partnership with commu- nity organizations and institutions. e Be an advocate for public justice for children and families. e Help make children’s issues visible in the 1988 election and seek con- sensus on a survival agenda for children. For more information on how you can help contact: Religious Affairs Coordinator The Children’s Defense Fund 122 C Street, N.W. Washington, DC 20001 What The Whole World Needs Most Is A ‘‘Faith’’ Lift! DCRR DCCA STTD] CRORES CCSSORET TITS Rev. Wesley I. Reid Lee Memorial A.M.E. Church Cleveland, Ohio ===== DSC05399.JPG ===== 10 The AME Christian Recorder January 11, 1988 Reagan’s Conspiracy Against the Homeless President Reagan President Reagan mouths easy plati- tudes about the sanctity of the family. The actions of his administration, however, tell a completely different story, particularly when we examine the latest attack against homeless fam- ilies. We have all seen the evidence of increasing homelessness: family after family packed in city shelters like sardines; young children roaming our Streets at one and two o'clock in the morning. This terrible devastation will soon get even worse if proposed new federal regulations are allowed to go into effect. The Reagan Administration has decreed that federal emergency support for homeless families will be abruptly stopped after 30 days, even though the average stay for homeless families is 12- 13 months. And remember, these monies were already restricted—they can only be used for temporary shelter. They cannot be used to assist families with apartment rents or to build permanent housing. And now, if the Reagan Administration has its way, these families will be put out on the street after one month. In New York City alone some 4,600 families and over 11,000 children will be affected. While we're at it, let’s talk about why so many families are homeless in the first place. Once upon a time our cities had more low and moderate-income housing. Not anymore. Why? For one thing, during the first six years of the Happy New Year f Jno D. Walker Fort Worth District Tenth Episcopal District Reagan Administration federal housing funds for construction of public housing and renovation of abandoned buildings has been slashed from $31 billion to a mere $8 billion—a $23 billion dollar cut. Then, to make matters worse, the administration deregulated thousands of apartments all over the country which were previously covered by federal rent subsidies. This means that the owners of these buildings—many of them located in prime metropolitan areas—are now free to charge whatever the market will bear as the neighborhood is gentrified. This also means that many of the present low and moderate income tenants of these buildings may soon be joining the burgeoning ranks of the homeless. In California alone it is estimated that as many as 70,000 units will no longer be subsidized. Nationally, thousands of tenants have already been pushed out to make way for those who could afford the new astronomical rents. As a Chicago tenants union organizer noted, “We think this is the beginning of a wave of dislocations.” We see here an example of the double- whammy. First the Reagan Adminis- tration refuses to adequately fund con- struction of low and moderate income housing. Then it brutally slashes fund- ing for emergency shelters and cuts needed housing subsidies. Of course, this kind of policy is to be expected from a man who suggested the homeless were sleeping on city grates “by choice.” The Reagan Administration has carried out a conspiracy against the homeless and against low-income families as well. The homeless are not homeless “by choice.” Many have been pushed into it by the callous and inhumane policies initiated by this administration. We in the church and civil rights communities must speak out against this insidious conspiracy. But beyond that, we must also embrace the homeless, by helping to stop Reagan's evil policies. May Your & Vew Year Filled With Joy! Rev. W. J. Jackson Orangeburg, South Carolina May Your New Year Be Bright! Connectional Lay Organization Dr. Kathryn M. Brown President Atlanta, Georgia Wishing You a Prosperous New Year! Dr. L. W. Jenkins Houston District Houston, Texas Vew lear Be Filled With Joy! : Way Your = ae Se aa Dr. B. L,. MeCormick Baker Chapel A.M.E. Church Fort Worth, Texas 4 2S, New Year! » Joyous ny Turner Chapel A.M.E. Chureh Washington, DC ===== DSC05400.JPG ===== January 11, 1988 The AME Christian Recorder Bethel A.M.E. Church 120th Year Presence In Saginaw Bethel A.M.E. Church, Saginaw, MI, breaks ground for its 1.5 million dollar Educational building. L-R: J. Shelby, R. McQueen, D. McKandes, Pastor C. G. Robinson, Mrs. E. Robinson, Bishop Robinson, F. Carter. J. Phillips, S. Burton, C. Doster, E. Selby, M. Saunders, R. Daniels, J. McGhee, (kneeling) J. Goines, T. Drake and E. Harris, youth. Bethel A.M.E. Church dramatized its dynamic presence in Saginaw, MI, by celebrating its 120th Anniversary the entire year. The festivities and pro- grams began in January. The final phase of the celebration culminated in November with the publication of a souvenir booklet. The history of the church was presented in drama, song, recitations, sermons, an essay contest, and a ground breaking ceremony for an educational wing in a four day climax in June. In 1867 Bethel A.M.E. Church was organized. Its first meetings were held in the home of Mr. and Mrs. Allen Ford on Fourth Avenue. Other charter members were Mrs. Mary Countee, Mr. and Mrs. Peterson, Mrs. Margaret Van Dyke, Mrs. Ellen Foote and Mrs. Malinda Gant. This historical event entitled ‘‘Beth- el Saginaw 1867-1907’’ was effectively and colorfully dramatized on the opening Wednesday night program which included building blocks of Sag- A Report on the ‘‘Sleeping Giant’? That Has Awakened Dover District Holds 20th Conference Dover, DE—With great pride, I have accepted the commission by our Presiding Elder, Dr. Joseph D. Tull, to report on our 20th Dover District Conference. When I look at the nine- teen churches in our district, I would call the Dover District a sleeping giant that has awakened. Ten of our beautiful churches have been rebuilt or renovated, and great improvements have been made to others in the last 20 years. This year’s conference sessioh was held at newly-rebuilt Mt. Zion AME Church, where the Rev. and Mrs. Rudolph W. Coleman and the con- gregation served as our gracious hosts. The Dover District Evangelists set the pace for the conference with a spirit- filled service on Thursday night. The Macedonia AME Choir, Seaford, DE., sang the beautiful songs of Zion and their pastor, the Rev. Walter Dixon, took us to the mountain-top with ‘‘A Message From the Lord.’’ After the Word, the evangelists, pastors and District leaders met at the altar for prayer, led by Rev. Jean Sudler, and tied our strings together, representing strength and unity. The power of the Holy Ghost filled Mt. Zion. On Friday evening, the conference officially opened with music from the great choirs of the hosting church, Dickerson Chapel, Millsboro; St. James, Union, Frederica, and fabulous St. Paul, Harrington, DE. The open- ing session was graced by the presence Presiding Elder Atwood J. Foreman, Wilmington District, Delaware Con- ference; H. L. Eddy, New England Conference; and I. V. Patterson, IV, of the Harrisburg District. Presiding Elder did allow the Lord to use him as he took his text from St. Mark 5:30 and spoke on ‘“‘The Transforming Touch.’’ The Lord’s Supper was serv- ed and we went out with a song. On Saturday morning, as we registered, Mt. Zion served a continen- tal breakfast. The District Evangelists opened the day’s session with devo- tions and Dr. Tull organized the con- ference. Mrs. Sarah Finley, Delaware Conference Director of Music, presented a workshop on the A.M.E.C. Bicentennial Hymnal and reports were received from Mrs. Frances Benson, Conference Director of Christian Education, and Rev. James Hill, Conference Self-Help, Inc. The Rev. Russell Perry, associate pastor of St. James, Union, Frederica, was preacher for the noonday worship service, and spoke on ‘‘One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism.’’ He was, indeed, used of the Lord. A delectable lunch was served by the fine cooks of Mt. Zion, and we gathered for the afternoon session. Dr. Tull presented Bro. Jesse Kellam, who represented the First District Endow- ment Program. Other reports were received from Sis. Betty Washington, Dover Area WMS; Sis. Rosalie Macklin, Conference YPD Director; Sis. Delores Drummond, District Sun- day School Superintendent; Rev. Luther Walker, Jr., District Head- quarters Coordinator; Sis. Gloria Holland, District Music Coordinator; and Rev. Marcella Wilson, District Coordinator of Evangelists. Our new pastor of Prospect AME Church, Georgetown, DE, Rev. Gerald Scott, was presented to the conference. Rey. Tull presented his lovely wife, Charlotte, who addressed the con- ference, after which all reports were received and the Resolution read by this servant, Rev. Joseph Brame. The grand 20th Session of the Dover District Conference was brought to a close by the singing of our district theme song, ‘‘Bind Us Together, Lord.”’ Your Reporter, Rev. Joseph E. Brame Pastor, St. Paul AME Church Harrington, Delaware inaw and a parade of organizations. The history of the following organiza- tions was also presented: Trustee Board, Steward Board, Deaconess Board, Christian Education Depart- ment, Missionary Society, Lay Organi- zation, Class Leaders and Prayer Band, Usher Board #1, Stewardess Board #1, Senior Choir and the Gospel Chorus. The speaker for the evening, a former son of Bethel, was Rev. Mc- Kinley Tyler of Tanner A.M.E. Church, Ontario, Canada. Music was provided by the Senior Choir and the Bowman Gospel Chorus. Thursday night’s historical dramati- zation depicted Bethel A.M.E. from 1908-1948. Each nightly time span pre- sented the church’s previous ministers and their accomplishments, curing each phase; also the building occupied at that time. The church organizations on parade showed Bethel’s versatility and the total involvement of the mem- bership in the church’s spiritual pro- grams. There was the: Busy Bee Club, Retirees’ Club, Stewards’ Wives, Trustees’ Wives, Courtesy Commit- tee, Nurses Guild, Stewardess Board, Rev. Norman V. Osborne, Pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church, Detroit, and also a former son of Bethel A.M.E. Saginaw, who delivered a powerful and challenging message to the congrega- tion. Friday night the youth of Bethel were on parade. The period 1949-1987 was presented in a play entitled ‘“The Church Is Moving On,”’ written and di- rected by Ms. E. Zipporah Thompson. The dramatizations poignantly illus- trated the sustaining power of faith and hope; and reinforced traditional values. The parade of youth organiza- tions presented were: Sunday School, High Teens for Christ, Y.P.D.ers, Junior Church, Usher Board #3, Acolytes, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, Junior Choir, H.C.H. Youth Choir, Bamecians and Stewardess Board #3. The speaker for the evening, a divinity school student and a ‘‘Daughter’’ of Bethel, was Sister Sandra Crosby. The highlight of the week’s activities was the 10:00 Sunday Morning Wor- ship Service in all its splendor, led by the Honorable Bishop Hubert N. Robinson. The sanctuary was trans- formed into yesteryear with ladies adorned in long dresses, matching shawls and bonnets and carrying Bibles. Many long-bearded men with stove pipe hats and clothes from the past. The opening hymn was Bethel’s 120th Anniversary Hymn. Its lyrics were composed by 92-year-old Mrs. their needs and aspirations today. Every True AME should have the Book of Worship to accompany your Bible, Hym- nal Book, and a Sunday School Quarterly African Methodist Episcopal Church Reduced Reduced Only $5.00 The Book of Worship is a new book with a new name, offered in the hope that it will serve a new age in our church. The change within is symbolic of the attempt to help Christians and those who may become Christians to hear God's word, and worship Him, in the language of BOW-815 .geacemnerern tay Please include 13% postage and handling .- -$5.00 Beatrice Watsor All five verses of the hymn depicted the Church's history from beginningto the present day. The stirring anthen, ‘‘We’re Marching To Zion’’ was nasterfully sung by the combined Seiior Choir and Chancel Choir, Equdly as moving was the combined Gospel Chorus, Male Chorus, H.¢€.H. Youth Choir and the Bamecians with their rendition of ‘‘I Don’t Feel No Ways Tired.” An unforgettable moment was the presentation of the members with 50 years of service to Bethel to the con- gregation. Each member was given a gold 50-year pin. Persons conducting this ceremony were: Roslyn McQueen, Odahlia Rance, Dorthy McKandes and Rev. Clarence G. Robinson, Pastor. Bishop Hubert N. Robinson delivered a soul-stirring, powerful message. The invitational hymn’s lyrics were com- posed by Mrs. Margaret Brown, Senior Organist of the church. Immediately following the worship service, the en- tire congregation marched outside for the Ground Breaking Ceremony for the new Educational Wing. The esti- mated cost of 1.5 million dollars building will have twelve classrooms, a gymnasium, fellowship hall, kitchen, etc., to be completed in the summer of 1988. The ceremony was conducted by Bishop Robinson, Rev. C. G. Robin- son, Pastor, Trustees and Stewards. The finale to a glorious day was the reception that followed. Ruby Wofford, Reporter Roslyn McQueen, Chairperson— 120th Celebration Henry Brown, Sr., Chairperson Bicentennial Celebration Rev. Clarence G. Robinson, Pastor Rt. Rev. Samuel S. Morris, Jr. Presiding Bishop, 4th Episcopal District Wishing You a ‘ i f Prosperous New Year! | : { Dr. O. L. Dawson North Houston District a Houston, Texas CO | CREST CREST! ===== DSC05401.JPG ===== The AME Christian Recorder Pictured at the site of the Little Angels Performing Arts Center, Seoul, South Korea, L-R: Rey. Bass, Pentecost, South Hill, SC; Rev. Sligh, United Methodist, Philadelphia, PA, and Rev. Joseph Brame, A.M.E., Harrington, DE. Rotary Taps Rev. Brame For Membership by Harry G. Farrow, Jr. Harrington, DE—The 58-year-old Harrington Rotary Club earlier this month voted Rev. Joseph Brame, pastor of St. Paul’s AME Church in Harrington, to full membership in the club. Rev. Brame has been the pastor at the Harrington church for the past seven years. Rev. Brame was one of five children who grew up in Bedford County, Ten- nessee, but at the age of three, he and his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri. He attended public schools in St. Louis before joining the US Air Force which took him over a large part of the world, seeing action in the Korean War. Following his term in the Air Force, he moved to Montclair, NJ, where he was employed in the trucking and moving business. Later, he was to move to Philadelphia, where he open- ed his own business in the produce and seafood lines. Following his first wife’s death due to ‘‘Myasphenia gravis’ (a disease of the muscles) in 1971, he began a pur- suit of the ministry. He married again to his present wife and, in 1974, he entered the Philadelphia College of Bi- ble and the AME Institute in The Romance of AFRICAN METHODISM p Eg by bg Og Ep Eg eg ey egg eg ea eg catgea tata ta tatty Introductory Offer Paperback — $8.50 (Limited Number) Please enclude 13% postags and handling RA1340172 A STUDY O! AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH GEORGE A. SINGLETON Philadelphia. Rev. Brame received his ordination in 1977. Following his ordination, he served a church in Bensalem, PA, for 2 years. “Tt was a real nice church in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, and we liked it very much,”’ said Rev. Brame. Follow- ing that pastoral service, he took a church in Chatham, NY. He said, ‘* ..1 enjoy pastoral ministry, but it can be extremely difficult at times.’’ He selected membership to Rotary because, as he put it, ‘*...I think they are involved in worthy causes, and when Dr. Arthur Gilbert (director of curriculum in the Lake Forest School District) asked me to consider membership, I consented. It (Harr- ington Rotary Club) is fast becoming an active club, and I was most in- terested in participating.’’ Rev. Brame cites as accomplish- ments at the church the addition to the church’s central heating system last year, new rest rooms, a large Sunday School class, as well as building the congregation. ‘The goals are all point- ed to membership and calling the sick and infirm,’’ added Rev. Brame Rey. Brame is a former member of the Chaplain’s staff at Milford Memo- rial Hospital THE St. Petersburg, FL—Young and ambi- tious, full of vigor and innovation, Rev. Samuel L. Green, Sr., arrived a year ago to Greater Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church. From that point on, there began a chain of ‘‘firsts’’ in the history of the church. Primarily, this was the first time Mt. Zion ever had a minister so young. However, with this youthful minister came youthful ideas. In just a few months under the lead- ership of Rev. Green, the church start- ed its first weekly (live) radio broad- cast, bought its first van, implemented a 24-hour Dial-A-Devotion line, pub- lished a membership directory, estab- lished a tape ministry, organized new choirs, established a Girl Scout troop, published a monthly newsletter to the membership, and established several new ministries (food, clothing, and youth corrections) to aid in commu- nity problems. Rev. Green has a keen eye for ex- panding or enhancing existing pro- grams. He has demonstrated this by purchasing a mew public address system, paved the parking lots, pur- chased new office equipment, remod- eled the parsonage kitchen, hired a part-time secretary and accountant, purchased new property, painted the interior of the church and installed security lighting. With all of the numerous cosmetic changes, Rev. Green’s major change for Mt. Zion was a spiritual renais- sance, which was certainly a rebirth or rejuvenation of the soul and a spiritual awakening of one’s Christianity. This was especially exemplary at Eastertime January 11, 1988 ESSENSE First Year In Retrospect Rev. Samuel L. Green, Sr. when Rev. Green introduced to the city a special Easter worship with the theme of ‘‘Community Unity.’’ He held this service in a large public audi- torium to accommodate the large crowd which gathered in a community wide effort to worship and pray for the problems facing the community. Rev. Green is strongly admired and highly respected in St. Petersburg. One very prominent (Baptist) citizen ex- pressed that Green’s work has ‘‘tilted and cultivated the spiritual soil here in St. Petersburg, which initiated spirit- ual growth.’’ Growth is so evident in the proliferation of Mt. Zion’s mem- bership and financial status. If looking back provides any indication of the future of Mt. Zion under Rev. Green’s pastorate, one would quickly conclude its future will be filled with more prog- ress and spiritual enhancement. §, ' Happy 1988! ; New Year!