As America prepares to mark 250 years of independence, familiar names will fill our public memory – Jefferson, Madison, Franklin, Hamilton. Their portraits will grace podiums and parades. Yet one of the most consequential founders of the American experiment will again go largely unmentioned – Bishop Richard Allen, a formerly enslaved preacher who built a church when the Republic would not build a home for his people.

On February 17, 2026, history will be made in Maputo, Mozambique, as the
Connectional Richard Allen Young Adult Council (RAYAC) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church convenes its first-ever District 14–20 Convergence Session. This landmark summit will unite young adult leaders and members from across multiple Episcopal Districts under the powerful theme: “One Faith, Many Nations, One Mission” (Ephesians 4:3–6). More than a meeting, the Convergence Session represents a movement of unity, vision, and shared purpose among young adults across the Connectional Church. It is a bold expression of RAYAC’s commitment to strengthening global relationships, deepening faith, and advancing collective mission in an increasingly interconnected world.

In the historic halls of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church, a denomination birthed from the fires of liberation and radical equality, a troubling dissonance and precedence is vibrating through the pews. As we reflect on our identity as a “connectional” body, we find ourselves living in a modern-day Tale of Two Cities.

It’s not every Sunday that a local body of believers receives the opportunity to celebrate large accomplishments. However, Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dover, Delaware, graciously hosted their guests through the completion and dedication of a million-dollar building project, the honoring of a historic bishop, and the impactful homecoming of a man who shaped the future. All three were presented on a platter of prestige and pure courage. Exceeding even their own expectations, these congregants modeled a persevering faith that proved the Kingdom has no place for cowardice.