Our AME Connection: We are Family!

Rev. Dr. Wanda Henry-Jenkins

I am the proud mother of a daughter who can on this seventh day state “I love this Church, I love this Church, I love this, Church! She also, first loves God. She is the first lay alternate from the Chicago Annual Conference. Jazmine had the opportunity to fill in for some delegates who were ill some days. This our first General Conference, she at 37, and I am 76. My husband, Rev. Samuel L. Jenkins, Jr. is deceased AME pastor, as his clergy partner we taught our son and daughter the wonders, intricacies and privileges of being African Methodist. He was the one that attended General Conferences. I covered for him and enjoyed the opportunity of motherhood. We were and always be family!

The moment my daughter was elected, I knew that we were traveling to the 52^nd Quadrennium together. I knew there would be tough moments, so I prepared her to accept the reality that AMEs are Christians. We will argue, experience disappointment, express devastation for a multitude of reasons. She discussed all of this with me and we decided that everything was an object of prayer, and grace. My desires were for my baby to observe, go through struggles in our connection, develop an even greater love for AMEs, and recognize that this connectional relationship makes us a global family. We really are family with all our passions.

She has not been harmed but transformed as she witnessed the love everyone expressed on this seventh day, the African delegation singing and dance, the accolades of praise and joy replacing the frustration expressed during the sessions. The reconciliation and general resolutions achieved, and the promises new Bishops bring, and hope for the next four years of growth and transformation. My daughter’s voice was joyful and there light shining in her eyes as said “I love this, Church! And, like my daughter this fifth generation AME retired Itinerate Elder loves this, Church. This may be my first and last General Conference. I so enjoy writing for “The Christian Recorder” as a regular columnist with the opportunity write at this conference. I close with excerpts from Sister Sledge “We are Family!

We Are Family (Single Version)

We are family
I got all my sisters with me
We are family
Get up everybody and sing

Everyone can see we’re together
As we walk on by
(And) and we fly just like birds of a feather
I won’t tell no lie

(All) all of the people around us they say
Can they be that close
Just let me state for the record
We’re giving love in a family dose

From an AME perspective…We are family
All my AME brothers and sisters with me
We are family! Get up everybody and sing (sing it to me)

Rev. Dr. Wanda Henry-Jenkins