Report from the 2018 Annual Session of the General Board and Council of Bishops 

Report from the 2018 Annual Session of the General Board and Council of Bishops

TCR Staff Report

From June 26-27, 2018, African Methodist Episcopal Church clergy and lay leaders gathered at the Hilton Atlanta Hotel in Atlanta, Georgia, for the Annual Meeting of the General Board and the Council of Bishops. Under the leadership of Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie (president of the General Board) and Bishop Reginald T. Jackson (president of the Council of Bishops and host), the various departments, agencies, and Episcopal Districts of the AME Church gathered to share their stewardship for the 2017-2018 church year.

Bishop McKenzie called the opening plenary session to order promptly at 9:00 am on June 20. The devotion was conducted by members from the 10^thDistrict with a brief homily from Rev John McCormick entitled, “When Favor Falls,” from I Samuel 16. Senior Bishop McKinley Young encouraged the General Board and the connectional church to be open to restructuring to better serve the needs of the present age. President of the Council of Bishops Reginald T. Jackson welcomed the assembly to his district. First Vice-President of the General Board Gregory G.M. Ingram acknowledged the various dignitaries with special mention of the Episcopal supervisors.

Due to an unscheduled early departure, the outgoing president of Edward Waters College, Dr. Nathaniel Glover, was recognized for his service and stellar contributions to the institution. Rev. James Abington, a critically acclaimed organist and hymnodist, presented to the assembly a new African-American ecumenical hymnal published by GIA.  One of the songs, an anthem by Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield, was sung at the 2018 Hampton Ministers’ Institute.  Closing out the opening plenary Bishop McKenzie gave a charge to the General Board members and all those assembled to ensure that the AME Church’s voice would not be reduced to an echo.

At noon, a press conference was convened to announce a partnership between the Connectional AME Church and African-American Banks with various bank presidents from across the United States and local news media in attendance. The details of this partnership will be made available at a later date.  Already, the 2^ndEpiscopal District has tracked one million dollars that have been invested by AME members and churches throughout that Episcopal District.

In the evening of June 26, the Investiture Service was held for Bishop Jackson at St. Phillip AME Church.  The Right Reverend W. Darin Moore, Presiding Prelate of the Mid-Atlantic District of the AME Zion Church and Chairperson of the National Council of Churches preached a dynamic message entitled “Oh Say Can You See” (Isaiah 42). The Sixth District Mass Choir under the direction of Mrs. L’Tanya Moore-Copeland set a new standard for musical worship at Connectional meetings. After being formally invested with the medallion, Bishop Jackson announced that $10,000 was donated to Turner Theological Seminary and $10,000 to the Interdenominational Theological Center.

On Wednesday, June 27, the closing plenary session was devoted to the commission reports. Devotions were again led by the 10^thEpiscopal District. Rev. Sylvester D. Patton III, preached a powerful homily “Going Through Gethsemane” (Matthew 26:33-39). A memorial moment for deceased Bishops, Supervisors and General Board members since the last session was observed in the Health Commission Report. At the end of the reports, the Bishop Julius H. McAllister, Sr. and the 8^thEpiscopal District presented the AME Church with a check for $300,000 to repay collateral on a longstanding loan taken out to rebuild churches after flooding and hurricane damage. Bishop Anne Henning Byfield and the 16^thEpiscopal District shared an update on the situation in Haiti stating that two more churches were rebuilt and with two more churches in need of reconstruction. Bishop McKenzie was congratulated for her presiding of the General Board and Bishop Gregory Ingram was introduced as the new President making brief remarks. The assembly then adjourned.

The Council of Bishops Worship Service was held at Turner Chapel, AME Church in Marietta where the Rev. Dr. Tar-U-Way Richard Allen Bright is the pastor. Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr. preached an inspiring sermon from Joshua 21:42-45 entitled, “Won’t He Do It?” The Seventh Episcopal District travelled en masseto support their Presiding Prelate.

The General Board will next convene in June 2019 in Birmingham, Alabama. It will be hosted by Bishop Harry L. Seawright and the 9^thEpiscopal District.

Recommendations approved by the General Board from their commissions include:

Commission on Statistics and Finance (Bishop Clement W. Fugh, Chair)

• That the General Board will go on record with the Council of Bishops endorsing AMECONNECT for the official use by the entire AME church to improve the flow and Communication of information at all levels of the church.
• Council of Bishops to review first draft of 2020-2024 Budget at January 2019 Retreat CONVO-to consider Budget in December 2019 Council of Bishops –Review Budget at January 2020 Retreat before presentation to the 20 Meeting of the General Board.

Commission on Church Growth and Development (Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr., Chair)

Commission on Christian Education (Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., Chair)

• Persons with gifts and interests in writing, particularly curriculum development, be encouraged to join the Writers Guild
• AME members on social media, particularly church leaders, pastors, clergy, and Christian educators at every level of the church be encouraged to connect to the Christian Education Department’s Twitter and Facebook accounts
• AME members, particularly church leaders, pastors, clergy, and Christian

educators at every level of the church, be encouraged to purchase the 2018

Advent Christmas Devotional Meditation Guide and the 2019 Lenten Devotional Meditation Guide, published jointly by the Christian Education Departments of the AME, AMEZ, and CME Churches

•    Prayers and strong support for good attendance of church leaders, pastors, clergy, Christian educators, youth and young adults to the Christian Education

Summit (February 17- 19, 2019)

• Episcopal Districts encourage strong participation in the 28th Christian Education

and Youth Congress being held June 27-30, 2018; General Board Members

support this gathering through prayers, and registration

Commission on Social Action (Bishop Frank M. Reid III, Chair)

• Engage members at the seat of the General Board each year in the critical issues of the day that expands ministries beyond the walls of the Church.
• Every AME Church worldwide to observe December 1^stas Day of Action to honor the life and work of Rosa Parks.Also recognize that same day as World AIDS Day and suggest action to both remember that health challenge and Rosa Parks.
• Emphasize the plight of immigrants from the African Diaspora in discussions, rallies, legislative efforts. Highlight that TPM for Haitians and some South Americans has been terminated.
• Kick off voter plans on July 1^st. Use all tools found on amev-alert.organd others (e.g. PICO, Lawyers and Collars, Black and Brown, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, The Sentencing Project). Respond to all training and technical assistance opportunities- use quarterly conferences, church conferences, annual conference literary sessions. Avoid scheduling meeings on GOTV weekend of Novemeber 3^rdso that AME Church can be actively involved in getting out the vote.  Schedule action around absentee voting, early voting, voting for persons detained in prisions/jails, reaching voters in convalescent and nursing homes. Make accurate reports on annual pastor’s report forms about number of registered voters.
• AME Church must join campaign to eliminate payday loans and provide better options, especially in low income communities. We should accept the invitation to join the roundtable and keep local congregations aware of action being taken in states.

Commission on Publications (Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie, Chair)

DEPARTMENT OF RESEARCH AND SCHOLARSHIP

• Initiation of a connectional digital database of all archive holdings

– Historiographer/Executive Director of Research and Scholarship requests all local church, annual conference and episcopal district historians provide a listing of all current archival holdings (papers, recordings, books and objects).

– The inventory, linked to the Department website, will provide a digital Connectional compendium of archival resources, by Episcopal District.

• Boards of Examiners candidate submissions to The AME Review

– Executive Director of Research and Scholarship requests submission of at least one (1) scholarly papers from each ministerial candidate in the Boards of Examiners for publication in the AME Review.

• Website usage

– Usage of the Department of Research and Scholarship website for all research requests, article submissions, archive data bases, subscription updates and payments

• Department Directory

– All persons who hold a Doctor of Ministry, PhD, or other terminal degrees, are asked to enter their information in the Department Directory via the website – amehistoryinthemaking.com

AME SUNDAY SCHOOL UNION

• Acknowledging the mandate of “The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2016” that “The Christian Recorder” be published twice monthly, we recommend that the General Board affirms this mandate be fulfilled by one digital publication of the TCR per month and one print publication of the TCR per month.
• The world in which we live requires that people of faith represent that faith in such a way that provides hope to the hopeless, liberty to the oppressed, and freedom to the captives. In particular, the gospel of Jesus Christ gives us no other option; it is our call and mandate to share the story. The new curricula are structured with this goal in mind. The aim is to use the biblical text as a foundation for relevant conversation to the lives of people of color – ones that serve our members and lead to inward transformation. Most importantly, we desire to provide lessons that promote the theological underpinnings of our Zion and ones that promote the message of liberation that is central to African Methodism.
• We, therefore, recommend that congregations be actively and strongly encouraged to purchase this newly revised curricula from the AME Sunday School Union.
• That the General Board celebrates the digital publication of the Book of Worship which has been revised to make the language inclusive, to use non-gender specific language for God, and expanded by the inclusion of liturgies, prayers, and calls to worship by Bishop Anne Henning Byfield. The Book of Worship is available on Amazon.
• That the General Board affirms and supports the AMEC Publishing House’s research and development of a new AME Church hymnal and Book of Worship to serve the present age.
• As we strive to provide publications reflective of the cultures and languages of our membership, the AMEC Publishing House has engaged writers and is utilizing print services in Sierra Leone, Ghana, and Liberia. We recommend that the General Board affirms and supports this effort.
• The Spanish translation of “The Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church 2016” is almost complete. The Publishing House is grateful to Bishop E Anne Henning Byfield, Bishop John White, and Mr. John Thomas III for their contribution to this effort. We recommend that the General Board affirms and supports this project

THE CHRISTIAN RECORDER

• Churches are encouraged to purchase at least two copies of The Christian Recorder. One copy should be mailed to the church address.
• Bishops of the Church are encouraged to apply the Disciplineprovision to chaplains and supernumeraries that “All traveling preachers in the Connection are required to subscribe to The Christian Recorderand to The Voice of Missions, or The AME Church Reviewor The Journal of Christian Education. Presiding elders, at their quarterly conferences, shall require all local preachers to subscribe to at least one of the church periodicals.”
• The laity of the church—especially stewards, trustees, and class leaders—are encouraged to subscribe to The Christian Recorder. Pastors should display copies of The Christian Recorderin a public area and make an appeal for subscriptions the month before the Annual Conference.
• The bishops of the Church are encouraged to assist the Editor in identifying a network of volunteer reporters to cover pertinent events in the various Annual Conferences and Episcopal Districts.
• Clergy and laity are encouraged to share news stories about churches and AME Church ministries produced by other news outlets and obtain formal permission for reprinting in The Christian Recorder.

Commission on Seminaries, Universities, Colleges, and Schools (Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chair)

• No recommendations.

Commission on Ministry and Recruitment (Bishop Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr., Chair)

• The General Board empower the Commission on Ministry and Recruitment to continue the work of phase 2 and phase 3.

Commission on Health (Bishop Harry L. Seawright, Chair)

Recommendations:

1. All churches purchase at least on AED. Depending on the physical plant and size of the church, more than one may be necessary.
2. Ensure a Health Commission Director is in place at all levels and in all Episcopal Districts to promote health calendar activities, programs and resources available from community partners. Participate in the trainings available to Health Directors on www.AMEChealth.org. Encourage all Nursing Units to be active members of their church health commission.
3. Actively Promote the Annual July Faith Based Wellness, Health, Nutrition, and Fitness month established by the IHC.
4. Support July Annual Faith Based Wellness, Health, Nutrition, and Fitness in the African Methodist Episcopal Church
5. Support the last weekend of July Faith Based Wellness, Health, Nutrition, and Fitness Weekend. On Saturday and Sunday in the last week of July Pastors and churches are encouraged to host walks, health screenings, healthy food contests, jogging suit and sneaker day, sermons and bible studies focused on health and wellness
6. Promote walking groups: Men Walking for Wellness (M.W.W) and Girl Trek for Women Enrollment available online at AMEChealth.org.Get Fit and Healthy with the AME Church worldwide.
7. Actively Promote the Annual August Clergy and Clergy Family Wellness Month established by the IHC
8. Clergy is encouraged to participate in retreats, sabbaths, family vacations, personal vacations, time of rest, self-reflection, annual doctor visits, marriage enrichment and events to promote wellness mind, body, and spirit. Clergy that makes time for self-care will experience a more fruitful and productive ministry both professionally and personally
9. Reaffirm the Health Commissions advocacy for the implantation of Disaster Preparedness protocols, including Preparedness Drills and Safety Checks. The Health Commission website, AMEChealth.org store provides Disaster Preparedness First Aid Kits, Disaster Kits, Portal Solar Backpacks, Water Testing Kits, and more. Church Safety Tips can be found on www.AMEChealth.org as well as links to the FBI Active Shooter Event Quick Reference Guide.
10. Encourage all Episcopal Districts to actively support the resolutions that were approved in July 2016 regarding persons who are Differently Challenged; healthy food and beverage toolkit and smoke-free campuses.
11. The AME Church promote AME Culinary RX as a way to train, educate, and equip the church on how to prevent and all “preventable diseases.”
12. Nutrition and Fitness
    1. We affirm that medicine, health insurance, and medical intervention are important and, in many cases, necessary. However, based on the rise of preventable diseases, we also recognize that there is a personal role in health and that each person must take charge of and mange on a daily basis. The cost of living with and managing chronic preventable diseases is thousands of dollars more than making nutrition and fitness. For persons living without or that cannot access or afford health insurance daily nutrition (i.e. apples instead of apple candy and water instead of soda) promotes wellness and can be affordable and available to most via local farmers markets, church gardens, and home gardens. Walking and simple body movement does not require gym membership or equipment.
    2. Nutrition and Fitness helps to fight and prevent many diseases therefore it is imperative that the AME Church is intentionally including and promoting healthy food, healthy beverages, and fitness at all levels. Based on the evidence-based science the following preventable diseases including obesity, diabetes, cancers, heart disease, high blood pressure can be stopped and prevented with healthy food, water, and daily fitness. In addition, based on the fact that African Americans and people of color around the world rank the most of person persons suffering from preventable diseases we recommend the following in area of nutrition and fitness:
       1. All churches or groups of churches have or start community gardens
       2. The AME Church and all local churches are intentional in offering healthy food choices and beverages. Examples: baked/grilled/sautéed/stir fried/and steamed meats; fresh green salad; vegetables without pork or meat seasonings; whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, fresh fruit and water flavored with fresh fruit instead ofartificial sweeteners. In addition, at all church events there are congregants, guests, and church leaders with diabetes, cancer, high blood pressure, arthritis, and more. We also recommend that the AME Church avoid offering traditional church meals, annual day church meals and meals at conferences that are high in fat, salt, and sugar (i.e. fried chicken, greens with pork fat, macaroni and cheese, sweet tea, soda, Danishes, pork bacon and sausage, white bread, etc.). Avoid only providing junk food and candy in conference bags and church vending machines thereby promoting healing and wellness (3John 2). Also, offer whole grains, fresh fruits, seeds, bottled water, dark chocolate and healthy snacks in conference bags and church vending machines.
       3. CDC has stated hot dogs and deli meat are potentially carcinogenic. We therefore recommend that the AME Church at all levels limit and avoid serving these types of foods.
       4. Fitness: Lack of daily fitness and sitting for long periods of time according to research is just as bad as smoking. We recommend the AME Church at all levels intentionally encourage congregants to stand and/or walk when a meeting is held over one hour. Breaks are offered throughout during conventions
       5. Rest and Sleep: We recommend events and church events are planned to include time for proper rest and sleep for all participants. Lack of proper rest can hinder decision making, promote poor health, hinder brain opportunity to rejuvenate, repair, and rest. The lack of proper rest and sleep is linked to obesity and lack of weight control.

Commission on Retirement Services (Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr., Chair)

• The Department of Retirement Services Commission recommends that the Executive Director of the Department of Retirement Services explore the possibility of investing 1% of its funds in certain stocks that do not violate the biblical and moral code of the Church, with certain investment professionals such as Edward Jones and others, and report the findings at the next meeting of the

Department of Retirement Services Commission. Commission on Global Witness and Ministry (Bishop John F. White, Sr., Chair)

• No recommendations

Commission on Global Development (Bishop Paul J.M. Kawimbe, Chair)

• The African Methodist Episcopal Church needs to have a serious and intentional discussion on its approach to the Episcopacy and all other levels of leadership.

Commission on Women in Ministry (Bishop Anne Henning Byfield, Chair)

• We recommend that that the Commission as well as the General Board recommit itself to the recommendations that have been previously received and agreed upon by this body.
  • 2015 That for the remainder of the Annual Conferences [in the 2012-2016 quadrennial], the Annual Conferences be intentional with respect to parity and equity in the election of women as ministerial delegates.
  • 2017 That the General Board empower each WIM Commission Member to complete an introspective analysis of its Episcopal District’s key leadership positions regarding female clergy and report same to the commission within 90 days
  • 2016 That the General Board urge our elected officials and government agencies to retain and enact legislation and policies that protect women against all forms of misogyny, violence and discrimination.
  • 2016 That the General Board recognize March as International Women’s History Month and strongly encourage local churches to recognize and celebrate the work of women in our Zion.
  • 2015 Local Elders comprise approximately 60% of all women in ministry. We recommend that: (1) women who meet the age requirement be encouraged to pursue the itinerant track (2) local ministers and persons who serve as supply pastors, who are pastoring a congregation a year or more, should receive full benefits.
  • 2014 That AME WIM be included in the agenda of the Annual Conference and make a report to the Annual Conference on the activities of AME/WIM, inclusive of the Report Card and Census Data at the seat of the Annual Conference.
  • 2012 That the AME Church, through its Bishops and Presiding Elders, be intentional in considering the educational background and experience of all clergy, particularly women, as they make Pastoral assignments and recommendations for persons to serve: in the delegation to the General Conference; on the General Board; and on District and Annual Conference Committees such as Board of Examiners, Board of Trustees, Ministerial Efficiency & Judiciary & Finance committees. (Presently, women clergy are underrepresented in leadership.)
  • 2012 That the AME Church, through its Bishops and Presiding Elders, be intentional about including women in ministry as worship  participants, workshop presenters, teachers and trainers at Episcopal District, Annual Conference, Presiding Elder District conferences and events.
  • 2017 That the General Board empower the Commission Members to encourage WIM leadership at the Presiding Elder District and Conference Coordinators level to work in collaboration with their

respective Presiding Elders to prepare and provide workshops and

training to assist congregations in fulfilling the church’s intentional

commitment to gender justice and equality.

• 2014 That the AME Church be intentional about electing women for Episcopal Service in 2016 and appointing women to positions of

leadership (in the delegation of the General Conference; on the

General Board; and on District and Annual Conference Committees

such as Board of Examiners, Board of Trustees, Ministerial

Efficiency & Judiciary and Finance Committees).

Commission on the Lay Organization (Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Sr., Chair)

• Elevate evangelism and discipleship as a priority in each Episcopal District
• Engage Lay Leadership in the vision and implementation of Episcopal District Goals
• Encourage each Bishop and Episcopal District to support the Lay Leadership Certification Training Program
• Encourage each Pastor to ensure the presence of an active Lay Organization in each local church
• Promote the election of informed, committed delegates to the 2020 General Conference

Commission on Economic Development (Bishop Harry Lee Seawright, Chair)

Special Committee on Strategic Planning (Bishop Vashti M. McKenzie, Chair)

1. The General Board accept the research grant from the Lilly Endowment and collaborate with the African Methodist Episcopal Zion and Christian Methodist Episcopal denominations on Mapping the Future of African Methodism.