News and Announcements

Devastating storms shattered records as it shattered homes and affected lives of thousands in Alabama; AME properties damaged

9th Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church
Arelis B. Davis, WMS Supervisor
James Levert Davis, Servant Bishop

April 28, 2011

Bishop James L. Davis and Mother Arelis Davis and the Ninth Episcopal District Family in the State of Alabama are sincerely grateful for the calls and other expressions of concern in the wake of the devastating storms that shattered records as it shattered homes and affected lives of thousands here in Alabama.

The AME Church in Alabama is already in motion refining our Plan of Action to respond to the situation resulting from the storms that raced through the South on April 27. Immediately, we will begin attending to the needs of those affected by the storms. We will make our church houses available for those rendered homeless or those without power. Initially, pews will be removed and replaced by cots as needed to provide comfort and shelter.

Tuscaloosa, Alabama was the hardest hit in the state, with Birmingham also suffering widespread property damage. Above all, we are in prayer for families who have lost loved ones, and we will care for them as only the Church can. Since the Grace Angel protected our churches, with us generally unaffected, we are gearing up in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham to be the source of comfort in this Region.

Bishop James L. Davis is meeting with pastors of local churches to develop the strategy to meet the needs of all people in the Greater Birmingham area. The clinic at Daniel Payne College was destroyed, with the district office suffering some damage. As we survey the damage, we realize that the AME Church members and property were indeed protected as our God rode on the storms.

We will be in a position within the next day or so to bless those affected by the storm and will provide information to the Church and the public. We expect to provide information regarding opportunities for all of us to be involved and make a difference.

More information will follow on how you may assist.

P. O. Box 11705, Birmingham, Alabama 35202 † 205.326.4499 (office) 205.326.4434 (fax)
Email: jld123bishop@yahoo.com  Website: www.ninthamec.org
Alabama River Region, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest Annual Conferences

Rev. Ronald E. Braxton

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Photos by Eugenia Jacobs

Rev. Ronald E. Braxton
Isiah 50: 4-9

Mr. Michael Blake, Associate Director, White House Office of Public Engagement & Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs preached at Metropolitan AME for Lay Organization’s Annual Day.

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Photos by Isiah Dupree

2011 Washington Annual Conference, April 26-30, 2011, Ebenezer AME Church, Ft. Washington, MD
Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Presiding Prelate
Mrs. Connie S. Richardson, Episcopal Supervisor

Contacts:

The Rev. Jonathan L. Weaver
2011 Washington Annual Conference (AME Church), Public Relations Chairperson
jonathanwea@gmail.com
301-249-7545

Sister Patricia Matthews
2011 Washington Annual Conference (AME Church), Public Relations Coordinator
padima@msn.com
301-568-9127 

The 61st Session of the Washington Annual Conference of the 2nd Episcopal District
Tuesday April 26 – Saturday, April 30, 2011

 The Washington Annual Conference, of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church hosts its 61st Session under the dynamic leadership of the Presiding Prelate for the Second Episcopal District, The Right Reverend Adam J. Richardson, Jr. and the Episcopal Supervisor for the WMS, YPD, and Clergy Families Organization of the Second Episcopal District, Dr. Connie Speights Richardson. The 61st Session is scheduled for Tuesday, April 26 – Saturday, April 30, 2011, at Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal Church, 7707 Allentown Road, Fort Washington, Maryland 20744, where the Reverend Drs. Grainger and JoAnn Browning are the Pastors. This year’s theme: The Call to Vigilance: Continuing a Prophetic Ministry Focus: AIR (Attention, Intention, Retention) A Ministry of and for Young Adults.

The Reverend Dr. Louis-Charles Harvey (Potomac District) is the Host Presiding Elder and the Reverend Dr. Goodwin Douglas (Capital District) is the Associate Presiding Elder. The Conference Coordinator is the Reverend Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Pastor of Metropolitan AME Church, in Washington, DC.

Join us as we come together to worship, educate, fellowship and celebrate the 61st Session of the Washington Annual Conference. For more information, please log-on to:

http://washingtonannualconference.org/.

The 61st Session of the Washington Annual Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church ‘Conference-At-A-Glance’

Monday, April 25, 2011
Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) Convention
Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, Maryland
 
8:30 a.m. WMS Opening Session
12:00 p.m. Annual Luncheon, Martin’s Crosswinds, Greenbelt, MD
2:00 p.m. Business and Institutes
7:00 p.m.  Missionary Witness and Night in White

Tuesday, April 26, 2011 Women in Ministry
8:30 a.m. Women in Ministry Prayer Breakfast
Women in Ministry Meeting and Elections

Pre‐conference Episcopal Meetings
1:00 p.m. Presiding Elders and Conference Finance Committees
2:30 p.m.  Board of Examiners meets with Bishop
3:30 p.m. Bishop in private consultation with pastors and preachers by appointment
5:00 p.m. DINNER

7:00 p.m. Opening Worship Service (Black Vestments) – The Rev. Samuel E. Hayward, III, Keynote Preacher, Hemingway Memorial AME Church
9:30 p.m. Organization of Annual Conference
Roll Call, Transfers
Lay Delegates Seated/Credentials

Wednesday, April 27, 2011
8:30 a.m. Devotion and Meditation
9:00 Conference Institute
10:00 Conference Business

Organization of Annual Conference Continued:
Election of Conference Functionaries
Conference Bounds
Committee Assignments Completed
Presiding Elders’ Summary Reports
Board of Examiners’ Report
Pastors’ Reports

12:00 p.m. Ecumenical Service – The Rev. Jasper Williams, New Salem Baptist Church, Keynote Preacher
1:30 p.m. LUNCH
2:45 p.m. Conference Business
Election of General Conference Delegates
5:30 p.m. DINNER
7:00 p.m. Men’s Night (The Emmaus Walk) and Sons of Allen Report – The Rev. Alan Gould, Sr., Keynote Preacher, Allen Chapel AME Church-Silver Spring

Thursday, April 28, 2011
6:00 a.m. Early Morning Prayer Call
8:30 a.m. Devotion and Meditation
9:00 a.m. Conference Institute
10:00 a.m. Conference Business
Reading of Minutes
Pastors’ Reports
Ministerial Efficiency
Request(s) for Superannuation
12:00 noon Midday Refreshing
1:30 p.m. LUNCH
3:00 p.m. Devotion

Conference Business
Administrative Committee Reports
Conference Adjustments
Conference Trustees
Properties and Deeds
Abandoned Property
Abandoned Property
Missions, Circuits and Stations
Church Growth and Development
Ministries to Youths
Annuity Investments and Insurance
Legislative Task Force
Christian Education
Church School
5:00 p.m. DINNER
7:00 p.m. Lay Witness Night and Lay President’s Report – Lt. Governor Anthony Brown, Keynote Speaker

Friday, April 29, 2011
8:30 a.m. Devotions and Meditation
9:00 a.m. Conference Business
Reading of the Minutes
Literary Reports
State of the Country
State of the Church
Social, Civic and Political Action
Ecology, Temperance and Health
Economic Development
Evangelism
Ministry beyond the Walls
Christian Stewardship
The Church and Technology

10:30 a.m. Memorial Service and Memoirs and Necrology Report
11:00 a.m. Service of Ordination and Holy Communion (White Vestments) – Bishop McKinley Young, Keynote Preacher, Presiding Prelate of the 11th Episcopal District
1:30 p.m. LUNCH
3:00 p.m. Conference Business

Devotion
Component Reports
Women’s Missionary Society
Debutantes and Masters Commission
Women in Ministry
RED, Inc. and Kittrell Development Initiative
Administrative Reports
Treasurer, Finance Committee, and all Financial Reports
Unfinished Business
Disciplinary Questions

5:00 p.m. DINNER
7:00 p.m. Youth Revival and YPD President’s Report – The Rev. Kenya Smith, Keynote Preacher, Ebenezer AME Church

Saturday, April 30, 2011
9:00 a.m. Church School
10:30 a.m. Closing Worship Service (Black Vestments) – Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr., Presiding Plate of the 2nd Episcopal District

Conference Business
Report of the Statistician
Resolutions
Commissioning Service
Presentation of Certificates
Reading of Appointments
Benediction

Congratulations to Steward Marie Johns, Deputy Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration, who will receive a Doctor of Humane Letters from Howard University during its graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 14, 2011.

Johns earned her BS and MPA degrees from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, and was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters from Trinity University in Washington, D.C. She is also the recipient of many awards in recognition of her business and civic leadership.

Future Civic Leaders  is accepting online applications for their 2011 Summer Leadership Conference. This annual summer Leadership Conference is a residential summer program that hosts 40 high school students each session. This program is completely free.  The program dates are :

June 27- June 29; July 11-July 13; July 18-July 20; and July 25-July 27

Students will participate in various trainings,meet national politicians and run their own simulated congressional campaign! The Conference is Free and the application deadline is April 31, 2011.

The Campaign is not just a fun simulation, but an avenue for active learning. Spend three days of your summer at this free, fun, and exciting program. Visit their website for details.

 
Mr. Michael Blake, Associate Director, White House Office of Public Engagement & Deputy Associate Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs

[Show as slideshow]

[View with PicLens]

Photos by Isiah Dupree

Rev. Dr. Ronald E. Braxton, Senior Pastor
Metropolitan AME Church, Washington, DC
Speaking at: Church of Our Redeemer AME Church
809 Upshur Street, Washington, DC
Sunday, April 10 2011
www.metropolitaname.org  

Genesis 21: 9-19 9-10 One day Sarah saw the son that Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham, poking fun at her son Isaac. She told Abraham, “Get rid of this slave woman and her son. No child of this slave is going to share inheritance with my son Isaac!” 11-13 The matter gave great pain to Abraham—after all, Ishmael was his son. But God spoke to Abraham, “Don’t feel badly about the boy and your maid. Do whatever Sarah tells you. Your descendants will come through Isaac. Regarding your maid’s son, be assured that I’ll also develop a great nation from him—he’s your son, too.” 14-16 Abraham got up early the next morning, got some food together and a canteen of water for Hagar, put them on her back and sent her away with the child. She wandered off into the desert of Beersheba. When the water was gone, she left the child under a shrub and went off, fifty yards or so. She said, “I can’t watch my son die.” As she sat, she broke into sobs. 17-18 Meanwhile, God heard the boy crying. The angel of God called from Heaven to Hagar, “What’s wrong, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. God has heard the boy and knows the fix he’s in. Up now; go get the boy. Hold him tight. I’m going to make of him a great nation.” 19 Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink. – The Message Bible Translation

I’d like to speak from the theme: “Survival Techniques When Your Well Runs Dry.”

In the scripture, Abraham and Sarah agreed that Hagar would bear them a son. In doing do, Abraham and Sarah ran ahead of God, trying to fulfill God’s promise on their own. As the mother of Abraham’s only child, Hagar enjoyed the privileges of drinking from a rich and deep well. Hagar went from being a slave girl to living a life of privilege. Her well ran rich and deep, and she began to look down on Sarah, the very one who gave her the blessing. She thought she was better and more worthy than Sarah because she had born Abraham a son.

When your water is running deep, be mindful of how you treat those around you. God has a unique way of letting time and behavior catch up with you. My mother used to say: “Be careful how you treat people, because you never know who you’ll have to look to for a drink of water.”

The discord between Sarah and her husband came to a head when Sarah bore Abraham a son and Hagar’s son Ishmael started to make fun of Sarah’s and Abraham’s son, Isaac. Abraham tried to keep the peace, but his wife said “she’s gotta go.”

Hagar was taken out into the wilderness with her son, with just the clothes on her back, and a little water in a canteen. Hagar’s well had run dry. She was homeless, unemployed, abandoned, a single parent, hungry, and thirsty. The scripture provides three salient points on what to do when your well runs dry.

1. When your well runs dry, allow angels of God to be a blessing in your life. In the scripture, the Lord heard the cries of a young boy, and He sent an angel to Hagar. When we find ourselves in the worst of situations, God has a way of putting people in your life to help you. When you find yourself destitute, when your so-called friends won’t show up, God puts angels and people in your life who will minister to you. God brings us down so he can use us. He allows us to become humble enough to say “Thank you Lord”.

This was not the first time Hagar’s well had run dry. Life was hard; her cup was bitter. When your well runs dry, be open to God providing angels to minister to you, by sending people to bless you.

2. When your well runs dry, know how to cry unto the Lord, and God will answer when you call on Him. As the hymn goes: “Father, I stretch my hand to thee, whence cometh my help.” When your well runs dry, you don’t call out to the Lord with dainty little prayers. When you reach a hard place in your life, when you’ve lost a loved one, you learn how to cry to God from the depths of your soul. That’s the kind of prayer that will break through.

3. When your well runs dry, believe in the possibility of miracles. In the scripture, God has heard the boy crying. Verse 19 says: “Just when God opened her eyes, she saw a well of water.” The well wasn’t there the first time she opened her eyes. But God said, “Go back, grab the boy, hold him tight, and wait.” God may not come when you want, and He may not come the way you want Him to come, but God knows how to bless you, and if you hold on long enough, the Lord will make a way somehow!