Creating Space and Making Room: Our Reasonable Service By Vanessa Anderson, 5th Episcopal District  “The doors of the church are now open” is a familiar saying during a sacred time in the worship experience: the invitation to accept Christ. This specific part is for all, whether one is familiar or unfamiliar with church or starting or recommitting their relationship with Christ. All are welcome and accepted. Heaven rejoices for yet another soul’s salvation-winning experience. The fulfilling and ongoing process of sowing, watering, and planting spiritual seeds into various lives to enhance the Kingdom of God is an unforgettable part of one’s journey. Read More Here |
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A Tale of Two Conference Sites: Preserving Legitimacy and Equity at GC2021 By Thabile Ngubeni, Willem Burger, Katurah York Cooper, and Dimpho Gaobepe 
COVID-19 has impacted our approaches to worship and ministry in our local churches. Also, her tentacles have penetrated and changed the conduct of the General Conference (GC). Consequently, the oldest Black Denomination in the world is preparing to hold a Hybrid Virtual General Conference in real-time on the continents of North America and Africa in Cape Town South Africa, in less than 30 days. The AME Church is again at the doorstep of making progressive history. Read More Here |
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Accountability Versus Justice By Stephanie Pierson, Contributing Writer 
On April 20, 2021, after a three-week trial and 10 hours of deliberation, a jury found Derek Chauvin guilty of three criminal charges relating to the murder of George Floyd. After a 10-minute video capturing George Floyd’s final moments surfaced online almost a year earlier in May 2020, protests ignited throughout the United States and the world and lasted for months. Although many people celebrated the verdict and pointed to it as an example of how our criminal justice system still works, Chauvin’s guilty verdict is an act of accountability and not of true justice. True justice requires measures that prevent these atrocities and murders of Black individuals from ever happening. Read More Here |
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In Critical Condition: Voting Rights, Education, and American Democracy By D’Weston Haywood, Ph.D., Columnist  Republicans in state legislatures across the country are moving with lightning speed to restrict voting rights and ballot access. This is largely in response to dramatically changing racial demographics and the rise of “woke” voters, as well as recent narrow Republican losses to Democratic candidates. Far-right conspiracy theories charging voter fraud, among other things, are also working to drive these efforts. Their success has been swift. States like Georgia, Florida, and Iowa are leading the way in legislation that limits early voting periods, absentee ballots, and mail-in voting, for instance. In Georgia, even offering food, water, or assistance to voters waiting in line could be prosecuted as a misdemeanor. Read More Here |
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Payne Receives Pathways for Tomorrow Initiate from Lilly By Rev. Betty Whitted Holley, Ph.D., Columnist  The Lilly Endowment seeks to assist theological schools in the United States and Canada accredited by the Association of Theological Schools (ATS) in efforts to do the following: explore emerging challenges and opportunities facing their institutions as well as the Christian congregations that they serve; gain clarity about their mission in light of these challenges and opportunities and relationship to the leadership needs of their constituent churches; assess the effectiveness of their educational strategies and financial operations for preparing and supporting pastors and congregational lay ministers; and design and implement plans to launch new or strengthen current projects to address their key challenges and opportunities and to make their institutions more educationally-effective and financially-viable for the continued preparation and support of pastors and congregational lay ministers into the future.
Read More Here
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Stand with Palestine!By George Pratt, Contributing Writer
We cannot be silent. We must lift our voices with the oppressed of the Earth. As a church born out of resistance, we must continue to fight for liberation. We must lift our voices with all who are marginalized by hegemonic and oppressive systems. This includes Palestine! Israel’s expulsion of Palestinians from Sheikh Jarrah is simply an assault against humanity. The horrendous acts of the Israeli government, evicting Palestinian families from their homes is sinful, unjust, and inhumane. Read More Here |
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The Truth is the Light By Rev. Dr. Charles R. Watkins, Jr., Senior Columnist 
Second Corinthians 5:17 says, “So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new!” There comes a time when we should long for the chance to fix what we believe has gone wrong in our lives. We wish for the opportunity to start over, seeking the reassurance that no matter how much we may have messed up that things from now on might be different. Given another opportunity, somehow, this time we’re going to get it right. Read More Here |
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Shinning Brass and Tinkling Cymbals: The Juneteenth Federal Holiday
By Rev. Dr. Brandon A. A. J. Davis, Contributing Writer 
Juneteenth has been a celebration of freedom, a day for the culture, and a connectional day of blackness since June 19, 1866. The one-day membership in the black community is strictly enforced. Not everyone is invited to this particular cookout. Before its federal recognition, scores of neighborhoods, towns, cities, and a few states celebrated this sacred and culturally significant day. Juneteenth, for many, has varied meanings. Families with deep ties to their ancestral history take this day seriously to teach their children what freedom means. To anchor their souls in the sacredness of being black and tie their minds and hearts to deistical values of faith, family, and community. Read More Here |
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Asian Lives Matter
By Hyepin Im, President of FACE and
Rev. Dr. Mark Whitlock, Pastor Reid Temple AME Church 
Juneteenth has been a celebration of freedom, a day for the culture, and a connectional day of blackness since June 19, 1866. The one-day membership in the black community is strictly enforced. Not everyone is invited to this particular cookout. Before its federal recognition, scores of neighborhoods, towns, cities, and a few states celebrated this sacred and culturally significant day. Juneteenth, for many, has varied meanings. Families with deep ties to their ancestral history take this day seriously to teach their children what freedom means. To anchor their souls in the sacredness of being black and tie their minds and hearts to deistical values of faith, family, and community. Read More Here |
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Report from the June 2021 Session of the General Board 
On June 15, the General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church met via Zoom Conference Call under the leadership of Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah (president of the General Board) and Bishop Anne Henning Byfield (president of the Council of Bishops), the members of the General Board gathered to comply with the mandate of the Doctrine and Discipline to prepare the budget for the 2021 General Conference.
Read More Here |
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Allen University Surprises Local Mom 
Allen University Athletics ended the spring semester with a bang. Celebrating a deserving mother in the community, Academy Sports + Outdoors partnered with Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Association (SIAC) by way of Allen University to provide a $500 gift card to Adrean Sanders, a team mom, with Columbia Knights Sports Organization. Read More Here |
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 | Are you searching for theological education that offers a personal touch? Then, come journey at Payne Theological Seminary. Fall registration opens on June 1, so apply today. Note that you were referred by "TheCR" in the application, which will waive the application fee. |
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The Resilience, Removal, and Return of Black Fathers
By Rev. Dr. Angelique Walker-Smith
 Recently, I spoke on behalf of a man of African descent at his parole board hearing. He had been incarcerated for more than 41 years. As a juvenile, he was arrested and sent to prison. His resilience and self-determination over the ensuing years was evident in his accomplishments, despite incarceration. We hoped that this would lead to his return to his family. The parole board decided to release him to a halfway house. While his return was welcomed news, he and I both knew that he would still face many of the same historic inequities that contributed to his sentencing more than 41 years ago.
Read More Here |
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 | Ametta Reaves for Connectional Lay Organization President |
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 | Jerry Turner for 2nd Vice President of the Connectional Lay Organization |
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 | | Patricia H. Wright for Connectional Director of Lay Activities |
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 | | #261, Marcus T. Henderson for Treasurer/CFO |
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 | | #270, William M. Campbell for Executive Director of Global Witness and Ministry |
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 | | #271, Karla Cooper for Executive Director of Global Witness and Ministry |
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 | | #273 Sheila Sidberry-Thomas for Executive Director of Global Witness and Ministry |
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 | | #408, Rev. Dr. Gregory Eason, Candidate for Bisohp |
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 | | #406, Rev. Dr. Barbara Chisholm, Candidate for Bishop |
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The News Digest contains selected articles from the newspaper. Click below to get full access! |
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