Tribute to Dr. Charles G. Adams by Senior Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Sr.

Today, I remember the inimitable Charles Gilchrist Adams. Through the Rev. James Vaughn (at Providence Baptist in Thomasville at the time), I knew Dr. Adams would be in the Tallahassee community. The year was 1991. Bishop Phillip Cousin and I, with thousands of other Methodists, were attending the World Methodist Conference in Singapore. I took the occasion of descending on an escalator ride with the Bishop to ask if I could invite Dr. Adams to preach during an Hour of Power service during the Conference. Without hesitation, Bishop Cousin agreed.  At Bethel, on a Thursday at noon, I introduced Adams as having been identified by Ebony Magazine as being among the top 15 of the greatest Black preachers in America. After a few minutes of hearing him, the Florida Conference preachers thought that I had simply been engaging in customary niceness with a generous helping of hyperbole. The problem was, they only had  themselves with which to compare and to grade preachers on their effectiveness. Adams kept preaching until he opened their eyes and minds to a different kind of sermonizing.  He brought to the preaching moment the evidence of a creative approach to the text, filtered through an intelligent mind, spoken with a tutored tongue, enunciating each word with perfect clarity and diction. His clear voice, in the first tenor range, insinuated that he could also SING, though he never competed with the choir. (He didn’t have to). Among the things I valued most about him was his unabashed spirit of ecumenism.  Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr. Senior Bishop Presiding Prelate, 10th Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church Click here for a news article on Dr. Charles Gilchrist Adams from the Detroit Free Press. Dr. Adams served as the senior pastor at Hartford Memorial Baptist Church in Detroit, Michigan and was the first Nickerson Professor of the Practice of Ethics and Ministry at Harvard Divinity School. Dr. Adams was acclaimed as one of America's Greatest Preachers.

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Share Tweet Forward The Christian Recorder is the official newspaper of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the oldest continuously produced publication by persons of African descent.   Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., Chair of the General Board Commission on Publications Rev. Dr. Roderick D. Belin, President/Publisher of the AME Sunday School Union Dr. John Thomas III, Editor of The Christian Recorder Copyright © 2023 The Christian Recorder, All rights reserved.

WCC news: In historic show of unity, Ethiopian churches commit to establishing national council

With a historic show of unity, Ethiopian churches meeting at the Ecumenical Institute at Bossey made the decision to establish a council of churches in their country. Ethiopian church leaders light a candle - symbol of common unity in Christ at the chapel of the Ecumenical centre:  Rev. Dr Yonas Yigezu Dibisa, president of the Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, H.G. Archbishop Petros, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; and H.E. Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 30 November 2023 High-level delegations from the three largest Ethiopian churches—the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, Ethiopian Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus, and Ethiopian Catholic Church—made the move with a view to strengthening ecumenical cooperation “in responding to humanitarian needs and in promoting peace and social cohesion in Ethiopia,” according to a minute released by the gathering.  The World Council of Churches (WCC) served as a convener and facilitator of the process. The meeting was supported by the German Federal Foreign Office. The Ethiopian church leaders shared extensively about the dire humanitarian situation in their nation. Currently around 20 million people require food aid, many millions are internally displaced, various parts of the country face severe droughts or floods, and recent malaria outbreaks have worsened the situation. A desire for ecumenical collaboration in advocacy for human rights was also expressed. The minute released by the meeting also describes the nature of the new council of churches. “The new structure that is to be created cannot be an exclusive club, as it would otherwise become an institutionalized division in the body of Christ,” reads the text. “At the same time it cannot be open to all without clear criteria and expectations.” A task force was appointed to take the next steps.  Ethiopian church leaders signed a resolution document showing their commitment to the new process of unity and ecumenical cooperation. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC Historic breakthrough  Rev. Dr Kenneth Mtata, WCC programme director of Public Witness and Diakonia, reflected on the historic moment for the WCC and the ecumenical movement.  “In the context of discussion about the humanitarian crisis and the conflict situation in Ethiopia, the churches realized that today they must strengthen their unity and today they commit themselves to establishing a national council of churches,” he said. “It’s huge for ecumenism, and for witness anddiakonia, and it’s something that the WCC and the ecumenical movement must celebrate.” The church delegations in the meeting were led by H.G. Archbishop Petros, general secretary of the Holy Synod of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church; Rev. Dr Yonas Yigezu Dibisa, president of the Evangelical Church Mekane Yesus; and H.E. Cardinal Berhaneyesus Souraphiel of the Ethiopian Catholic Church. As the church leaders signed a resolution document showing their commitment to the new process and structure, Yonas  Dr Yigezu Dibissa reflected that, for several years, these churches have been discussing how to form a new structure and reactivate the vision of ecumenical unity. He paid tribute to church leaders who, decades ago, formed partnerships and coalitions to address the needs of the people. “So that we can be a strong voice for peace, justice, and reconciliation, and, at the same time, address the humanitarian crisis, we are happy to journey as a national council of churches,” he said, as those gathered broke into applause. “The signing of this document is a sign of our commitment to making this a reality,” he said. “The churches have committed to addressing the situation in Ethiopia together." Peter Prove, director of the WCC Commission of the Churches on International Affairs, said the WCC was greatly honoured to have such high-level representatives of these three churches. “Together they have taken some very important steps toward systemizing ecumenical cooperation in Ethiopia,” he said, noting that the new commitments also envisage reviving a previous ecumenical partnership for humanitarian response. “I think this is a historical breakthrough and a sign of their commitment to cooperate in order to meet the needs not only of the churches but of the people of Ethiopia—sending a signal to the entire population of Ethiopia about the importance of unity in confronting adversity.”  In a closing prayer at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva, those gathered gave thanks for the gift of reconciliation and unity in Christ.  “How wonderful it is, how pleasant, to know the many efforts have been made for building peace and realizing reconciliation in Ethiopia,” they prayed together. “How wonderful it is, how pleasant, to live in a reconciled community, where repentance and forgiveness become our common language, where our neighbour’s laughter becomes our joy, and their sorrow becomes ours.” Ethiopian church leaders meet at Ecumenical Institute at Bossey (WCC news release, 28 November 2023) Photo gallery: Meeting of the Ethiopian church leaders in Bossey and at the Ecumenical centre Leaders and representatives of the largest Ethiopian churches with the WCC staff members at a closing prayer at the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa. Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCC News: “Every Picture Tells A Story” photo exhibit opens

A photo exhibit, “Every Picture Tells A Story,” opened in the Ecumenical Centre on 29 November, showcasing the work of Most Rev. Dr Martin Modéus, archbishop of the Church of Sweden and primate of Uppsala. Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Moderator of the WCC Central Committee and the Most Rev Dr Martin Modéus, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Primate of Uppsala, at the opening of the photo exhibition "Every Picture Tells A Story" at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzerland, 29 November 2023. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC 30 November 2023 A blend of photography and reflection, the exhibit comprises 14 framed still images, and invites viewers into a dialogue between image and observer. The photographs, accompanied by short captions—often with a humorous or unexpected twist—are designed to inspire reflection and conversation. Special guests at the opening event included, in addition to Modéus, Bishop Dr Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, moderator of the World Council of Churches (WCC) central committee; and Rev. Pehr-Albin Edén, vicar of the Church of Sweden, Switzerland. Modéus said he finds the art of photography relaxing. “Photography is a relaxing exercise in being present here and now, and to concentrate completely on what it is that you want to capture,” he said. “When you stop in front of a small bird, which weighs no more than a letter, study its colours and feathers, and meet it in its smallness, it becomes a peephole into something much bigger. I never get tired of it!” Modéus also said that he grew up as a child realizing that text and pictures work together equally. “That says something about how theology comes to us, and how God speaks to us,” he said. During the opening of the photo exhibition "Every Picture Tells A Story" by The Most Rev. Dr Martin Modéus, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Primate of Uppsala, at the Ecumenical Center in Geneva, Switzerland, 29 November 2023. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC Bedford-Strohm reflected on how the exhibit and visit helped people experience “ecumenism of the heart.”  "The theological exchange on the spiritual sources of the ecumenical movement, on its calling to be a public sign of hope in a divided world, and on the practical work of WCC to fulfill this calling has been inspiring,” he said. “The archbishop has impressed us greatly with his beautiful photos catching special moments in our natural environment. Opening an exhibit with these photos in the Ecumenical Centre was an honor for WCC and will remind us beyond his visit of the rich contributions of the Swedish church to the ecumenical movement.” Edén thanked Modéus for his beautiful pictures. “There is a lot to learn from the birds,” he said. “They remind us of the grace of God, something we as Lutherans like to underline.” Edén added: “Birds are flying animals; they fly as they want and as they need and they don’t take borders into consideration. In that way they also remind us of how it all was in the beginning; when one world was created, with no borders and with one united humanity.” A delegation from the Church of Sweden visited the World Council of Churches, the Lutheran World Federation and ACT Alliance on 28-30 November. The delegation included The Most Rev. Dr Martin Modéus, Archbishop of the Church of Sweden, Primate of Uppsala; Rev. Dr Anna Cöster, Theological Secretary to the Bishops Conference in the Church of Sweden; Ms Margareta Langlott, Co-ordinator/Executive Assistant to the Archbishop; Rev. Dr Fredrik Lidé, Chaplain to the Archbishop; Mr Mikael Stjernberg, Press Secretary to the Archbishop; Very Rev. Peter Lindvall, Head of unit for Pastoral development and ecumenical relations, Department for Church and Society and  Ms Eva Ekelund, Deputy International Director for ACT Church of Sweden. Learn more about the exhibition "Every Picture Tells A Story" Photo gallery from the opening of the exhibition Participants of the opening event of the photo exhibition "Every Picture Tells A Story", 29. November 2023. Photo: Ivars Kupcis/WCC See more

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 352 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 580 million Christians in over 120 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Prof. Dr Jerry Pillay from the Uniting Presbyterian Church in Southern Africa.  Media contact: +41 79 507 6363; www.oikoumene.org/press Our visiting address is: World Council of Churches 150 route de Ferney Geneve 2 1211 Switzerland

WCRC eNews: November 2023: New Staff, Indonesia Meeting

WCRC eNews for November 2023. View this email in your browser

eNews: November 2023 Nyomi elected interim general secretary Setri Nyomi is returning to the World Communion of Reformed Churches (WCRC) as its interim general secretary. “Setri Nyomi is a dedicated leader who has been journeying with the Communion for a long time as a continued voice against global economic injustice, ecological destruction, and climate change,” said Najla Kassab, WCRC president. “His coming back will provide strength to the journey of the Communion that is alive in its programs. His pastoral approach and wisdom will deepen communion relations among the churches and secure trust in our ministry together, supported by a capable team in the head offices.” An extraordinary session of the Executive Committee meeting virtually on 2 November elected Nyomi, who served as general secretary for the World Alliance of Reformed Churches and WCRC from April 2000 through August 2014. He will begin his term in January 2024 and serve through the next General Council, to be held in October 2025. Read more: Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia, Chinese, Deutsch, English, Español, Français, Korean New Ecumenical Liaison Introduced Tara Curlewis was introduced as the ecumenical liaison in Rome for the WCRC and installed as the new pastor in the St. Andrews Church on Sunday, 5 November. “Tara is a valued minister in the Uniting Church in Australia, as is her ecumenical commitment. While we will miss the ministry she offered in the Uniting Church we rejoice that she is able to offer her gifts to the wider church through the roles she has in Rome,” said Sharon Hollis, president, and Colleen Geyer, general secretary, of the Uniting Church in Australia in a letter to the WCRC. Read more: Deutsch, English, Español, Français

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