WMS Celebrates Its Rich History During Celebratory Breakfast at AME General Conference

WMS Celebrates Its Rich History During Celebratory Breakfast at AME General Conference

By Angelena Spears

More than 800 persons attended the Women’s Missionary Society’s Sesquicentennial Breakfast  held Saturday, August 24 during the AME General Conference in Columbus, OH.

The sold-out breakfast took place in the Union Center ballroom at the Columbus Convention Center where the eight-day conference is being held.

The beautifully decorated ballroom — with soft blue lights, indigo table cloths, royal blue African print table runners, and chairs draped in white — was the perfect backdrop for the elegant affair.  Anyone trying to find the ballroom just had to follow the “women in white” who arrived in beautiful suits and dresses, and some chose to wear the uniform WMS colors of white and royal blue.

The program was titled: “150 Years of Mission & Service – Celebrating a Legendary Past..Casting A Phenomenal Future.”  

During the breakfast, which included eggs, sausage, bacon, potato wedges, fruit, breads, orange juice and coffee — guests were treated to a well-planned program in which two readers retold the history of the WMS.

The two readers were Richelle Fry Skinner, the Connectional YPD Director and  Alisha Marriott, Connectional WMS AME PME Director.  They narrated the  history which started when Bishop Richard Allen walked out of St. George’s Church in 1787 and formed the Dorcas Society in 1824.  

Later, in 1827, Sarah Allen organized the Daughters For the Conference to feed and care for the poor.  These early missionaries made meals for ministers who traveled to conferences and sewed and mended clothing so the pastors would look presentable at conferences.  These brave women even risked their lives hiding and caring for slaves on the Underground Railroad.

The readings were punctuated by classic hymns sung beautifully by soloists Dr. Djuana Paden, Connectional WMS AME Worship Director, Marlyce McCants, Immediate Past Connectional Worship Director, and Jamarion Moore, Past 11th District YPD President.  The pianist was Licentiate Earl Knight, the music director for the First Episcopal District.

Dr. Deborah Taylor King, the International President of the Connectional WMS was introduced as the “tenth from the tenth,” in that she is the tenth person to serve as International President and she comes from the 10th Episcopal District.

She was lauded for her stellar service – including leading the district through the years of the pandemic.  She is also credited with branding the WMS, so the organization is easily identifiable everywhere in the world.

Dr. King thanked everyone for their support — at all levels of the WMS and the YPD. And she re-challenged them with a quote by Coretta Scott King, who said: “Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.”

Dr. King thanked the host bishop and supervisor, Bishop E. Earl McCloud,Jr. (127) and Supervisor Patricia Russell-McCloud.  She then made a presentation on behalf of the WMS to Bishop Michael L. Mitchell (134) who also serves as the Chair of the Commission of Global Witness.

Charolett Biggs Martin, the Connectional WMS first vice chair, was program chair for the breakfast; and  Sanjena Clay, the Connectional WMS third vice president was co-chair.