By Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche, Annual Conference Reporter
The Alabama River Region Conference (ARRC) Annual Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District, under the leadership of Bishop Harry L. Seawright, Supervisor Rev. Sherita Moon Seawright, Presiding Elder Albert L. Hezekiah Hyche, Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche, Host Pastor Dr. Agnes Lover, and Conference Social Justice Chair Don Clemons, hosted a Town Hall Meeting at Historic Ward Chapel AME Church during the Eighth Session of the ARRC Annual Conference to discuss the renewed mission of its churches in the aftermath of the deadly Charlottesville, Virginia rally and in response to low voter turnout in the recent special election for Alabama U.S. Senate. The 9th Episcopal District holds five annual conferences throughout Alabama. The ARRC, which includes Montgomery, is the first conference of this year’s series. The conference comes on the heels of the Charlottesville, Virginia rally led by self-proclaimed white supremacists.
The town hall meeting allowed members of the ARRC to discuss next steps and hear from leaders in public policy. Clergy and lay members also considered ways to combat the persistent threat to voting rights in Alabama. Knowledgeable panelists present were Attorney Brent Beal, Office of Alabama Secretary; Mark Thompson, Chief, Prattville Police Department; Diane Thomas, Assistant Chief, Prattville Police Department; Pastor Fred Gray, Ministerial Alliance, First Baptist Church, Prattville; Audri Scott Williams, Candidate for U.S. House of Representatives District 2; and Presdelane Harris, Alabama ARISE–Citizens’ Policy Project.
Editor’s Note: Presiding Elder Hyche was moved to the South Birmingham-Huntsville-Bessemer District in November 2017 at the 9th Episcopal District Planning Meeting.
Eighth Annual Conference Session of Alabama River Region AME Church Adopts Resolution Against Racism & Domestic Terrorism
Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche, Conference Reporter
The Alabama River Region Conference (ARRC) Annual Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District, under the leadership of Bishop Harry L. Seawright, Supervisor Reverend Sherita Moon Seawright, Presiding Elder Albert L. Hezekiah Hyche, Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche, Host Pastor Dr. Agnes Lover, and Conference Social Justice Chair Don Clemons, hosted a Town Hall Meeting at Historic Ward Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church during the Eighth Session of the Alabama River Regional Annual Conference to discuss the renewed mission of its churches in the aftermath of the deadly Charlottesville, VA rally and in response to low voter turnout in the recent special election for Alabama U.S. Senate. The Eighth Session adopted the following resolution against racism and domestic terrorism:
WHEREAS, The Council of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church condemns the violence that exploded in Charlottesville, Virginia; and
WHEREAS, the Presiding Prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal, The Right Reverend Harry L. Seawright, and members of the Alabama River Region Annual Conference, condemn the violence that exploded in Charlottesville, Virginia, on August 12, 2017; and
WHEREAS, the “Unite the Right” march was sponsored by white supremacists, white nationalists, and the Ku Klux Klan to protest the removal of a statue of General Robert E. Lee; and
WHEREAS, the march was responded to by counter protestors; and
WHEREAS, the result was a face-off between the two groups marked with punching, kicking,
water bottle hurling, racial taunting and even the deployment of chemical sprays; and
WHEREAS, a car plowed into a group of peaceful protesters killing one woman, Heather Heyer, whose is described as a passionate advocate for the disenfranchised; and
WHEREAS, the driver, James Alex Fields, was arrested on charges including second degree- murder;
WHEREAS, more than 30 people were injured; and
WHEREAS, a helicopter monitoring the rally later crashed killing two Virginia State Troopers; and
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED
That there are those who argue that white nationalists have the right to free speech, and in a democracy, we support their right; and
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED
That the display before the nation on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia was more than free speech. It was an unruly event designed to intimidate and provoke violence. In other words, what happened on August 12, 2017 in Charlottesville, Virginia, was a hate crime and domestic terrorism. It was demonic and does not represent what the United States of America claims it stands for; and
BE IT HEREBY RESOLVED,
That the Eighth Session of the Alabama River Region Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church is disappointed with the response of President Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
That this is clearly not a partisan issue; rather, this is a matter of FAILED LEADERSHIP. President Trump, while condemning hatred and violence, claimed it was on “many sides”; but, it wasn’t. This violence was initiated by white supremacist groups; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
That we heard President Trump specifically call out Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Senator Mitch McConnell and come down hard on others, but he did not explicitly condemn white nationalists, supremacists or the Ku Klux Klan. It must be noted that hate crimes have increased since President Trump’s campaign and inauguration; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED,
The African Methodist Episcopal Church Council of Bishops called upon President Trump at a scheduled Monday press conference, to categorically denounce white supremacists, nationalists and Ku Klux Klan groups that threatened to divide our nation. The Council made it clear that President Trump did not want or seek its support; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED
That the Eighth Session of the Alabama River Region Conference of the Ninth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church reaffirms its opposition to hate crimes, racism and anti– Semitism, and calls upon the nation, particularly our national leadership, to condemn racism and hatred; and
BE IT FINALLY RESOLVED
That the members of the Eighth Session of the Alabama River Region Conference (ARRC) of the Ninth Episcopal District, where the Right Reverend Harry L. Seawright is Presiding Prelate, the Reverend Sherita Moon Seawright is Episcopal Supervisor of Women’s Missionary Society, the Reverend Albert Lee Hezekiah Hyche is Presiding Elder, and Attorney Ida Tyree Hyche is ARRRC First Lady, stand on the belief that hate never wins. Nelson Mandela once said,
“No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin or his background or his religion… People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love…For love comes more naturally to the heart than the opposite.” We, hereby, resolve to teach love, as Christ loves us.
