Archives

The Third Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church made history during its recent Bishop Richard Allen Founder’s Day Celebration, marking a groundbreaking moment in the life of the District and the broader AME Church. At the visionary request of Bishop Stafford J.N. Wicker, a lay person was invited to serve as the keynote speaker for a district-wide event—an unprecedented step that signals a renewed appreciation for the voice and leadership of the laity.

At work, a friend shared her weekend plans: catching up on sleep after a long week, going to the park, and having a nice night out with friends and drinks. Then she asked about mine — church meetings, a local WMS meeting, a Zoom call, Sunday worship, an afternoon service at another church, and schoolwork. She stopped me mid-sentence and said, “Whoa… that’s another full-time job.” Immediately, I found myself singing: “Working nine to five, what a way to make a livin’…” Like many women, I channeled Dolly Parton and her anthem “9 to 5,” about the frustrations of working women who give so much, yet often feel unseen. But as I sang, I began to reflect.

Every year at Annual Conference in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, pastors sit quietly as the Episcopal Address reminds us that appointments are God-driven. It is a sacred phrase, one that carries weight in our tradition. It reminds us that ministry is not merely administrative placement but a divine assignment. In theory, each pastor is sent by God through the bishop to serve where their gifts are needed most. Yet for many pastors serving in small or rural AME congregations, that statement can feel complicated.

Along with the Lord’s Supper, baptism is one of two sacraments that we celebrate in the AME Church. The word “sacrament” derives from a Latin word which means “mystery.” It is a mystery because we cannot fully comprehend or articulate what God does in the waters of baptism. Baptism focuses on God’s action, not ours. It is the grace of God that invites us to the waters of baptism, and we receive God’s gifts of regeneration and incorporation into God’s family.

On Sunday, March 1, the pastor, the Rev. Eric Murphy, along with the officers and members of St. Matthew African Methodist Episcopal Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, culminated its annual Founder’s Day in a spirit of gratitude, heritage, and victory. This year’s celebration was especially significant, as the church added a historic Note Burning Ceremony to mark the joyous occasion of becoming debt-free.

What do we do when we’re done talking? After we’ve said all that we can say, after we type the long post on Facebook, after we hit send, then what? What happens when we put the phones down? We often attribute activism and protest to a “back in the day” kind of thing. We say we aren’t our ancestors, no longer putting our bodies on the front lines to face the challenges of living in the United States. But has that translated to no fight at all?