BETHEL AME CHURCH – DALE CITY HOSTS INAUGURAL JUNETEENTH POETRY JAM
Bethel AME Church, Dale City, Virginia honored the historic Juneteenth holiday by hosting their inaugural Juneteenth Poetry Jam on Saturday, June 19, 2021. The event was held via Zoom and streamed live on the church’s Facebook page.
Participants in the poetry jam included Ms. Kim B. Miller, the first African American Poet Laureate of Prince William County Virginia, and Dr. Joanne V. Gabbin, Executive Director and Founder of the Furious Flower Poetry Center, the nation’s first academic center for Black poetry, located at James Madison University. The international event included poets and attendees from California, Maryland, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Delhi, India. Contributors brought original writings and publications, speaking on social activism, offering tributes to a church member’s mother’s 100-year-old hands, and unique and powerful poetic interpretations of “What is Black History?”
Prophetically, the church planned and scheduled the poetry jam months before President Joe Biden signed the historic legislation making Juneteenth a federal holiday. Based on the overwhelmingly positive response to the event, the church intends to continue hosting this event in future years. Bethel’s Commission on Membership, Evangelism & Discipleship is fully engaged in a global effort to share Christ’s message of redemption and salvation in ways that reach all audiences.
The Poetry Jam is an extension of Bethel’s Open Mic events and is only one example of their outreach. Throughout the pandemic, Bethel AME Church – Dale City maintained a robust virtual presence through worship services and Bible Studies using Zoom and other social media, and ongoing community prayer sessions using conference calls. Bethel thrives under the leadership of the Pastor, the Reverend Dr. D. Melynda Clarke, of the Second Episcopal District, Washington Conference, Capital District, and the visionary direction of Bishop James L. Davis, Presiding Prelate, and Reverend Johnny Calhoun, Presiding Elder.
A recording of the program can be viewed here: www.facebook.com/BethelAmeChurchMontclairVA. For more information about the participants, poetry workshops, or to be added to our mailing list for future event announcements, please contact the church at BethelAMEMontclair@gmail.com or visit www.bethelofwoodbridge.org.
