By Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr.
Editor’s note: The following article is adapted from Facebook posts from Bishop David R. Daniels, Jr., Presiding Prelate of the 15th Episcopal District.
Supervisor Mother Irene M. Daniels and I went to visit the new Bishop Robert Thomas AME Church in Motherwell, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Photos below are from the Bishop Robert Thomas AME Church still under construction. When we arrived in 2012, we met them in a zinc shack (photos seen below) and we prayed for God to help to not leave our wonderful brothers and sisters in that structure. With faith in God and the determination of the wonderful people and the Rev. Kota, the Rev. M. Henderson Bisiwe, Brother Chris Qwane, and the queenly Queenstown Annual Conference, we are almost there. Praises, glory, and thanks are due to God for providing the resources needed to build this church. Our special thanks and appreciation are extended to Bishop Gregory G. M. Ingram, the Rev. Dr. Jessica K. Ingram, and the faithful First Episcopal District for assisting us with a generous gift of $5,000. We are almost there. Mother Daniels and I are determined to raise the remaining funds for the ceiling and the tiles for the flooring. Please keep us in your prayers.
Dedication of the Wilfred J. Messiah Temple AME Church was held on March 23, 2018. I invited Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah and his family and Bishop Messiah was our guest preacher. Presiding Elder N. September of the Queenstown District is one of the visionary and hard-working presiding elders in African Methodism. I praise God for directing me to appoint her a presiding elder. She is a humble, intelligent, wonderful, and great woman of God. By God’s grace, we are called to build on each other’s work and not destroy what we inherit. Indeed, it was a magnificent celebration.
Photos from the dedication of the newly-constructed David R. Daniels, Jr. AME Church in Dondrect, South Africa, were taken March 24, 2018. It was really a historical ceremony and celebration. We praise God for Presiding Elder September. She caught the vision of church evangelizing and established new churches for African Methodism. Her commitment is second to none. We praise God for her.