The 2026 AME Order of the F.L.A.M.E. Inductees
A couple months ago, on March 9th, 14 AMEs met on the campus of Epworth by the Sea in St. Simons Island, Georgia, to participate in the induction ceremony of Order of the F.L.A.M.E. (Faithful Leaders As Mission Evangelists), “a covenant community dedicated to equipping, nurturing, and encouraging young clergy and their spouses in evangelism and mission.” Four of them served in an official capacity with World Methodist Evangelism, while the remaining 10 were inductees. Over the course of their 5-day stay, they attended early morning communion services, each Methodist denomination facilitating a service; morning and afternoon teaching sessions; and communal events to establish connections, forge relationships, and deepen our understanding of the work we do as Methodists. There was even a visit from John Wesley himself, who brought a bit of wit and humor to the intriguing relationship between the Wesleys and Georgia. Each session brought its own moments of clarity, and one question lingered collectively above the rest: ‘Do you know Jesus?‘ It was posed by a facilitator to another on their deathbed. Laughs and learning surrounded the tables while Methodists from all over the world gathered for one cause – spreading the gospel to God’s people, and we each walked away with at least one practice we intend to carry into our ministry.
On closing day, the AMEs rose early in the morning to lead the communion service. The sky was dark with hints of sunrise on the horizon, yet we met in the little white chapel and prepared for worship. The Whosoeverwill AME Choir lifted our souls with songs from our Zion, and the Rev. Dr. Marcellus Norris, Executive Director of Church Growth and Development and liaison for African Methodism within the World Methodist Evangelism space, preached a stirring word and challenging – “Don’t Keep the Bread To Yourself” (rooted in John 6:35). Service concluded with the breaking of fresh bread being dipped into a communal glass of juice symbolizing the blood. In a little over 30 minutes, our spirits leaped with joy and a charge. But, the carefully curated content, services, and beautiful scenery, could not hide the eerie stench which hung in the foreground.
Notwithstanding the gifts of rekindling the Methodist fire, it was brought to our attention that the WME Order of the F.L.A.M.E. gathering grounds were once part of one of the largest cotton plantations on St. Simons Island. In fact, just behind our daily convening building stood two cabins built and once inhabited by those enslaved on that land. Rev. Dr. jennifer s. leath wrote a liturgy to honor those who lived and died, often forced (and infamously refusing) to reside and work on this land.
Gathering the AMEs, Dr. leath led us to the cabins for a ritual of re-membering, “An AME Liturgy of Presence: Hamilton Plantation Tabby Slave Cabins,” on 12 March 2026 after our WME Communion Service. It was important for us as Black Methodists to acknowledge the presence, sacrifice, and labor of our African ancestors who made our stay on the island as free people possible. We dared not stand on these sacred grounds and not “remember those who were born, lived, loved, and were born again in these cabins – notwithstanding conditions of forced servitude” (excerpt from “An AME Liturgy of Presence: Hamilton Plantation Tabby Slave Cabins”). There, on those grounds, Bishop Erika D. Crawford led us in prayer as we celebrated, acknowledged, rebuked, rededicated, and “reconsecrated ourselves, this land, [and] everywhere we go” for the work of freedom. It was a moment of reclamation and reminded us of our charge never to allow anything to cause us to forget what was and is necessary for us to live out survival strategies, liberating faith, and resistance. We left this sacred place having truly renewed our covenant.
Our time on the island concluded with the induction ceremony, during which our bishop, Bishop Erika Crawford, laid hands on us and jointly prayed over and for us. The time was well spent, and the extremely long flight layovers allowed some of us to keep the momentum going a little longer. We established a covenant, and plans are already in the works to convene again next year, as time and space are dedicated to collectively doing the work.
Respectfully Submitted,
The 2026 AME Order of the F.L.A.M.E. Inductees: *listed in alphabetical order*
Rev. Jeffery Cooper, II
Bro. George Duke
Dr. Abdue L. Knox, I
Rev. jennifer s. leath, Ph.D.
Rev. Bernadette E. Martin
Rev. LaVeeshia Pryor
Dr. Tristan J. Salley
Rev. Robin N. Truitt-Duke
Rev. Tashara S. Void
Rev. Phonecia Witherspoon
Bishop Erika D. Crawford, WME Board of Directors
Dr. Marcellus A. Norris, Denominational Leader and Ambassador
