Mountain Climbing–A Journal Entry

By Bishop Vernon R Byrd, Jr.

I love mountains.  I love their sheer size and their awe-inspiring majesty.  I am climbing one right now called the 17^th Episcopal District of the AME Church.  And it is huge. Because our eyes are accustomed to looking at maps that show the United States to be larger than it really is relative to the rest of the world, we have a false impression that countries in Africa are smaller than they really are.  Indeed, if we are honest, we may also have the false impression that issues in Africa are smaller than they really are and that the potential in Africa is smaller than it really is.  But let us begin to consider the facts.

The above map of Zambia, superimposed on a map of the United States, shows the true size comparison of one African country and the U.S.  As you can see, Zambia, one of the countries that encompasses the 17^th District, would cover some or all of the eight U.S. Episcopal Districts. They would include the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 6th, 7th, 9th, and the 13^th Episcopal Districts.  It would reach as far north as Buffalo, New York, and as far south as Atlanta, Georgia.  It would stretch as far east as Washington D.C. and as far west as Louisville, Kentucky.  And that is just one country. The Democratic Republic of Congo is even larger.  It has three time zones. The Episcopal Districts in the United States are made up of 4.6 annual conferences—on average.  The 17^th is made up of 12 annual conferences.  Oh, what a mountain!  

I climbed Mount Kilimanjaro, which is in Tanzania and is the tallest free-standing mountain in the world.  It took five days.  I climbed Machu Picchu in Peru. It took four days. But to climb this one would take “a number that no man can number.”  But I love it because as tough as it is, the presence of the Lord is here, the work of the Lord is here, and the African Methodist Episcopal Church is here.  However, realistically, the district should be restructured in order for maximum development to take place.  I will be saying more about this in upcoming journal entries. 

Indeed, in this series of articles I hope to show you the beauty and the challenges of this mountain—the great potential and the serious pitfalls.  I am grateful to Supervisor Melinda Contreras-Byrd and so many of you across the connection who are climbing with me.  Keep the 17^th and Districts 14 through 20 in your prayers.

If you feel led to give, Checks may be made out to the 17^th Episcopal District and mailed to Bishop Vernon R Byrd Jr., 654 State Rd. Princeton, New Jersey 08540.  For electronic giving, use Givelify: 17^thEpiscopal District AME Church.  We are truly grateful.