Report from the June 2021 Session of the General Board
TCR Staff Report
On June 15, the General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal Church met via Zoom Conference Call under the leadership of Bishop Wilfred J. Messiah (president of the General Board) and Bishop Anne Henning Byfield (president of the Council of Bishops), the members of the General Board gathered to comply with the mandate of the Doctrine and Discipline to prepare the budget for the 2021 General Conference.
Bishop Messiah called the meeting to order at 11:03 AM EDT. Prayer was given by Presiding Elder Larry Bell of the 4th Episcopal District. Bishop Messiah extended opening salutations acknowledging that he was the first African-born Bishop to lead the General Board. Senior Bishop Richardson echoed Bishop Messiah’s sentiments and offered his encouragement to the General Board and appreciation for how the AME Church progressed during the past year dealing with the pandemic. Bishop Byfield gave her inaugural address as president of the General Board reflecting on her journey and thanking the AME Church for their trust and stating the need for the church to chart a path forward out of the pandemic. Commendations were also offered to the Bishops and General Officers who were slated to retire at the impending General Conference.
After the approval of the agenda, the meeting was turned over to Ms. Anita Rankin for updates on the General Conference. Due to internet instability, the General Board’s 1st Vice President Bishop Paul J. M. Kawimbe presided as needed. After the General Conference discussion, the meeting was turned over to Bishop Clement W. Fugh, Chair of the Statistics and Finance Commission. Bishop Fugh gave a summary of Commission’s work and indicated that the proposal for consideration was a three-year budget from August 1, 2021 to July 31, 2024. The 14.3 million budget restored funding to the Fiscal Year 2020 levels with several adjustments:
- All line items that were “zeroed out” in the previous budget were not restored.
- Jackson Theological Seminary (12th Episcopal District) and Dickerson-Green Theological Seminar (7thEpiscopal District) were added as line items to “Educational Institutions.”
- The line item “Educational Foundation” and Theological Scholarships to Districts 1-13 were eliminated; Theological Scholarships to Districts 14-20 were maintained.
- The “Conference of National Black Churches” was added as a new line item in the “Interdenominational Fund”
- All Episcopal Districts received a 1 percent decrease in their Connectional Budget Contributions
- Normal adjustments were made reflecting Episcopal Retirements and Widows and the impending election of New Bishops and General Officers.
After the budget was properly moved for debate, several interventions were made regarding the adjustments as well as the requests submitted during the 2019 General Board Meeting. Bishop Fugh noted the $500,000 in requests but determined it would be imprudent to address them so recently after the pandemic and that they would be evaluated at a later date. The budget was approved by a majority of General Board members and has already been vetted by the Council of Bishops. It will now be submitted to the General Conference in July for adoption.
After the budget vote, several commendations were given for the outgoing President of the Council of Bishops Michael Mitchell from the 12th Episcopal and various retiring Bishops and General Officers were thanked and recognized for their service.
.Reverend Doctor William Watley of the 6th Episcopal District gave the closing prayer and the meeting adjourned at 1:48PM EDT.
