Statement from the CFO and CIO Regarding Whitcomb Opinion Piece in The Christian Recorder

Statement from the CFO and CIO Regarding Whitcomb Opinion Piece in The Christian Recorder

By Dr. Richard Allen Lewis, Sr., CFO/Treasurer and Dr. Jeffery B. Cooper, Sr., CIO/General Secretary

On August 17, 2020, an opinion piece by the Rev. Geoffrey Whitcomb of the 1^st Episcopal District entitled, “Serving Money Versus Serving God: Time for Our AME Church to Repent,” was published on The Christian Recorder website and appears in the August printed paper. 

While sharing the Rev. Whitcomb’s desire for accountability at all levels of our Church, we wish to clarify factual errors that were written regarding information on the sale of the AME Church Sunday School Union (SSU) building at 508-512 8^th Avenue South in Nashville, Tennessee, as well as the availability of financial information of the Connectional AME Church departments.

1. All information regarding the sale and distribution of assets of the SSU building were approved by the Board of Trustees of AME, Incorporated and shared with the General Board of the AME Church. 
2. Per the Discipline, statements regarding the financial status of the Connectional Church are periodically disseminated (pages 181-182). 
3. Audits of Connectional Departments and Episcopal Districts are received annually by the General Board.
4. Articles about the sale and the distribution of the proceeds appeared in The Christian Recorder.

The Church of Allen is at its best when its members are engaged and informed and we hope that all members will take the stewardship of our Zion’s resources seriously.