Two firsts for the Jamaica Long Island District
By the Rev. Dr. Jo-An L. Owings
On Friday, September 22, 2023, clergy and lay of the Jamaica Long Island District of the New York Annual Conference gathered for the District Conference convened by the Reverend Dr. Jo-An L. Owings, Presiding Elder. The district adopted the First Episcopal District theme, “The Church is Moving On.” Mount Moriah African Methodist Episcopal Church in Cambria Heights, New York, where the Rev. Robert Lowe is the pastor, served as conference host. The day began with a workshop presented by the Rev. Dr. Zorina Costello, associate minister at Bethel AME Church in Freeport, entitled “Critical Issues in Clergy Self-Care: Health Equity and Social Justice.” The afternoon workshops presented by the Rev. Carla Hunter-Ramsey, Dr. Rochelle Robinson, and Brother Robert Steptoe discussed subjects of interest to clergy and lay alike. The District was blessed with the preached word delivered by the Rev. Tristan Salley, pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Rockville Centre, New York, at noon and the Rev. Keith Harris, Presiding Elder of the Long Island District of the AME Zion church, in the evening.
One of the highlights of the conference was the presentation of the first grant of the Jamaica Long Island Fund, also known as The Fund. The Fund awarded $3,000 to Bethel AME Church in Arverne, New York, where the Rev. Paul Montgomery is the pastor. The award was given to help with the cost of repairing a water main break not covered by insurance. Bethel AME Church in Arverne, New York, has a membership of twenty-five (25) members. Because of the water main break, the water had to be shut off, which caused the building to be closed. The closure also affected the ability to continue operating the pantry, which serves 700 families monthly. Unfortunately, disaster is not new to the Bethel AME Church congregation founded in 1920. The building has endured several fires over the years and was flooded during Hurricane Sandy. This time, The Fund was there to help.
The Jamaica Long Island Fund was established in 2021 during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic to help congregations financially with repairs to their buildings. Of the nineteen (19) churches in the Jamaica Long Island District, the average age of the congregations is 120 years old, and the buildings themselves are over 100 years old. Many buildings have fallen into disrepair due to aging members, dwindling resources, and a need for more knowledge in maintaining such structures. The Fund helps these congregations financially, provides information to help preserve the legacy of the AME Church, and to ease the financial burden caused by needed repairs. The Fund also provides training seminars for pastors and officers, teaching them how to maintain their properties and resources better. For more information about The Fund, e-mail Dr. Owings at jamaicalidistrict@gmail.com.
The second “first” for the Jamaica Long Island District was the debut of the Jamaica Long Island District Men’s Choir. Twenty men from the district churches joined their voices during the evening worship service. The choir was organized by Presiding Elder Jo-An L. Owings and directed by Brother David Bratton of the Greater Allen AME Cathedral of New York and the Rev. Robert R. Lowe, pastor of Mount Moriah AME Church in Cambria Heights, New York. One of the selections sung by the choir was “Every Praise,” written by Brother Bratton.
