MCAM Executive Board Meets in Huntsville, Alabama
By St. John Newsletter Staff Writers, 9thEpiscopal District
The Executive Board of the Music and Christian Arts Ministry (MCAM) of the AME Church met in Huntsville, Alabama, November 29-December 1, 2018. This meeting was under the leadership of the Rev. Maurice Wright, II, who presided over his first meeting since being elected Connectional Director of MCAM. Bishop David Daniels, the chair of the Commission of Christian Education, the Rev. Garland Pierce, the executive director of the Department of Christian Education, and the Rev. Kenneth Hill, Ph.D., the former executive director of the Department of Christian Education, were among persons from across the Connectional church who were present for this meeting.
A worship service was held at St. John AME Church to begin this meeting of the executive board. St. John’s MCAM participated in the service by leading the moments of praise and ministering in dance. The Aeolians of Oakwood University, located in Huntsville, Alabama, were the special guest artist for the service. They sang a medley of spirituals and hymns including “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” “Steal Away,” “Keep Your Hand on the Plow,” and “Holy, Holy, Holy.”
The message for the opening worship service was delivered by the Rev. Myron D. Hill, the assistant director of MCAM and pastor of Cyprus Chapel AME Church in Abbeville, South Carolina. The Rev. Hill chose Geneses 12:1-9 for the sermon entitled, “The Actions of ‘Big’ People.” He repeatedly reminded the congregation by preaching in his own style, noting that “big” people understand that God is big and cannot be contained. In the text, Abraham had to leave home for God to do something big in his life.
On Friday and Saturday, the MCAM Fall Executive Board met on the beautiful campus of Alabama Agricultural & Mechanical University. After the Rev. Maurice Wright, II called the meeting to order, the Rev. Dr. Lisa Allen-McLaurin, the Helmar E. Nielsen Associate Professor of Church Music and Worship at the International Theological Center (ITC) and the pastor of West Mitchell Street CME Church in Atlanta, Georgia, presented an enlightening workshop on utilizing the arts in worship. The presentation focused on the key components of worship including music, dance, drama, and visual design.
The Opening Plenary was followed by greetings from Alabama A&M University brought by Dr. Jeanette Jones on behalf of Dr. Andrew Hugine, Jr. In the MCAM Connectional Director’s Report, Pastor Wright shared his appreciation for the immediate past Connectional MCAM Director and all of those who have served. He cast a great vision for the future of the Connectional ministry that includes increased membership, resource availability for small and growing churches, a new worship CD, and ecumenical partnerships.
The Rev. Wright also highlighted the ministry’s accomplishments during the current administration to include paying the debt to the Connectional Christian Education Department in full, reaching out to all bishops to identify district directors, and the recent commissioning of the Rosa Parks hymn.
Several vacant appointments were filled and the new proposed logo was presented. Other business conducted included the third reading of the bylaws, reports from the associate directors, and a thorough review of the calendar of events for the Connectional church with an emphasis on expectations of MCAM.
Saturday morning’s session included a presentation by Dr. Ethel Wellington-Trawick. Dr. Wellington-Trawick is currently a member of St. Mark AME Church in Orlando, Florida, where she serves as the youth choir director and director of the Second Sabbath Spiritual Ensemble. She has served as director of music at several churches, directed the Tacoma Symphony Gospel Choir, and has been a soloist at Carnegie Hall. The Rev. Wright credited Dr. Wellington-Trawick, his middle school music teacher, with his being in the AME Church.
Saturday, December 1, 2018, was the inaugural celebration of the Rosa Parks Holiday in the state of Alabama. To commemorate this day, the Rev. Wright and MCAM debuted the hymn, “Rosa Parks: A Warrior for Good.” The text was written by Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield and the hymn tune by Dr. Uzee Brown, Jr. of Morehouse College.
Congratulations to Bishop Daniels, the Rev. Pearce, and Director Wright on a successful Board Meeting. The work is all divine!
