By Rev. Jazmine Brooks and Rev. Justin Nick, TCR Staff

On July 21, 2023, Bishop Michael L. Mitchell called the 2023 Convo XX meeting to order. He offered a general overview of our collective objectives and introduced the order of the day. Bishop Mitchell was followed by Rev. Charlene Boone’s soul-stirring devotions that offered a spiritual grounding for the stated objectives and centering our minds for progressive dialogue. This year’s Convos focused on Oversight and Accountability, and Sexual Ethic Discernment.

Bishop Reginald T. Jackson served as the group leader for Oversight and Accountability- a small group dedicated to a more proficient and integrous approach to church finances and management. Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry-Brown served as the group leader for Sexual Ethics Discernment- a small group dedicated to creating open and affirming language in our legislation/discipline as well as generating fruitful dialogue among both clergy and lay.

Each focus group was split into two to three breakout groups in order to create space for effective teaching, learning, and growing together.

The following resolutions were made within those break out groups and later shared with the larger body:

• Accountability and Transparency: Moderated by Bishop Clement Fugh and Bishop Silvester Beaman. Facilitated by Dr. Marcus Henderson. Presenters were Attorney Douglass Selby and Mr. Harvey Hoskins.
• The AME Church must create a uniformed chart of accounts and a uniformed system of recordkeeping that is maintained and monitored by qualified bookkeepers and accountants with training. In addition to the uniformed systems should be a structure of oversight that is regularly engaged with both the reporting and the record keeping. This process should include, but is not limited to audits, independent inspectors, as well as commission meetings between the on-site meetings.
• Communication: Moderated by Bishop E. Anne Henning Byfield and Bishop Marvin Zanders. Dr. Aaron Treadwill served as presenter.
• The AME Church must invest in expanding its financial communication strategies to be more aligned with the institution as a corporation. Beyond communication regarding finances, the church must invest more seriously in building a brand and messaging that is vetted and streamlined for both connectional and global outreach. Additionally, the branding must be promoted in a funded campaign and supported by a connectional tech ministry that serves districts as well as the local congregation.
• Sustainability: Moderated by Bishop Reginald T. Jackson and Bishop Ronnie Brailsford. Rev. Elijah Shafah served as presenter.
• Evangelism must be our church’s top priority and the great commission the order of the day across our connectional body. Every member must be made a disciple and we must place emphasis on the youth and children.
• Biblical Text Addressing Sexual Orientation: Moderated by Bishop Francine Brookins and Bishop David Daniels, Jr. Rev. Dr. Obery Hendricks, Jr. served as presenter.
• Love is central to the Gospel. David says at the death of Jonathan that the love of Jonathan was greater than the love of women which says that the love of same-sex intimacy can be as pure and as holy as opposite-gendered intimacy and is acknowledged in the Bible. Moses when speaking about cross-dressing is trying to get his people to maintain the integrity of their faith by calling it an abomination which is different than sin.
• AME Scriptural and Cultural Hermeneutics: Moderated by Bishop E. Earl McCloud, Bishop Harry L Seawright, and Bishop Paul J. Kawimbe. Dr. Marshal served as the presenter.
• “Stay Woke” is the command given to the disciples in the Gospel of Matthew while Jesus prayed. Stay woke because the 2022 Trevor Project reported that 455 of the LGBTQIA+ community committed suicide because of bullying. Stay woke when ordained clergy cannot marry their brothers or their sister, their son or their daughter in fear of having their paperwork taken. We are staying woke when we are inclusive and do what God called us to do which is love.

Following the share-out of each breakout group, the meeting was adjourned in prayer by Bishop Stafford Wicker and words of exhortation by Bishop Richardson.