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  By Zenitha Prince

  Washington Bureau Chief

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (July 10, 2008) -- All week the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s 48^th General Conference had been building up to this point—the election of bishops.

Twenty-eight ministers threw their hats and high heels into the ring but, there could only be three. Thus, the campaigns worked themselves up to a fever pitch Thursday morning—chanting, singing, praying, making their last ditch attempts to persuade delegates to vote for their candidates.

“But, in the end, God speaks, the dust settles and we believe that those who are elected, this is the will of God for this moment.”

“Election day is always very exciting in the A.M.E. Church,” said Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, conference chair.  “You can see things are tense and people are passionate about their candidate and they’re willing to go the mat to see their candidate wins,” she added. “But, in the end, God speaks, the dust settles and we believe that those who are elected, this is the will of God for this moment.”

After more than four hours of rounds of voting and negotiations between candidates, a “town crier” burst out of the auditorium with the news.

“It’s official. We got a bishop. We got a bishop. Dr. [Jeffrey] Leath is a bishop,” Charles Jones cried into the phone clutched to his ear.

Jeffrey Leath and Family: The Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Leath of Philadelphia said he didn't have many resources for his campaign but God blessed him to serve in the episcopacy anyway.

(Photo by Mark Mehlinger)

Other members of Leath’s church, Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, were quick on his heels, dialing home, tears streaming down their faces.

Dolores Lyons, a 15-year-member of the church, said she felt empowered because they won despite the odds.

“Ministry, growth and reform—that was his platform [and] reform, change frightens folks—those were the odds,” Lyons said. And they also didn’t have the resources for an elaborate campaign like others.  “It was like the parable of Jesus with the loaves and two fishes—our resources were limited but we came out on faith and the blessings were abundant,” she said.

In a later interview with the AFRO, Leath, the church’s 128^th bishop, said about his triumph: “It is humbling and an honor and a great challenge because my church has put confidence in me to do a great work for the Lord.”

He added, “God made the difference…. I didn’t have as much money as others did but that was the way God wanted it to be.”

Leath was followed by Revs. Julius H.  McAllister Sr. of South Carolina and John F. White Sr. of Florida.  White said it “took a lot of prayer; it took a lot of hard work and support from local congregations and the bishop” to achieve what he did.   As for what he was planning to do next, he said, “I don’t know; I have to take a deep breath first.”

When the AFRO caught up with Rev. McAllister, he looked exhausted. But then, he and his wife, Joan Bulle McAllister had been campaigning across the globe for 12 years. So how did victory taste?  “I don’t know; I haven’t been a bishop long enough,” he said and later added, “I’m glad the campaigning process is over. This was going to be the last campaign for me anyway. I’m glad the Lord and the church blessed me by electing me as one of the bishops.”

McAllister ran in 2000 and, in 2004, came within four votes of the bishopric.

“The tradition of our church has been to come back and get the person that was left at the door and the church did not break with that tradition,” the new bishop said.

While tears of joy were common, tears of disappointment ran in streams as the supporters of 25 candidates faced defeat.  The Rev. Dr. Harry L. Seawright of Brandywine, Md., offered words of comfort to his supporters.  “Stay encouraged. We ran an A-class, A-1 campaign. We don’t have nothing to hold our heads down,” he said. “We weren’t rude, we weren’t nasty, we didn’t do anything underhanded to get where we’ve gotten and we’re proud of all that has happened.”

Even winners’ supporters found the moment to be bittersweet as victory also meant loss.  Said Roberta Alford, a parishioner of Leath’s Mother Bethel AME Church: “Just like a mother has to give up their child when they grow up, we have to share him with the world.”  Still, for them, he’d always be “their” bishop.