AME Churches in the Second Episcopal District shared in the hospitality of the Empowerment Temple, where the Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant is pastor, as their 196th Annual Conference was held from April 9-14.
This year’s meeting carried the theme “This is Our Story: Faith and Freedom, Generation to Generation.” “This is faith and freedom – not just us talking about faith, but also addressing how faith relates to our freedom in the African-American community. Our faith has always been attached to the relevant places where people live and move,” said Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson Jr., presiding prelate of the Second Episcopal District. “All of these things go towards the church having an interest in social justice issues.”
Conference time is used to report on the welfare of member churches, engage in fellowship, and ordain ministers and elders. During the session a report on the number of those who have joined the Christian walk since the previous conference is taken, and leaders are expected to give account of their church budget and use of resources. Conference time is also used as a space to grow spiritually, while also becoming engaged in the avid push to increase voter registration, end police brutality, and heighten awareness for the elimination of racial profiling.
“I’m looking forward to the business sessions because that is the area where issues are raised, questions are resolved, and accountability takes place,” said Cynthia Bryant Pitts, a self-described “cradle AME” member. Pitts has been an active member of the denomination all her life and now serves as co-chair of the conference, where she shares the responsibility of planning events with Delores Winston.
“What’s wonderful about the process is that although it is labor intensive and emotionally intense, I think we come out of it more of a community. We know each other in a different way than we do when we just greet each other in service or at bible study. The diversity of old and new will be exciting to experience.”
Other session topics include discussions on the role of men in the church and the use of social media in spreading the gospel of Christ. Whether by text or tweet, the message of using technology to spread faith is now at the top of the to-do list for church leaders nationwide.
“Sometimes we get a little hard-nosed about some things, but the truth of the matter is almost everybody has a cell phone and people are even becoming more and more accustomed to using computers, iPads, iPhones and smart phones, ” said Bishop Richardson. “It is a marvelous tool if we would just learn to use it, value it, and appreciate it.”
The convention has invited several influential speakers and attendees from across the nation, such as Bishop Gregory Ingram of Texas’ 10th Episcopal District, Dr. Gregory Sutton, of Atlanta, Georgia’s Jackson Memorial AME Church, and Bishop Vashti Murphy, who has returned to her home district in Baltimore for the occasion.
Nearly 400 congregations are represented in the Second Episcopal District of the AME Church. Conferences will be held for each section of the district, which is comprised of churches from North Carolina, Virginia, Washington D.C, and Western North Carolina. Though the Baltimore section of the Second Episcopal District holds the title of “oldest conference in black Methodism,” Bishop Richardson reports that the Washington D.C. conference, taking place April 24-28, is now the largest in the district.
Conferences will be held in Newport News, VA from May 8-12, and in Fayetteville, N.C. from May 15-19. The last conference of the 2nd Episcopal District will take place in Raleigh, N.C. from May 30- June 2. The General Conference Delegate Caucus will meet in Newport News, Va. June 8-9.