Empowerment Temple AME Church is celebrating its 25th anniversary with a black-tie gala on Sept. 19, featuring keynote speaker and founding pastor Rev. Dr. Jamal Bryant. Since its launch in 2000, the church has grown from a small Bible study into a movement that blends faith, activism, and community outreach in Baltimore.
Author Archives: Marnita Coleman Special to the AFRO
Posted inBaltimore News
Roslyn Chandler Wood, devoted educator and community pillar, dies at 96
Roslyn Chandler Wood, a devoted educator, cultural advocate, and lifelong Baltimore resident, passed away on July 17 at age 96. Family, friends, and community members gathered July 24 to honor her legacy of service, excellence, and empowerment during a heartfelt celebration of life at St. James Episcopal Church.
Posted inReligion
Rev. Dr. Zollie D. Bagby Sr. retires after decades of ministry
Rev. Dr. Zollie D. Bagby Sr., longtime pastor of The Village Baptist Church in Baltimore, is retiring at age 85 after more than three decades of ministry and a lifetime of service. Known for his humility, dedication to community, and spiritual leadership, Bagby leaves behind a powerful legacy of faith, family, and outreach.
Posted inReligion
Celebrating National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: A look at therapists with religious- based practices
July is National Minority Mental Health Awareness Month. This week, the AFRO takes a look at therapists with religious- based practices.
Posted inReligion
Young trailblazer honored as an unsung hero at historic Black Catholic Church
Varia Alston, a 21-year-old junior at McDaniel College, became the first young adult to receive the Unsung Black Catholic Woman Award from Baltimore’s Historic St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church. The award honors Black Catholic women whose quiet dedication to faith, family, and community often goes unrecognized.
Posted inReligion
Rev. Willie E. Ray: A life of service remembered
By Marnita ColemanSpecial to the AFRO On Easter morning, April 20, the Reverend William Edward Ray, beloved founder of Save Another Youth, Inc. and the Baltimore Coalition to Stop the Killing, took his final flight and entered eternal rest. After more than 50 years of tireless ministry, fierce advocacy, and unwavering love for his community, […]
Posted inReligion
Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr. steps into retirement after five decades of serviceÂ
After 50 years of transformative leadership, Bishop Walter Scott Thomas Sr. has retired from New Psalmist Baptist Church, alongside his wife, Lady Patricia Thomas, leaving a legacy of faith, growth and community impact. His ministry, captured in a powerful documentary and celebrated through a series of heartfelt events, reflects a life wholly devoted to purpose, family and the spiritual empowerment of thousands.
Posted inReligion
AME minister Rev. Joan Wharton honored at 2-day retirement celebrationÂ
The Rev. Dr. Joan Louise Wharton, a trailblazer in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, was honored in a two-day celebration in Baltimore as she prepares to retire in 2025 after 39 years of pastoral leadership. Her legacy of faith, advocacy and ministry has transformed communities, expanded opportunities for women in the clergy and inspired countless lives through mentorship, service and her written works.
Posted inBlack History
Lest we forget: Preserving the rich history buried in neglected cemeteries
By Marnita ColemanSpecial to the AFRO Across the nation, African-American cemeteries are being neglected, their sacred grounds left to decay while other historic burial sites receive the care and preservation they deserve. These hallowed resting places, rich with Black history and the legacies of the ancestors, are drowning in overgrowth, their headstones shattered and their […]
Posted inReligion
Rev. Melech E. M.Thomas brings a new vision to the Bolton Hill community as pastor of Payne Memorial AME Church
The Rev. Melech E.M. Thomas has been appointed as the 24th pastor of Baltimore’s historic Payne Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, bringing a new era of growth and change to the congregation.
Posted inVeterans
An AFRO spotlight on excellence: Meet the veterans walking by faith
Eight African-American veterans from the US Coast Guard, US Marine Corps, US Army, US Army Reserves, and US Air Force shared their stories of faith and commitment to their service, describing how their faith guided them through trials and triumphs during their 136 years of active duty.
Posted inBaltimore News
Rev. James Willie Smith celebrates 101 years of faithful promises
Rev. James Willie Smith celebrated his 101st birthday on Nov. 6 with family and friends, reflecting on his remarkable life of faith and resilience, and continuing to preach the gospel.