History of the Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization
For purposes of historical submission to the Connectional Lay Organization in 2018, Dr. Shirley Hopkins Davis has extracted certain facts from the historical information as recorded by Mrs. Gladys Martin, Louisiana Conference.
“The efforts to organize the Laity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church had its genesis in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912. Approximately twenty-eight years later, in about 1940, the Laity of the Eighth Episcopal District met at Campbell College, located in Jackson, Mississippi, to consider the desirability of the establishment of a formal body of organized laity in the District.” (Mrs. Gladys Martin, Historiographer, 8th Episcopal District)
Mrs. Beulah Singleton of New Orleans, LA, convened the first meeting. Those gathered agreed that the formal body of organized laity in the Eighth Episcopal District (comprised of Louisiana and Mississippi) would greatly benefit the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Beulah Singleton was elected the first President of the Episcopal District Lay Organization. Her tenure of service included: stressing the need for an involved, well-informed and unified laity; rotating the Annual meeting between the two states of the District, as well as among the several Annual Conferences in the District. The high point of her presidency came in 1967, when the Eighth Episcopal District hosted the Connectional Lay Meeting in New Orleans, LA. During this Connectional meeting, voting machines were used for the first time. When President Singleton’s health failed in 1982, Dr. Parletta Holmes of the Louisiana Conference succeeded her as President.
President Parletta Holmes began a Lay Participation Night at each of the Annual Conferences (at that time, there were seven Annual Conferences). During Lay Participation Night, laity had the opportunity to demonstrate spiritual and financial stewardship. President Holmes also suggested that the Lay leadership be rotated between the states of the District.
Attorney Leslie D. King of the North MS Conference succeeded Dr. Parletta Holmes as President and served two terms, 1990-1998. President King worked to increase the number of active Lay Organizations and to expand the membership base of the District Annual Conferences and Local Lay Organizations. In 1994, President King was elected to the Court of Appeals of the State of Mississippi. He served as President until 1998.
Mr. Rodney Brown of the Louisiana Conference succeeded Judge Leslie D. King as President and served two terms, 1998 – 2004. President Rodney Brown had the distinct honor of leading the Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization as it hosted the 28th Biennial Lay Meeting in New Orleans, LA in 2003.
In 2004, Dr. Melvin I. Evans of the East MS Conference succeeded Mr. Brown as Lay President. Dr. Evans focused on increasing the participation of younger laypersons. He presented a grand affair during the Lay Annual Meeting: Awards Banquet, Scholarships, and Essay/Oratorical Contests. Also during Dr. Evans’ presidency, the Eighth Episcopal District Annual Conferences were merged in 2009 (realigned from seven conferences to four): South MS, North MS, Central North Louisiana, and Louisiana Annual Conferences.
NOTE: About 2004, Ms. Laurene McMillan was serving as Connectional Lay Organization Recording Secretary; she met Nicole Studevah, the granddaughter of the late Bishop Richard Allen. Nicole was working in New Orleans at Jo-Ellen Hospital and attended a DMC Program at Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA.
Mr. Melvin B. Davis of the Louisiana Conference succeeded Dr. Melvin I. Evans as Lay President in 2012. Mr. Davis had served as District Lay First Vice President during Dr. Evans’ presidency. During Mr. Davis’ presidency, the Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization focused on inclusion of the millennial generation, work to increase Local Lay and other levels of Lay membership, and on development of lay leadership. Mr. Davis has had the privilege to lead the Eighth District Lay in the Lay Biennials held during his tenure of service.
President Davis has led the District Lay Organization in the Historic 50th Session of the Quadrennial General Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Since returning from the General Conference in 2016, the Eighth District has undergone realignment of Presiding Elder Districts within some of the Annual Conferences. He has led the District’s Disaster Relief Ministry during several disasters within and outside of the Eighth District. Annual Conventions from 2012 to 2018, have emphasized lay leadership and membership training and development, as well as improving clergy-lay relationships.
Special projects under the leadership of President Davis and Director of Lay Activities Ms. Stephanie Burks include the following:
“The efforts to organize the Laity of the African Methodist Episcopal Church had its genesis in Kansas City, Missouri in 1912. Approximately twenty-eight years later, in about 1940, the Laity of the Eighth Episcopal District met at Campbell College, located in Jackson, Mississippi, to consider the desirability of the establishment of a formal body of organized laity in the District.” (Mrs. Gladys Martin, Historiographer, 8th Episcopal District)
Mrs. Beulah Singleton of New Orleans, LA, convened the first meeting. Those gathered agreed that the formal body of organized laity in the Eighth Episcopal District (comprised of Louisiana and Mississippi) would greatly benefit the African Methodist Episcopal Church. Mrs. Beulah Singleton was elected the first President of the Episcopal District Lay Organization. Her tenure of service included: stressing the need for an involved, well-informed and unified laity; rotating the Annual meeting between the two states of the District, as well as among the several Annual Conferences in the District. The high point of her presidency came in 1967, when the Eighth Episcopal District hosted the Connectional Lay Meeting in New Orleans, LA. During this Connectional meeting, voting machines were used for the first time. When President Singleton’s health failed in 1982, Dr. Parletta Holmes of the Louisiana Conference succeeded her as President.
President Parletta Holmes began a Lay Participation Night at each of the Annual Conferences (at that time, there were seven Annual Conferences). During Lay Participation Night, laity had the opportunity to demonstrate spiritual and financial stewardship. President Holmes also suggested that the Lay leadership be rotated between the states of the District.
Attorney Leslie D. King of the North MS Conference succeeded Dr. Parletta Holmes as President and served two terms, 1990-1998. President King worked to increase the number of active Lay Organizations and to expand the membership base of the District Annual Conferences and Local Lay Organizations. In 1994, President King was elected to the Court of Appeals of the State of Mississippi. He served as President until 1998.
Mr. Rodney Brown of the Louisiana Conference succeeded Judge Leslie D. King as President and served two terms, 1998 – 2004. President Rodney Brown had the distinct honor of leading the Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization as it hosted the 28th Biennial Lay Meeting in New Orleans, LA in 2003.
In 2004, Dr. Melvin I. Evans of the East MS Conference succeeded Mr. Brown as Lay President. Dr. Evans focused on increasing the participation of younger laypersons. He presented a grand affair during the Lay Annual Meeting: Awards Banquet, Scholarships, and Essay/Oratorical Contests. Also during Dr. Evans’ presidency, the Eighth Episcopal District Annual Conferences were merged in 2009 (realigned from seven conferences to four): South MS, North MS, Central North Louisiana, and Louisiana Annual Conferences.
NOTE: About 2004, Ms. Laurene McMillan was serving as Connectional Lay Organization Recording Secretary; she met Nicole Studevah, the granddaughter of the late Bishop Richard Allen. Nicole was working in New Orleans at Jo-Ellen Hospital and attended a DMC Program at Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, New Orleans, LA.
Mr. Melvin B. Davis of the Louisiana Conference succeeded Dr. Melvin I. Evans as Lay President in 2012. Mr. Davis had served as District Lay First Vice President during Dr. Evans’ presidency. During Mr. Davis’ presidency, the Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization focused on inclusion of the millennial generation, work to increase Local Lay and other levels of Lay membership, and on development of lay leadership. Mr. Davis has had the privilege to lead the Eighth District Lay in the Lay Biennials held during his tenure of service.
President Davis has led the District Lay Organization in the Historic 50th Session of the Quadrennial General Conference in Philadelphia, PA. Since returning from the General Conference in 2016, the Eighth District has undergone realignment of Presiding Elder Districts within some of the Annual Conferences. He has led the District’s Disaster Relief Ministry during several disasters within and outside of the Eighth District. Annual Conventions from 2012 to 2018, have emphasized lay leadership and membership training and development, as well as improving clergy-lay relationships.
Special projects under the leadership of President Davis and Director of Lay Activities Ms. Stephanie Burks include the following:
- Multi-generational Task Force—Gather persons across all age groups to take a look at the challenges facing our church and to develop strategies to bring about a more productive working relationship.
- Support of the Disaster Relief Ministry—An effort to provide relief and assistance to person affected by disaster and assist financially, emotionally and spiritually.
- Lemon Squeeze—An effort to engage in meaningful conversation with young adults, middle aged and senior adults to better understand the needs of all and to actively solicit the involvement of all to ensure the continuation and up-building of the A M E church.
BISHOPS OF THE EIGHTH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT SINCE THE
INCEPTION OF THE LAY ORGANIZATION ABOUT 1940
Bishop Carey A. Gibbs – 9 months (1952)
Bishop Sherman L. Greene – 1952
Bishop Howard Thomas Prim – 1952-1956
Bishop Richard Robert Wright, Jr. – 1956-1957
Bishop Frederick Douglas Jordan – 1957-1962
Bishop David Henry Sims – 1962-1964
Bishop William Franklin Ball – 1964-1968
Bishop Isaiah H. Bonner – 1968-1976
Bishop Frank C. Cummings – 1976-1984
Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming – 1984-1992
Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr. – 1992-1996
Bishop Richard A. Chappelle, Sr. – 1996-2000
Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning, Sr. – 2000-2008
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry – 2008-2012
Bishop Julius Harrison McAllister, Sr. – 2012-Present
The Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization at present has 149 organized Local Lay Organizations.
Bishop Sherman L. Greene – 1952
Bishop Howard Thomas Prim – 1952-1956
Bishop Richard Robert Wright, Jr. – 1956-1957
Bishop Frederick Douglas Jordan – 1957-1962
Bishop David Henry Sims – 1962-1964
Bishop William Franklin Ball – 1964-1968
Bishop Isaiah H. Bonner – 1968-1976
Bishop Frank C. Cummings – 1976-1984
Bishop Donald George Kenneth Ming – 1984-1992
Bishop Robert Thomas, Jr. – 1992-1996
Bishop Richard A. Chappelle, Sr. – 1996-2000
Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning, Sr. – 2000-2008
Bishop Carolyn Tyler Guidry – 2008-2012
Bishop Julius Harrison McAllister, Sr. – 2012-Present
The Eighth Episcopal District Lay Organization at present has 149 organized Local Lay Organizations.
