AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH
HISTORY of the FOURTH DISTRICT LAY ORGANIZATION
November 1942 – Present
In 1935 the first attempt was made to organize the laymen all over the Fourth Episcopal District. They assembled in Chicago, Illinois at the Grant Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church and perfected an Episcopal Lay Organization for presenting a solid front at the 30th Session of the General Conference that was to be held in New York City in May of 1936.
Some of the moving spirits in this meeting were Attorney F.B. Ransom of Indianapolis, Indiana, Albert Williams, William Entzminger, Attorney Herbert L. Dudley, D.D. Adams and Maceo Williams, all from the Detroit Conference; Professor Caswell Crews, Adam Granberry, Dr. Joshua M. Brown, Attorney Cleveland Longmire, Fletcher Pegues, Attorney E.P. Blakemore, and N.G. Shorter from the Chicago Conference.
Attorney Herbert L. Dudley was elected Chairman of the District Organization. Brothers Albert Williams and George W. Cross was named to the Episcopal Committee.
In November of 1942, the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization as we now know it, came into existence at historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, Indiana of which the Rev. J. A. Alexander was Pastor. Laymen from all over the District attended this meeting.
They formed a temporary organization, elected a temporary chairman and appointed a Constitution and Bylaw Committee. This temporary meeting was scheduled to meet at Grant Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois in July 1943, at which time the Constitution and Bylaws for the permanent organization was adopted and William Entzminger of Detroit was elected President for a four-year term.
Since that date, the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization has met annually in July since its formation. During these early years many of our ministers were not in harmony with the Lay Organization and many of the laity of the church were looked upon as rebels.
The Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization has continued its growth with the organizing of the Canadian, Chicago, Illinois India, Indiana and Michigan Conferences under the leadership of the following Presidents:
D. Adams (Michigan Conference), Churchel L. Swarn (Indiana Conference) who served from 1964-1984 and was the Host District President for the 1983 Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization, Sidney Burrell (Illinois Conference), Morris L. Williams (Chicago Conference) who also served as a Chaplain of the Connectional Lay Organization, Joe L. Ezell (Michigan Conference) who also served as Financial Secretary and Treasurer of the Connectional Lay Organization, Mary Banks-Wright (Michigan Conference) the first woman elected President of the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization and who also served as Assistant Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Connectional African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the current President, Madge M. White (Michigan Conference) and the Host District President for the 2011 Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization. In June of 2016, Jerry Turner, Jr. of the Chicago Conference was elected the ninth President of the Lay Organization. He is our youngest elected Episcopal District President in the History of the Fourth District and possibly in the AME Church.
Some of the moving spirits in this meeting were Attorney F.B. Ransom of Indianapolis, Indiana, Albert Williams, William Entzminger, Attorney Herbert L. Dudley, D.D. Adams and Maceo Williams, all from the Detroit Conference; Professor Caswell Crews, Adam Granberry, Dr. Joshua M. Brown, Attorney Cleveland Longmire, Fletcher Pegues, Attorney E.P. Blakemore, and N.G. Shorter from the Chicago Conference.
Attorney Herbert L. Dudley was elected Chairman of the District Organization. Brothers Albert Williams and George W. Cross was named to the Episcopal Committee.
In November of 1942, the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization as we now know it, came into existence at historic Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Indianapolis, Indiana of which the Rev. J. A. Alexander was Pastor. Laymen from all over the District attended this meeting.
They formed a temporary organization, elected a temporary chairman and appointed a Constitution and Bylaw Committee. This temporary meeting was scheduled to meet at Grant Memorial African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, Illinois in July 1943, at which time the Constitution and Bylaws for the permanent organization was adopted and William Entzminger of Detroit was elected President for a four-year term.
Since that date, the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization has met annually in July since its formation. During these early years many of our ministers were not in harmony with the Lay Organization and many of the laity of the church were looked upon as rebels.
The Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization has continued its growth with the organizing of the Canadian, Chicago, Illinois India, Indiana and Michigan Conferences under the leadership of the following Presidents:
D. Adams (Michigan Conference), Churchel L. Swarn (Indiana Conference) who served from 1964-1984 and was the Host District President for the 1983 Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization, Sidney Burrell (Illinois Conference), Morris L. Williams (Chicago Conference) who also served as a Chaplain of the Connectional Lay Organization, Joe L. Ezell (Michigan Conference) who also served as Financial Secretary and Treasurer of the Connectional Lay Organization, Mary Banks-Wright (Michigan Conference) the first woman elected President of the Fourth Episcopal District Lay Organization and who also served as Assistant Secretary of the Board of Trustees of the Connectional African Methodist Episcopal Church, and the current President, Madge M. White (Michigan Conference) and the Host District President for the 2011 Biennial Session of the Connectional Lay Organization. In June of 2016, Jerry Turner, Jr. of the Chicago Conference was elected the ninth President of the Lay Organization. He is our youngest elected Episcopal District President in the History of the Fourth District and possibly in the AME Church.
