The 13th DISTRICT LAY ORGANIZATION CELEBRATES
Its 21stAnnual Convention
The 13th District Lay Organization convened at the Double Tree Hilton in Murfreesboro, TN, on May 31, through June 2, 2018 to host the 21st Convention and Annual Business Meeting.
We are blessed with the Visionary Guidance of our Presiding Prelate Bishop Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath. Prior to the District Convention, President Dorothy Ealy facilitated the training of new 13thDistrict Lay Officers, Emerging Leaders from all conferences along with the recently elected Director of Lay Activities, Priscilla Sullivan. Participants were challenged to embrace their duties and responsibilities as servant leaders. Then a review of the objectives of the Lay Organization led to the thought provoking assessment of the extent to which they were implemented at the local, conference and district levels. Participants were provided the opportunity to reflect on the objectives that were least implemented in the Lay Organization and then strategized means to accomplish improved implementation. All participants were able to leave with nuggets to share at their Local Churches.
After the Thursday training, the Executive Board meeting of the 13th District was held. The Thursday Evening Worship Celebration which was planned by the Young Adult Representative, Melinda Robinson, was a mountaintop experience. Traditionally, we extend an invitation to the Pastor Friend of the Lay Organization. This year Rev. Randall Webster, the Pastor of Woodfork Chapel in Shelbyville, TN, served as the Messenger for Worship Celebration. He sang melodious hymns and preached a powerful message on the CLO Theme, where he challenged us to “not only have a Commission, but the knowledge and understanding to have the Presence of God in us.” We were spiritually fed with melodious hymns and gospel music from Daryl Chaney and Christ Fellowship Chorale. We were spiritually blessed during the Worship celebration!
Registration for the Convention began on Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. After the spirit-filled Devotion by the Chaplain and the Welcome/Occasion by District President Ealy, The Laity Workshop Sessions began with “Refocusing our Purpose” facilitated by Sister Amanda Johnson, the 13th District PR Director. The 13th District DOLA presented a session on “Faith Based Initiatives and Developing Partnerships”. After a delicious lunch, sponsored by Mr. Jeffrey Webster, an employee of the Nissan Dealership in Shelbyville, Tennessee, was served at the Academy Museum, we resumed the Workshops.
The Afternoon Sessions were just as interesting as we were featured with a Panel Discussion ‐ “50 years Later”
Reflections on the Ills of Social, Economic, Environmental and Political Justice.
Bro. Hardin Franklin discussed “The Affordable Health Care System and its Challenges under Trump-ism.” Bro. Darwin Eldridge discussed “The Income Tax Revision” and Bro Daniel Lewis discussed “The Civil Rights Movement and Immigration under Trump-ism, 50 years later. Finally, the Young Adult Representative, Sister Melinda Robinson, closed the training with AME V-Alert. She challenged us to be proactive in holding registration drives and volunteering to offer services to mobilize our people and get them to the polls.
The Annual OLP Banquet provided the opportunity to give accolades to those individuals who have provided dedicated service to their Local Churches. Additionally, persons who were Environmental Justice Honorees served as special honorees, as well. On Saturday the Annual Business Meeting of the 13th District Lay Organization was held. To God Be the Glory for the Things He Has Done!
President, 13th District Lay Organization
We are blessed with the Visionary Guidance of our Presiding Prelate Bishop Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath. Prior to the District Convention, President Dorothy Ealy facilitated the training of new 13thDistrict Lay Officers, Emerging Leaders from all conferences along with the recently elected Director of Lay Activities, Priscilla Sullivan. Participants were challenged to embrace their duties and responsibilities as servant leaders. Then a review of the objectives of the Lay Organization led to the thought provoking assessment of the extent to which they were implemented at the local, conference and district levels. Participants were provided the opportunity to reflect on the objectives that were least implemented in the Lay Organization and then strategized means to accomplish improved implementation. All participants were able to leave with nuggets to share at their Local Churches.
After the Thursday training, the Executive Board meeting of the 13th District was held. The Thursday Evening Worship Celebration which was planned by the Young Adult Representative, Melinda Robinson, was a mountaintop experience. Traditionally, we extend an invitation to the Pastor Friend of the Lay Organization. This year Rev. Randall Webster, the Pastor of Woodfork Chapel in Shelbyville, TN, served as the Messenger for Worship Celebration. He sang melodious hymns and preached a powerful message on the CLO Theme, where he challenged us to “not only have a Commission, but the knowledge and understanding to have the Presence of God in us.” We were spiritually fed with melodious hymns and gospel music from Daryl Chaney and Christ Fellowship Chorale. We were spiritually blessed during the Worship celebration!
Registration for the Convention began on Friday morning at 7:30 a.m. After the spirit-filled Devotion by the Chaplain and the Welcome/Occasion by District President Ealy, The Laity Workshop Sessions began with “Refocusing our Purpose” facilitated by Sister Amanda Johnson, the 13th District PR Director. The 13th District DOLA presented a session on “Faith Based Initiatives and Developing Partnerships”. After a delicious lunch, sponsored by Mr. Jeffrey Webster, an employee of the Nissan Dealership in Shelbyville, Tennessee, was served at the Academy Museum, we resumed the Workshops.
The Afternoon Sessions were just as interesting as we were featured with a Panel Discussion ‐ “50 years Later”
Reflections on the Ills of Social, Economic, Environmental and Political Justice.
Bro. Hardin Franklin discussed “The Affordable Health Care System and its Challenges under Trump-ism.” Bro. Darwin Eldridge discussed “The Income Tax Revision” and Bro Daniel Lewis discussed “The Civil Rights Movement and Immigration under Trump-ism, 50 years later. Finally, the Young Adult Representative, Sister Melinda Robinson, closed the training with AME V-Alert. She challenged us to be proactive in holding registration drives and volunteering to offer services to mobilize our people and get them to the polls.
The Annual OLP Banquet provided the opportunity to give accolades to those individuals who have provided dedicated service to their Local Churches. Additionally, persons who were Environmental Justice Honorees served as special honorees, as well. On Saturday the Annual Business Meeting of the 13th District Lay Organization was held. To God Be the Glory for the Things He Has Done!
President, 13th District Lay Organization
THE 13TH EPISCOPAL DISTRICT LAY ORGANIZATION
Dorothy Ealy
President |
Priscilla Sullivan
DOLA |
Amanda Johnson
PR Director |
PHOTOS ( L to R, Top To Bottom) of The 13th District Annual OLP Banquet: Reverend June Anderson-Dorsey (center), 13th Pastor of the Year 2018 with Local Lay President, Sister Joann White (right) and KY Conference President, Bro. Chris Wilson (Photo1); Bro. Clifton Campbell (center), with ETN President, Bro. Charles Moore (Photo2); !3th District President Ealy, KY President Wilson, and 13th DOLA (Photo3); Rev. Sherri Cowley-Scott, TN Pastor of Year, with 13th Lay Officers (Photo4); and Sister Mae Pegues (center), 13th OLP 2018, with President Ealy and DOLA Sullivan (Photo5).
The 13th District Lay Organization Celebrated!!!
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The KENTUCKY CONFERENCE LAY had the pleasure of hosting the 2018 13th District Lay Convention in Murfreesboro, TN. We also were able to bring home the “Pastor of the Year” in Rev. June Anderson-Dorsey, Pastor of Ralph Avenue A.M.E. Church in Louisville, KY as well as the “Young Adult Representative of the Year” Dominic Collins of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church in Louisville, KY.
We returned to Kentucky super excited about our 2nd Annual Lay Honorees Luncheon to be held in Elizabethtown, KY on June 9, 2018. We honored Rev Dorsey, Marilyn Collins from St. Paul, Versailles, KY and Dominic Collins. It was an added treat to honor those Legacy honorees from the local churches. The Moore Sisters of Elizabethtown turned this event into a Hallelujah good time.
We returned to Kentucky super excited about our 2nd Annual Lay Honorees Luncheon to be held in Elizabethtown, KY on June 9, 2018. We honored Rev Dorsey, Marilyn Collins from St. Paul, Versailles, KY and Dominic Collins. It was an added treat to honor those Legacy honorees from the local churches. The Moore Sisters of Elizabethtown turned this event into a Hallelujah good time.
Honorees of the 2018 Outstanding LAY AWARDS LUNCHEON
KENTUCKY CONFERENCE Held on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at The
Pritchard Community Center, Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
KENTUCKY CONFERENCE Held on Saturday, June 9, 2018, at The
Pritchard Community Center, Elizabethtown, Kentucky.
President Chirs Wilson
Sis. Marilyn Collins, Bro. Marion Dominic Collins, Rev. June Anderson-Dorsey (Adult Honoree, Young Adult Honoree, Pastor of Year: St. Paul AMEC-Versailles, Quinn Chapel AMEC-Louisville, Ralph Avenue AMEC-Louisville __Respectfully)
We had our final Quarterly Meeting in Midway, KY expertly hosted by St Matthew A.M.E. Church with Sis. Rita Murray, Local President. The 5th Sunday Cluster was held on July 29, 2018 at Embry Chapel A.M.E. Church were the local President is Sis. Annette Hayden.
THOSE SINGIN’ PASTORS, Featuring:
Rev. William R.T. Hale, St. Paul AMEC, Lexington, KY
Rev. MacArthur Pendleton, Bethel AMEC, Shelbyville, KY
Rev. Stephanie Raglin, Embry Chapel AMEC, Elizabethtown, KY
Rev. Jermaine Wilson, St. John AMEC, Frankfort, KY
Rev. LaVeeshia Pryor, St. Paul AMEC, Richmond, KY
Rev. Fonseco Frazier, Wayman Chapel AMEC, Georgetown, KY
Rev. June Anderson- Dorsey, Ralph Avenue AMEC, Louisville, KY
Rev. Dr. Wallace L. Gunn, Sr., Asbury Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY
Rev. William R.T. Hale, St. Paul AMEC, Lexington, KY
Rev. MacArthur Pendleton, Bethel AMEC, Shelbyville, KY
Rev. Stephanie Raglin, Embry Chapel AMEC, Elizabethtown, KY
Rev. Jermaine Wilson, St. John AMEC, Frankfort, KY
Rev. LaVeeshia Pryor, St. Paul AMEC, Richmond, KY
Rev. Fonseco Frazier, Wayman Chapel AMEC, Georgetown, KY
Rev. June Anderson- Dorsey, Ralph Avenue AMEC, Louisville, KY
Rev. Dr. Wallace L. Gunn, Sr., Asbury Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY
We will are close out the Conference Year 2018 with our Prayer Breakfast in August and Lay Witness Night in September.
The EAST TENNESSEE CONFERENCE LAY ORGANIZATION Celebrated 25 Years of
The Outstanding Lay Person Awards Luncheon, on Saturday, May 5, 2018 at Warren
Chapel A.M. E. Church, Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Charles W. Moore
President |
Ray A. Hill Sr.
Outstanding Adult St. Paul AMEC-Chattanooga |
Kaleb Hickerson
Young adult Shorter Chapel AMEC-Tullahoma |
Rev. Coleman March Jr.
Outstanding Pastor Shorter Chapel AMEC-Tullahoma |
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TENNESSEE CONFERENCE LAY ORGANIZATION
DARWIN K. ELDRIDGE, PRESIDENT THE ANTHONY D. SHANKLIN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY “DISCOVERING YOUR SPIRITUAL GIFTS AND PUTTING THEM INTO ACTION” |
On Saturday, April 28, 2018, members of the Tennessee Annual Conference Lay Organization gathered at Kairos Community African Methodist Episcopal Church, pastored by The Reverend Garrett Copeland, for the Anthony D. Shanklin Leadership Academy. The Academy was coordinated under the direction of Wanda Grandberry, DOLA, and Paula Holmes, Chief Training Officer. The One-Day Seminar was entitled, “Discovering Your Spiritual Gifts and Putting Them into Action.” The presenters were Reverend W. Antoni Sinkfield, Pastor of Payne Chapel AMEC, Nashville, and General Officer-Retired Paulette Coleman, Ph.D. All sessions were well-attended and well received by all.
The first portion conducted by Reverend Sinkfield addressed the following objectives:
Reverend Sinkfield defined and explained each of the Spiritual Gifts by relating them to the scriptures. After much discussion and explanation, each attendee took the self-scoring assessment to determine their preferences toward particular gifts. Needless to say the Laypersons and Clergy present were surprised by what they discovered. Reverend Sinkfield closed his session by challenging us to consider the following:
The afternoon session, led by Dr. Coleman was entitled, “What is Lay Ministry and How to develop it in Our Churches?” Her highly charged session defined Lay Ministry and the importance of laity utilizing their Spiritual Gifts to ensure we are “meeting people’s needs with love, humility, and a genuine concern on Christ’s behalf.” Dr. Coleman reminded us that Lay Ministry goes beyond and is larger than the Lay Organization. It encompasses all to include “Ushers, Christian Educators, Trustees, Missionaries, Stewards, Class Leaders, etc.” Dr. Coleman’s closing provided us with pointers of how we do Lay Ministry through the following:
During our June 30, 2018 Quarterly Meeting, the Reverend Alexander Gatson, Presiding Elder of the Tennessee Conference North District, conducted a follow up session entitled, “Do You Know God’s Purpose for Your Life?” Reverend Gatson reviewed our self-assessment results with us to determine if we are moving into the gifts we have a preference towards. He also helped us to realize the importance of understanding how critical our Spiritual Gifts are to kingdom building. He closed his session by challenging us with, “It’s Your Move.” He provided us with scripture references that we need to study in order to strengthen our Spiritual Gifts.
The first portion conducted by Reverend Sinkfield addressed the following objectives:
- Understand why it is important in the life of the church to focus on Spiritual Gifts
- Understand what a Spiritual Gift is
- Gain a better understanding of what your Spiritual Gifts are and how to you might use your gifts in service to your church
Reverend Sinkfield defined and explained each of the Spiritual Gifts by relating them to the scriptures. After much discussion and explanation, each attendee took the self-scoring assessment to determine their preferences toward particular gifts. Needless to say the Laypersons and Clergy present were surprised by what they discovered. Reverend Sinkfield closed his session by challenging us to consider the following:
- Are we locked into worn out or irrelevant traditional ways of activating our Church for Ministry that we’re willing to consider revising?
- Are we open to fresh new ways for activating our Church for Ministry by using the Ministry of Jesus as our model?
- How can we use the Model of Jesus’ Ministry to activate our church to…?
- Start new ministries
- Build vital and viable ministries in areas that are underdeveloped or undeveloped
- Explore and give credibility to forms of ministry beyond the pastoral ministry
The afternoon session, led by Dr. Coleman was entitled, “What is Lay Ministry and How to develop it in Our Churches?” Her highly charged session defined Lay Ministry and the importance of laity utilizing their Spiritual Gifts to ensure we are “meeting people’s needs with love, humility, and a genuine concern on Christ’s behalf.” Dr. Coleman reminded us that Lay Ministry goes beyond and is larger than the Lay Organization. It encompasses all to include “Ushers, Christian Educators, Trustees, Missionaries, Stewards, Class Leaders, etc.” Dr. Coleman’s closing provided us with pointers of how we do Lay Ministry through the following:
- Prayer
- Bible Study and Application
- Consultation with the Pastor
- Careful Preparation
- Effective Communication
- Positive Action Evaluation and Assessment
During our June 30, 2018 Quarterly Meeting, the Reverend Alexander Gatson, Presiding Elder of the Tennessee Conference North District, conducted a follow up session entitled, “Do You Know God’s Purpose for Your Life?” Reverend Gatson reviewed our self-assessment results with us to determine if we are moving into the gifts we have a preference towards. He also helped us to realize the importance of understanding how critical our Spiritual Gifts are to kingdom building. He closed his session by challenging us with, “It’s Your Move.” He provided us with scripture references that we need to study in order to strengthen our Spiritual Gifts.
