March 2015 Newsletter - National Black Presbyterian Caucus

 000000000 000000
NATIONAL BLACK PRESBYTERIAN CAUCUS Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
March 2015
Number 14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------www.nationalnbpc.org
NATIONAL BLACK PRESBYTERIAN CAUCUS
Biennial Convention
July 9-11, 2015
2 Timothy 3: 1, 14-17
RESPONDING TO THE SIGNS OF THE TIMES
The National Black Presbyterian Caucus Biennial Convention is a time to make
and renew friendships, develop and walk away with new tools and techniques to
respond to the signs of the times based on individual human experience, climate and
cultural societal changes, and the action of being a collective Christians witness while
being transformation in the world.
Our keynote speaker, plenary leaders, and all workshop leaders will educate each of
you with responsive actions, to equip you with methods to reconnect with God and
each other, and to empower implementation of learned material in local churches and
our communities at large. Thus far we will explore areas related to, but not limited
to, strengthening NBPC local chapters, finances, youth and young adults, work in the
church, institutional racism, and global and local mission.
You will leave educated, equipped and empowered to respond to the Signs of the
Times based on your individual experience at the convention.
Please join us at the beautiful Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel, in Charlotte, NC, on
July 9-11 and walk away with a new beginning.
REGISTER TODAY! events.pcusa.org/register/nbpc-2015/
Early registration until June 27 is $285.00
Registration after June 27 is $310.
BOOK YOUR HOTEL ROOM TODAY!
Group Rates until June 11, 2015
$113.99/night with Breakfast Buffet (2 per room)
$123.99/night with Breakfast Buffet (3-4 per room)
Late registration, after June 11, 2015 is $189.00 without Breakfast Buffet.
Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel
2800 Coliseum Centre Drive
Charlotte, NC
Phone 877-212-5752 (mention NBPC) or resweb.passkey.com/go/NBPCCJuly2015
FOR COMPLETE REGISTRATION INFORMATION, GO TO THE WEBSITE:
www.nationalnbpc.org or look for the copy that has been mailed to members.
DEADLINES
EARLY REGISTRATION DEADLINE JUNE 1, 2015, THEN UNTIL JUNE 27. HOTEL
REGISTRATION DEADLINE-JUNE 11, 2015
NOMINATIONS OF OFFICERS -DEADLINE IS MAY 1, 2015
NOMINATIONS OF PIONEER AND HONOREE AWARDS- DEADLINE APRIL 15, 2015
SPONSORS' ADS-DEADLINE IS MAY 1, 2015
If you are registering for the convention online, below is some helpful information to use or modify, with
detailed instructions;
events.pcusa.org/register/nbpc-2015/
This link will take you to a login page. Registrants who do not already have a PC (USA) account will create
one by entering your email address and creating a user name and password. You will then receive a
verification email with a link to proceed with your registration, so use a computer where you can receive an
email.
Remember your user name and password so that you can log back in at a later time (if you are unable to
complete your registration)
Those who registered for previous Big Tents, General Assembly, or other PC (USA) conferences in the
last few years probably already have an account; use the same user name and password, however, use the
Forgot Password feature if you do not remember your password
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
JULY 9-11, 2015
Charlotte, North Carolina
Locate call information on the website: www.ntionalnbpc.org
The registration packet has also been mailed to all members of NBPC.
2015 NATIONAL BLACK PRESBYTERIAN CAUCUS CONVENTION
REGISTRATION FORM
Return this completed form with payment to the address below. Please complete a separate form for each adult attendee; you may pay multiple fees
with one check by mailing the forms together. Contact the G.A. Meeting Service at 888-728-7228, ext. 2417 with questions ab out registration.
Name
First
Deadline: JUNE 27, 2015
To register on-line:
Middle
First name for badge (if different)
Last
https://events.pcusa.orq/reqister/nboc-2015/
Address_________________________________________________
Fax to 502-569-8642 if paying by credit card
Mail forms with checks to:
Presbyterian Church (USA)
G.A. Meeting Service Processing
P.O. Box 643733
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-3733
I am a Teaching Elder
City/State/Zip_________________________________________________
Day phone
Cell phone
Email _____________________________________________
Seminarian
Ruling Elder -Youth (13-20)
Presbytery ________________________ Synod__________________________________
Please tell us a little about yourself:
Male Female
month/date/year
Date of Birth
Specify special dietary needs: Vegetarian 0 Gluten-free
J Other
Indicate disabilities or other special circumstances pertinent to your participation
Emergency Contact: Name ------------------------- -----Phone (
)
_
REGISTRATION & FEES
0 $285 Early Registration (through June 1, 2015) includes Friday luncheon and dinner
0 $310 Regular Registration (after June 1, 2015)-includes Friday luncheon and dinner
Board of Pensions Luncheon - Thursday, July 9.
0 Complimentary for BOP Plan Members -check if you will attend
Advance day rate registration:
0 $85 Thursday only one-day registration (no meals included)
0 $85 Friday only one-day registration (no meals included)
Luncheon and dinner tickets only
0 $50 - Pioneer Luncheon (Friday)
0 $65- Honoree Dinner (Friday)
TOTAL FEES
$
_
PAYMENT
OCheck--payable to Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)
OMasterCard OVisa OAmEx ODiscover
Card No.-------- -------------------------Exp. Date
Cardholder name (print) - --------- -- --Billing address0fdirentfromabov)
City
ST
CW #
_
_
_
Zip_
_
Signature - --------------------------------- Cancellations Policy: Payments will be refunded, less a $50 processing fee, if notice of cancellation {by email to
[email protected], or phone at 888-728-7228 ext. 2417) is received by 5:00 pm eastern time on June 27, 2015.
No cancellations or refunds will be made after June 27, 2015.
RESERVING ACCOMMODATIONS
The conference rate (per room, per night, single or double occupancy) at the Renaissance Charlotte Suites Hotel {Charlotte, NC) is $113.99 per
night (including buffet breakfast for up to 2 guests sharing a room) and $123.99 per night (including buffet breakfast for 3-4 guests sharing a room.
State and city taxes (currently 15.25%) are in addition.
To make a reservation, call877-212-5752 (and mention NBPC Conference) or reserve on-line at resweb.passkey.com/go/NBPCCJuly2015
Rates are good until June 11, 2015, on first come basis, thereafter at $189/night, NOT including buffet breakfast.
HOTEL AMENITIES:
All rooms are suites and include a refrigerator, Microwave and sleeper sofa.
Full Service Restaurant, lounge & Room Service
Complimentary Fitness Center
Complimentary indoor pool
Complimentary Sauna & Jacuzzi
LOCATION:
2800 Coliseum Centre Drive,
Charlotte, NC 28217
Easy access from both interstates 1-77 & 1-85
Only 3 miles from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (5 10 minutes)
Complimentary Shuttle Service to airport
Complimentary Shuttle Service to LYNX light rail pickup station for access to downtown
QUESTIONS?
About the conference - About registration Email [email protected], or call954-746-0863
Email G.A.Meeting Service [email protected] or call888-728-7228, ext. 2417
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Other Events/Information—to be found in the complete registration booklet (26 pages)
See the web page or refer to the booklet that has been mailed to NBPC members.
Face-to-Face ---July 9-11, 2015
Board of Pensions Luncheon
Tentative Schedule of Convention
Nomination Forms for new officers
Nomination Forms for Awards—Pioneer Luncheon and Honoree Dinner
Membership Application
Ads for the Souvenir Booklet
Other Important Information
Youth and Young Adults Component
Ages 12 & Above
We are looking forward to seeing you in Charlotte. Workshops will be offered
on SOCIAL JUSTICE and HOW TO MANAGE YOUR FINANCES $$$$$$.
You will learn how to become a YAV. The YOUNG ADULT VOLUNTEER
program is one of many ministries of Presbyterian Mission Agency that serves
young adults.
YAV YOUNGADULT
V0LUN TEE R S
A year of service for a lifetime of change
You will have an opportunity to go offsite to work on a service project
alongside a local youth and young adult group.
We are planning fun, fun, fun activities for you!!!!
The Rev. Dr. Otis Moss Ill is the Senior Pastor of Trinity United Church of
Christ in Chicago, IL. A leading progressive Christian activist and cultural critic, Dr.
Moss is a Jazz influenced Pastor with a Hip Hop vibe. He is committed to the Gospel
of Jesus Christ rooted in love and justice and is inspired by the works of Zora Neale
Hurston, August Wilson, and Howard Thurman. His creative bible-based messages
ha ve inspired young and old alike. His intergenerational preaching gift has made
Dr. Moss a popular speaker on college campuses, at conferences and churches
across the globe.
I
Dr. Moss authored Redemption in a Red Light District, co-authored The Gospel
Re-Mix; How to Reach the Hip-Hop Generation and with his father the Rev Dr. Otis
Moss Jr., co-authored, Preach! The Power and Purpose Behind Our Praise His
sermons, articles, and poetry have appeared in publications and blog sites such
as Huffing Post, Urban Cusp, The Root, Power in the Pulpit II: America's Most
Effective Preachers, Joy To The World: Sermons From America's Pulpit, Sound The
Trumpet: Messages of Hope for Black Men, The Audacity of Faith: Christian Leaders
Reflect on the Election of Barack Obama, Sojourners Magazine and The African
America n Pulpit Journal. His book of sermons, The Gospel According to the Wiz: 111
And Other Sermons from Cinema, will be released in May 2014.
A native of Cleveland, OH, Dr. Moss is an honors graduate of Morehouse
College, Yale Divinity School, and has a Doctor of Ministry degree from Chicago
Theological Seminary.

Billy Michael Honor is a minister, public theologian, and cultural critic
whose progressive and compelling insights have made him a sought after
preacher, lecturer, and social commentator.
Billy is currently the pastor and head of staff of New Life Presbyterian Church in
College Park, GA, the fastest growing predominantly African American Presbyterian
congregation in the United States. He is also the founder and facilitator of an
independent public scholarship ministry that focuses on promoting quality social
commentary and criticism on religion and culture.
Recognized as an emerging progressive social voice, Billy regularly speaks at
churches, conferences, colleges and community events and is a media
commentator on issues related to contemporary faith and culture. Since 2008 he
has facilitated a respected blog called "The Critical Cleric" that maintains a diverse
and growing readership and his sermons and writings have been featured in
Huffington Post, the Root.com, Presbyterians Today magazine, Yahoo Voices,
Odyssey Network and Day1 Media Ministry.
Billy holds a bachelors of arts in Biblical Education with honors from Beulah
Heights Christian University in Atlanta, Georgia, a Master of Divinity degree from
Johnson C. Smith Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Center in
The Reverend Floretta L. Watkins was born to Mr. and Mrs. Law rence and
the late Flossie E. Watkins in Atlanta, GA. She graduated from Walker High School
and then matriculated to Mercer University in Macon GA where she earned a BA
degree in Communications. In 1993, she graduated from Johnson C. Smith
Seminary of the Interdenominational Theological Seminary with an emphasis in
Homiletics and Christian Education. After seminary she was ordained as Minister of
Word and Sacrament and immediately began her vocational service to the church
as Presbytery Staff of Campus Ministry at South Carolina State University and
Claflin College. It was there that Reverend Watkins developed her approach to
ministry as a "down to earth" minister serving with imagination, energy and
humor.
After serving the campuses in Orangeburg SC, she received a call to serve
Pleasant Ridge of Lancaster SC and Hermon Presbyterian Church in Rock Hill, SC.
Under her leadership, Hermon was able to erect a new worship facility right under
7000 square feet, consisting of a Sanctuary, classrooms and a fellowship hall.
Reverend Watkins was chosen to lead Hermon because of her dynamic preaching
abilities as well as her abilities to understand generational characteristics and their
impact on the church.
The Reverend Floretta L. Watkins
51
In 1997, Reverend Floretta Watkins was commissioned to the rank of 1
Lieutenant in the United States Air Force National Guard as the first African
American female Chaplain. She has served as support to airmen and soldiers in
the various situations including the floods of North Carolina in Kingston NC as well
as deployment to Elmendorf, AFB in Alaska as well as Osan, South Korea. Today
she serves as Deputy Wing Chaplain to the 145thh Air National Guard as Major
Floretta Watkins.
In 2002 R everend Watkins began her service at well-known Seigle Avenue
Presbyterian Church. Known for its interracial make-up, Reverend Watkins opened
the doors for more inclusion and acceptance of all of God's children. With a strong
emphasis on leadership development, Reverend Watkins concentrates her efforts
on a decentralized ministry style so that she can pour her energy into equipping lay
leadership for ministry.
As the church transitions to new opportunities for service Reverend Watkins
continues to enhance her leadership skills, both formally and informally. Most
recently Rev. Watkins completed the Certificate of Executive Leadership with
McCormick Theological Seminary and is currently enrolled in the Ed.D doctoral
program in Organizational Leadership.
Reverend Watkins continues to serve the church with heart and soul. She has
served on the Presbytery Council and served and chair of the Mission and Justice
Committee of Council. She also proudly served as the first African American Clergy
woman Moderator of the Presbytery of Charlotte in 2013. Reverend Watkins was
nominated to serve on the Advocacy Committee for Women's Concerns for the
class of 2018.
Reverend Watkins is the owner of Leadership Acuity a performance coaching
company which focuses on leadership with regards to Emotional and Social
Intelligence. As a certified coach, she hopes to help leaders become stronger and
more adaptable so that the body of Christ can manifest its God given goals s
FACE TO FACE AT NBPC
The design of Face to Face is to move beyond the written words of
MIFs and PIFs. It is a time for discernment, networking and meeting
together. The event will provide the opportunity to be open to the
movement of the Holy Spirit leading you to people you may have never
imagined. To participate in Face to Face, call seekers must have an
active Personal Information Form (PIF) in the Church Leadership
Connection (CLC) system. Search committees should also have an
active
Ministry
Information
Form
(MIF)
in
the
CLC
system. Presbyteries are invited to participate and represent
congregations in their area that are conducting local searches for
pastoral leadership.
In addition, to providing an opportunity to meet with search
committees, call seekers will also have the opportunity to participate in
Call Seeker’s Training. The training will cover using the CLC system,
writing effective PIFs, and transferring ministry skills into secular
positions.
Face to Face at NBPC will be held July 9 – 11. The hours are:
July 9th
9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
9:00 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. Orientation
3:00 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Call Seeker’s Training
July 10th 9:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. One-on-One Coaching
July 11th 9:00 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Registration for Face to Face at NBPC will begin on May 4,
2015. Please direct questions to [email protected].
Rev. Dr. SanDawna Gaulman Ashley, Assistant Stated Clerk, Manager, Leadership Development, COM Support ,Office of the General Assembly, Mid Council Ministries, 100 Witherspoon St., Louisville, KY 40202, 502‐569‐5730 Direct, 888‐728‐7228 Ext. 5730, Dear NBPC Members:
The Nominating Committee of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus wishes to inform you
(in compliance with its bylaws) of an election which will be held at its Biennial Meeting July
9-11, 2015.
The offices of President, Treasurer and Secretary are open for nominations. Descriptions for
the positions are enclosed.
In addition, the Board of Directors, (with a request from the 2015 NBPC Conference
Committee) approved renaming the former Lucy Craft Laney Luncheon to the Pioneer
Luncheon and will present awards in the following categories:
Pioneer Luncheon Awards: Lucy Craft Laney (Under 35 vears)
(Over 35 vears) Maria Fearing (Under 35 vears)
Lucy Craft Laney
Maria Fearing (Over 35 vears)
The Edler G. Hawkins Banquet has also been renamed the Honoree Dinner and will
present awards in the following categories:
Honoree Dinner Awards: Drum Major for Justice
Innovation in Ministrv
Edler G.Hawkins
You may nominate one person in each of the above categories.
Enclosed along with the nominations forms for officers of NBPC are also descriptions for each
of the awards.
Please complete the nomination forms following the instructions given on the forms.
Nomination forms for officers must be postmarked by May 1, 2015.
(Persons nominated must have agreed to be place in nomination).
Award nominations must be postmarked by Apri115, 2015.
Your prompt participation is encouraged and appreciated. Any questions regarding the
Nomination Process should be directed to:
The Nominating Committee of NBPC
Mary Newbern Williams, Chair
REMEMBERING SELMA
50th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION OF ‘BLOODY SUNDAY’ MARCH IN SELMA
March 7, 2015
“There are many places and moments in America where this nation’s destiny has been
decided. Many are sites of war—Concord and Lexington, Appomattox and Gettysburg.
Others are sites that symbolize the daring of America’s character—Independence Hall and
Seneca Falls, Kitty Hawk and Cape Canaveral.
Selma is such a place.”
--President Barack Obama, March 7, 201
“John Lewis is one of my heroes.”
Gloria Mencer and son, Walter A. Mencer
Olgie Anderson-Lee
Haunted by the terror of racism
Richard Cohen, Opinion Writer, Washington Post, March 10, 2015
“On my flight here, sheer luck took a liking to me. I got seated next to Thelma Adair, a 94-year-old black woman
coming down from New York for the Jubilee. It had been 50 years from when civil rights marchers were beaten
bloody by the police wielding truncheons and the entitlement that comes from centuries of racist tradition. We
talked about the civil rights movement for a while, which is why she told me about her nightmares. They are so
terrifying that she screams in her sleep. When she awakes, she remembers nothing
At Montgomery, we went our separate ways to Selma. On Saturday, President Obama spoke here and members of
Congress were all over the place. The Selma of old has turned upside down. State troopers were now protecting a
black president and other black leaders. Along with thousands of others, I walked the infamous Edmund Pettus
Bridge and toured the places where Martin Luther King Jr. had preached. I felt as I did when I was in Vietnam 15
years ago: Why were these people so friendly, so polite? Why didn’t they hate me just as people who looked like me
once hated them?
There is no hate in Thelma Adair. There is, instead, a determination to keep progressing, to always move forward
but to never forget the past — its victims, its lessons. We parted when the plane landed and I went off to see history
— mummified in churches and places where great men once did great things. But history had been seated next to me
all along. It imbues an old woman who wakes a Harlem family with her shrieks. It’s a nightmare that, for all of us,
still has not ended.”
In the Washington Post: En Route to Selma, TC Alumna Thelma Adair Shares Memories of
Frightening Times—Richard Cohen, Opinion Writer, The Washington Post, March 9, 2015
Teachers College, Columbia University, shared a link to the same article and also told about
Thelma Adair’s accomplishments, March 11, 1015.
In order to read both articles completely, click on the websites below:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/still-haunted-by-our-racist-past/2015/03/09/74ab37c4-c687-11e4-a1996cb5e63819d2_story.html
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/news.htm?articleID=9881
1
CELEBRATIONS…
1.
 Tawana Denise Montgomery Anderson was ordained January 25, 2015. She was under
care of the Prince George's County Community Presbyterian Church where Ed Harding
is Senior Pastor. She did a three year internship for the English-speaking Taiwanese
Presbyterian Church in Silver Spring, Maryland and is now ordained as the Stated Supply
Pastor of Unity Presbyterian Church aka Camp Springs Presbyterian.
Presbyterian. Southminster Presbyterian Church, where Eleanor Giddings Ivory serves
as Supply Pastor, is less than ten minutes away.
Denise, as she is called, had her six year old daughter read the Prayer for Illumination,
and her husband, with his beautiful bass voice, sang unaccompanied "Great is Thou
Faithfulness". Gay Wilmore and Eleanor Giddings Ivory shared the honor of giving the
charge to the new Ordinate. It was a beautiful service. An additional ten clergywomen
were in attendance, but they are not included in the above picture. –Eleanor Giddings Ivory.

"Selma"- A Community Conversation, was held February 14, 2015, at
Fellowship Presbyterian Church, Huntsville, Alabama, where Gregory
Bentley is the pastor. The Sankofa Book Club sponsored the discussion of the
landmark film, “Selma,” on the 50th Anniversary of “Bloody Sunday.”
Mary Newbern-Williams, January 25, 2015

Mrs. Louise James, who turned 97 on February 5, 2015, is a member of C.N. Jenkins
Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC-, where Jerry Cannon is the pastor.

Diane L. Givens Moffett is one of the leaders for the Bold Word Preaching Conference,
Mo-Ranch, April 20-23, 2015, Hunt, Texas.

C. N. Jenkins Presbyterian Church, Charlotte, NC was one of the two worshipping
communities from Charlotte featured in The Presbyterian Outlook, January 15, 2015,
“Worshipping and serving God in Charlotte.” Doris Boyd, ruling elder at C. N. Jenkins,
was one of the writers. A picture of the congregation at worship was included. The
second church that was included was Covenant Presbyterian Church. Jerry Cannon and
Bob Henerson are pastors of these two Charlotte churches that are featured.

Margaret Aymer has been called by Austin Presbyterian Seminary to be Associate
Professor of New Testament. Aymer has been serving as Associate Professor of New
Testament, Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta.
Brian McCollum, Princeton , NJ
Zeena Regis, Decatur, GA
Jerrod Lowry,Sandy, Utah

Whitney Fautleroy,Wilmington, NC
Sharon Starling-Lewis, Providence, Rhode Island
In honor of African-American History Month, Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries
collaborated with the. Tawnya Denise Anderson (first picture), pastor at Unity
Presbyterian Church in Temple Hills, Md., to lift up stories of young African-American
leaders from across the PC (USA). Anderson’s blog, “SOULa Scriptura,” ran a special
series, “Our New Day Begun, to highlight the stories of African-Americans who are
leading the charge in shaping the church’s future Look for these stories on the PCUSA
website. Their pictures are found above.

According to Lance Watson above) who led a leadership retreat at C.N. Jenkins:
“Prayer moves heaven but money moves earth"
“You've got to saddle your dreams before you can ride them.”

J. Herbert Nelson spent 10 days in South Sudan in late January and early February, 2015.

David B. Thornton was installed as the pastor of Sixth Grace Presbyterian Church,
Chicago, Illinois, January 11, 2015. Donald B. Register, HR and moderator of session,
First Presbyterian Church, former pastor of the church, gave the charge to the pastor.
Dr. Thornton is serving of the Camaliel Board of Directors, and also on the South
Suburan Action Conference.

Jan Grimes Lewis (right) was chosen as “Woman of the Year” by the Church Women
United in Augusta, Georgia. A ruling elder, Belle-Terrace Presbyterian Church, Augusta,
she is formerly a moderator of the Presbytery of Northeast Georgia and moderator of
Presbyterian Women in the Presbytery of Northeast Georgia. She was honored at the
Church Woman of the Year Awards Luncheon sponsored by Church Women United in
Georgia, February 14, 2015, Macon, Georgia. The president of Church Women United
in Augusta, Thomasena Stewart, is seated on the right.



Rodney Cohen is the new moderator of National Capital Presbytery. He is a
ruling elder, Burke Presbyterian Church, Burke, Virginia. He grew up in
Radcliffe Church in Atlanta and was elected a deacon. While serving as a Youth
Advisory Delegate to the General Assembly, he was able to the Stated Clerk, Bill
Thompson, in action, and he , thus, became fascinated with “doing things
decently and in order.” His parents, Rudolph Cohen and Dr. Eula Cohen are
members of Radcliffe in Atlanta

Moral March/People’s Assembly, Raleigh, NC. February 14, 2015, with Jimmie
Hawkins, a regular participant
Edward L. Wheeler, Ph.D. will become the 10th president of the Interdenominational
Theological Center, Atlanta, in April. He retired in 2012, after serving as president of
Christian Theological Seminary, Indianapolis for 14 years. He has served as the Dean of
the Morehouse School of Religion (82-85). A graduate of Morehouse College, he
received his M.Div. from Colgate-Rochester Divinity School, and the Ph.D. n Historical
Theology from Emory University, Atlanta.

Presbyterian Center Staff, Louisville, Ky, honored Martin L. King, Jr.’s Birthday
during a special worship service.
 The United States Post Office has issued a commemorative stamp of Robert
Robinson Taylor, the first African American graduate of MIT and the builder of
Tuskegee. The United States Post Office has issued a commemorative stamp of
Robert Robinson Taylor, the first African American graduate of MIT and the
builder of Tuskegee University.

Molly and Jerrod Lowry, after Jerrod gave the invocation at the State of the
City Address and Awards Banquet, February 17, 2015, Salt Lake City, Utah.

Jerrod Lowry and son, Caleb, at the “Wax Museum” at his son’s school. Guess who is Martin
Luther King, Jr, wearing his great, grandfather’s hat?
Daughter of the Goodjohns, New Hope Presbyterian Church, African American Museum

Raphael G. Warnock, pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church, Atlanta, has written a book, The
Divided Mind of the Black Church---Theology, Piety & Public Witness.
Have you purchased the Ralph Ellision stamp for $.91?
The Maya Angelous stamp will be available April 7, 2015.

Howard Bryant was one of the persons featured in the March 2015, issue of the
newsleetter by the Union County Interfaith Coordinating Council, based in
Elizabeth, New Jersey.

African American Heritage Sunday was celebrated February 22, 2015 at 3:00 pm at: Parkway
Gardens United Presbyterian Church, Memphis, Tennessee. The program was presented by the
Presbytery of the Mid-South and The Greater Memphis Area Chapter of the National Black
Presbyterian Caucus. The featured choir was from Balmoral Presbyterian Church, and the speaker
was Brian Henderson. Also featured was a theatrical presentation by actor, T.C. Sharpe

African-Americans took control of the levers of city political power almost 38 years ago and changed
Richmond, Virginia. It was 1977, and for the first time in the city’s history, five of the nine members
of City Council were African-Americans. As a result, the new majority was able to elect one member,
Henry L. Marsh III, as Richmond’s first African-American mayor since the city’s founding in 1782.
Mayor Dwight C. Jones celebrated that historic moment that he believes paved the way for him. In
February, 2015, he won unanimous support from City Council to create commemorative street signs
that will go on the blocks where the homes stand of Mr. Marsh and the four other African-American
members of City Council at the time -- Willie J. Dell (in the above picture) Walter T. Kenney, the
late Claudette Black McDaniel and Henry W. “Chuck” Richardson.
A special reception was held, February 25, 2015, at the Hippodrome Theater to celebrate the people who
comprised the first African-American majority on council. Mrs. Willie J. Dell (pictured above) is a
former president of the predecessor organization of the National Black Presbyterian Caucus, and she is
married to Nathan Dell, a Presbyterian minister.

Byron A. Wade preached for the Chapel Service for the Black Alumni/ae
(BAA)Association at Union Presbyterian Seminary, February 25, 2015. He also attended
the Annual Trailblazer Award Banquet.
CHURCH SIGNS
 Evelyn Chumbow (native of Cameroon and an activist with the National Survivor
Network and Jill Bolander-Cohen, Founder/Director of Lifeboat Project, Central
Florida, will be the recipients of the 2015 Peaceseeker Award from the Presbyterian
Peace Fellowship to be given at the Peace Breakfast during the General Assembly when
it meets in Portland, Oregon in 2016.






Six-year-old Jayla Gillette Dunlap, member of Radcliffe Presbyterian Church, Atlanta,
lost the fight of her life (March 6, 2015) against Anaplastic Astrocytoma, Grade 3, an aggressive
cancer that has invaded her brain. Connect the family through the following:
www.jaylasjourney.com
Send your NBPC membership in to the following address:
National Black Presbyterian Caucus
PO Box 190006
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida 33319
[email protected]
Arlene Gordon, President
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE:
WWW.nationalnbpc.org
SAVE THE DATE: July 9-12, 2015
NBPC CONFERENCE
Charlotte, North Carolina

One of the Universal Class Courses being offered by eCampus and the Atlanta-Fulton
Public Library is “Twenty African Americans Who Changed History.” The title of one
of the lessons is Lucy Craft Laney: Paving the Way for ‘ The Educated Negro.’
Lucy Craft Laney’s picture (from the State Capitol Building in Georgia) is included in the
publicity. The courses are free, and it is easy to register for these self-paced online
course. The Laney course, however, is Number 9, and you can’t advance to another
lesson without completing the previous ones.
CELEBRATING AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH
Using the 2015 theme of African American History Month, “ A Century of Black Life, History
and Culture,” a display of pictures of nanogenerians active in the life of the church was
displayed in the narthax of Radcliffe Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, Georgia during the month
of February. Pictures of the following persons were included: Thelma Adair, 94, Gayraud S.
Wilmore, 93, James Foster Resse, 90, Margaret Jacobs, 90 (ruling elder, Radcliffe), Marian
Shopshire, M.D.,90 (member, Radcliffe) and William A. Shopshire, D.D.S.,91 (ruling elder,
Radcliffe) Several books were also on display: How Beautiful Are the Feet (Volumes 1 and 11
(with tributes to Gayraud Wilmore and Thelma Adair); Black and Presbyterian by Gayraud S.
Wilmore and Dissent and Empowerment, edited by Eugene Turner as a festschrift to Gayraud
S. Wilmore.
Margaret Jacobs (February 15, 20
LOVE TRANSFIGURED
Dorothy B. Akoto,Ph,D, was the preacher for Love Sunday, sponsored by the “C” Ladies at Radcliffe Presbyterian
Church, Atlanta, Georgia, February 15, 2015, Using the lectionary text for Transfiguration Sunday
(2 Kings 2: 1-12; Mark 9: 2-9), her message was entitled, “Love Transfigured.” Dr. Akoto showed how the witness
of Elijah and Elisha also modeled transfiguration. Examples are shared to show how their witness and service were
demonstrated through the following:







Companionship is important.
Meeting needs is power transfigured.
Determination is love transfigured.
Doing what is expected of us is love transfigured.
Love transfigured involves trusting the leader.
Silence the voice of dissent is also love transfigured.
Trust is love transfigured.
Her closing thought was that “as we walk this journey, seeking to be transformed, we should have our eyes
faced on the Master and therefore receive a double portion. If we are transformed/transfigured and go to the
mountain top, we should come back down and help the people.”
The Reverend Dr. Dorothy Akoto, a native of Ghana, was introduced by Iris N. Wallace (in both pictures). She
earned a Master of Divinity/Master of Arts in Christian Education from Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary,
ITC, She also has a Master of Theology from Candler and Presbyterian Union Seminary Her Ph. D. was earned in
Bible, Culture and Hermeneutics at Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois. She has published two books.
She is married to Dr. Johnny Akoto, also a graduate of ITC.
For the Friends I Haven't Met Yet
I live alone, yet
In my house,
In the dining room
to be specific,
Is a table,
Round like the world itself;
Eight chairs guard its curves.
I always sit at
the most northern chair,
Largest of them all.
The head of the table,
The seat of command,
Tis my throne.
But the other chairs?
They remain empty
As they have
for a time out of mind
Only my imagination fills their
hollowed spaces
Short-time guests
often inquire me
“Why have all these chairs?
You live alone, yes?
It's such a waste is it not?''
And I'd reply
“Ah, but you don't understand!
Let me regale you in my story”
Those seven empty chairs
are for the friends I haven't met yet.
I can only imagine what they're like.
One seat could be for a quiet fellow.
Another could hold the life of the party
Possibly a dark-humored friend would take seat
away from the window.
And perhaps another will support a rather large fellow
Maybe one particular acquaintance shall sit at a
specific chair,
at a specific time
exactly as she sees fit
Maybe I'll meet twins
or a couple
or a pair of sorts
who are inseparable, though
rather bicker some
Whomever I'll meet
beyond the walls
of my home
shall always find comfort with me
I'd tell my quests
The lucky ones
who stay to nurture
a truly rich friendship
shall always find a spot
at the table
for the friends I haven't met yet.
----David Alexander Holloway
18 Years Old , Senior, B.E. Mays High School, Atlanta, Georgia
Jewel McRae and others participate in International Women’s Day March, March 8, 2015,
New York, New York
A Tribute to Melva W. Costen was held in Raleigh, NC. Dr. Melva Costen also taught at
the Ministers Conference at Shaw University Divinity School
Picture is compliments of James Ephraim
Planning Team that met in NEW YORK in December to insure that during the 59th
Commission on the Status of Women would entertain 2 Powerful Panel Discussions (March
10-March 19, 2015), under the leadership of Diane Corrothers Smalley (Seated in center).
Rabbi Lisa Gelber, the Reverend Diane C. Smalley and Robina Niaz were presenters at the Parallel event:
Sacred and Safe: Building Capacity of Faith Communities to Address Gender Based Violence held at the 59th
Commission on the Status of Women. (Second Picture), March 12, 2015.

The United Nations has declared 2015 -2024 as the International Decade for People of
African Descent: A Decade Dedicated to People of African Descent: Recognition,
Justice and Development In proclaiming this Decade, the international community is
recognizing that people of African descent represent a distinct group whose human rights
must be promoted and protected. Around 200 million people identifying themselves as
being of African descent live in the Americas. Many millions more live in other parts of
the world, outside of the African continent.
"We must remember that people of African descent are among those most affected by
racism. Too often, they face denial of basic rights such as access to quality health
services and education."
— United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon

The Literary Awards Committee of the Black Caucus of the American Library Association chose
the Oxford Handbook of African American Theology, edited by Katie Geneva Cannon and
Anthony B. Pinn, as its 2015 Honor Book Winner in the nonfiction category.
.
Today, Black and white residents can gather at the courthouse. This photo was taken on
the 45th anniversary of MLK's historic leadership of a march from Antioch Baptist
Church to the courthouse to demand voting rights ( Photo © Samuel Torres Jr 2010). It
was on Sunday, March 1, 1965 that Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a march from Antioch
Baptist Church to the Wilcox county courthouse.
In the first picture are James Ephraim and Shirley Threadgill-Matthews. Author Mari
Gitin was also present. This picture was taken late February, 2015.
Lived Theology Conference, Metro-Urban Institute, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary
Courageous Faith Transforming Communities
March27-28, 2015
HONOREES
Pittsburgh Theological Seminary will honor the late Lillian D. Anthony and
Ronald E. Peters at the annual Metro-Urban Institute Conference \

Lillian Anthony, first female African American graduate of Pittsburgh Theological
Seminary, will be honored post t humorously

Ronald Peters, former director of the Metro-Urban Institute
Allan Boesak, CheryJ. l Sanders, W. Wilson Goode, Sr., and Phi Tom wil be keynote
speakers.

Robert Coleman, pastor of Goodwill Presbyterian Church, Ft. Pierce. Florida was
honored on the occasion of his retirement, January 24, 2015, at Goodwill Church. His
official retirement date was December 31, 2014. . Arlene Gordon, Raymond Anglin,
Pastor of Ascension Peace Presbyterian Church, and Kenneth White were present to
wish the retiree best wishes on behalf of the Black Teaching Elders of the Presbytery of
Tropical Florida.
Micah Guthrie is singing at the National Cathedral with the Washington Latin Chorus
Alyce Spells Kelly

John Mbiti, theologian, Anglican priest, and former director of the Ecumenical Institute at
Bossey of the World Council of Churches has recently become the first African scholar to
translate the entire Christian New Testament from Greek to Kibamba, a local Kenyan language.
God’s Trombones” in rehearsal at C. N. Jenkins Presbyterian Church
Charlotte, NC

Ce Ce Armstrong’s goal for March was to lift up influential women. The 31 women that she lifted up are
here personal friends. They were are not in any particular order, and she stated that she was sure to run out
of names before the month ended. On March 7, 2015, the emphasis was on Female
Pastor/Preachers/Ministers. Katie Cannon was one of the names featured on March 7, 201
Diann McMillian Bentley and daughters, Huntsville, Alabama
Angeles Mesa Presbyterian Church, Los Angeles, CA, is celebrating 90 years
of ministry.
KATIE CANNON LECTURES AT SPELMAN COLLEGE
Katie Geneva Cannon, Ph.D. was the guest lecturer on the topic, “Zora Neale Hurston; A
Prophet of Possibilities,” at Spelman College, Atlanta, February 24, 2015, in the early evening.
The lecture was sponsored by the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies of Spelman
College. A few Presbyterians, some ITC and Columbia Seminarians were also present.
Dr. Cannon began her lecture by recalling the customary ways in which we define a prophet; she
then stated that Zora Neale Hurston, the most prolific African American writer from 19291960, was also a prophet, a genuine truth teller. According to Cannon, she was a “credible,
bona fide prophet of possibilities.” She demonstrated this fact in the Cannon inimitable storytelling style, the story of the August 2, 1952, shooting of a white medical doctor (Leroy Adams,
M.D.) in Live Oak, Florida by an African American married woman (Ruby Jackson
McCollum). The doctor had fathered one of her children, and when she killed him, she had been
impregnated by again. Hurston used her gifts and graces of use of the pen to fight for gender
equality, and subsequently, she, through her writings, saved McCollum from death by the
electric chair. She also called on a liberal white man, whose presence would not be questioned,
to help her uncover some of the facts inasmuch as she was not allowed to interview the
defendant at all. Citing some of the dynamics of the time around race and gender that added to
the travesty of the trial (such as Hurston never gained permission to interview McCollum),
Hurston exegeted the systematic racism present surrounding the trial. She wrote twenty stories
for the Pittsburgh Courier (then a national newspaper for the African American community).
Zora Neale Hurston’s critique of the events surrounding the killing and the trial demonstrated
three concepts/qualities that point to her as a prophet of possibilities:



Demythologizing the social legitimacy of white supremacy.
Resisting capitulation to the demands of a sexualized status quo.
Creatively disentangling the blood-sport of calibrated injustice.
Ruby McCollum was found guilty in the first degree and sentenced to death by an all-white jury, six of
whom were patients of the doctor. The only testimony allowed to be entered into court was that of the
doctor/patient relationship. Nothing was said about children that the doctor had fathered with the accused.
Nothing was also said about the spouse of McCollum who died of a heart attack one day after the
shooting. Her sentence was later overturned by the Florida Supreme Court, but in her second trial, she
was found mentally incompetent. Thus, 20 of the 22 years, she spent in an insane asylum and two in
prison before she was released in 1974.
In answering questions, Dr. Cannon told how she began researching the story as she worked on 77her
Ph.D. at Union Theological Seminary, New York, and that she continues even today to exegete the story
through discovering answers to such questions as:


What was it like to be part of an insane society in 1950s? What happened to
Ruby McCollum after spending twenty years as part of one?
Can Vitamin B be infused with morphine (as the doctor was accused of
injecting McCollum?
Quoting, Zora Neale Hurston, Cannon said, “Unless evil is named and eradicated, we will be
destroyed.” Cannon ended by quoting Ruby McCollum,
“Lord, help me not to cry…
I help myself by praying.”
Katie Cannon spent several days on the campus of Spelman teaching in the classes of Dr. Rosetta Ross
and Dr.Nami Kim (member, Korean Central Presbyterian Church, Atlanta). They are part of the five,
all-female member of the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at Spelman College.
Byeong Cheol Han (pastor of Korean Central Presbyterian Church) attended the lecture at the
invitation of Dr. Kim, faculty and member of the church where he is serving as pastor. Melva Lowry
(pictured above) seminarian, Columbia Theological Seminary (daughter and sister of Presbyterian
pastors, Melvin Lowry Jerrod Lowry, Georgia and Utah) was present. Students and community
organizers (like Ed Loring-) were also present. Bettie J. Durrah, as the writer of this article, was also
present.
For more information concerning the underlying implications in this story, a documentary,”
YOU BELONG TO ME: Sex, Race and Murder on the Suwannee River â The Ruby McCollum
Trial” was released February 1, 2015. www.youbelongtome.net
GOD THE ALMIGHTY, LOVER OF JUSTICE
Justice, at least as a concept, seemed to be accepted as the norm for our society. With the election of a "black"
president in 2008, some Americans seemed to think that this country had finally lived up to the motto, "with liberty
and justice for all." Unfortunately the evidence disputes this. It seems this nation has become too complacent with its
self-image as champion for democracy to acknowledge what still needs to be done. But this is a complicated time.
Advances are more possible for many people in the 21st century, including people of color. I would argue, however,
that this is not true for too many African Americans. In the past what allowed many to survive and overcome was
the strength of their community, usually with the church at the center.
It seems to me that the role of the church today is in a paradox. Many congregations in the United States are losing
members, but membership is growing in Africa and Latin America. So what is the problem here? The Bible can give
us some answers and new directions. The role of some churches may seem to have changed, but the message of the
triune God has not. Martin Luther said John 3:16 was the full meaning of the gospel. Let us not forget, though, that
God revealed salvation and shalom also in the Old Testament. During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s,
African American churches relied on Scripture for guidance and succor. It should be remembered that in Exodus
3:7-10 God is breaking into history. Salvation comes not because of worship practices, theology or creeds, but from
God's actions. Delivery from slavery is God's freely given salvation, not based on the Hebrews actions or beliefs.
Before he acted, Moses had to be convinced that it was God (Yahweh) speaking to him. Old Testament scholar
Walter Brueggemann says in the exodus experience, "God hears pain and responds with intervention in the historical
process against legitimated structures of the day and delegitimates them." Enslaved African Americans believed the
God of justice would also hear their cries for freedom.
One attribute of God that is frequently used in the Old Testament is justice. Uprightness or "justice" (sedaqua) and
judgment (mishpat) are key words in the Old Testament. Although a covenant had been made with an individual
(Noah, Abraham), the covenant that Moses was mediator for was the first to a group. They were to become God's
chosen. (See Dt. 7:7 regarding why they were chosen, not for privilege but because God is faithful.) The 10
Commandments begin with what God has done for them. The commandments express God's love and justice!
Justice is not to be understood as just a legal concept, but the Ten Commandments and covenant expressed all
aspects of life with God and others. God is faithful even when the people are not. So prophets such as Isaiah, Micah
and Amos plus Psalms (for example 11:7, 72:1-4, 82:3, 146:5-9) recall that God's love and justice are related. In the
last book of the Old Testament, Malachi, even adversaries in their question a knowledge the "God of justice"
(2:17) The last words in the Old Testament proclaim the Lord of hosts will execute justice. (3:5). the dispensation of
God's justice, or acts against injustice is ever present in the Old Testament.
In the New Testament the word "justice" is used less frequently. "Righteous" or "righteousness" is used. How
righteousness and justice should be practiced are basically the same. Unfortunately some people understand being
righteous to mean only their individual relationship with God. In the New Testament's original Greek, righteous
(dikalos) means being in right relation with God and God's people. Righteousness (dikaiosyne) refers to doing acts
that express concerns for right living with the Almighty and the human family. This means that righteousness or
justice should be enacted in institutions and systems. The pharaohs of the world should not be allowed to continue
oppressing the powerless. God broke into history again with the birth of Christ. I agree with Martin Luther about Jn.
3:16 but would add 1Jn. 4:16-20 that states God's love is shown in relationship and that love reflects a just God for
the world. For the oppressed there can be no dichotomy between God's love and God's justice.
With so much injustice in the world, all people of goodwill are needed to help. It should be remembered that Jesus
was born under the oppression of the Roman Empire. He and his followers were not in the position of leadership we
think of today. Paul from Tarsus in the Jewish diaspora had the protection of Roman citizenship, Jesus did not. God,
however, was breaking into history again with the New Covenant in the person of Jesus the Christ. Jesus taught,
preached and acted out the essence of being in right relations and doing acts that were just. He followed what he
preached in Mt. 22:37-40. All of the Gospels are instructive for churches today, but I shall give a few examples from
Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount is not just for individual spiritually but is an ethical imperative for justice and
righteousness to a whole community. Matthew 25: 31-46 is commonly described as "The Judgment of the Nations".
It is indeed addressed to a group because the "you" is plural in the Greek Bible. However, I would suggest this is not
a metaphorical passage about others but an urgent message to his followers which is still vital today. The Jewish-
Christians in Matthew's gospel struggled with outside influences and survival but persevered so that the church of
the 1st century is still giving witness in the 21st century.
Many African American and Latino churches today are still struggling like their racial/ethnic predecessors. The
particulars differ but the issues of justice, or injustice, continue. In 1967 the United Presbyterian Church in the
United States of America (UPCUSA) adopted the Confession of 1967 (C'67) built around 2 Cor. 5:19. Rev. Dr.
Gayraud Wilmore, an African American theologian, was a member of the C'67 writers. Sections 9:43, 9:44 focus on
reconciliation in society. Forty seven years later there is still the need for reconciliation, but there can be no truthful
reconciliation without justice. So the struggle continues and so does Dr. Wilmore's efforts. He has recently said,
"The Black Church, if we can speak that way of this incredibly complex and diverse institution we belong to, needs
to come out of closets and face the realities and challenges of the twenty-first century...As the enemy's position
changes and old strategies become ineffective, we have to change and adopt new strategies and tactics, always
building anew upon what the past has taught us." He continues to practice what he preaches by working with
Christian youth as they work to make a difference in their community.
Although there are many issues of justice in the world today, racial justice is still a huge issue in this country. It
encompasses a gamut of social, economic, educational, health and political issues. Do not forget the economic,
political and social injustice related to the exodus and pharaohs still exist today. The issue of justice in Ferguson,
Missouri can be a teachable moment today for combating injustice. The imbalance of power between the white
political leaders and social structure with the African American community there call for heeding the laments of
those suffering injustice. The powerless in society can no longer be expected to have "the patience of Job" that
society will right itself. Latin American theologian Gustavo Gutierrez points out Job is not patient in the usual sense.
Rather he rebels against the suffering of the innocent. Job cannot be used to justify a theology of it or the depiction
of God that such a theology conveys. Gutierrez says we need to show how you speak of God in the midst of
suffering. If we do, should not we also act?
Issues of suffering today are related to injustice in the streets and courts, the acts of not welcoming the stranger -even children, and the push to deny the rights of others. These were among the important concerns being considered
in the 2014 elections. Much attention now is already focused on the 2016 presidential election. But something far
more important is in the not too distant future. According to the prediction of the U.S. Census Bureau, the majority
of the American population will be nonwhite by 2043. That is less than thirty years away, possibly a generation.
Will there be racial/ethnic majority communities ready as responsible citizens or will there be minority communities
of privileged? It is not too soon for our churches to start preparing for a more just society, especially African
American and Latino congregations!
The Reverend Bernadine McRipley
November 2014
GET WELL WISHES





Robert “Bob” Washington, New York, New York
Connie Lee, Atlanta, Georgia
Rosevelt Winfrey, Atlanta, Georgia
Otis Turner, Jacksonville, Florida
Floyd Rhodes
MEMORIAL MOMENT
 Marcus J. Borg, liberal theologian and Bible scholar, January 21,
2015.
 Steve Haymer, former president of Columbia Theological Seminary,
January 31, 2015.

Joseph L. Roberts, February 15, 2015, pastor emeritus, Ebenezer Baptist Church,
Atlanta, former pastor and national staff, Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)

Samuel L. Roberts, February 24, 2015,Professor Emeritus of Theology and
Ethics, Presbyterian Union Seminary, Richmond, Virginia.

Fred Craddock, March 6, 2015
DATES TO REMEMBER
April 17, 2015
April 17-20, 2015
Advocacy Training, Washington, DC
Ecumenical Advocacy Days, Washington, DC
“Breaking the Chains: Mass Incarceration and Systems of Exploitation”
June 18-21, 2015
July 9-12, 2015
July 30-August 1, 2015
June 18-25, 2016
Churchwide Gathering, Presbyterian Women, Minneapolis,
Minnesota
NBPC Conference, Charlotte, NC
Big Tent Conference, Knoxville, Tennessee
222nd General Assembly, PC (USA), Portland, Oregon
NEWS, NEWS, NEWS
Are you missing any news? Did you share any news to be placed in this issue of the
newspaper?
The deadline for the May 2015 issue is April 10, 2015. Send your information to the editor,
Bettie J. Durrah, at the following address: [email protected].
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE FOR EACH ISSUE OF THE NEWSLETTER
www. nationalnbpc.org
7
7
Arlene Gordon, President, NBPC
CHECK OUT THE WEBSITE FOR EACH ISSUE OF THE NEWSLETTER
WWW.nationalnbpc.or