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Convocation inspires pastors to build bridges


The Rev. Geraldine McClellan addresses nearly 400 participants at the 2009 Convocation for Pastors of African American Churches in Houston.
UMNS photos by Eleanor L. Colvin.

By Eleanor L. Colvin*
Jan. 15, 2009 | HOUSTON (UMNS)

United Methodist pastors of African-American congregations left a national gathering inspired to turn walls of obstacles sideways and make them bridges for reclaiming God’s promises.

Civil rights activist Angela Davis, in a 1988 autobiography, defined a bridge as a wall turned sideways, and that definition helped focus the 2009 Convocation for Pastors of African American Churches.


The Rev. Cheryl Jefferson Bell praises God.

“Building Bridges Into the Future” was the centering point for the nearly 400 participants at the convocation, sponsored by the United Methodist Board of Discipleship. While worship services breathed new life into their spirits, the daily plenary sessions provided practical tools for ministry. Focused on such topics as mentoring and technology, the plenary sessions offered a 21st century tool-kit for millennium ministers.

The Rev. Zan Holmes of Dallas, one of the church’s most influential clergy, assured the audience of primarily African-American pastors that they are prepared to build bridges because “the God that we serve is a bridge-building God.”

“He goes before us in ministry, building bridges whenever we come face to face with obstacles, difficulties—both physically and spiritually—that would keep us from going where God wants us to go,” Holmes said. “This is the God who calls us to be bridge builders, to participate and cooperate with God, for this is the God who comes to us at the beginning of this New Year offering us a brand new future.”

Holmes introduced Davis’ definition of a bridge to the convocation and said reliance on God would enhance bridge building and strengthen the pastors’ connections as leaders of black churches.

“Here is a God who makes it God’s business to turn every wall that we confront sideways, that we might cross over into the brand new future that God is always offering us,” Holmes said.

‘Receive the promise’

The first step in building bridges for the future is to “Receive the Promise,” said the Rev. Geraldine McClellan, pastor of Mount Pleasant United Methodist Church, Gainesville, Fla.

“If we’re going to build bridges, we’ve got to receive the promise,” McClellan said. “We don’t have time to ‘think about’ receiving the promise. … You have mourned long enough, you have moped long enough, you have done nothing long enough, so arise and claim the promised land.”

Recalling the prophet Joshua’s challenge, McClellan said crossing the Jordan River was a declaration of war against the seven nations that occupied Canaan. She warned that claiming the promise would not always be easy, since many ministry settings are “occupied territory” with “everybody in control but God.”


The Rev. Vance Ross is an executive of the United Methodist Board of Discipleship, which sponsored the Jan. 6-9 event.

“(Israel) didn’t do it in one day—it took 14 years,” she said. “Don’t throw in the towel when things don’t happen when you want them to. … When you find yourself fighting, you know you’re on the way out of the wilderness.” She sent the pastors forth on Jan. 9 with “God’s battle plan.”

Started in 1999 as a one-time event, the 2009 Convocation for Pastors of Black Churches was the sixth event. “It’s revival!” said the Rev. Donald E. McCoy, pastor of Faith-St. Paul United Methodist Church, Mooresville, N.C. “It’s just revival, and we need it.”

The Rev. Vance Ross, a staff executive of the Board of Discipleship, said this year’s biennial event was about both revival and renewal. The convocation’s bridge-building theme not only connected men and women across annual conference and local church boundaries, but it also connected people across generations and class lines, he said.

“It was an opportunity to be in close proximity with those with the same hurts and those who have overcome those hurts to move into significant ministry and help people see revival for their personal and ministerial lives,” Ross said.

Move out in faith

Plenary leaders included the host pastor, the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell of Windsor Village United Methodist Church, Houston, discussing building bridges; the Rev. Rodney Smothers of St. Paul United Methodist Church, Oxen Hill, Md., on mentoring; and a team presentation on using technology in worship by the Rev. Sherry Daniels of the Norfolk Charge in Chesapeake, Va., and the Rev. Olu Brown of Impact Church, Atlanta.

Bishop Violet Fisher, retired, Wilmington, Del., kicked off the convocation by telling the pastors that they are “Standing on the Edge of Possibility.” She urged them to “put their foot” on the promises of God.

“We are the Joshua generation!” Fisher said. “It’s not enough to sing, ‘Standing on the Promises’ and not move out in faith.”

The Rev. Sonnye Dixon of Hobson United Methodist Church in Nashville, Tenn., and Rev. Junius Dotson of St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Wichita, Kan., also preached to the gathering.

The messages encouraged the pastors, including the Rev. Provey Powell Jr., of Cokesbury United Methodist Church, Port Deposit, Md., to stay the course that God has set.

“Attending this event reaffirmed what God had done in my church a year ago,” Powell said, referring to the congregation’s newly adopted vision. “I’m going back home with the confidence and assurance that we are the bridges to heal the challenges of our community. And now, I’m going back to claim the promise.”

*Colvin is the director of communications for the Texas Annual Conference.

News media contact: Linda Green, Nashville, Tenn., (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.

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Resources

United Methodist Board of Discipleship

Convocation for Pastors of African American Churches

Strengthening the Black Church for the 21st Century

Black Methodists for Church Renewal

Commission on Religion and Race

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