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Black Methodists to raise prophetic, spiritual leaders
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Bishop Forrest C. Stith |
Bishop Forrest Stith
Now
retired, Bishop Forrest Stith devotes much of his energy to creating an
African American Methodist Heritage Center to recall and preserve the
contributions of African Americans from the inception of Methodism to
the present. His journey in the Central Jurisdiction began in Lincoln,
Neb., where he served a black church in a community with few African
Americans. The congregation had no relationship with either the 30 other
white churches in Lincoln or the 500 others across Nebraska. The
nearest black Methodist church was in Omaha, Neb. The district included
churches in Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas. The distance between churches
made meetings difficult, and communication was limited or nonexistent,
he said. He remembers the annual conference sessions as a time to talk
of the sacrifice of time, money and talent needed to be the church of
Jesus Christ. When union of the Methodist and Evangelical United
Brethren churches came in 1968, he says, "We brought with us not only a
property or resource gain but also a deep spirit of faithfulness and
love for one another that could not be transcended." A UMNS photo by
Mike DuBose. |
April 3, 2006
By Denise Johnson Stovall*
DALLAS (UMNS)—African-American United Methodists converged in Dallas in a
week of prayer, praise and preaching that resembled an old fashioned
revival.
The 39th annual meeting of National Black Methodists for Church Renewal
held March 21-25 was also a resource outlet and a family reunion for
“the children of God.”
The focus for the 2006 meeting was “Pathways to Faithful Leadership,”
which was based on the story of Nehemiah who initially struggled with
problems, but eventually accepted the task to rebuild the wall in
Jerusalem that was destroyed. The caucus also struggles with issues and
financial problems and also wants to “rebuild.”
“Nehemiah’s journey and our journey are the same,” said Bishop Forrest
C. Stith, bishop-in -residence at Asbury United Methodist Church,
Washington. “It always begins with prayer. The difficulty is how we
discern God’s will for us. So to be a leader, discerning God’s will is
not to say, ?I’ve got God in a capsule.’ But to hear what the Holy
Spirit is saying to all of us and work together.”
“This is a day of renewed hope for the people called United Methodists,”
said the Rev. Vincent Harris, pastor of Love United Methodist Church in
Houston, in his final address as chairperson.
“We have a new vision statement. Our mission is to raise up leaders ? We
come from the fleshpots of Egypt,” he said. “We Black Methodists stand
before the enemies of God. God provides abundant blessings. It is time
to be hope filled. Our churches long to hear a word of hope.”
During plenary sessions, members were challenged to acquire “visionary leadership.”
The Rev. Hilly Hicks, director of media production for United Methodist
Communications, set the stage for a panel discussion by presenting a
video of the Rev. Kirbyjon Caldwell, pastor of Windsor Village United
Methodist Church in Houston.
“Vision is God’s preferred state for the future, Caldwell said. “The
shoe never tells the foot not to grow,” said the pastor of the
denomination’s largest African-American United Methodist Church. He said
he understands how congregations love their churches, but “the building
is just the conduit.”
Venita Fields, an investment banker for Smith Wiley, based in Evanston,
Ill., said “a visionary leader must have the traits of Jesus, like being
humble, submissive, a risk taker, a delegator, and a team builder.”
A leader “must assemble a team but allow the team to set its goals,” she
said. An active laywoman at Sherman United Methodist Church in
Evanston, Ill., Fields said, a leader “must be a good listener, must be
brutally honest, but tactful.”
In a session on transformational leadership, Larry Ray Hygh, director of
communications for the California Pacific Annual Conference, said this
leader has a clear vision; is a social architect, creates trust in an
organization and uses creative deployment.
“We must ask the question, ?Who are we? Where are we going?’ ?How are we
going to get there?’ But first, in order to be a driving force we must
hear a word from the Lord,” he said.
The Rev. Michel Battle, president of the Interdenominational Theological
Center, Atlanta, said, “Transformational leaders must have empathy, be
listeners, have healing awareness of the congregation, foresight,
stewardship, commitment, strength and persuasion. But, more importantly,
they must be community builders.
“We have failed to prepare transformational leaders who have the agility,
adaptability, alertness, and alignment with God,” said the Rev. Sherry Daniels,
director of congregational development for the Illinois Great Rivers Annual
Conference. “We know what our mission is: to make disciples of Christ,” said
Daniels. “We fully understand our core vales. But can we be transformative to do
it.”
In business sessions, the caucus also:
- Elected its 2006 leadership: Cheryl Walker (Southeastern
Jurisdiction), chairperson; the Rev. Dennis Oglesby (North Central
Jurisdiction), vice-chairperson; Deborah Dangerfield (North Central
Jurisdiction), secretary; and the Rev. Joseph Crawford (Southeastern
Jurisdiction), treasurer;
- Expressed gratitude to the Coordinating Committee for Strengthening
the Black Church for the 21st Century for continued training of partner
congregations who want to grow;
- Thanked the fellowship of Black District Superintendents for a donation of $6,150;
- Received an update on the proposed African American Heritage Center
slated for Atlanta, with an appeal for artifacts, historical photos, and
books.
- Celebrated the continued service and witness of United Methodist Black Clergywomen.
- Received a grant of $4,000 from the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries.
- Witnessed the legacy of Gammon Theological Seminary.
- Learned of continued support of the victims of Hurricane Katrina, especially those at Gulfside Assembly; and
- Welcomed the creation of a new worship book, “Zion Sings,” as a companion to “Songs of Zion.”
*Stovall is a free lance writer based in Dallas.
News media contact: Linda Green, (615) 742-5470 or newsdesk@umcom.org.
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