Lay Convocation Elevates and Enlightens Lay Leaders

Lay Convocation Elevates and Enlightens Lay Leaders By Joyce P. Edwards and Delores Lancaster Over 500 laity and supporting clergy gathered Thursday through Saturday, March 17-19, 2016 at the Kenneth Monroe Transformation Center in Rock Hill, South Carolina for the Connectional Lay Council�s 10th Quadrennial Lay Convocation. Realizing that the magnificent facility in which they were convened was developed and owned by the South Atlantic Episcopal District (SAED) of the A.M.E. Zion Church under the leadership of Bishop Kenneth Monroe, the attendees were motivated to deliberate under the banner of the Convocation theme: "Effective Leadership for Zion: Interacting, Inquiring, and Informing.� The spiritual underpinning of the Convocation was punctuated each day beginning with Morning Watch, 6:00-6:30 a.m., led by William F. Manning, Chaplain of the Connectional Lay Council (CLC). [Read More]

Bishop Louis Hunter, Sr. Dedicates Blackwell Chapel A.M.E. Zion By Delma S. Jones "Unless the Lord builds a house, its builders labor over it in vain.� � Psalm 127:1 On April 10, 2016, five and a half years after a devastating fire destroyed the entire sanctuary of the Blackwell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Presiding Elders Rev. A. D. Brown and Rev. Alexander Jones, ministers and laity gathered with the pastor, Rev. Felicia Jones and the dedicated and loyal members of this church as Bishop Louis Hunter, Sr. dedicated their new edifice. The overflowing crowd came to show their support for this small congregation who knew that by holding on to their faith and God�s unchanging hand that surely God would work all things out in His own mysterious and glorious way. [Read More]

The Guyana Annual Conference Celebrates Centennial Session By Patrice Counts and Sabrina Fowler-Turner The Centennial Session of the Guyana/Suriname Annual Conference convened on Thursday, March 19th through Sunday, March 22, 2015, hosted by Martin A.M.E. Zion Church at Alleyne A.M.E Zion Church in Georgetown, Guyana. Under the leadership of the Rt. Rev. Bishop Louis Hunter Sr., Presiding Prelate, and Mrs. Ingrid Hunter, Missionary Supervisor. The Rev. Dexter Sansculotte served as Host Pastor/Presiding Elder, and the Associate Presiding Elder was Rev. Orette Darrell. Ms. Michelle Johnson served as Assistant to the Missionary Supervisor in her absence. [Read More]

Board of Bishops Issue Official Statement Regarding Supreme Court Ruling on Marriage Equality Special to The Star • June 29, 2015 Statement from the Board of Bishops of The AME Zion Church Regarding the Recent Ruling from the Supreme Court on Marriage Equality "And may you have the power to understand, as all God�s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.� (Eph. 3:18,19) In the aftermath of the ruling by the United States Supreme Court which grants the right to marry to all citizens including same-sex couples; it is necessary for us to reaffirm for some, and clarify to others the position of The AME Zion Church on the issue of human sexuality and marriage. [Read More]

Special to The Star •

Thompson Towers As President of Board of Bishops Special to The Star • ORLANDO, FL � On July 23, 2015, Bishop Richard K. Thompson takes on the title of President of the Board of Bishops during the July connectional meeting held in Orlandlo, Florida. Bishop Thompson, a native of Kannapolis, North Carolina, is a graduate of Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina, and Hood Theological Seminary, Salisbury, North Carolina. Livingstone bestowed upon him the honorary Doctor of Divinity Degree. He has done further study at San Francisco Theological Seminary, San Francisco, CA; Wesley Theological Seminary, Washington, DC; and St. Paul School of Theology, Kansas City, MO. [Read More]

�A Star in the Galaxy of Zion Methodism� By Rev. Marvin Lee Photographer Rev. Kenneth Brooks The Central North Carolina Annual Conference converged on the grounds of Mitchell Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church to convene its first Check Up Meeting for this Conference year. It was a day filled with excitement and enthusiasm. The Right Reverend Dr. Kenneth Monroe, Presiding Prelate of the South Atlantic Episcopal District and the Presiding Prelate of the Central North Carolina Annual Conference, was presented a plaque from the Presiding Elder of the Durham District, Reverend Dr. Lawrence A. Miller, with a picture of Bishop Monroe and the marvelous Transformation Center that has been erected in Rock Hill, SC. [Read More]

President Obama Signs Tubman Park Bill, U.S. Senators Announce at the Board of Bishops Special to The Star • Bishop Dennis V. Proctor, Board Chairman of the Harriet Tubman Home, Inc., gave the charge � to do all that was feasible to secure passage of the Tubman park bill. The longtime efforts of the Harriet Tubman Home to become a National Historical Park was signed into law by President Barack Obama on December 19, 2014. Two of the bill sponsors, U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski and U. S. Benjamin Cardin, shared the passage of the legislation at the Board of Bishops Meeting in Baltimore, MD. [Read More]

Celebrating a Phenomenal Woman: A 2015 Testimonial Luncheon for Mrs. Iris M. Battle Submitted by Jacqueline Anthony The Piedmont Episcopal District celebrated a phenomenal woman on March 28, 2015 at the Joseph S. Koury Convention Center in Greensboro, NC. The quadrennial affair for Mrs. Iris Miller Battle, Piedmont�s stately and gracious Missionary Supervisor, was second to none as this testimonial luncheon was truly a unique celebration. [Read More]

�The City of Fire� Hosts the 2015 Board of Bishops & IMLA Special to The Star • Hundreds of Zionites gathered in Baltimore, MD, also known as �The City of Fire� for the annual mid-winter meeting of the Board of Bishops and the International Ministers and Lay Association (IMLA). This year�s meeting was hosted by Rev. Dr. Lester A. McCorn, Host Pastor; Pennsylvania Avenue A.M.E. Zion Church, host church; Rev. Lowell A. Williams, host Presiding Elder; and Bishop and Mrs. Richard K. Thompson, host Bishop and Missionary Supervisor. This meeting started off with the attendees adorning themselves in glitz and glamour to attend the 36th Annual Cameron W. Jackson Recognition and Awards Banquet of the IMLA with Ms. Kinard acting as Mistress of Ceremonies. [Read More]

Rt. Rev. George E. Battle Receives Illustrious Legacy Award Special to The Star • Charlotte, NC � The �Queen City� was host to the 2015 United Negro College Fund�s (UNCF) 69th National Alumni Council and 57th Pre-Alumni Council Annual Leadership Conference during the week of February 16-22, 2015 at the Sheraton Lemeridien Hotel. The UNCF provides support for 60,000 students that attend the 37 member colleges and universities. [Read More]

�It�s Better In The Bahamas�: The 155th Bahama Island Annual Conference Convenes in Nassau

North Carolina�s Successful Sesquicentennial

An Open Letter From The A.M.E. Zion Board of Bishops

Dr. Witherspoon to run for AME Zion Bishop

Dr. Jeffery L. Tribble, Sr.�s Kick-off Campaign for Bishop in the A.M.E. Zion Church