Dear All

As to the question of poeple from Africa to run for Episcopal. My feeling towards that is that poeple should be elected on merit and not due to the fact that they are from Africa.

I believe that to obtain something in life you need to show some discipline in that manner. What I am trying to say is if someone of Africa should stand for episcopal office, his works, experience should show his/her character otherwise it should not be given.

I am sorry, but that how I feel. Just imagine, if a student finish his college degree and he/she is employed as the managing director of a company. It will surely be chaos, sorry but you need to work your way up to the top, not getting there because you feel you can handle it, you show it in the works you have done for the church and MOSTLY for GOD.

Regards

Jerome

-- Anonymous, March 27, 2002

Answers

Jerome,as I read your statements it is very clear to me that you doubt the leadership potential of indeginous people in africa.You seem to think that they need some qualifications in order fot them to run for the Episcopal office.I want you to know that we as African are not trying to wheelburrow anyone into the Bishopric of our church.You are saying anyone who want to run from Africa his work should show discipline and charecter.This to me has to deal with their qualifications Now in responding to you more specifically, people who are presently running for the Episcopal office from Africa are well qualified clergymen who for years have led the AME congregations in Africa and USA.They have preached the uncompromising gospel in season and out of season in the whole connection.Their Ministry was never confined to a particular place.They went into the whole world and preached the gospel as Jesus commissioned.They have built churches and taught in the AME theological seminary in Africa.Their charecter as ministers is above reproach.They are sober minded. They have served the church faithfully as ministers and episcopal officers. They have been members of the general board of the ame church. I want to make it clear that some of the people who are running from Africa they are responsible leaders who are academically ready and spiritually qualified to become Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. It is very sad and disturbing to hear members of the same church doubting others pontential to lead becuase of their geographical background or phenotopical expression.Men who are running from Africa are not even running against each other, they are running together. The same thing you are saying about African Candidates can be said of any candidate but you seem to pay particuar attention to African candiadtes. Are some of our members ignorant captured about the leaders in the whole connection?These people who are running from africa are leaders and will become Bishops of the Connectional African Methodist Episcopal Church. Finally, turn your BIble to 1 Tim 3:2 and Tit 1:7 and also open the AME book of discipline(1996-2000) page 139, section III, A. Active Bishop. here you will see that people who are running for the episcopal office from Africa are qualified to do so. Thank you very much for your concern and let us pray for the leaders of our church. May the good lord keep and bless you.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2002

Brothers, the subject that you are speaking to is one that I have addressed several times. As a candidate, I have even been negated through this forum by someone I do not know with reference to who I am and what I am about. A candidate for Episcopal service should be someone who deems themselve to have made/is capable of making a significant contribution to the continued development of the ministry of the AME Church. The challenge that the General Conference of 2004 has is to demonstrate that the AME Church is not an American Church but a Connectional Church which operates around the world and draws it's leadership from around the world. In the last 200 plus years we have elected 119 Bishops. Of that number, I believe 12 were born outside of the United States. However, several of the 12 were elected as American. If I am correct, in the last 50 years Bishops Gow, Talbot and Senatle were the only ones elected from outside the United States. I may stand to be corrected, but I believe that Bishops Anderson and Ming, although born in Bermuda, were elected as Americans. Neither pastored outside of the United States. I believe that as the Church draws closer to 2004 it will be able to find suitable candidates who are American and None-American. The real challenge will come if there is a move to elect the None- Americans first to ensure representation in the Class. At present, there is talk of electing at least 3 None-Americans and 4 Americans. The candidacy of 4 General Officers is a real issue here. If Dr. Frank M. Reid joins the list the challenge becomes even greater. The real issue here seems to be amongst the American candidates. The First Episcopal District is likely to present at least 10 candidates. During our Planning Meeting in June I believe 7 or 8 people presented themselves. The possibility of another female candidate also constitutes another challenge to the number of seats available for Americans.

-- Anonymous, July 10, 2002