Official Statement from the Board of Bishops of The A.M.E. Zion Church Concerning the United States Elections

The results of the U.S elections have been received by some in this country with excitement; however, those same results have caused many others pain and genuine fear of the consequences. The purpose of this letter is not to relitigate the issues raised during the divisive campaign, but it is to offer voice and solidarity with those who are deeply concerned about the most vulnerable in our society. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “We have some difficult days ahead."

We lament the missed opportunity of what might have been even while we are firmly grounded by a “Faith that will not shrink, though pressed by every foe. That will not tremble on the brink of any earthly woe.”

We lament for a country that appears further away from living as the “Beloved Community” where every human is fully valued and loved as Divine Image Bearers, even while we are fortified in knowing that “Truth crushed to earth will rise again."

Yes, our lament is both painfully real and deeply righteous, yet our hope is as strong as ever. As leaders of “The Freedom Church,” we’ve got a good memory. We, as a people, have been through difficult times before, and GOD has always transformed the setbacks into steps forward. GOD has done it before; now watch GOD do it again. 

When asked, “What should we do now?” Our response is that we must do what our people always do: be persistent in our resistance against hate, injustice, and violence. 

We fervently pray for the deeply flawed and fractured country we love. Lord, heal our land. We pray for Vice President Harris, who ran a campaign demonstrating the amazing possibilities within our reach but still beyond our grasp. We pray for President Biden, who is a truly decent man who has moved our nation forward.

And we pray for our once and future President that he might become better than his rhetoric, finally realizing that he is to be President of all of the people and that if America is to be truly great, she must be a nation of love, truth, kindness, opportunity, and justice for all.

So, when we are asked, “Watchman, what of the night?” Our united response is, “The morning cometh, and also the night.” Yet be reminded of the words of Joseph Charles Price, “No matter how dark the night, we believe in the coming of the morning.”

We are the Board of Bishops of The A.M.E. Zion Church, “The Freedom Church:”

Sincerely,

The Board of Bishops of The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church

Bishop Hilliard K.D. Dogbe, President 

Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Senior Bishop 

Bishop W. Darin Moore 

Bishop George D. Crenshaw 

Bishop Uduak U. Effiong 

Bishop Brian R. Thompson 

Bishop Eric L. Leake 

Bishop Daran H. Mitchell 

Bishop Anthony N. Witherspoon 

Bishop Melanie R. Miller 

Bishop Dwayne Anthony Walker 

Bishop Bernardo Ngunza

Bishop Seth O. Lartey, Located

Bishop George W.C. Walker, Sr., Retired 

Bishop Samuel Chuka Ekemam, Sr., Retired 

Bishop Joseph Johnson, Retired 

Bishop Marshall H. Strickland, Retired 

Bishop Nathaniel Jarrett Jr., Retired 

Bishop Warren M. Brown, Retired 

Bishop George E. Battle, Jr., Retired 

Bishop Kenneth Monroe, Retired 

Bishop Dennis V. Proctor, Retired 

Bishop Michael A. Frencher, Sr., Retired 

Done This The 8^th Day Of November 2024