The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church gathered at the Hilton New Orleans Riverside for the inaugural Faith & Practice Summit on July 21, 2023. Bishop George W. C. Walker, Sr. opened the Summit with a reminder of the call to commitment by exegeting and lining the great hymn of the Church, "A Charge to Keep I Have," written by Charles Wesley.
Being prompted by the Holy Spirit, the Board of Bishops of the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church set aside time at the conclusion of the Connectional Council for our beloved Zion to gather for the purpose of examining and evaluating our faith and practice. We are grateful for their wisdom and courage; this conversation could be offensive to some, but is an opportunity to remind us of who we are as Methodists—a reminder of who God called us to be as the body of Christ. The desired outcome of the work done by the appointed Faith & Practice Commission is to inform the Board of Bishops as they wrestle with crafting the Episcopal Address for the Fifty-Second General Conference.
In the wisdom of the Chair of the Summit, the Rt. Rev. W. Darin Moore, and our Senior Bishop, the Rt. Rev. Kenneth Monroe, the Commission was formed with representation from all twelve episcopal areas, which included one clergyperson and one lay person. The members of the Commission were effectively led by two Co- Executive Directors, Ms. Portia Jacobs, Episcopal Director of Christian Education for the Eastern North Carolina, and the Rev. Dr. Brian Relford, Pastor of Union Wesley AME Zion Church, Washington, DC.
There were five crucial areas to examine as part of this work: 1) The Authority of Scripture, 2) Sacramental Theology, 3) Virtual Worship and Digital Discipleship, 4) Spiritual Gifts and Shared Ministry, and 5) Radical Hospitality Rooted in Our Identity. Members of the Commission chose areas to focus on and began meeting in March 2023. Each subcommittee produced a white paper with different perspectives, a bibliography of sources used in the research, citations, and recommendations. Their findings were shared at the Summit. An advisor was assigned to each subcommittee to help ensure sound doctrine and varied perspectives. Our very capable advisors were Rev. Dr. Reginald D. Broadnax, Rev. Dr. Vergel Lattimore, Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Tribble, Rev. Dr. J. Elvin Sadler, Rev. Dr. Dominique A. Robinson, and Rev. Patrick Barrett.
One of the epic moments of the Summit was the keynote address by Rev. Dr. Joy Moore, Professor of Biblical Preaching, Vice President for Academic Affairs, and Academic Dean at Luther Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota. Dr. Moore spoke on the theme “Zion - Deeply Rooted and Distinctly Relevant”. She challenged us to open our eyes and our hearts to find God in the space God has given us influence. Dr. Moore said that we live in a world that is hostile everywhere, but “…we are to bear God’s image in the world”. We were further admonished not to give the world a word but to give the world our witness.
The scholarly work produced by the members of the subcommittees was a labor of love and will prayerfully result in our beloved Zion moving into a place where "... we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of people in their deceitful scheming." (Eph. 4:14)
"Stay focused, serve faithfully, and stand firm."
The Rt. Rev. Kenneth Monroe
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Faith & Practice Commission Members:
Eastern North Carolina – Rev. Nathaniel Cox and Mrs. Renate Lee
Piedmont – Dr. Daran Mitchell and Mrs. Barbara Rush
North Eastern – Dr. Odinga Maddox, II and Mrs. Sundae Black
South Atlantic – Rev. Lelar Johnson and Mr. Demond Nichols
Mid Atlantic – Dr. Adrian Nelson and Mr. Domonique Turner
Central Southern Africa – Rev. Julian Pridgen and Mrs. Christina Penrose
Mid-West – Dr. Richard Gadzekpo and Mrs. Sally Bard
Alabama – Florida – Dr. Sondra Coleman and Mr. Ron Marshall
Western West Africa – Dr. Richard Chapple and Mrs. Jamesina Ruff
Eastern West Africa – Dr. Montina Jones
Western – Dr. Brandon Fisher and Mrs. Patricia Hunter
Southwestern Delta – Rev. Gwendolyn Peters and Mr. Malcolm Russell
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