DOWNLOAD: 2008 13th District YPD Retreat - LETTER
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DOWNLOAD: 2008 13th District YPD Retreat - REGISTRATION FORM
DOWNLOAD: 2008 13th District YPD Retreat - MEDICAL RELEASE
DOWNLOAD: 2008 13th District YPD Retreat - CANDIDACY LETTER

Bishop McKenzie and Supervisor Stan
Celebrated By The Thirteenth District

By The Reverend Maxine L. Thomas
Co-Pastor of Historic Saint Paul AME Church, Lexington, KY

            The outstanding and inspiring leadership of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, who serves as the 117th elected and consecrated bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Supervisor Stan McKenzie, Supervisor of Missions of the 13th Episcopal District which includes the State of Tennessee and Commonwealth of Kentucky, was honored in suitable fashion and style on Friday May 9, 2008 as nearly 400 delighted guests comprising Bishops of the church, AME General Officers, Thirteenth District Officers, Presiding Elders, conference leaders, clergy and lay constituents graced the beautifully and elegantly decorated ballroom of the Renaissance Hotel in Nashville, Tennessee for a most memorable Banquet of Appreciation. 
            Resounding applause of the captive audience filled the air as Bishop McKenzie and Supervisor Stan entered the candle lit Ballroom where they would be feted for four years of committed and dedicated leadership and service to the Thirteenth Episcopal District.  “They give so much back to us, so it was an opportunity to say thank you for all they have done,” said Ralph E. Johnson, presiding elder of the Louisville-Paducah District of the West Kentucky Conference, President of the Thirteenth District Presiding Elders Council 2007, and General Chairperson of the event.  Serving as General Co-Chairpersons were Mr. Joseph Turner, Ms. Ramona D. Young, and Mrs. Renee Scott-Smith.
            An impressive entourage that included Retired Bishop Frederick H. Talbot most recent former Episcopate of the Thirteenth District and Dr. Sylvia Talbot; Bishop John R. Bryant, Presiding Prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District; General Officers Rev. Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor, III, Editor of the Christian Recorder and Rev. Charlotte Sydnor; Dr. Darryl B. Ingram, Executive Director of the Department of Christian Education and Mrs. Patricia Ingram; and the Rev. Dennis C. Dickerson, Ph.D., L.H.D., Historiographer/Executive Director of the Department of Research and Scholarship and Mrs. Mary Dickerson; Mr. Richard A. Lewis, Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer; Presiding Elders the Rev. Troy, Jr. and Mrs. Brenda Merritt (South Nashville District—TN Conference); the Rev. Kenneth I.  and Mrs. Dianna E. Golphin (KY Conference-Lexington District); the Rev. Ralph E. and Mrs. Patricia Johnson (Louisville-Paducah District—West KY Conference); the Rev. Dr. Robert E. and Mrs. Gladys Keesee (North Nashville District—TN Conference); the Rev. C. Robert Finch (North Memphis District—West TN Conference); the Rev. Linda F. Thomas-Martin (South Memphis District—TN Conference); the Rev. Dr. Kenneth H. and Dr. Roberta Hill (Chattanooga District—East TN Conference); and the Rev. Troy I. and First Lady Rev. Maxine L. Thomas, Pastor and Assistant Pastor of Historic St. Paul AME Church in Lexington, KY; and Rev. Vashti Jasmine  McKenzie preceded the honorees in the grand procession. 
            The Thomas team (Reverends Troy and Maxine) served as Master and Mistress of Ceremonies as they with charm, poise, reflective commemoration and incandescent humor set the tone and pace for an evening where expression of love, gratitude, honor and appreciation would pervade.  “It is a time to celebrate and rejoice as we give thanks for our wonderful leaders,” Rev. Maxine said as she beamed with particular pride and pleasure, having known the McKenzies and watched their sparkling track record of successes unfold for more than two decades, and back to Bishop McKenzie’s days as a broadcast media professional in the 1980’s.  With decisive humor and wit, coupled with energized esteem, Rev. Troy shared in the joy of the evening.  “Bishop Vashti McKenzie and Supervisor Stan McKenzie (former professional NBA basketball star) are role models for each of us.  It is their time to receive honor for the great works that they have done,” Rev. Troy said. 
            A grand and spirited welcome was delivered in outstanding fashion by Master Eric Robinson of Lee Chapel AME Church, Nashville, TN as he with deliberate persuasiveness announced the RESULTS that we have seen demonstrated through the workings of the well celebrated and much loved Episcopal team.  The awe inspired audience was captivated by the audacious delivery of words given by the articulate and precocious young man.  Other contributory participants included, members of the Presiding Elders Council, Rev. Kenneth Hill, Rev. Kenneth J. Golphin, and Rev. Troy Merritt, Jr. who did the Old Testament, Epistle, and Gospel readings respectively.  The audience enjoyed and was blessed by music rendered in song by Bro. Fred Francis and the Greater Bethel Praise Team. 
            Bishop John Richard Bryant, Presiding Prelate of the fifth Episcopal District and the spiritual father of Bishop Mckenzie delighted in delivering a thoughtful and powerful sermon where he talked about the true marks of leadership, emphasizing the role of the servant leader.  He lauded his daughter in ministry for her continuous onward journey in Episcopal leadership as he shared her zeal for spiritual striving over pursuit of higher heights in broadcasting or a career as a model. 
            Throughout the evening, words of commendation and appreciation were echoed as representatives from the various components of the Thirteenth District reflected on the quality of ministry and service rendered by Bishop McKenzie and Supervisor Stan.  ‘Excellent,’ ‘the greatest,’ ‘dynamic,’ ‘outstanding,’ ‘superior,’ ‘tremendous’ are a few of the superlatives given to the quality of their work and character.  Wonderful and warm tributes were given by the Lay Organization, Sis. Anna Johnson; Women’s Missionary Society, Sis. Lesa Halfacre; Young People’s Division, Sis. Ramona Young and YPD’ers; Women in Ministry, the Rev. Charlene Boone-Hinson; Nehemiah Nation, the Rev. David Strong; and Believe, Inc., the Rev. Eric Knowles and Sis. Rene Scott-Smith.    A refreshing video presentation was shown reflecting the RESULTS of Bishop McKenzie’s ministry throughout the district.  These RESULTS were seen in dynamic resolve in every area of the working of the district. 
            The evening would have been incomplete without the prominence of a very fine District Salute announced by Bro. Montez Bell.  In living color, the video display that ensued evoked smiles, cheer, and gratitude for our Episcopal leaders for a job well done.  Presiding Elder Linda Thomas-Martin garnered the distinction and pleasure of presenting the honorees as the conclusion of a most memorable evening drew near.  Bishop Vashti and Supervisor Stan McKenzie each addressed the audience with warmth and love—giving acknowledgement and thanks to all who had traveled to this grand celebration and for the many sacrifices of labor, love and dedicated service that the faithful members of the Thirteen Episcopal District have shown as they have engaged in kingdom building.  A very thoughtful and engaging benediction was rendered by Bishop Frederick H. Talbot as all prepared for adjournment.
            There are many highlights of Bishop Mckenzie and Supervisor’s Stan’s distinguished service.  These include, the initiation of a 501(C) (3), Believe, Inc., to provide resources for local churches, start-up funds for new ministries and community service projects, repairs and renovations, general support and theological scholarships.  Raising funds outside of tithes and offerings tapping the corporate community, Believe, Inc. has given to local churches in three years $75,000. 
            Another highlight is the Nehemiah Nation which is a men’s service ministry designed to support local congregations with service projects that the local church may not be large enough to complete.  The men of Nehemiah Nation have cleared land, cut back brush, painted churches, repaired floors, put in hot water heaters, planted grounds, repaired and put in new steps and new windows as well as worshipped with the local congregations.
            An HIV/AIDS ministry was launched featuring Sometimes I Cry starring Sheryl Lee Ralph held at the Tennessee Center for Performing Arts, with a sold out performance, coupled with an all day clergy , lay and youth education event, and free HIV testing at the Planning Meeting and four of five annual conferences. 
            In an interview following the memorable evening, Bishop McKenzie shared her delight in the honors bestowed upon her and Supervisor Stan.  “There was a lot of love in the room at the Appreciation Banquet.  It was a wonderful event.  So many people shared with us as we strolled down memory lane,” she said. 
            The powerful and impacting leader whose historic election in 2000 represents the first time in the over 200-year history of the AME Church in which a woman had obtained that level of Episcopal office looked ahead to much in store:  “Plans are well underway to complete phase one on Camp Primm Simmons this year.  A campsite, outdoor chapel, recreation area and rest stop facilities will enable our local churches to use the grounds for church outings and picnics in the summer.  Clayborn Temple in Memphis has stabilized and finally looks forward to its next steps in development,” Bishop McKenzie said. 
            When asked to elaborate on the uniqueness and specificity of the district, Bishop McKenzie responded thusly:  “The Thirteenth is unique in that it stretches from the mountains of Appalachia in the east to the Mississippi River in the west to the Ohio River in the north.  In between, there is a wonderful mixture of urban and rural churches, big cities and small towns, and a great diverse delicious menu.  In the 13th, there is the rich blue grass country of Kentucky, the Kentucky home of Mohammed Ali and the Louisville slugger; the Civil Rights Museum and the role that Clayborn Temple played in Memphis; the many colleges and universities- Vanderbilt, Belmont, TSU and Fisk, home of the Fisk Jubilee Singers; great sports from college to pros- basketball and football….  It is the people that make the difference:  sincere and serious about God; God’s people and the ministry we share in and love.”

Saint Luke A.M.E. Church - Gallatin, Tennessee and Pastor Jimmie Plummer was spotlighted in the "Tennessean" ... check it out:

http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200802090210/MTCN0403/80208110

Churches and Organizations throughout the Connection have been talking "Relationships!" And the resource for these discussions? "Swapping Housewives" by our own Bishop Vashti McKenzie!!! In Singles groups, Couples Ministries and local Book Clubs, "Swapping Housewives" has become a guide to delving into relationship issues and solving those things that matter to us most. Do you have a singles or couples ministry? Does your church sponsor a book club? Now's the time! And what better topic than "Rachel, Jacob and Leah... Swapping Housewives!"

Follow these links to get your copy (or copies) now...

http://www.thepilgrimpress.com
(the publisher and direct retailer)
or
http://www.amazon.com

"Scholarships going unnoticed by African-American Students"

Please pass this information on to family members and friends to get the word out that money is available. If you are a college student or getting ready to become one, you probably already know how useful additional money can be. Below are several scholarship awards and websites: 

• Bell Labs Fellowships for under represented minorities:
         http://www.bell-labs.com/
• Student Inventors Scholarships:
         http://www.invent.org/vidcon2k.html
• Coca-Cola Two Year College Scholarships:
         http://www.coca-colascholars.org/programs.html
• Holocaust Remembrance Scholarships:
         http://www.holocaust.hklaw.com/
• Ayn Rand Essay Scholarships:
         http://www.aynrand.org/contests/
• Brand Essay Competition:
         http://www.instituteforbrandleadership.org/IBLEssayContest-2002Rules.htm
• Gates Millennium Scholarships:
         http://www.gmsp.org/nominationmaterials/read.dbm?ID=12
• Xerox Scholarships for Students:
         http://www.2xerox.com/go/xrx/about_xerox/about_xexox_detail.jsp
• Sports Scholarships and Internships:
         http://www.www.ncaa.org/about/scholarships.html
• National Assoc. of Black Journalists Scholarships (NABJ):
         http://www.nabj.org/html/students-vcs.html
• Saul T. Wilson Scholarships (Veterinary):
         http://www.aphis.usda.gov/mb/mrphr/jobs/stw.html
• Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund:
         http://www.thurgoodmarshallfund.org/sk_v6.cfm
• Fin Aid: The Smart Students Guide to Financial Aid Scholarships:
         http://www.finaid.org
• Presidential Freedom Scholarships:
         http://www.nationalservice.org/scholarships/
• Microsoft Scholarship Program:
         http://www.microsoft.com/college/scholarships/minority.asp
• Wired Scholar Free Scholarship Search:
         http://www.wiredscholar.com/paying/scholarship_search/pay_scholarship_se

A.M.E. CLERGYWOMAN LEADS NATIONAL EFFORT
TO END GENOCIDE IN DARFUR, SUDAN

National Rally Set for April 30th in Washington, DC

Rev. Gloria White-Hammond, M.D., co-pastor of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church of Boston, MA, was recently appointed to serve as the chairperson of the Million Voices for Darfur Campaign (www.savedarfur.org), a national effort to raise public awareness and to mobilize Americans to help end the genocide in western Sudan. Rev. White-Hammond, a pediatrician and noted human rights activist, is traveling throughout America "to sound the alarm" about an atrocity that threatens the lives of millions of people. Rev. White-Hammond stated: "I realized that I could either speak out and become an agent for justice or remain silent and be rendered irrelevant."

As many as 400,000 people have died in Sudan’s western Darfur region in a conflict the international community has done little to stop. The Million Voices Campaign (MVC) is collecting one million postcards encouraging President Bush in his call for a stronger multinational peacekeeping force to protect the civilians in Darfur. Rev. White-Hammond explains that the MVC is an unprecedented effort to end genocide in Sudan, the largest country in Africa. The campaign is being organized by the Save Darfur Coalition, an alliance of over 150 faith-based, humanitarian and human rights organizations.

"As a member of the clergy, I am calling on the faith community to stand with me against injustice. I am making a special appeal to the African Methodist Episcopal Church to lead its congregations in word and deed in ending the human suffering and ethnic cleansing," stated Rev. White-Hammond. She added: "I am firmly persuaded that God wants the African American community to be the ‘tipping point’ on the Sudan tragedy, which has been described by the United Nations as the world’s greatest humanitarian crisis. We are to do for African people what was not done for our ancestors 400 years ago."

You can Make A Difference

All A.M.E. members are encouraged to complete a Million Voices Postcard. Cards can be completed via the Internet by visiting the www.savedarfur.org website or actual postcards may be requested from the Save Darfur Coalition office (check website or call 202-478-6155). A strong African American presence is also needed at the April 30th Rally to Stop Genocide. The Rally will present survivors of genocide, prominent political figures, faith leaders, human rights activists, entertainers, journalists, and thousands more. Rev. White-Hammond also asks the African Methodist Episcopal faith community to join the Save Darfur Coalition’s Week of Prayer and Action on April 2-9, 2006. During this designated week, clergy are asked to lead their congregations in prayer for the people of Darfur, to deliver a sermon or hold a special service focusing on the humanitarian crisis, and/or have the postcard completed. The complete Faith Action Packet can be found on the www.savedarfur.org website.

Rev. White-Hammond, who has taken a temporary leave from her medical practice at Boston’s South End Community Health Center, became involved in the Sudan crisis in 2001 when she traveled to Southern Sudan to explore allegations of slavery condoned by the country’s government. Since then she has returned to Sudan seven times including a 2005 trip to Darfur, where she interviewed genocide survivors. "Of the sixty women with whom I met in Darfur camps, 40 percent reported being raped. In this conflict, rape has become a weapon of mass psycho-social, spiritual destruction," said the Million Voices for Darfur chairperson.

Rev. White-Hammond is the co-founder of a human rights initiative called "My Sister’s Keeper" (www.mskeeper.org) developed to help the women of Southern Sudan reclaim their communities. The initiative supports economic development projects for women and the construction of a school for girls. "Educating women and girls provides them the skills, information and self-confidence that they need to become better parents, workers and citizens. This is the fastest shortcut to a well-developed community," expressed Rev. White-Hammond.

SAVE DARFUR COALITION
2120 L Street, NW, Suite 600 - Washington, D.C. 20037
202-478-6195
www.savedarfur.org

CONTACT: Deborah Peaks Coleman
202-478-6195 or 410-428-9930
Deborah@savedarfur.org

ATTORNEY'S ADVICE... AT NO CHARGE

A corporate attorney sent the following out to the employees in his company:

1. The next time you order checks have only your initials (instead of first name) and last name put on them. If someone takes your checkbook, they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initials or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
2. Do not sign the back of your credit cards. Instead, put "PHOTO ID REQUIRED".
3. When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, DO NOT put the complete account number on the "For" line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number, and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
4. Put your work phone # on your checks instead of your home phone. If you have a PO Box use that instead of your home address. If you do not have a PO Box, use your work address. Never have your SS# printed on your checks. You can add it if it is necessary. But if you have it printed, anyone can get it.
5. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Do both sides of each license, credit card, etc. You will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place. I also carry a photocopy of my passport when I travel either here or abroad. We've all heard horror stories about fraud that's committed on us in stealing a name, address, Social Security number, credit cards.

Unfortunately I, an attorney, have firsthand knowledge because my wallet was stolen last month. Within a week, the thieve(s) ordered an expensive monthly cell phone package, applied for a VISA credit card, had a credit line approved to buy a Gateway computer, received a PIN number from DMV to change my driving record information online, and more. But here's some critical information to limit the damage in case this happens to you or someone you know:

1. We have been told we should cancel our credit cards immediately. But the key is having the toll free numbers and your card numbers handy so you know whom to call. Keep those where you can find them.
2. File a police report immediately in the jurisdiction where your credit cards, etc., was stolen. This proves to credit providers you were diligent, and this is a first step toward an investigation (if there ever is one).

   But here's what is perhaps most important of all: (I never even thought to do this.)

3. Call the 3 national credit reporting organizations immediately to place a fraud alert on your name and Social Security number. I had never heard of doing that until advised by a bank that called to tell me an application for credit was made over the Internet in my name. The alert means any company that checks your credit knows your information was stolen, and they have to contact you by phone to authorize new credit.

By the time I was advised to do this, almost two weeks after the theft, all the damage had been done. There are records of all the credit checks initiated by the thieves' purchases, none of which I knew about before placing the alert. Since then, no additional damage has been done, and the thieves threw my wallet away this weekend (someone turned it in). It seems to have stopped them dead in their tracks.

Now, here are the numbers you always need to contact about your wallet, etc., has been stolen:

1. Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
2. Equifax: 1-800-525-6285
3. Experian (formerly TRW): 1-888-397-3742
4. Trans Union: 1-800-680-7289