Shorter AMEC's Stimulus Package

Shorter A.M.E. Church in Denver, CO is giving away $30,000 to help stimulate their comunity's economy. See the video.

Tips for a Successful WMS

Here is the first in a series of tips from MI Conference WMS president, Sis. Jacqueline Mitchell-Robinson:

Tip #1: Doing Nothing is Not Acceptable

Oftentimes we get overwhelmed and become paralyzed. The things that are being asked of you seem more than you can handle and so instead of doing something, you chose to do nothing and just stare at it.

God’s people are hurting. They need Jesus. They need deliverance. God wants to use you to draw His wounded to Him.

Don’t look at problem or size of the task, but keep your eyes focused on God. He is a big God who can handle big problems. Just pray and ask the Father what He wants you to do. Keep asking until you receive an answer.

And he will answer because there’s a lot of work to do. You can

- start a prayer meeting
- raise money for a Global Mission project
- encourage your friends to sign up and attend the Prayer Convocation in Toronto
- sponsor a child to attend the Sons of Success/Daughters of Destiny Youth Leadership Retreat at Camp Baber

- read a book off of the reading list to a sick and shut in member
- start a bible study class on the Book of John with young women
- change your diet so that you can become more physically fit to walk the 2K for Women Waging Peace

- gather some young kids together and make preparation to plant a garden and teach them how to appreciate what God has created.

God is calling you. Your gifts and talents are needed. Don’t ignore the call. Do something to make a difference in your community, your church, your job, your home and in your own life.

And to God Be the Glory!

Blessings and love to all,

Jacqueline Mitchell Robinson
President, Michigan Conference WMS

YPD meeting 03.21.09

From Sis. Ola McMillan, Flint Area YPD Director:

An important Flint Area YPD meeting will be held:

Saturday, March 21, 2009
11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.
Quinn Chapel A.M.E.C.
2101 Lippincott Blvd.
Flint, MI 48503
ph.810 - 238 -5636

Lunch will be served.
Please contact Sis. Ola McMillan with a count of those attending from your church (needed for lunch preparation), and if you have questions.

HEALTH & WELLNESS: Salads that can make you fat

Last week, the Today Show (NBC) had a report of restaurants salads that are far from being healthy and nutritious. The salads include high level of fat and sodium, if eaten the way they are presented on the menu. Be careful what you order. Take note: one restaurant doesn't even make public some of their nutrition information. That should be a re flag. See 6 salads that could be making you fat - TODAY Health- msnbc.com

Vernon Chapel Night Sunday School

The Cook Missionary Society of Vernon Chapel AME Church in Flint is hosting their annual Night Sunday School



Date: Sunday January 18, 2009

Time: 5:00 P.M.



Subject “Following Kingdom Priorities”

Lesson Scripture: Luke 12:13-34

Printed Text: Luke 12:13-21

Key Verse: Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. –Luke 12:15



Vernon Chapel A.M.E. Church

5802 Dupont Street, Flint, MI



Guest Superintendent: Rev. Dr. Turner S. Hartfield, Macedonia Baptist Church

Sis Tara Miller, Night Sunday School Advisor

Sister Birdie Brown, Cook Missionary Society President

Rev. Ernest J. Garrison, Pastor, Vernon Chapel

12 Hours in the Throne Room

The Flint Area WMS, as well as all other Areas throughout the 4th Episcopal District, will come together for an Area-wide Prayer Vigil. The date will be determined, but the time is set from 6:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. Each church is asked to consecrate 3 hours, and every Local, Area, and District officer, 12 hours.

The schedule for the vigil:

6:00 a.m. - The Hour of Doxology: Believers in Praise

7:00 a.m. - The Hour of Repentance: Believers return to God; for personal sin, for sins of the church, for sins of the nation.

8:00 a.m. - Prayers for the Church: Local, denominational, the persecuted church, Bishops, Pastors, leaders

9:00 a.m. - Hymns of Prayer: Led by Ministers of Music

10:00 a.m. - Teaching on Psalms of Prayer

11:00 a.m. - Teaching on the Lord's Prayer

Noon - Holy Communion: Presiding Elders

1:00 p.m. - Altar Call for the Sick: Women in Ministry

2:00 p.m. - Blessing of Children: (birth to 17 years): Local Pastors

3:00 p.m. - Teaching on Spiritual Warfare

4:00 p.m. - Prayer for the Nations

5:00 p.m. - 100 Men in Prayer

More information will be available at the 4th District Planning meeting in Rosemont, IL, October 23-25, 2008.

We Can Do All Things through Christ...

The 4th Episcopal District Women's Missionary Society, led by Rev. Dr. Cecelia Bryant, will strive to reach the following goals this conference year:

I. At the Women's Global Prayer Convocation in Toronto, Ontario, Canada - August 2009 (more info to come):

• 1000 U.S. registrants
• 500 Canadian registrants

II. Short-term Mission initiatives - 12 to 15 days in:

• India
• Haiti
• Liberia

III. Global Focus: Sudan

IV. District Focus: Pembroke, Illinois - Each Conference will send at least one team for 5 days.

V. Development: Church planting in Canada

VI. Eco-initiatives:

• 1000 trees
• 100 wells
• Urban gardens

VII. Mission Vision:

• 4 schools
• 4 clinics

More information will be available at the 4th District Planning Meeting in Rosemont, IL, October 23-25, 2008.

YPD Winter Leadership Training Institute

September 27, 2008

To: Pastors
Members/Officers of the Young People’s and Children’s Division
Members/Officers of the Women’s Missionary Society

Re: WINTER MEETING, Saturday, December 6, 2008
CRUSADE FOR CHRIST, Sunday, December 7, 2008, 4:00 p.m.

The Young People’s and Children’s Division, Michigan Conference will have their Winter Meeting, Saturday, December 6,2008, at Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, 535 Cathay, Saginaw, Michigan. On Sunday, December 7, 2008, 4:00 p.m., we will have our December Crusade for Christ, at Bethel, Saginaw.

Registration for the Winter Meeting is $ 30.00, which includes lunch, (see registration blank in this post). We are trying to be travel conscience and have arranged for overnight accommodations with the Hampton Inn, Saginaw. Rooms are available for $ 79.00 and include breakfast Sunday morning. You may contact the hotel directly at (989) 792-7666. Please reference Young People’s Division. The deadline for group rate is November 21, 2008.

Please contact your Area Director, Michael Cousin, YPD president, or myself if additional information is needed.

Growing, Glowing and Going for Christ,

Sis. Rosita Brockington, Director
Bro. Michael Cousin, President
Young People’s and Children’s Division

Tentative Schedule:

Saturday, December 6, 2008
10:00 a.m. - Gathering and registration

10:30 a.m. - Devotional Service

11:00 a.m. - Area Diaspora Leaders reports

Missiona and travel directives

1:00 p.m. - Lunch

2:00 p.m. - Workshops

4:00 p.m. - Winter Executive meeting

6:00 p.m. - Adjourn

Sunday, December 7, 2008
10:45 a.m. - Morning Worship @ Bethel - Saginaw
1:30 p.m. - Dinner (a local restaurant will be selected)
4:00 p.m. - Crusade for Christ

YPD's First Crusade for Christ of the Conference Year

The Michigan Conference Young People's and Children's Division invites you to it's first Crusade for Christ of the Conference year. Bro. Stephen Brumfield, former president of the Michigan Conference YPD, will bring the dynamic message.

Date: Sunday, October 12, 2008

Time: 4:00 p.m.

Location: St. Stephen AME Church - Detroit, MI

Dinner Social Hosted by Newman AME Church

The Men's and Women's Day committees of Newman AME Church in Pontiac invite you to a Dinner Social on October 10, 2008. It will be a fun-filled evening of fellowship and dancing.

Please contact Sis. Valerie Bates for more information at (248) 377-0499 or tboogem@comcast.net. Checks made out to Newman AME Church are due by Sunday, October 5, 2008. Thank you so much for your thoughtful participation.

Area Global Mission Responsibilities

Each area in the Michigan Conference (and throughout the 4th District) have taken on the responsibility for developing and generating resources - both financial and in-kind - for their chosen mission opportunity. Michigan Conference Areas have chosen to work with the following organizations:

- Flint Area: My Sister's Keeper (Mission Work in Sudan)

- Central Detroit Area: Doctors Without Borders

- Ann Arbor Area: Development of AME India

- Battle Creek Area: Health Care for Haiti

- Niles Area: The Green Belt Movement (ecology) Kenya

We will have opportunities for education on the Sudan, the war in Darfur, and how our efforts in local communities can help women and children in the region. See the left sidebar of this blog for news on the Sudan.

A Message from our New Michigan Conference President

September 30, 2008

Dear Pastors, WMS and Michigan Conference Officers,

Greetings is the Mighty and Magnificent name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. It is with the Joy and the abundant Love of Jesus that we, the Women’s Missionary Society and Young People’s Division of the AME Church, send this communication of introduction.

On August 19, 2008, the Elections for the Michigan Conference WMS were held. Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant, Supervisor of the 4th Episcopal District, presided. Several new officers were elected on that day. The new President is Jacqueline Mitchell Robinson, a long-time member of St. Matthew AME Church in Detroit where Rev. Gloria J. Clark is Pastor. Jackie has served in the WMS and YPD on the District, Conference, Area and local levels of the WMS and YPD. We thank Almighty God for the return of Rosita Brockington as YPD Director. As many of you know, she is a long-time member of St. Stephen AME in Detroit, where Rev. Michael Cousin is Pastor.

It is with joy that we introduce the new 1st Vice President, Joyce Keys Garrison, First Lady of Vernon Chapel AME in Flint. We are blessed to have Joyce Johnson, First Lady of Bethel AME in Detroit, return as 2nd Vice President. And the 3rd Vice President -- also new -- is Tywanna Johnson, who serves faithfully at Oak Grove AME in Detroit.

The Area Chairpersons appointed for the 2008-09 Conference Year are:
Carolyn Graves (Union Memorial AME) returning as Niles Area Chairperson, Karen Davis (Quinn Chapel AME)returning as Flint Area Chairperson, newly appointed Bonita Cowan-Tucker (Bethel AME), Ann Arbor Area Chairperson; and newly appointed Carol Griffin (Ebenezer AME), Central Detroit Area. The Battle Creek Area Chairperson will be in place on or before Oct. 1.

Our Area Chairpersons are excited and on fire for God! We invite you to check out the Flint Area Blog at http://flintwms.blogspot.com and Battle Creek Area Blog at http://battlecreekwms.blogspot.com, where you can receive current information on District, Conference and Area news.

For the first time ever, the Michigan Conference has an elected Web Master, Diana Psalms, who is a member of Quinn Chapel in Flint. She is overseeing a team that includes Shaunese Cable (Greater Quinn AME in Detroit); they will post the Michigan Conference WMS Blog next week and produce a Website shortly thereafter.

We are excited to serve as the Michigan Conference Branch WMS officers for 2008-09. We ask for your prayers as we seek to serve Almighty God, and to serve Him, and only Him, in a More Excellent Way! We know that God can do all things and that if we submit to His will and His power, we can do all things through Christ Jesus, who strengthens us.

A more complete and detailed Roster will be sent to you shortly but we have included contact information for the officers.

To God Be the Glory for the things He has done and for the great things He will do!

In His Service,

Jackie Robinson
President, Michigan Conference Branch WMS

(Sis. Jackie included a list of Michigan Conference officers with this letter; I will forward a roster separately and the contact info will be available at our Flint Area meeting. - K.A.D.)

Flint Area YPD: Making Strides Against Breast Cancer

The Flint Area Young People's and Children's Division has joined the fight against breast cancer. We are showing our support and making a difference by walking as a team in the American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer. The YPD will gather at 8:30 a.m. at Quinn Chapel AME Church in Flint.

Please join the YPD by offering your prayers, physical support by walking with them, and especially by donating funds. You can see the mission of the Flint Area YPD and donate to the cause at the team page (click on the link). If you prefer not to donate online, there is more information on the page as to where to mail in your donation.

Hope starts with one walker and one dollar at a time. Hope starts with our team. And hope can start with you.

My Sister's Keeper

Women-led Humanitarian Action

"I understand that each day as I wake up on this side of freedom, I have a gift that comes with a responsibility."

My Sister's Keeper is a women-led, women-focused, humanitarian action group. They are a faith-inspired, multi-racial, collective of women who work together to lend sisterly assistance to communities of women in various locations throughout the World. At present, they are focused on supporting the aspirations of women in the African country of Sudan. It is their hope that their way of working together will inspire other small groups of women to form sisterhoods that support the hopes of women who dare dream in the face of dire socioeconomic conditions.

Vision
My Sister's Keeper envisions a world where women all across the globe can imagine, create and sustain vibrant and joyous communities.

Mission
Today, they are focused on assisting, protecting and advocating for the women of southern Sudan who live in Gogrial County. They befriend the women, listen to their stories, learn about their needs and support their aspirations for economic, educational and physical vitality. My Sister's Keeper aims to catalyze other women across the globe: to gather in sisterhood and harness human, financial and information resources to the women and communities they choose to serve.

Values
My Sister's Keeper carries out this vision and mission with humility and with joy. They have been empowered by God, and in return, respond to God's call to sisterhood and to service.

The Flint Area Women's Missionary Society (Michigan Conference, African Methodist Episcopal Church) has chosen to work with My Sister's Keeper, helping the women of the Sudan reach their goals for a better life.

For more information and to read more about their projects, see the My Sister's Keeper website.

About the Sudan and the War in Darfur

THE SUDAN

جمهورية السودان

"Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān"

Republic of Sudan

Capital: Khartoum
Largest City: Omdurman
Official Languages: Arabic & English
Government: Dictatorship, Military
President: Omar Hassan al-Bashir (1989)
Independence from Egypt & United Kingdom: Jan. 1, 1956

Area: 967,495 square miles (total)

Ethnicity/Race: Black-52%, Arab-39%, Beja-6%, Foreigners-2%, Other-1%

Religions: Islam (Sunni)-70% in north, Indigenous-25%, Christian-5% (mostly south and Khartoum)

Population, 2007 est.: 42,292,929

Birth rate: 33.9/1,000
Infant mortality rate: 59.6/1,000
Life expectancy: 59.3 years
Literacy rate (2003 est.): 61%
Gross Domestic Product: $80.71 billion, per capita: $2,200

For more facts and to compare with the United States, go to InfoPlease.com

THE WAR IN DARFUR

Darfur is a region about the size of France located in Western Sudan. A little over half of the six million people who live there are black Africans while the rest are Arab. It is a region that has faced severe underdevelopment and neglect from the central government.

In early 2003, two loosely allied rebel groups began a rebellion in Darfur, calling for the redress of social and economic grievances and demanding greater political power. Sudanese authorities saw the rebellion as a threat to the viability of the entire country, fearing other neglected regions would similarly rise up and demand larger degrees of autonomy. Thus, the government decided to respond by carrying out a deliberate policy of extermination against the African tribal peoples of Darfur from which the rebels are drawn.

Janjaweed, a large Arab militia, has been the main group employed by the government to implement this policy of genocide in Sudan. They are armed by the government and sent into various African villages where they proceed to kill civilians of all ages, burn down houses, destroy crops and livestock, carry out mass executions, target vital infrastructure, and commit wide-scale rape. Reports coming out of the region speak regularly of such brutal acts as men being chained together and thrown into burning huts, women being raped in front of their loved ones, and children being kidnapped from their families. To date, over 400,000 people have died as a result of the Sudan genocide campaign and 2.5 million have been internally displaced.

Despite the denial of involvement with such crimes by the Sudanese government, the facts show that high ranking officials are coordinating the Sudan genocide. Sudanese intelligence forces are known to be in close communication with the militias and air force planes regularly conduct bombing raids on villages and fleeing civilians prior to Janjaweed invasions. In July of 2004, Human Rights Watch released a report revealing internal government documents showing that the central government both armed and coordinated the Janjaweed to carry out the Sudan genocide. In addition, the government has gone to great lengths to make sure that no news reporters or humanitarian personnel are allowed into the villages being targeted in Darfur.

The United States has already officially labeled the crisis in Darfur “genocide” and the United Nations has called it “the worst humanitarian crisis in the world today.”

For more information, see the United Human Rights Council

Global Mission Opportunities for the 4th District WMS

Missionaries of the 4th District will spread the love of Christ globally by by assisting the following orgainzations and causes:

1. My Sister's Keeper (mission work in Sudan) - adopted by the Flint Area WMS
2. 11 Basic (Primary) schools in Jamaica
3. Doctors without Borders
4. Tsepong Orphanage for Children with AIDS (Lesotho)
5. The Children's Defense Fund
6. Development of AME India
7. Health Care for Haiti (see the Battle Creek Area WMS blog)
8. Bryant Seminary in Liberia
9. Reorientation of child soldiers in Sierra Leone
10. The Green Belt Movement (ecology) Kenya

We are Equipped for Success

God has equipped us with everything we need to carry out the work of missions. We are prepared when we study His word and carry it with us daily, hourly, every minute and every second.

At the 4th District Christian Education Congress this past July in Lisle, IL, during a working session with Dr. Cecelia Bryant, we determined who we are as defined by God's word. Missionaries of the 4th Epsicopal Distrct will memorize the following verses by the 4th District Planning meeting this October:

We are:

• Patient: Hebrews 12:1 & Romans 15:5


• Understanding: Philippians 4:7


• Truthful: Proverbs 12:19


• Compassionate: Matthew 9:36


• Cohesive: Psalms 133:1


• Loyal: Ruth 1:16-18


• Sincere: 1 Peter 2: 1-2


• Committed: Psalm 37:5


• Focused: Psalm 119:37


• Open-minded: Galatians 3:28


• Prayerful: I Thessalonians, James 5:15 & Ephesians 3:14-16


• Self-Caring: Romans 12:1 and Ephesians 6:11


• Resourceful: Philippians 4:19


• Loving: I Corinthians 13:1

In addition, during this Conference Year we will study the Gospel of John.

Let's prepare ourselves for the work of missions!