I am curious of any husband and wife ministry teams within the AME church. My wife and I are both ministers at St. John AME, Pine Bluff where W.R. Norful is pastor. I believe we are unique because we are both in our early 20's and have been ministering together as a couple for about 3yrs now. We wish to meet other couples within the AME church who share both our blessings and burdens.

-- Anonymous, August 07, 2000

Answers

Try Bishop John Bryant and Rev. Cecelia Bryant, recently of the tenth district and now assigned to the fifth district. God Bless

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Other ministry teams that come to mind include Bishop and Rev. Ingram (Rev. Ingram served as assistant pastor at Oak Grove under her husband's leadership); Revs. Grainger and Joanne Browning (ebenezer, Fort Washingon, MD - 2nd), and Revs. Floyd and Elaine McCollins Flake (Allen Cathedral of Faith, Jamaica, NY - 1st). Upcoming ministry couples include Revs. Thann and Margaret Young (2nd), Revs. Felix and (Mrs.) Phillips (10th), Revs. Al and beatrice Phillips Smith (5th), Rev. Kenny and Mrs. Marilyn Robinson (13th).

-- Anonymous, August 09, 2000

Adding to the list: Doctors Michael and Debyii Thomas, Hunter Memorial in Suitland, Md.; Revs. Linda and Anthony Wheatley of St. John in Bishopville, Md. (She is the pastor).

-- Anonymous, August 10, 2000

Brother Jerryl, you missed one team. Has anyone noticerd how many of these teams have come through St Paul, Cambridge, MA at some time on their ministry? Rev. Dr. Raymond Hammond and Rev. Dr. Gloria Hammond who have taken Bethel AME Boston from startup to a florishing ministry on the way to becoming the third megachurch in New England Conference.To God be the Glory!

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

Thanks, Bob, for the correction and boy, am I embarrassed. I just saw the Hammonds when I was in Boston in June! And yes, having served at St. Paul for 17 years I was quite cognizant of the confluence. Even Michael and Debyii Thomas were there when they went to school in Boston. Good observation!

Along the lines of contribution Dr. JWP Collier of Jacksonville (president of our seminary there) had married Dr. Jacquelyn Grant of ITC. Perhaps someone can bring us up to date on the state of that ministry marriage, since they function in different areas.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

More team ministries, Rev. Gregory Groover & Rev. Barbara Groover of Charles Street AME in Mass. Rev Troy & Maxine Thomas of St. Paul Rockville Centre, LI, NY. They are fantastic teams. Dr. Groover & Mrs. Groover have done remarkable things at Charles Street and the Thomas' are setting Long Island on fire. You can contact the Groovers via the website for Charlesstreetame.org.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

I am very much grateful for all the replies to my interrogation. Again my wife and I are very young in age (25&22)but have been in ministry for a long time(myself 13 full years and my wife 2 and a half in public AME ministry). I am overjoyed to know that we have an example to follow. There are others here in the 12th Episcopal District who are married and pastors of seperate churches. I do not wish for that to happen. I can also think of Revs. Mack and Ida Talley of Tyree Temple AME and The Revs. Highsmith of Fordyce, AR. Because we are young we anticipate a lifetime of ministry together. Keep us in your prayers and we will follow the Spirit's leading.

-- Anonymous, August 11, 2000

And to add to this From the Michigan Annual Conference of the Fabulous 4th Episcopal District. Revs. Darryl and Janice Moore of St. Luke, Highland Park, Mi. Revs. Calvin Rice and Ellen Warren Rice of Allen Temple, Detroit, Revs. William and Cheryl Phillips of Parks Memorial, Romulus

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2000

Additional teams from the 10th: Jordan and henrietta Mkwanazi at bethel, Dallas; Eric and Myra Turner Billups in North Texas; Presiding Elder A.J. and Pastor Ida Baker in West Texas; Pastors Felix and Alma Phillips in Texas and West Texas.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2000

The issue about married couples in the preaching ministry raises a question in my mind. Does anyone know what percentage of these couples pastor in the same church? I used to live in Wash DC and would sometime sneak away from my Baptist church to fellowship in Baltimore's Bethel AME or Ebeneezer AME of Ft. Washington, MD. In both cases the husband-wife ministry team [Bryant & Browning] served in the same church. I can only speculate that pastoral appointments which de-couple couple's from the same church can be extremely problematic for the assigned church and the marriage. The same type problem occurs in the military when couples in the armed forces receive orders which take them away from the same military base. While the military has programs in place to address these type of social problems I'm not aware of similar programs in the AME Church. If anyone can enlighten me on this I would be greatly appreciative.

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2000

Commenting on the ones I know (as of the last sets of meetings!):
Collocated Neal (St. John AME, Pine Bluff, AK) r blessings and burdens.
Bryant (5th Episcopal leadership)
Ingram (15th Episcopal leadership)
Browning (Ebenezer, Fort Washingon, MD - 2nd)
Flake (Allen Cathedral of Faith, Jamaica, NY - 1st)
Young (2nd)
Smith (5th)
Robinson(St. Andrew, Memphis, 13th)
Thomas (Hunter Memorial in Suitland, Md., 2nd)
Wheatley (St. John in Bishopville, Md., 2nd)
Hammond(Bethel, Boston, 1st)
Groover(Charles Street, Boston, 1st)
Thomas (St. Paul Rockville Centre, LI, NY,1st)
Talley (Tyree Temple AME)
Highsmith (Fordyce,AR)
Moore (St. Luke, Highland Park, Mi., 4th)
Rice (Allen Temple, Detroit, 4th)
Phillips (Parks Memorial, Romulus , 4th)
Mkwanazi (Bethel, Dallas, 10th)

Separate Ministries Collier/Grant-Collier, Phillips (10), Billups(10), Baker (10)

-- Anonymous, August 18, 2000

Seperate pastorship in the NY Conference of the 1st District are Rev. Paul Owings of St. Johns, Brooklyn and Rev. Joanne Owings of Bright Temple, Bronx. They have done this for a number of years.

-- Anonymous, August 24, 2000

There is also the team of Lady Marquissa and John Harper in the 5th District. You can check out their website at http://www.thecommitments.org

-- Anonymous, March 20, 2001

Looks like "Everybody is doing it." Blessings, Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, March 23, 2001

Please add Rev. Howard & Rev. Emily Gail Dill of Vernon Temple AME Church Bermuda.

-- Anonymous, July 13, 2001

Please add Rev. Emmanuel and Rev. Juanita Wasson of Holy Trinity AME Church in Las Vegas.

Linda Barta

-- Anonymous, July 17, 2001

Let's add some others:

Rev. Dr. Samuel Bradford Shiloh East St. Louis, IL and his wife Rev. NiRita Bradford Bethel, Sparta, IL.

Rev. Nathaniel Randle and Rev. Tiney Randle New Bethel, Godfrey, IL

Rev. Gary and Galda McCants St. Paul Springfield, IL

-- Anonymous, July 23, 2001

My wife and I are the ministerial team at St. Paul AME Church, Springfield, Illinois. There are meany others in the 4th Episcopal District.

I have my home e-mail address at garymccants@insightbb.com

-- Anonymous, December 15, 2004