Only a few hours after the Southwest Texas Conference gentleman posted a response to "Your first Annual Conference experience" about Bishop Bryant and his tricky, treacherous tactics and techniques to bilk churches out of hundreds of thousands of dollars did my Pastor give me a letter and envelope concerning Bishop Bryant. At first I was enthused and was about to change the way I felt toward the Bryants because I thought it was a financial campaign to raise funds for a congregation in Hawaii; Anchorage, Alaska; Nevada, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Wyoming or some place where a greater AME Church presence is needed. Instead, it was a letter soliciting funds for Bryant's 40th Anniversary as a "preacher of the gospel."

This is outrageous, disgraceful, unlawful, and nothing but a ploy to enrichen Bryant. We heard of his shenanigans in Texas, especially how he assessed congregations and Pastors to pay into his Quadrennial Appreciation which netted him more than two-hundred thousand dollars while churches are falling in. Now he brings his same old tricks to the 5th Episcopal District. He will lie and say that he knows nothing about it because he gets his preachers and presiding elders to peddle and highway rob the people and churches for his personal aggrandizement. I see that Bryant is as hypocritical as many of the other con-preacher men that I see on television.

He knows it is nothing more than an assessment; if you don't believe it, just wait and see what happens to the Pastors who will not respond out of good conscience and because it is illegal and disgraceful, amounting to arm twisting and outright "stick-up" at gun point.

The 5th District was split 50-50 about Bryant coming to the District as was evident in the votes by the delegates at the General Conference caucus. now many of those who supported him coming to the District says that they regret their supporting him.

Just as he did in Texas; he is doing the same thing, and even worse here in the 5th District. And we even have several ministers that he treated as badly as Texas says he treated Rev. Dunn and others. Bryant is certainly a "wolf in sheep clothing" and all his superficial preaching is in vain; if he continues like he is going, I predict that he will end up in hell.

A leopard does not change his spots; but we wish that John Bryant and his wife would change Episcopal Districts. We need relief here in the 5th District badly. And to Rev. Nixon who is pushing for Bryant's preaching anniversary contributions and mailing all these letters soliciting donations for Bryant, you will not be Presiding Elder next month when Casson retires, Bryant will give it to the highest bidder. He is certainly everything Texas said he is and much, much more.

One thing for sure, my Pastor and local congregation will not give him one DIME. He needs to repent and submit himself to the will of God and the Holy Ghost that he speaks so often and so blasphemous about!

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001

Answers

Well, well, well. At last the truth has come out. The word teaches us that all things will come out eventually and so it did. I am happy that my brothers and sisters has experienced what we as Africans are crying about in the overseas districts. I hope that you will understand our plight now. If Bishop's can play those tricks there in the US where everybody else is around, how much more tricks do you think they are capable of here overseas where they without any supervision at all.

I think time has come that these giants be brought to book. I think time has come to cut on the so many powers vested in what we call the epicopacy. God bless!

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001

Greetings, I held my peace and answered the "gentleman" from the Southwest Conference of Texas by private e-mail because he knows that most of the things he sid are untrue and the remainder contains half-truths and misconstructions. I am a pastor in Texas. I served under Bishop Bryant leadership for ten years. Brother Grosset, what you are saying is totally false. You need to get the facts about Rev. Dunn before you judge. You also must be willing to be judged by the same standards that you use in judging Bishop Bryant. The Bishop Bryant that I know is a godly man, loves God and the church, and treats his pastors fairly. Those who know me from this web site understand that I do not leap to the defense of a bishop lightly. Truth needs no defense. Man judges by the external. God judges the heart.

I will be looking forward to see what the Fifth District has to say after he finishes hs tenure there.

Blessings,

Pastor Paris

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001

Pastor Paris, since I am in the Southwest Conference and you are in North Texas (almost like being in 2 different states), I really did not know you but inquired of you through my Pastor and Presiding Elder. They both told me that you are new to the AME Church and would not have a clue as to what went on under the Bryant Administration. You were so busy trying to get into Bryant's good graces that he had picked your pockets without you even knowing it. And, too, they told me that you were basically a "mission" pastor who would not know the inner-workings and intricate matters and details of the finances in Texas. With that in mind, I would advise you to know all the details before you jump "head-over-heels" in an effort to defend an administration that everyone, rather nearly everyone, knew was corrupt and rotten.

I still say that Bishop Young is a "breath of fresh air" compared to Bryant, who can be likened to the Tilton, Swaggarts and Bakers of this world.

-- Anonymous, July 26, 2001

Brother Grosset, May God grant you peace of mind.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2001

I think one must be careful when making accusations towards someone whom could actually be God's man. What if we were wrong? Would we have placed ourselves in danger of God himself? Because we should not touch his anointed? As for me, I will not touch God’s people. God bless.

-- Anonymous, July 27, 2001

Don't be too quick about Bishop Young ... watch the till.

Regards

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

Yes I agree with you and Rev Biwa. South Africa was nearly emptied under the Bishop's administration 1992 - 1996

Watch and Pray always

-- Anonymous, July 28, 2001

Dear brothers and sisters

This is not a personal issue, but has everything to do with the business principles (rather lack thereof), with which we are administering this giant called African Methodism. Powers is sweet and power corrupts. We have leaders, on all levels, all over this Connection and I can only agree with Bishop J H Adams' sermons on leadership in quoting: "leadership set and enact the moral climate in which the institution must function." We have leaders very, very old and sick who are ineffective as bishops, presiding elders and pastors and they don't want to retire voluntary. The AME Church is good to her leadership, but what power is sweet and corupt, and even affects the ordained leadership. The AME Church is in trouble, when good people stay quite about the killer disease on the rampage! Just wondering what Richard Allen says to other heavenly inhabitants about what we are becoming. When the 1992-1996 quadrennial ended we were told by the prelate and episcopal administrators that our episcopal residence and vehicle was paid off. When the new administration came in during July 1996 we were told by the new prelate and his new administration that we still owe a couple of thousand dollars on the car and the residence. We paid new assessments for two years, and were told that we have finally paid it off. During April 2001 our new prelate and his new administration told us that we are still indebted on the residence, and we have assessed and have paid during the Midyear and just concluded Annual Conference. We do this simply because we want to believe and trust our episcopal leadership. an account that was supposed to be settled by April 1996 is now being handled in 2001. Who can you trust and why do bishops feel offended when you express your uncertainties and fears. We are guilty of selective morality and we, for whatever reasons, do not want our leadership to be charged. There are so many skelotons in mnay cupboard that we are afraid of chain reactions. Why did not the people from the 10th Episcopal District speak up during the past 10 years? What we need is certainly bags of prayers.

-- Anonymous, August 27, 2001