I'm a musician, and heard of an AME church in need of a musician.

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

Answers

Please forgive the improper syntax. I meant to say "Are white people allowed to worship in and serve an AME congregation?"

I'm a white musician wondering if it's appropriate for me to pursue this. Thank you in advance for any response you have.

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

The A.M.E Church is open to worship for all persons regardless of race. Certainly you are welcome to worship with us. We are Methodist by tradition and our founding fathers and mothers were of African descent. However, our heritage is one of openness. We welcome all God's people with open arms and hearts.

-- Anonymous, September 03, 2001

Thanks for the encouraging response. I will pursue the position. I've been a musician most of my life, primarily a jazz musician, and my heart is now inclined to serve Christ with my blessing of talent.

I was on staff at a United Methodist Church (primarily white) for two years as a song leader for a contemporary service. My tendencies musically are toward the Black Gospel tradition, and I was a little bit "too funky" for the format of Contemporary Christian.

My maternal ancestors were Methodist (one who was a circuit rider who was licensed to exhort, one Reverend), but I was raised Roman Catholic, and I've been fairly ecumenical in my path back to the church from the hedonism of my youth. My mother is a devout Methodist, and I feel an affinity toward Methodism. My husband was raised Presbyterian, and we married in the Episcopal Church. We've been Disciples of Christ before our tenure at the UMC.

Thanks again for the encouragement.

Your sister in Christ,

Betty Tomboulian

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

I am sure you will find a warm welcome when you present yourself to the church God leads you to. At out congregation in Canada, we have persons of all nationalities. God be with you.

-- Anonymous, September 04, 2001

I second all that those before me have written. Here at St. Paul AME we have had several white musicians serving. Most of them have been students at Berklee School of Music and were attending St Paul under Watch Care. Being in the academic area of Boston we have many students attending and serving the church while away from their home church. All are welcomed in all AME churches in and around Boston

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001

I've received many messages sent directly to me from AME pastors supporting my effort. I want to thank each one of you for your encouragment.

I'll be attending choir practice at St. James AME in Denton, Texas, tomorrow night where the new (3 months and a week) Pastor, Rev. LaVerne Reed, will introduce me to the choir and see how we respond to each other. It's a congregation of about 100, with about 20 people in the choir who multi-purpose in different areas of service in the church. The pastor and I had a wonderful conversation yesterday afternoon.

Please pray for God's will to prevail in this matter, as I long to serve Him in the creative purpose He set for me whether at St. James or elsewhere. To God be the Glory!

Amen

-- Anonymous, September 05, 2001

I met with the Pastor last night and talked, played and sang for about an hour. It turns out that due to Youth Sunday being this Sunday, the choir had the week off. This afforded us a good time to get aquainted, and I praise God for the blessing of His perfect timing.

I've borrowed a hymnal and will return on the 21st, as both Pastor and I have commitments next Thursday. I've asked Pastor to let the choir know I'm coming and have them bring sheet music or recordings they'd like me to accompany them with.

It was a good meeting, and I feel hopeful that this may be a good fit. I mentioned that I'd been receiving many blessings of support from ministers on this discussion board, and we talked about the fact that I'm not entering lightly into a position with a church. It's important to me to have an understanding of the church's policies, dogma, etc. Everything I've heard and read about AME is embraceable.

I'll post to the list again after the 21st.

Praise God for He is worthy to be praised. Thanks for all of the support!

-- Anonymous, September 07, 2001

Dear Ms. Tomboulian,

The African Methodist Episcopal Church was started due to mistreatment of God's people. Surely, we would not mistreat you, because we know how it feels. I served in Newport, RI. for almost three years. My musician also came from the UM Church and his father was the Minister of Music in the UM Church in Newport. He was welcomed and he added to our ministry and service. Also I had several other White business persons come to our services.

-- Anonymous, September 08, 2001

Hi,

My name is Tsisqua Udo. It means Sister to the Birds. I am half cherokee and half white. I belong to St. Paul's AME Church in Southern Indiana. I love my church with all my heart and feel so welcome and loved there. I was worried they wouldn't want me to join because of my color. So I was set to convince them that my Native American ancestry was one of suffering and slavery also. There was no need to go there! If you want to be in a very loving welcoming church where color doesn't matter but tolerance and love sure does then the AME Church will be a new home for you!

With Christian Love, Birdsister

-- Anonymous, September 09, 2001

I feel that it is essential that we the church reach out to all races and ethnic groups. The AME Church has always been inclusive in our worship participants. Other ethnic groups love our sense of spiritual inclusion that sepearates us from the other denominations

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2001

Welcome to the church were everbody is a somebody and where race is no factor and doesn't matter. To a church where God's our Father, where Christ is our Redeemer and where Man's our Brother.

May God bless you and be welcome

Jerome Vergotine

-- Anonymous, November 15, 2001