Hello folks, I just returned from Jackson, Ms. It was good to attend the meeting and the worship experiences! Bishop Henning hosted in grand style, along with the fine Christian brothers and sisters of the 8th District. Here is a humorous thought: Where do you think most of the delegates and ministers hang out during the meetings? In other words, where is the number one hangout spot during any AME Meeting? Would it be in the resturant, the lobby, or in the sessions? I am interested to read your thoughts! Let's have some fun with this one!

Ray Allen

-- Anonymous, January 26, 2002

Answers

Let's see. Restaruants embody the temptation of glutonny and easy access to Mr. Hennessy. The Bible teaches against defiling the body thus resulting in low clergy traffic. Lobbies are typically hibernations for gossip and meandering daydreaming. No self- respecting AME minister would be caught in such a venue. So, I will go out on a limb, risk the little remaining professional integrity I possess and say.........."the sessions"? Ray, I'm having a hard time keeping a straight face while responding to this question. QED

-- Anonymous, January 26, 2002

Exactly! Have a little fun with this one! I must admit that there were some interesting discussions...in the lobby! :-) Ray Allen

-- Anonymous, January 26, 2002

On many occasions I have attended meetings where the Presiding Bishop has instructed the marshals to find and direct a certain group of men and women to the proper location of the meeting. To my amazement a room, where persons were comfortably seated, was suddenly filled to standing room only. Since I heard the announcement, it stands to reason that I was in the right place.

Thus, I wonder from whence they all came? Were they held up in an expressway traffic jam? Were they delayed in airport security, or did an error in the marquee or the recognition of several familiar faces in the lobby and on the church lawn lead them to believe, as I often have, that the meeting was bring held in such obscure locations as these? :-)

-- Anonymous, January 27, 2002

Ha, Ha, Ha. Funny you should ask that question. My last attendance at a large gathering of ministers, etc., our Bishop expressed his sentiments on where the meetings were being held. (smile) He surmised that since all had gathered,in the lobby, discussed and made decisions, that he would now give the final analysis on those decisions.

I can't ever remember laughing so hard at an episcopal meeting.

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2002

I believe that the number one hangout spot is the liquor bar. Let's face it, us ministers like to get out and have some fun and take a few shots adn then you can learn so many things from a drunk. When you get a minister drunk, you find out some interesting things, so next time when your at an AME meeting, stop by the bar and just listen!

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2002

Touchy...it appears that this zinger really touched a nerve! I thought the number one answer would be "the restaurant" since we are "A=Always M=meeting and E=eating." Oh well, at least we are out in public and not hiding in the hotel room (sleeping). Who knows what one would think!

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2002

It is not wise to believe everything which flows out of one's mouth, especially after so much has flowed in...I guess it is true that you are what you think.

-- Anonymous, January 28, 2002

Although, I'm sure that would be the place we'd hope to find them, but it's been my experience to find them in the hotel's lobby. Whenever I'm at a meeting, you just can't get through the lobby for us milling around.

What's 'funny', 'sad', 'disheartening', all of the above, is that the conversation is not meaningful or edifying. It's those times that I would like to engage in some meaningful dialogue. Because I'm ever learning, I ask a lot of questions and most of us would rather you not ask a question. A good example of us avoiding questions is evident on this board, when questions are asked, we have a 'nice' way of avoiding, or 'sweeping'.

I'm interested in seeing how many responses Jazz Man gets to his question, "Is the African-American church silent"?

-- Anonymous, January 29, 2002

My experience in attending AME meeting the Lobby seem to be the place of attraction for minister, their girlfriends and like the sister said you can't get pass them to make it to the restroom. It's a fatal attraction "LOBBY".

-- Anonymous, February 01, 2002