I cannot begin to tell you how much I love being A.M.E! And this praise report just adds to my love for our denomination. As some of you know my church is one year old and our members are new to church or our denomination. I give my congregation reports about all of you and the churches in the connection. Our director of Men's ministry went home to arizona for thanksgiving, I asked him to visit an A.M.E Church. He said "will it be a problem because I am white?" I said of course not, but as soon as you walk in let the usher know you are A.M.E, well he returned home and called me today, he was so excited! He went to Prince Chapel A.M.E Church and walked in and said "I am A.M.E from Montana" He was hugged greeted with such love an affection. He was overjoyed. He said everyone kept saying "they did not know there were black people in Montana. And he told them there was, he and his family were treated like royalty.He said it was moving to say the Call to Worship with fellow A.M.E's. He also brought his mom and aunt and uncle. The aunt and uncle have been looking for a church and they love Prince Chapel. They live in the area. What a wonderful demonstration of the love of God and connectionalism. We may have some problems in our denomination, but we also have a lot to be proud of!!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2002

Answers

Sister Denise...First "Happy (belated)Thanksgiving!" Second, you have just described what occurs within our churches in Minnesota, Wisconsin and in Canada! The congregations in Toronto, Montreal and Minneapolis are diverse. It was surprising to me to meet a person who loved the church and its history as much as I...even if it was a white person who was proud to be an African Methodist Episcopal Church Member!

-- Anonymous, December 06, 2002

Ray thanks for sharing with me the diversity in our connection. One of the things I have been most surprised about being new to the denomination is the good reputation our denomination has. I speak to colleagues from other denominations and those in academia and they rave about the work our Bishops are doing ecumenically and also people who are not native Montanans always have an A.M.E story to tell me when they find out I am A.M.E. They talk about the work the A.M.E churches did in their community. Usually they say the A.M.E pastors were leaders in their cities, they talk about the great worship experience they have had when they visit an A.M.E Church. Ray it is not about the color of our skin it is about our desire to serve God, I have shared this before. To my knowledge I am the only ordained black clergy woman in the state of Montana. It is so good to have you posting again. Oh, Bill Dickens wants somebody to send him some cheese cake from Junior's in brooklyn, New York. Since you have not posted in a while it is your turn to by Bill some food. I too love our denomination and I thank God he called me to be A.M.E!!

-- Anonymous, December 07, 2002