Nine weeks from this posting, the General conference 2004 will be over. Going by the resolution of the Y2K General Conference, overseas districts of which part Africa is will for the fist time in history have at any one time more than one persons joining the ranks on the Bishop's bench. The now defunct AJC has requested for (4) four positions to be reserved for African born candidates only.

The golden question is, will Africa's request be granted at the General Conference 2004? What will happen if the humble request is turned down, knowing very well that delegates from Africa are out numbered by those from the States when it comes to VOTING?

The second question is,has the outgoing leadership prepared enough firm ground upon which for indigenous leadership will take over from and are constituent members ready for this challenge?

In his speech to mark the official opening of the 2004 Copperbelt West District Conference,in Zambia (17th)my Presiding Elder personally said " We will go our own way and rebel" if we do not get an African born Bishop of our own choice.

The heat in the elections furnace for Episcopacy is rising day by day. The leadership during the just ended 2004 Christian Education Congress said he would do all it takes to assist only ONE named candidate of the THREE to get what he was looking for because he had assisted him to quench the fire that had been burning in the District during the soon to expire quadrennium.

While the book of Discipline says that an aspiring candidate will be given at least 5 minutes to address the conference, the leadership spoke of behalf of one of his prefered candidate and ignored the second candidate who was present.

He concluded by issuing extremely negative remarks against two of the three candidates and declared the congress closed much to the disappointment of the delegates. God bless the AME Church my church sweet church.

I am excited and just got confirmation for my observer registration and my number is AMETJ1339.This means that i am delegate observer number 1339 to be registered. This will be more than the 1972 General Conference. Let me hear from you brethren as i look forward to seeing most of you in person during the forthcoming GC2004. I hope my posting is not "poisonous".

-- Anonymous, May 07, 2004