9th Episcopal District
North Alabama Annual Conference comes to spirit-filled conclusion

By Rev. Wilmer Marshall Jr. 

The 124th Session of the North Alabama Annual Conference concluded its week of work last Saturday, October 5. 

The Rev. James A. Rumph, Sr., and the Grants Chapel A.M.E. hosted the conference in Birmingham, Alabama. Bishop T. Larry Kirkland, Presiding Prelate of the 9th Episcopal District, nobly lead the conference with an enhanced richness and spirituality. He presided over the conference in a refreshing, gentle, humorous, and efficient manner. 

Only the morning sun eclipsed the brilliant beginning of this Conference, as we opened proudly by singing “And Are We Yet Alive.” This set the tone for a magnificent week! The sessions of the North Alabama Annual Conference proved to be highly rewarding as it provided information, education, and inspiration. 

The Holy Ghost set the Opening session afire, as the Rev. Timothy Eric Nathan, Pastor of the Greater St. Paul A.M.E. Church, in Florence, AL set our hearts a blaze as he came to tell us, “We Have This Ministry” from the text 2 Corinthians 4:1-7. Rev. Nathan proclaimed, we have this ministry, but asked the question, “What are we going to do with it?” 

During the Sons of Allen and Missionary Night Worship Service, the spirit fed us through a message from Rev. James Cornelius Smith, Pastor of Miles Memorial A.M.E. Church, Birmingham, AL. Rev. Smith Challenged the conference as he proclaimed, “Its Time For a Change.” 

The Thursday noonday “Hour of Power” sermon was delivered by the Rev. Melvin Wilson, Pastor of St. Luke A.M.E. Church, NY, NY, who expounded in great detail and glorious fashion on, “The Confessions of a Crazy Man.” 

The Rev. Roosevelt Williams, III, Pastor of the Hopewell A.M.E. Church Birmingham, AL, excited and pricked our spiritual conscience and intellect during the Lay Night Service as he informed us, “We Need to Have a Radical Encounter with Christ, and Let God Come out of the Box.” 

The Reverends Vickie Sanders, Calvin Clopton, Wilmer Marshall, Jr., and Damien Littlejohn prepared our hearts prior to each conference session with devotional messages. 

The Rev. Dr. Homer McCall, Pastor of St. John A.M.E. Church, Huntsville, AL, lead our conference workshops. Rev. Carolyn Tyler-Guidry, Presiding Elder of Los Angeles-Pasadena District, 5th Episcopal District, assisted Rev. Dr. McCall as they educated the conference on, “What it Takes to Minister to a Congregation,” as well as, “What is our Doctrine?” 

The conference expressed its prayers and condolences to the families of the late Presiding Elder Rev. Dr. E.L. Blankenship, Reverends E.L. Pickens, Daniel T. Grant, Spencer Ambers, Sr., Sarah J. Moore, and V.G. Finley. 

The Conference was lifted to higher planes in the Ordination Services, when General Officer, Rev. Dr. Johnnie Barbour, Jr., ignited the conference as he delivered most powerfully to the candidates, “Following the Ultimate Servant.” He proclaimed, “To follow Christ is to be a servant, and if you don’t want to serve, you are in the wrong business.” 

The Closing session of the Conference witnessed once again the awesome power of God, as he used Bishop T. Larry Kirkland to deliver a splendid message titled, “What Kind of Church God Wants.” His text was taken from I Thessalonians 1:1-10. Bishop Kirkland stated there are three models of what the church should be: (1) an elect (saved) church, (2) an exemplary (examples of Christ) church, and (3) an enthusiastic church. 

The 124th Session of the North Alabama Conference was proud to have been graced by the presence of many guests and luminaries who visited it. These included Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, General Officers, Rev. Dr. G.F. Flowers, Dr. Johnny Barbour, Jr., and Dr. Kenneth Hill, and Retired General Officers Dr. Anderson Todd, Jr., and Carl F. Hunter, and the Presiding Elder of the Los Angeles Pasadena District of the 5th Episcopal District, Rev. Carolyn Tyler-Guidry, and Rev. Allen Williams and Rev. Kelvin Calloway, of the 5th Episcopal District, and Dr. Thomas Best of the 6th Episcopal District, and Rev. Melvin Wilson of NY, NY, of the 1st Episcopal District, and Rev. David H. Story of the 13th Episcopal District. 

Yours Truly, 

Rev. Wilmer Marshall Jr. 
Conference Reporter 
North Alabama Annual Conference 

Thanks to Rev. Raymond B. Swafford and Rev. Dr. Homer McCall