Bishop Cousin issues wake-up call for the A.M.E. Church
Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District, both set the tone and the pace for the 46th General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church , yesterday morning at the Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, when he mined his military experience, recalling when he was an infantry officer, to extract "reveille," the term of the military wake up call, as both the heart of his sermon and a charge for the church.
The scripture basis for the sermon was drawn from Revelations 3:1-3. Bishop Cousin themed this strong preaching outing, "Reveille For The A.M. E. Churh" "It is time for the church to wake up while there is still comething that can be restored!"
Bishop Cousin posed a series of questions that silently stood with all gathered answering in their hearts and minds. He said churches are currently growing...is the A.M.E. Church growing? That young people are flocking to church...are they coming to the A.M.E. Church? That ministries are growing...are they growing in the A.M.E. Church?
The questions were left dangling, the answers apparent, although not given.
As emphasis, Bishop Cousin related the story of a popular winery that suddenly found its popularity waning. It was discovered the wine was not as good as it once was. Afer investigation, it was discovered the problem was not with the grapes, rather the vats in which the wine was made. Bu the owners refused to change the vats and the business slowly failed.
Bishop Cousin left it to his listeners to draw whatever comparisons they chose to.
"Some times we get more concerned about the institution than the power that made the institution. Our job is to tell the story," Bishop Cousin said.
He made the comparison to Rip Van Winkle, That after a long slumber, Rip woke up. The world around him had changed but Rip, he was sill the same. Bisop Cousin implored the A.M.E. Churh not to be like Rip Van Wnkle.
"He went out with a load musket, but then he slept through a whole revolution without firing a single shot. Don't let people say we have had the musket of the gospel by our side and we never fired a shot," Bishop Cousin said.
Bishop Cousin said, "When reveille sounds we can not be found sitting at the altar of memries lamenting about the way things used to be. We need to wake up. When reveille sounds we should be prepared to say "Here I am God I am ready. God move through me."
The stage was set for Bishop Cousin's explosive sermon by a strong musical foundation provided by the Third Episcopal District Choir and his own two-hundred-plus voice choir from the First Episcopal District.
In the afternoon, Bishop Adams set about the work of organizing the General Conference. There was some delay when delegates to the Conference bumped heads on numerous occasions as they went about the business of approving the Conference rules.
The General Conference is scheduled to run through July 12. Early next week, the election of Bishops will be conducted.
Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District, both set the tone and the pace for the 46th General Conference of the African Methodist Episcopal Church , yesterday morning at the Convention Center in Cincinnati, Ohio, when he mined his military experience, recalling when he was an infantry officer, to extract "reveille," the term of the military wake up call, as both the heart of his sermon and a charge for the church.