The Boy Scout motto is "Be Prepared," but it applies to preachers too.
Saturday night, Bishop Cornal Garnett Henning went to bed without a clue he would be preaching the Sunday sermon at the 46th Gneral Conference. He woke up with a call from Bishop Vinton Anderson, requesting that he get a message togeher for the worship service. Between the setting of the sun, and the rising of the same, Bishop Cornelius Egbert Thomas, had taken ill and said he was unable to preach.
Bishop Henning said his strong friendship with Bishop Anderson kept him from refusing the call to preach.
Despite the short notice. Bishop Henning rose to the occasion with a stirring sermon themed, "Choice Not Chance."
Bishop Henning said we are shaped by the choices we make be they good choices or bad choices. He said that with these choices we may experience good times as well as bad times.
"I do not know what the future holds," Bishop Henning said emphatically, "But I know who holds the future."
Bishop Henning said we all have been chosen but then the choice is up to us to accept our choseness.
Using a fax machine as an example, Bishop Henning said that a fax machine when it is set to send can not receive any data. He said you have to set the fax machine to receive to get data. He said by making the choice to be chosen, then you set yourself to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
"Know you are chosen," Bishop Henning implored the packed Convention Center, "You have been chosen by God, the Holy Spirit, and Jesus Christ. We are chosen but our choseness is inoperative until we choose the choser."
A special moment in the Sunday morning service was a special recognition of Rosa Parks, a Deaconess in the Africn Methodist Episcopal Church. She was honored with a new award titled the "Bishop's Award." In addition to the award to Rosa Parks, who because of illness was unable to attend the ceremony, the church made a presentation of $10,000 to the Rosa and Raymond Parks Institute.
It seemed like a daunting task, but during the Sunday worship, communion was served to all in attendence who choose to partake. They had centers set up throughout the mammoth Convention Center to serve the congregation areas around them. The process was smooth and orderly, adding an exra blessing to an already blessed morning.
There were no business sessions on sunday but that does not mean there was not plenty to do.
The centerpiece of Sunday afternoon was the Connectional Christian Debutante-Master Dedication service.
The service was a welcoming of young men and women into Christian adulthood. It was an impressive presenation.
One by one, first the Masters and then the Debutantes were called by name. Dressed either in flowing white gowns, or crisp, tailored white tuxedos, they began a long stroll down the aisle towards the stage. As they walked, the rest of their story was told, what school they attended, what is their hopes and aspirations. With a final bow or curtsy, they took their respective places on the stage
The heart of the service was the above reception of, and recognition of, the debutantes and masters. Time also was taken to remember Dr. Julma Brown Crawford, founder of the Christian Debutante-Master Dedication Commission.
Paying honor to her memory was Dr. Marie Metz, the commissioner from the 6th District, Ms. Julma Edge, the 4th District Consultant, and also neice of the late Dr. Julma Brown Crawford and Mrz. Loretta Hill, General Administrator of the Connectional DMC.
At one point in the program, this year's class of debutantes and masters sang a hymn by themselves. It was then, as you watched the beautiful and handsome gahering of white-clad, Christian young adults, that you grew impressived by the dedication they showed arriving at this point in their life, the potential this particular group of young people possessed, and as they sang, the talent that they encompassed.
The Connectional Christian Debutante-Master Dedication Ceremony was a living testimony to the youthful hope that exists for the African Methodist Episcopl Church.
It was a scriptural end to Sunday night, as a "joyful noise" was made unto the Lord.
It was the General Conference Festival of Music, which served as a showcase for the musical talent that arrived with the Bishops, delegates, alternates, observers and friends and visitors who came to the 46th General Conference.
Three of the Bishops of the church impressed the gathering with their individual vocal prowess. They were Bishop Philip R. Cousin, Bishop Robert Thomas Jr. and Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot. All three more than rose to the occasion and the audience response was appreciative and enthusiastic.
There was also a vocal presentation by all of he Bishops who were in attendence. This was labeled The Voices of the Episcopoi, which stands for Bishops plural. They sang "To God Be The Glory," directed by Bishop Talbot, and they hit a closing that drew the audience to its collective feet and caused them to return to the microphone, with thunderous applause, to reprise the ending.
There also was an Episcopal Supervisor moment in the spotlight as Mrs. Edith White Ming and Mrs. Beverly Thomas showcased their skills on piano, indvidually and collectively in a stirring duet.
Also featured in this great evening of enterainment was the Connectional Choir under the direction of Dr. Helen Jenkins-Earley. One particularly stirring piece was the rendition of the Cordelia Web composition "For You Alone Are God" made even more special since Ms. Web was a member of the choir.
The Third Episcopal District Choir also was on program. This group has been impressing all in attendence a the Conference each time they make a presentation. Sunday night was no exception.
Liturgical dance was represented by a Nakita and Hosea Rodgers who turned in a strong presentation. Don Lewis had people up on their feet and screaming with his skillful organ tour de force.
In his closing remarks, Jimmie Jamesm, out-going director of the Connectional Music Committee, remarked about the wealth of talent that the A.M.E. Church has within its ranks. The program really gave creedence to James remarks, which were set to what else but music, a stirring overature to the "Batle Hymn of the Republic."
