African Methodist Episcopal Church
Cecil L. ‘Chip’ Murray, influential pastor and civil rights leader in Los Angeles, dies
By Associated Press — April 8, 2024
LOS ANGELES (AP) — After the 1992 Rodney King riots in South Los Angeles. Murray emerged as a calming presence and used his connections with political and business leaders to raise money for recovery efforts.
African Methodist Episcopal Church leaders call for halt to all US funding of Israel
By Adelle M. Banks — February 16, 2024
(RNS) — The statement comes in a week of continuing calls for cease-fire and humanitarian aid for the victims of the war that began on Oct. 7.
AME Bishop Silvester Beaman named chair of White House council on African engagement
By Adelle M. Banks — September 27, 2023
(RNS) — ‘Bishop Beaman’s extensive experience and deep roots in Africa will enable him to lead the Council to achieve its full potential,’ the White House said.
Vice President Harris critiques Florida’s slavery view at AME churchwomen’s meeting
By Adelle M. Banks — August 1, 2023
(RNS) — Harris said she felt ‘at home’ among the African Methodist Episcopal Church members as she recalled her own Christian upbringing in Oakland, California.
Bishop Vashti McKenzie on leading National Council of Churches as it nears 75 years
By Adelle M. Banks — May 31, 2023
(RNS) — ‘I think that the difference, at this point, is that I am adding activism to advocacy,’ she said as she became NCC president after serving as interim leader.
COVID-19 health emergency is ending but faith-based vaccine clinics continue
By Adelle M. Banks — May 10, 2023
(RNS) — Over the last few years, African American congregations have provided outsized action on getting people tested and vaccinated.
Black church, NHL’s Penguins reach historic land-use accord
By Peter Smith — April 17, 2023
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The battle is a microcosm of a larger one over the legacy of the 1950s project, in which leaders in the Black community have long sought redress from the powers that be in Pittsburgh’s political, business and sports realms.
Half online, half in person: The state of Black churches now and possibly on Easter
By Adelle M. Banks — April 6, 2023
(RNS) — As Easter approaches, leaders of Black denominations use cautious language even as they hope for a resurrection in the numbers of people who return to the pews.
AME bishops condemn leaders who took massive kickbacks from church sales in New York
By Bob Smietana — September 7, 2022
(RNS) — The kickbacks came from the sale of Black churches in New York, some of which had been in distress. Church leaders hid the transactions from church members and state officials.
After Roe’s fall, Black churches support some or all reproductive health options
By Adelle M. Banks — July 1, 2022
(RNS) — The high court ruling gave states ‘a license to put the lives of millions of Black and poor women at severe risk,’ said the Rev. W. Franklyn Richardson.
AME Church alleges former retirement services exec embezzled tens of millions
By Adelle M. Banks — May 26, 2022
(RNS) — After an independent investigation, the denomination concluded that Harris deposited funds from the plan into his personal checking account.
30 years after Rodney King unrest, one faith leader’s vision still inspires LA
By Richard Flory and Najuma Smith-Pollard — April 28, 2022
(RNS) — ‘We may have set those fires, but we didn’t start those fires,’ said the Rev. Cecil Murray.
Pastors sue AME Church over missing retirement funds
By Mike Schneider — April 13, 2022
(AP) — “When you take advantage of my money, you lose my trust,” said one AME pastor. “You lose the trust of your employees.”
More than $90 million missing from AME pension funds, claim class-action lawsuits
By Bob Smietana — April 6, 2022
(RNS) — The lawsuits claim that thousands of retirement clergy have been harmed by the potential loss of their pensions.
Report: AME Church suspends payments to retirees, investigates missing pension funds
By Bob Smietana — March 10, 2022
(RNS) — Concerns about the AME pension fund had been circulating in recent months.
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