African Methodist Episcopal Church
After four-month lockout, African Methodist Episcopal pastor preaches at her church
By Adelle M. Banks — November 1, 2021
(RNS) — The AME Women in Ministry said, ‘we are greatly distressed to hear of women in ministry concurrently being oppressed by systematic strongholds and discriminatory behavior.’
Former NBA player Stan McKenzie, husband of first woman AME Church bishop, dead at 76
By Adelle M. Banks — July 21, 2021
(RNS) — Less than two weeks before, his wife — Bishop Vashti McKenzie — thanked her spouse as she made farewell remarks at the African Methodist Episcopal Church’s General Conference.
Retiring Bishop Vashti McKenzie, first AME Church woman prelate, reflects on a groundbreaking career
By Adelle M. Banks — July 16, 2021
(RNS) — ‘Do I think that women can do this? Yes,’ McKenzie said. ‘Do I think the women that have been elected in my denomination have done an exceptional job? Absolutely.’
Four new bishops — and first biracial bishop — elected to AME Church
By Kathryn Post — July 12, 2021
(RNS) — The African Methodist Episcopal Church elected four new bishops on Saturday, July 10, the final day of the 2021 General Conference.
AME General Conference votes to form committee to study LGBTQ issues
By Kathryn Post — July 9, 2021
(RNS) — The committee will examine Scripture and doctrine and will hear testimonies of LGBTQ individuals of African descent.
AME General Conference debate on same-sex marriage continues after bill is voted down
By Kathryn Post — July 7, 2021
(RNS) — The measure would have repealed a section in the AME Book of Discipline that prevents clergy from performing such marriages.
We need a better strategy to plant Black and brown churches
By Thabiti Anyabwile and John Onwuchekwa — June 19, 2021
(RNS) — Solidarity does not mean assimilation.
Wilberforce University, AME Church school, cancels debt for 2020, 2021 grads
By Adelle M. Banks — June 1, 2021
(RNS) — The school said the amount of debt forgiveness for both classes totals more than $375,000 for the 166 new alumni.
100 years later, Black church leaders seek reparations for Tulsa massacre
By Adelle M. Banks — May 19, 2021
(RNS) — An African Methodist Episcopal pastor and other Black people of faith say the time has come to repay as well as to remember.
AME Church historical documentary features Mother Emanuel pastor Clementa Pinckney
By Adelle M. Banks — April 29, 2021
(RNS) — The AME Church is highlighting the documentary along with another about the history of its major quadrennial meetings, as producers work on a third film.
Religious conference planning continues amid COVID-19, socially distant or online
By Adelle M. Banks — March 24, 2021
(RNS) — Religious conference planners are waiting to hear whether their meetings will go on as expected this year and contemplating how they will look as the pandemic continues.
Biden taps Delaware AME pastor to offer benediction at inauguration
By Jack Jenkins — January 14, 2021
WASHINGTON (RNS) — A longtime confidant of the Biden family, Silvester S. Beaman, made headlines when he was featured in a 2020 Trump campaign ad.
Faithful Black descendants hope reparations after Florida massacre will be a model
By Adelle M. Banks — December 23, 2020
(RNS) — ‘They left with nothing,’ said the leader of a Rosewood-related foundation. ‘Livestock was gone, houses burned to the ground, couldn’t go to church.’
Army makes history promoting Black woman chaplain to colonel
By Adelle M. Banks — September 3, 2020
(RNS) — Chaplain (Col.) Monica R. Lawson said: ‘just in case you didn’t figure it out, it took us 245 years for this moment to happen.’
Black clergy memorialize the dead, ask government to address disparities
By Adelle M. Banks — April 16, 2020
(RNS) — Some are mourning losses in the highest echelons of their denomination. Others are counting the dead, sick and unemployed.
