Moving and Sharing- Reflections During Lent

Hello All!

My prayer is  that all of you experience the fullness of God’s presence during this most holy season of Lent.  I wanted to take a moment to share what has been happening with me of late on this awesome journey!

This is my first semester as an Adjunct Professor at The University of the Incarnate Word in San Antonio, Texas.  I was asked to teach two courses, Christian Symbols and Celebrations  and Introduction to Philosophy.  The students and I have worked hard and the teaching experience has been a joy.

There are two opportunities for those of you who desire to view recent releases  of my work:

      The first is the release of  a three-part DVD series,The Wesleyan Studies Project, produced by Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington D.C. and released by the Wesleyan Ministry Network.   I am honored to be among three AME scholars asked to serve as a participant.  My presiding prelate, Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram, and the current Historiographer for the AME Church, Dr. Dennis Dickerson are the other AME participants.  Bishop Ingram and I are featured on the DVD series on Methodist Doctrine, while Dr. Dickerson is featured on the segment of Methodist History.  Over 40 Methodist scholars across the globe were asked to participate in the development of this digitized curriculum, which was created to instruct future leaders throughout the Methodist family.  Please visit the Wesley Ministry Network  website for information on when this DVD series will be made accessible to the general public.

      The second is the recent release of the Apr-June AME REVIEW. This journal features articles, sermons and scholarly publication by and about the  historical legacy of women in the AME Church.  I am humbled to have one of my sermons published among such female giants in the Church of Allen.  The sermon was written at the last minute - Dr. Jessica Ingram ( the Episcopal Supervisor for the 10^th District) fell  ill unexpectedly and asked me to preach for The Gathering of Women Worship Service during the 2009 North Texas Annual Conference.  If it were not for that invitation –that sermon would not have been written or preached! See how God works?

I would like to make mention of two other items of interest inside this edition of AME REVIEW that place ordained women of Texas in the spotlight. First, Reverend Pamela Rivera, the pastor of St. Luke AME Church , Waco, Texas, and President of the 10^th District Women In Ministry (WIM) submitted a magnificent sermon on “Forgiveness”, and Dr. Sandra Smith Blair’s article, “The Second Generation of Presiding Elders in the African Methodist Episcopal Church”. That article holds particular fascination for me, because it reveals that the 10^th District’s sole female Presiding Elder, The Reverend Dr. Ida Willis Keener, is in fact the Senior Female Presiding Elder for the  connectional AME Church! Dr. Keener currently serves as Presiding Elder for the  San Antonio District within the Southwest Texas Conference, however,  she has travelled  in the twenty years she has been  appointed Presiding Elder. Her witness of a reliable, firm, spirit-led ministry has blessed the Tenth District and the  Church of Allen at large.  Please join me in giving God praise and congratulate her for this historic achievement and testimony of God’s faithfulness.

Until later, blessings and much divine favour during this Holy Season of Lent.

Rev. Sharon