Heading to Quadrennial

    

Documents that tell our Story

Hello Wonderful People of God! 
        
As I write, the connectionalYoung People’s Department (YPD) is gathering in Orlando, Florida for their Quadrennial, and the Women’s Missionary Society is preparing for their gathering in just a few days.  I look forward to visiting with many of you there! Before I depart for Orlando, I’d like to share a bit more about my vision for the office of Historiographer and Executive Director of Research and Scholarship. Definitively, the term historiography literally means, ‘the history of historical writing’.  Another way to look at it is that in general - a historiographer analyzes the way other historians have written history about certain subjects.

For example, many of you are old enough to remember when the history of the United States was written and taught in schools from the narrow perspective of contributions of powerful white males. Well, historiographers study the ideas, events, and personalities that accompanied, or in many cases demanded a change in the way U.S. History is written and taught such that the contributions of women, the poor, African-Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native-Americans and other excluded persons are given proper recognition to the formation of the United States. 

The most important tool that historians use to research the past is called the primary source.  Most primary sources are documents that were created by witnesses or first recorders of historical events during (or very near) the time they occurred.  They include, but are not limited to:  journals, speeches, interviews, conference minutes, letters, reports, photographs, financial records, memos, and newspaper articles.  I have provided an image of The 1817 Doctrine and Discipline of the AME Church, first published by Richard Allen in 1817 - a very important primary source document for our Zion.

For our current use, The 2008 Doctrine and Discipline of the AME Church lays out the requirements for the connectional office of Historiographer on pages 158, 159.  Per the discipline, the historiographer’s first three essential duties are:

(1)     Write an updated history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

(2)      Represent the AME Church by participating in several historical societies.
(3)       Act as the archivist of the church – finding historical records of our church and placing them in safe and accessible locations.  After AME historical records have been securely housed, copies of these documents must remain in the custody of the AME Church.

In reference to the first task of the connectional historiographer, my research on the AME Church in Jamaica contributes significantly to an updated history of the AME Church. As it relates to the second task, I have had the privilege of attending several important gatherings of the mentioned societies as a Methodist Church historian who is ordained in the AME Church. (See photo of the Summer Wesley Seminar at  Duke University in 2008. )  The third task, is of profound interest to me, as I am convinced that this is the area with the most potential to expand the AME Church’s capacity to perform historical research within the 21^st century and beyond. This directly relates to my vision of placing the primary sources of our AME Church at your fingertips!

If I am elected Historiographer and Executive Director of Research and Scholarship, my first order of business will be to create a digital archival center, where members, scholars and interested persons can locate and use primary source documents of the AME Church in a digital format.  In other words, documents that reveal the history of our church - missionary correspondence, various conference minutes, miscellaneous letters, organizational records and more will become electronically accessible. 

I invite you to take a look at two websites that provide access to many AME historical documents in digital format.  The first is provided by the University of North Carolina: http://docsouth.unc.edu/.  The second is provided by the Ohio Historical Society: http://dbs.ohiohistory.org/africanam/serial/aa_se01.cfm. Using this format, I pledge my full-time commitment to place the AME REVIEW online and provide research tools that provide access to documents that tell our stories - stories of the history of the connectional AME Church from District 1 through District 20.

I pray that you are able to ‘feel’ my passion for this work, and my enthusiasm in this quest to serve you.  History is not just my academic discipline, but my ministry, as I am “Today’s Historian for Tomorrow’s Church!”

Be Blessed!

Rev. Sharon

Quest 2012 Candidate

Historiographer/Executive Director of Research and Scholarship

Hello, South Carolina!

Greetings from the 10th!

I have returned from the 2011 General Board and Council of Bishops and what a refreshing experience it was! I had the precious opportunity to meet and greet so many wonderful people from around the connection and I am ever so grateful.  

It was a particular pleasure to share my vision for the office of Historiographer. May I remind you of my commitment to:

• Organize and Digitize as many AME historical documents as possible, with your help
• Make these documents and every resource that comes out of the office user-friendly and understandable for every AME member, from YPDers to those in the Academy.
• Move to Nashville, TN and pursue this work full-time.

Your words of encouragement and support were received in the warm spirit in which they were shared and will carry me on to the finish line. I thank you for the time and attention you shared with me and hope that you are convinced that I am indeed "Today's Historian for Tomorrow's Church!"

Yours,

Rev. Sharon J. Grant
Candidate- 2012
Historiographer/ Executive Director of Research & Scholarship

What is the task of the Historian?

Hello all!

I pray that you are experiencing a wonderfully blessed Easter season as we move rapidly toward Pentecost Sunday!  As I thought about what might be a useful topic to blog about I realized that no matter what side of the globe you are on, the month of May was eventful.  To start off:

• President Obama announced the execution of Osama Bin Laden. 
• As soon as the news cycle started to slow, the Mississippi River began to swell and portions of the country faced unprecedented danger from the impending flood waters. 
• Oprah retired after twenty-five years and we watched her commemorate her legacy as the Queen of Daytime Television. 
• Last week, we watched in horror as a once in a lifetime F -5 tornado ripped through the town of Joplin, Missouri, killing at least 139 people and causing unspeakable amounts of damage. 
• Last, but not least, the country waited and watched with half-expectant, half-amused attention for the end of the world  to occur on May 21, 2011.

Some of these events will have lasting historical impact on our world, our country, our communities and our lives.  Historians sort out the lasting impact of an event by analyzing it and then making an interpretation of its meaning by looking at the 'world' around the event.

What does that mean for members of the AME Church?

Well, for example, when I attended the Lay Biennial Executive Board Meeting in  Detroit, Michigan in April - Bishop John Bryant made a statement that seemed to indicate that much of our church history is preserved from the perspective of clergy, i.e. Bishops and Pastors.  That simply means that persons who are documenting and analyzing the events that take place in our churches, presiding elder districts, annual conferences, and General conferences are often interpreted from a clergy person's perspective.  The hard work of laity is often overlooked. Therefore, the work of the conscientious historian, or historiographer, is to make every attempt to observe a church event from several points of view - clergy and laity before attempting to interpret its significance.

I look forward to seeing many of you as we travel to the General Board, the Quadrennial and the Lay Biennial! I remain on a quest to put our history in your hands!

In Christ's grace,

Rev. Sharon

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                       

Richard Allen and the Importance of Historical Literacy

 Hello Wonderful People of God,

February 14 commemorates the birthday of Bishop Richard Allen, the founder of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  All Episcopal Districts within the AME Connectional Church set aside time for special reflection upon Allen's importance to the church.  However, this year many AME's  and interested persons with Internet access around the globe, had a unique opportunity to view a minidocumentary, Bishop Richard Allen, Apostle of Freedom.  This first rate film illustrates the life of Richard Allen and reflects the effective collaboration between Dr. Mark Tyler, Sr. Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church in Philadelphia, PA, and Sam Katz's History Making Productions.

Philly.com  -a digital news journal of the Informer newspaper, published a wonderful article by Howard Shapiro on the "watch party"  and Founders Day Worship Service at Mother Bethel last Sunday.  When I read the article I was struck by the last sentence of the article, which was a quote by DeBrickashaw Ferguson, NFL player and financial supporter of the film.  Mr. Ferguson offered this commentary:  "It's easy to see why people are blessed in this church,...because they come from a great history, and a great founder."

This statement succinctly sums up my theme for this post - HISTORICAL LITERACY.  This phrase uses History as an analogy to a hot topic in the country right now - health literacy.  Literacy simply means the ability to read and write. However, health literacy is defined as the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information and services needed to adopt healthy behaviors and make appropriate health decisions. Advocates for health literacy know that persons who cannot read, write, or comprehend the information are likely to have higher health care costs and poorer health outcomes, therefore they create opportunities for health care professionals to learn how to communicate effectively with people.  Disparaging health statistics reveal the impact of poor health literacy on people living in poverty, which adversely affects people of color and the elderly.

Well, what about HISTORICAL LITERACY and the importance of historical knowledge to a person's wellbeing?  As a historian, I define HISTORICAL LITERACY as the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic historic information. HISTORICAL LITERACY provides access to information and tools to interpret that information - so that individuals and communities can adopt healthy cultural attributes which contribute to life-afffirming choices based on:  a sense of communal awareness; positive self identity; and divine purpose.

HISTORICAL LITERACY is not just  for the development of the intellect, it is necessary for the health of one's soul.  When you look at communities who succeed at a higher rate than others, they are communities who make significant investment in the preservation of their history. The African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is one such community of faith  -with a high success rate of achievement and contribution in all sectors of these United States, and across the globe.  I am convinced that it is due to Bishop Richard Allen's grasp of the importance of HISTORICAL LITERACY - as revealed in the "Historical Statement" of the The Book of Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.  I believe Bishop Allen understood that an enslaved people would never become fully liberated in body and soul unless they had access to information which illustrated their struggles and triumphs in times past.  The "Historical Statement"  has been revised, but never excluded - it can be found in every published AMEC Book of Discipline, and is a constant reminder that history matters. 

This is why I often state that "History is not just my discipline, it is my ministry".  One cannot engage in the cure and care of souls without utilizing history in some form.  The historical principle is biblical  and spiritual. Throughout the Old Testament and the New Testament, persons are reminded to serve the GOD of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.  They are taught that YHWH is the One True God whom the ancestors worshipped and who constantly acts in history to liberate oppressed people.  The Christ event is a historical event - the Transcendent God became Incarnate at a specific time and in a specific place in history to redeem sinful people.  History Matters.  The Free African Society was organized  in 1787, by people of African descent who lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with a goal to mitigate and eventually obliterate the factors which kept Africans in bondage physically, psychologically, socially and spiritually.  History Matters.

The  Richard Allen documentary released globally this week is a significant achievement in the effort to increase HISTORICAL LITERACY among all persons interested in the history of our founder and his contribution to the United States of America.  Happy Founders Day week to African Methodists everywhere!  Bishop Allen's legacy through the AME Church continues to make an impact across the world.


Rev. Sharon
"Today's Historian for Tomorrow's Church"

Looking Back to Look Forward

Happy Black History Month from the Quest 2012 Campaign!!

Check out the images below. You may click anywhere on the image to enlarge it!

A Weekend with Bishop Sarah- San Antonio

Last weekend was filled with two wonderful events for Quest 2012.  Bishop Sarah F. Davis and Supervisor Claytie Davis were present to support my aspiration for Historiographer/Executive Director of Research & Scholarship. The theme for the weekend was “Moving Forward in a Season of Change”. The first evening was an intimate fellowship dinner held at the Fort Sam Houston Golf Clubhouse on Friday, January 21, 2011.  It was a full house and all enjoyed listening to Bishop Sarah and Supervisor Claytie share their experiences of conducting ministry in the 16^th Episcopal District, and especially the ongoing critical situation in Haiti.  Bishop Jim Dorff from the UMC attended and welcomed Bishop Sarah Davis back to the Southwest Texas region. 

Saturday morning was another elegant affair. The Brunch featuring Bishop Sarah was simply amazing!  Persons travelled from Austin, Corpus Christi, and Dallas Texas  - even members from Districts 1 and 2 were present!  Of course, Bethel AME and Bethel UMC, San Antonio represented their beloved sister/ daughter!

The connectional AME Church continues to surprise me as I discover how relationships are cultivated and sustained within our transnational Zion.  Rev. Joni Russ served as a dynamic Worship leader! Even  the County Commissioner, The Honorable Tommy Adkisson who attended to present a resolution to Bishop Sarah commented upon her charismatic personality as she led us well.

Bishop Sarah preached a powerful sermon from the text Isaiah 42. She reminded us all to stay keenly aware of the place from which we receive our instruction and to hold firmly to the decision to listen only to the voice of God.

Dr. Raye Adkins and a special Planning Committee from the Southwest Texas Conference worked tirelessly to make sure that these events were thoughtfully planned and smoothly executed. I am so grateful to have such dynamic supporters in my corner! Special thanks to them and everyone who attended, supported financially, lifted us in prayer and otherwise showed support for my effort.

I’ve posted some miscellaneous photographs that do simply do not justice the wonderful time that was had with family, loved ones and supporters near and far!

Thank you,
Rev, Sharon

"Moving Forward in a Season of Change"

Holiday Inn- San Antonio International Airport

Saturday, January 22, 2011