Dr. Kenneth E. Jones, Editor

The Christian Index
The Official Publication of the
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church
Offices housed at the CME Headquarters
4466 Elvis Presley Blvd.
Memphis, Tennessee
and
Miles College 205-929-1410 or
Fax: 205-744-0010
Goodoc@aol.com
Bishop Charles L. Helton, Chairman

The Editor’s Page

What Will Pre-General Conference Year 2005 Bring?

While we can never predict the future, we can learn from our past. Let’s take a moment to look back at 2004 to see if we can get a glimpse of what is to come. 

January 2004: The 8^th Pastor’s Conference in Atlanta, led by Dr. Thomas Brown, was one of the most well-attended in it’s history. Under the general focus on the Wesleyan Quadrilateral, participants learned to reconnect from the principles of the founder of Methodism to rekindle spirituality and discipline in the Church today. Women clergy played a major role as workshop leaders, presenters, and preachers.

February-March 2004: The Executive Board of the Women’s Missionary Council was abuzz with interest as the newly elected 9^th president of the Council, Dr. Elnora P. Hamb, convened her first meeting held at Dallas, TX. Dr. Hamb called for missionaries to take responsibility for the well being of children all over the world as they are challenged to deal with the pitfalls of society.

April 2004: Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey offers an eloquent criticism of the film, “The Passion of the Christ,” appearing in the April issue of The Christian Index. The article was titled, “A Brutalization of the Veritas.”   

Dr. Kenneth W. Carter and members of Carter Metropolitan CME, Ft. Worth, TX, made a historic mission trip to Jamaica with Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham. They donated a van and carried supplies.

May 2004: The General Connectional Board meeting in Memphis, TN, gave the Church its first glimpse of likely issues to come before the 2006 General Conference delegation (also to be held in Memphis and hosted by Bishop W. H. Graves). The Board heard the first report from the Committee on a Mathematical Formula For Connectional Assessments and Askings. Bishop E. Lynn Brown was installed chairman of the College of Bishops.

Dr. Daryll Coleman announced groundbreaking for the new Mother Liberty CME Church in Jackson, TN, which was destroyed in 2003.

June 2004: Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr. made a humanitarian trip to Columbia, South America, to assess the “appalling” living conditions of the 10.5 million Afro-Columbians.

July-August 2004: Over 7,000 attendees made “Living Water” 2004, led by Dr. Carmichael Crutchfield, at Greensboro, NC, the largest ever Connectional Youth and Young Adult Conference, and CME meeting, in the Church’s history. The host was Bishop Charles L. Helton.

The Church mourned the passing of the 47^th bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Bishop Richard Oliver Bass. Bishop Bass succumbed to an extended illness in Birmingham, AL.

September-October 2004: The 18^th CME Convocation was held in Birmingham, AL, under the theme, “Refocusing on our Wesleyan Heritage.” 

Bishop Paul A. Stewart, Sr., preached an inspiring and memorable keynote address. Bishop L. L. Reddick III was host.

The 9^th One Church one School Annual Partnership Conference was held in Chicago, IL. Founded by Bishop H. M. Williamson, Sr., OCOS continues to expand throughout the CME Church and nation.

November-December 2004: The College of Bishops presented $2 million to Texas College in Tyler, TX. Sr. Bishop Marshall Gilmore, chairman of the Texas Board of Trustees, is credited for guiding the school back to solvency and re-accreditation.

2005 In between these events, there were annual conferences, winter meetings, spring conventions, and other region and district meetings. There were celebrations, anniversaries, and countless ministries performed throughout the CME Church. The name of Jesus was lifted up, and people came to Christ!

What will happen in 2005? We do not know. But as we prepare to minister to people, hold our meetings and elect delegates to the ’06 General Conference, remember that while the future of the Church is only partially in our hands, all of us are fully in the hands of God.

Rev. Kenneth Elvis Jones, D. Min., Ph. D., Editor