vicemodblog

Founders Day at Johnson C. Smith Seminary

Last week I had one of what I would call a "blast from the past" trip as I traveled to Atlanta, GA for the annual Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary Founders Day (JCSTS) Celebration. For those of you who are not familiar with Johnson C. Smith Seminary, it used to be on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC until 1969, when it was moved to Atlanta to be a part of the Interdenominational Theological Center, a consortium of six predominately Black seminaries. This was the first time I had been back on campus since I graduated 15 years ago and it brought back old memories of my time there.  

Upon my arrival in Atlanta last Tuesday all activities on campus was postponed due to inclement weather so I stayed in my hotel The Wyndham Garden for the day. On Wednesday, I rode along with members of the seminary's Board of Trustees to campus where the alumni gathered. My friend the Rev. Paul Roberts is currently the Interim Administrative Dean and he is doing a wonderful job keeping the seminary going. Paul and I were at JCSTS together as students and is currently the pastor of Church of the Master Presbyterian Church in the city. We had the opportunity to hear from him as he gave the "State of the Seminary" address. There are major challenges ahead both institutionally and financially. Currently JCSTS has only 16 students and 12 will graduate this coming May. In addition there is a major debt load that has to be met. Despite that news everyone is very optimistic and as always in the African-American tradition we believe that "God will make a way out of no way" and that the seminary will survive. That afternoon the alumni met with a consulting group who is helping to form a strategic business plan for JCSTS. The plan includes becoming the place where people become (or find) a Pioneering Leader; expanding the focus on Race/Ethnicity which will open the seminary to all who want to become "pioneering leaders"; and developing educational partnerships with laity and/or student internships. The plan looks great and I pray that things will go well! That evening we were hosted to a wonderful reception and the food was by Crepe Masters. I highly recommend them to you if you need a caterer for your event in the ATL!

The next day the highlight was the weekly community chapel service as it was led by the Presbyterians with the theme "Apostolic Leadership for the 21st Century."  I was one of this year's distinguished alumni honorees and given a nice glass time clock during the service. My friend and fellow alumnus Rev. Van Moody preached from Joshua 1 and rocked the house! He is the pastor of The Worship Center Christian Church in Birmingham, AL. It was good to see him again and he is a powerful man of God! After service I was a part of a three-person panel in talking about African-American Church Leadership" with Van and Rev. Dr. Lonnie Oliver, recently retired pastor of New Life Presbyterian Church and is a mentor to many of us. Then I made my way back home to Raleigh that evening.

I had a great time going back to the "scene of the crime" and I ask that you keep the seminary in your thoughts and prayers as we look toward a bright future with God's leading.

March Churchwide letter

 

Monthly columns featuring GA Vice Moderator Byron Wade and Stated Clerk Gradye Parsons

March 2010

Spring Cleaning

by Byron Wade

It’s almost time for spring cleaning!

If your house is anything like mine, you probably have a lot of stuff you don’t want or need anymore. It’s amazing what we have stuffed away in our houses — old books, photos, clothing, and other items that are important and serve as significant markers in our lives. However we can’t keep it all.

If we neglect to clean our houses, there will not be room to add anything new.

A few weeks ago, we entered the Lenten season. Beginning on Ash Wednesday, this forty-day period prepares us to live into the events at the end of Jesus’ life — his suffering and death on the cross.

Through the Lenten journey of reflection, repentance, and prayer, we are confronted with many aspects of the Christian life in general – and our sins and shortcomings in particular.

One of the common practices of Lent is the giving-up of something that reflects a return to simplicity and purity. We can all identify aspects of our lives, whether materially or spiritually, that need “cleaning” in order to have a greater relationship with God.

Giving up something for Lent (or any other time) is not easy. Difficult decisions will have to be made. But with the guidance of God’s Holy Spirit, we will be able to make room for God to do great things.

The refrain of the hymn “Give me a Clean Heart” says it best:

Give me a clean heart so I may serve Thee.
Lord, fix my heart so that I may be used by Thee,
For I’m not worthy of all Your blessings.
Give me a clean heart, and I’ll follow Thee.

May God direct you to a “spring cleaning” of your life during the Lenten season.

The Reverend Byron Wade is Vice Moderator of the 218th General Assembly (2008) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.).

COGA/GAMC meetings in Louisville

 Last week I returned home from Louisville attending the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) meeting last week. For those who are not familiar with their work they are responsible for the ecclesiastical arm of the church that gives support to the governance and structure of the denomination. Moderator Bruce Reyes-Chow was also there and while I left mid-week, he stayed on for the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC) meeting that lasted until last Friday.

The past two years I have really gotten to know the scope and breadth of the work of OGA. This time of year they are busy making preparations for the 219th General Assembly in Minneapolis July 3 - 10. If you have not seen the GA website you can check it out here. The Minneapolis Convention Center is a very nice place and I think you will be pleasantly surprised at their facilities! 

Other actions of interest:

*The Docket for the 219th (2010) was approved

*The 222nd (2016) General Assembly will be in Portland, OR

*Bruce and I gave our last reports as Moderator and Vice-Moderator

*To date 56 overtures have been received in the Office of the Stated Clerk. Of these 56, 10 deal with G-6.0106 citations and 5 deal with the definition of marriage.

*We had a conversation with representatives from the Association of Presbyterian Executives (AEPS) on how they are dealing with upcoming issues and will be praying for the Assembly as well.

On Tuesday evening we had a joint session with the GAMC Executive Committee and Wednesday morning with the full GAMC as we had a joint plenary session focusing on Future Leadership needs of the church. Each of the presenters did a very good job laying out the current church and societal landscape. We heard reports on Phyllis Tickle's The Great Emergence and a report on the study of Commissioned Lay Pastors (CLP). Overall everything turned out well and I will definitely miss being around the COGA table in the future.

Tomorrow I leave for Atlanta for a few days. I will go to my alma mater, Johnson C. Smith Theological Seminary to participate in our annual Founders' Day Celebration where I will be recognized as the first Vice-Moderator from the school and participate in a panel discussion on African-American Presbyterian Church leadership. I have to admit that I have not been back on campus since I graduated 15 years ago and I'm looking forward to seeing my friends and classmates once again!