wfn.org | Black clergywomen celebrate election of sisters as bishops

[NewsDesk@UMCOM.UMC.ORG]

Nov. 2, 2000 News media contact: Linda Green·(615)742-5470·Nashville, Tenn.
10-31-71BP{502}

NOTE: Photographs will be available. 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (UMNS) - Black United Methodist clergywomen are hailing the
recent elections of three African-American female bishops as a sign of hope
that no glass ceiling exists for them in the church.

The Rev. Lydia Waters, chairwoman of the Black Clergywomen of the United
Methodist Church, underscored the significance of the elections during
remarks to the three new bishops at the organization's Oct. 23-26 meeting.

"You give us hope that our voices will be heard, our concerns shared and we
will be visible at the highest levels of the church," Waters said.

The nearly 75 participants at the meeting congratulated new bishops Violet
Fisher, Linda Lee and Beverly Shamana. The three were among 13 bishops
elected in July at U.S. jurisdictional conferences. Fisher was elected in
the church's Northeastern Jurisdiction and is serving in the New York West
Area; Lee, elected in the North Central Jurisdiction, is serving the
Michigan Area; and Shamana, elected in the Western Jurisdiction, is serving
the San Francisco Area.

Some of the black clergywomen pointed to the elections as both historic and
a collective testimony to perseverance. Until this year, the only black
woman ever elected to the church's highest office was Bishop Leontine Kelly.
She was elected in 1984 and served the San Francisco Area for four years
before her retirement.

The election of three black women to the office of bishop was the
culmination of years of hard work and planning, several speakers and
participants said. They repeated a regret often expressed by Kelly that no
woman of color had been elected in the 12 years since her retirement. 

The clergywomen celebrated the three elections with high spirit and song. "I
will always be the first African-American woman bishop of the United
Methodist Church, but praise God I am no longer the only," said the
80-year-old Kelly.

Kelly also affirmed the election of Vashti McKenzie as the first black woman
bishop in the 200-year history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.
"God is going to use women in new ways," Kelly said. "I've been honored long
enough. It is great to have some company." 

Seven of the 13 new bishops elected in the predominantly white denomination
this year were African-American. Each of the church's five U.S.
jurisdictions elected at least one African American. Following the
elections, 15 of the 50 active U.S. bishops are African-American, an
increase of five over the 1997-2000 quadrennium. Eleven are women, an
increase of two.

As Fisher, Lee and Shamana walked down the aisle of the hotel ballroom,
Waters said, "In these three women, we see ourselves and we know that by
their election, the denomination has been raised to a level not before seen.
Because of them, this church will never be the same.

"We know that each of you are called for 'just such a time,'" Waters said.
"Bishops, you are evidence to us that with God all things are possible. You
give us hope, you give us encouragement, and you give us strength. You are
phenomenal women of God, and we are praying for you without ceasing." 

Host Bishop Ann Sherer of the Missouri Area said the three new bishops will
impact the Council of Bishops and the denomination in "dramatic ways."  

Each of the three new bishops thanked her clergy sisters. "For your
discernment, conviction and dedication, and keeping your feet planted, I,
and we, thank you very much," Shamana said.

"I add my gratitude to those of you who were so faithful, who never doubted
God for what God could and would do," Lee said. "I will always remember that
it was black clergywomen who gave me encouragement, support and prayers long
before this ever occurred. ... We are here as a testimony that God will
carry out God's promises, and I am here to testify that God is faithful."

The black clergywomen's organization is on a journey that has just begun,
Fisher said. She urged her colleagues to work together, stand together and
support one another. 

As an act of support, the clergywomen surrounded the bishops, laid hands on
them and prayed for their ministry. 

The three bishops were given the "Bishop Kelly Justice Award," established
by the black clergywomen's organization in 1997 to honor Kelly's involvement
with justice issues. Waters also received the annual award for her
"unceasing and untiring" work for justice in the church and in her
community. 

The Kansas City gathering, the fourth annual meeting, provided time for
participants to network and develop strategies that will enable black
clergywomen to fully use their gifts and graces at all levels of the church.
Participants also had opportunities for personal growth and development. 

During a question-and-answer session with the bishops, the clergywomen
affirmed their collective and individual ministries. The process prompted
some participants to observe that they were not alone in confronting sexism,
ageism, racism and "character assassination."

The group, open to all clergywomen of African descent, seeks to address
justice issues that confront African-American clergywomen and women in
society. The United Methodist Church has 8.4 million U.S. members, including
382,000 African Americans. Of the 37,000 clergy in the denomination, 500 are
African-American women, the largest population of seminary-trained black
clergywomen of any denomination, according to Waters.   

In her address as chairwoman, Waters said the organization's momentum must
increase. "This is the time for us to live and not die, for God is using
women (and) doing great things among us. This is the time for us to
celebrate, not hesitate." 

One issue being addressed by the group is the high incidence of stress,
burnout, depression and exhaustion among clergywomen. The clergywomen were
encouraged to take care of themselves and to renew themselves for more
effective ministry.

"Be a Living Sacrifice ... Choose Life," was the theme of the clergywomen's
four-day meeting, which included worship and workshops on a variety of
topics. According to the Rev. Beverly Wilkes, pastor of Grace United
Methodist Church in Springfield, Ill., the theme emerged as planners
reflected on the 1999 death of the Rev. Tallulah Fisher Williams at age 45.
She was a member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference.

"Her death was a wake-up call to the theme of being a living sacrifice,"
Wilkes said. "We realized that the church will require our physical lives,
but we are not mandated by God to surrender it. We are mandated to live, not
to give up our lives."

Waters said that one problem black clergywomen must address involves being
appointed to very small churches. "Are we being sent out to 'mammy' churches
back to health, or are we sent out to be pastors?" Other concerns are
salaries and "overall respect" from the denomination, she said.    

Waters, pastor of Crossroads/Nija Panda United Methodist Church in Compton,
Calif., was re-elected to a two-year term as chairwoman. Other officers
include the Rev. Cynthia B. Belt, pastor of New Beginnings United Methodist
Church, Severn, Md., vice chairwoman; the Rev. Martha Orphe, Pittsburgh
District superintendent, administrative secretary; the Rev. Sharma Lewis, a
member of the ministerial staff at Ben Hill United Methodist Church,
Atlanta, recording secretary; and the Rev. Andrea Middleton, pastor of John
Wesley United Methodist Church, Washington, treasurer.

*************************************
United Methodist News Service
Photos and stories also available at:
http://umns.umc.org