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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS" by SUSAN PEEK on Aug. 11, 1991 at 13:58 Eastern,
about FULL TEXT RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (2926 notes).

Note 2926 by SUSAN PEEK on April 26, 1996 at 22:37 Eastern (2672 characters).

SEARCH: BMCR, bishops, black, prayers, African

064  {2928}                                         April 26, 1996

General Conference '96

"Ebony" bishops honored at Black 
Methodists for Church Renewal Banquet

     DENVER -- Two black United Methodist bishops were honored
recently for their dedication to United Methodists in the African
diaspora, at an event held, here, during the 1996 General
Conference.
     
     Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR), the church's
unofficial black caucus, honored retiring Bishops F. Herbert
Skeete (Boston Area) and Forrest Stith, New York Area, during a
banquet April 21. 
     
     Approximately 200 United Methodist delegates attended the
celebration at Scott Memorial United Methodist Church here.
Participants also paid special tribute to 30 active and retired
African and African-American episcopal leaders, who are known
fondly as "The Ebony Bishops."
     
     In presenting special gifts to the retiring bishops and their
spouses, Jackye Waiters-Lee, BMCR president, noted that both men
have worn "a badge of love" continuously throughout their tenure
as bishops of the church.
     
     "We realize that as we forge ahead in 'Strengthening the
Black Church for the 21st Century,' love must prevail -- not for
ourselves and immediate friends, but love must prevail for the
ones we have yet to meet," said Waiters-Lee, a member of Hamilton
Park United Methodist Church, Dallas.
     
     "For you, our ebony bishops, your presence and support to
BMCR -- if I can use the words of the Rev. [Walter] Kimbrough --
have been a blessing beyond measure."
     
     Following her remarks, gifts of appreciation were presented
to the Skeetes and the Stiths, including framed prints of an eagle
in flight.
     
     Earlier that evening, a check in honor of Skeete and Stith
was presented to African Bishop Emilio J. M. de Carvalho (West
Angola Area), chancellor of the church's Africa University, for
the school's endowment fund.
     
      Stith said, he was grateful for the prayers of the members
of the ethnic caucus after he took health leave from his episcopal
duties because of stress and a grievance that was filed against
him. "That was one of the things that kept the Stith family
going," he said.

     He is taking early retirement.
     
     "We want to share with the people of BMCR, this very special
evening," he said. "We are grateful for the gifts, and for the
honor of being remembered by you at this special point in our own
journeys and life together.
                              #  #  #
                                         -- Denise Johnson Stovall

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