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African-American Ministers Retreat a Rousing Success
by Deric Gilliard
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (September 30, 2003) - The African-American Ministers
Association (AAMA) retreat concluded Sunday with participants considering
the four-day event an unqualified success.
Designed as an opportunity for reinvigoration, rest and relaxation, the
retreat also serves as a recruiting vehicle for African-American oriented
ministries considering joining the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). In
fact, almost all of the 11 visitors - who attended to gain a stronger
understanding of the ECC and its relationship with largely black churches -
left the event praising the relational aspect of the organization and
applauding what they perceived as openness and acceptance by all, including
conference and national officials in attendance.
Debbie Blue, director of adult ministries for the Department of Christian
Formation, got day three of the four-day event off to a rousing start
during devotions by challenging the pastors and spouses to be alert for
signs of burn-out as they carry out God's call on their lives.
"When was the last time you spent quality time with God?" she asked each
attendee, citing Matthew 11:28-30 as a scriptural touchstone. "What did
that look like? What did that feel like? Are you paying attention to your
spiritual growth? Do you have accountability partners outside of (your)
marriage?"
Pointing out that her role is to help adults reflect Christ, Blue, who
endorsed the effectiveness of Steven Covey's book First Things
First, said a close friend helped her through a rough period in her
life and that everyone needs to be accountable to someone. One of the
highlights of the conference was the Friday night service, which featured
several youth presentations, rousing vocals and a powerful message that set
the conferees on fire.
Pastor D. Darrell Griffin of Oakdale Covenant Church in Chicago, utilized a
tried-and-true passage, Jeremiah 29:10-14, to preach a strong message
entitled "Surviving the Mean Time." It was anything but the traditional
interpretation. Utilizing personal stories that were both painful and
humorous, Griffin told his audience that every pastor has a point in his
life where he asks the Lord, "If you have such a plan for me, why am I
still in exile?"
Despite the fact that "we stand in front of the microwave and say 'hurry,'
people in God's service need to remember that even David, the man after
God's own heart, spent 25 years waiting on a breakthrough before becoming
king," he advised. "The meantime can be a mean time," Griffin admitted,
noting that sometimes it seems like success will never happen. "(But) I'm
here to tell you your condition is not your conclusion. I can get through
the mean time when I understand that the meantime is preparation time. He's
(God) not getting the blessing ready for me, he's getting me ready for the
blessing."
Other sessions included "How to Plan a Missions Trip," presented by East
Coast Missions Facilitator Rose Cornelious, and "How to Make the Media Work
for You in Your Ministry," presented by Deric Gilliard. In addition, Debbie
Blue and Jerome Nelson, director of church and society ministries for the
Central Conference, shared with the group plans for a 2004 "pre-CHIC"
conference that will be designed to orient ethnic youth who may consider
attending CHIC in 2006.
Earlier in the retreat, participants took time to visit sights around
Colorado Springs. Rick Mylander, Midwest Conference associate
superintendent (pictured with participant Deric Gilliard and his daughter
Veronica), acted as a tour guide for a group that visited Pike's Peak.
During the retreat, AAMA President Henry Greenidge, who has led the group
for the past five years, also shared the history of the AAMA and told the
guests and Covenant attendees that relational skills, personal integrity
and the ability to develop both money and effective leadership were keys to
being successful within the Covenant. Noting the organization's role in the
move towards diversity within the Covenant, Greenidge said "there would
have been no open doors without (retired Oakdale Covenant pastor) Willie
Jemison."
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