DISTRICT OFFICE 500 Eighth Avenue South Suite 201 Nashville, Tennessee 37203 (615) 242-6814 office (615) 242-2496 fax [email protected] DISTRICT WEBSITE www.13thame.com EPISCOPAL RESIDENCE 1012 Beech Tree Lane Brentwood, Tennessee 37027 (615) 833-1444 DISTRICT STAFF The Reverend Jimmie Plummer, District Accountant [email protected] Mrs. Linnie Davis, Administrative Assistant [email protected] The Reverend Anica Howard, Executive Assistant [email protected] 13thame.com B Thirteenth Episcopal District Thirteenth Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church 13th Episcopal District God Our Father Christ Our Redeemer Holy Spirit Our Guide Humankind Our Family 2012 Annual Conferences GUIDE AND WORKBOOK Jeffrey N. Leath Presiding Prelate Susan J. Leath, M.D. Supervisor, Women’s Missionary Society 1 13thame.com Thirteenth Episcopal District FULFILLING THE GREAT COMMISSION: FULFILLING THE GOAL OF DISCIPLESHIP “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.” Mathew 28:18-20a Grace and Peace in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ! If we are to realize true revival in African Methodism, we must heed the call to discipleship! It is easy to get lost in the administration of the church to the point where we fail to fulfill the mandates of the ministry of the church. Administration serves ministry, ministry is not an excuse for administration. The goal of discipleship is two dimensional: Be One – Make One. The different life to which we are called is characterized by new patterns of living as a disciple of Jesus Christ. It is a commitment to a new walk in a new path with a new purpose. Next, we are called to make/nurture disciples. We usher into community those who are called of God for the same life we live in Christ. We witness and invite as a trumpet call to those who are being awakened by God in spirit to the full life of discipleship. Let us review/renew our commitment to being a disciple. Then, let us reaffirm the primary task of the church to go into the world (starting at home) making disciples. To accomplish these tasks we need to reflect on the meaning of discipleship. We must be willing to submit to give an account for our discipleship. This is the role of the annual conference. We not only give an account of stewardship, but we also therein give and account for our faithfulness in discipleship. Dr. Susan and I are thrilled to be in the Thirteenth. As we appreciate the solid work of The McKenzie Team, we pray for wisdom and strength to lead in the next levels of discipleship. May God bless us with fruitful annual conference sessions and Holy Spirit filled worship to aid us in reaching the Goal of Discipleship. Faithfully, Jeffrey N. Leath 13thame.com 2 Thirteenth Episcopal District THE RT. REV. JEFFREY N. LEATH 128th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Presiding Prelate The Rt. Reverend Jeffrey N. Leath was elected and consecrated the 128th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in July 2008 in St. Louis and has been assigned to serve in the 13th Episcopal District in Kentucky and Tennessee. He previously served the 19th Episcopal District in South Africa. Bishop Leath is a child of the parsonage. He was born in Huntington, New York and has lived in Norwalk, Connecticut and Inwood, New York as his father served in those places. Dr. Leath is a graduate of Yale College, Yale Divinity School (Master of Divinity) and United Theological Seminary (Dayton, Ohio) - Doctor of Ministry. His doctoral dissertation focused on the Class Leader system in the A.M.E. Church. Bishop Leath has served churches in New York; Rhode Island; Norristown, Pennsylvania and Wilmington, Delaware. His final pastoral charge was at Mother Bethel Church where he served for fourteen years as the 51st pastor. Before his assignment to the Thirteenth Episcopal District (Kentucky and Tennessee), Bishop Leath served the Nineteenth Episcopal District (Republic of South Africa). Bishop Leath is the husband of Susan J. Leath, M.D., the Leaths have three children: (the Rev.) Jennifer, Victoria, and Jeffrey, II. Brother Leath is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, and he is a 33rd Degree Prince Hall Mason. He is a member of Mt. Pisgah Lodge, #32; Montgomery Chapter, #44 and Martin Luther King, Jr. Consistory, #86. 3 13thame.com Thirteenth Episcopal District SUSAN JONES LEATH, MD Supervisor, Women’s Missionary Society Dr. Susan Jones Leath is the fourth of five children of the Reverend Harold B. and Mrs. Juanita R. Jones. Growing up in Worthington, Ohio, she has been a lifelong A.M.E. Her father served as a local elder and her mother has been honored for devoted participation in the Women’s Missionary Society. She now serves as the WMS Supervisor for the 13th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church (Kentucky and Tennessee). Dr. Leath is a graduate of Yale University and The Medical College of Pennsylvania. She is the wife of Jeffrey Leath, the 128th bishop of The A.M.E. Church. She is the mother of (the Reverend) Jennifer Leath, Victoria Leath, and Jeffrey N. Leath, II. Her interests are to encourage, promote and discuss health issues. The spiritual basis for her concern is 1 Corinthians 6:19, “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God, and that you are not your own?” She is quite concerned about preventive health issues within the community of faith. Dr. Leath maintains an active practice of family medicine in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She also maintains fellowship with Mother Bethel A.M.E. Church of Philadelphia, where she leads a women’s church school class each Sunday. Susan enjoys reading, gardening and her exercise regimen. 13thame.com 4 Thirteenth Episcopal District BISHOPS OF THE AME CHURCH District Name Order 4 John Richard Bryant 106 3 McKinley Young 109 2 William Phillip DeVeaux Sr. 113 5 Theodore Larry Kirkland 114 11 Adam Jefferson Richardson Jr. 115 7 Richard Franklin Norris 116 10 Vashti Murphy McKenzie 117 1 Gregory Gerald McKinley Ingram 118 6 Preston Warren Williams II 119 17 Wilfred Jacobus Messiah 120 19 Paul Jones Mulenga Kawimbe 121 9 James Levert Davis 123 15 David Rwhynica Daniels Jr. 124 12 Samuel Lawrence Green Sr. 125 16 Sarah Frances Davis 126 Located E. Earl McCloud Jr. 127 13 Jeffrey Nathaniel Leath 128 8 Julius Harrison McAllister 129 18 John Franklin White 130 14 Clement Willie Fugh 131 20 & Ecum. Off. Reginald Thomas Jackson 132 RETIRED BISHOPS Name Order John Hurst Adams 87 Frederick Hilborn Talbot 90 Vinton Randolph Anderson 92 Frederick Calhoun James 93 Frank Curtis Cummings 95 Philip Robert Cousin Sr. 96 Henry Allen Belin Jr. 104 Robert Vaughn Webster 110 Zedekiah LaZett Grady 111 Cornal Garnett Henning Sr. 112 Carolyn Tyler Guidry 122 Bishop John Richard Bryant Senior Bishop Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green President, Council of Bishops Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson President, General Board 5 13thame.com Thirteenth Episcopal District GENERAL OFFICERS Dr. Richard Allen Lewis Treasurer/Chief Financial Officer The Rev. Dr. Johnny Barbour Jr. President/Publisher, AME Church Sunday School Union The Rev. Dr. George F. Flowers Executive Director Department of Global Witness and Ministry The Rev. Dr. Jerome V. Harris Executive Director Department of Annuity Investments and Insurance The Rev. Dr. James Wade Executive Director Department of Church Growth and Development The Rev. Dr. Daryl B. Ingram Executive Director, Department of Christian Education The Rev. Dr. Calvin H. Sydnor III Editor, The Christian Recorder The Rev. Dr. Jeffery B. Cooper General Secretary/Chief Information Officer The Rev. Dr. Teresa Fry Brown Historiographer/Executive Director Department of Research and Scholarship RETIRED GENERAL OFFICERS Dr. Jamye Coleman Williams The Rev. Dr. Anderson Todd Jr. The Rev. Dr. Dennis C. Dickerson Dr. Paulette Coleman The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Hill The Rev. Dr. Ricky Spain 13thame.com 6 Thirteenth Episcopal District CONNECTIONAL OFFICERS Dr. Shirley Cason-Reed President, Women’s Missionary Society The Rev. Gregory V. Eason Sr. President, Connectional Council Mr. Derek Anderson President, RAYAC Mrs. Gloria Massey Ward CDMC Connectional Administrator Attorney William A. Marsh Jr. General Counsel, AME Church Attorney Patricia Mayberry President, Judicial Council The Rev. Dr. W. Bartalette Finney Sr. President, Presiding Elders’ Council Mr. Jonathan Ingraham President, YPD Dr. Sheryl Crawford Director, YPD Dr. Willie Glover President, Connectional Lay Organization The Rev. Miriam J. Burnett, MD Connectional Medical Director Mrs. Fredia A. Hanley-Johnson President, CONN-M-SWAWO +PKs Mr. George Brown, President President, Connectional Sons of Allen The Rev. Anthony Vinson Sr. Director, Connectional Music and Arts Ministry The Rev. Kimberly L. Detherage, Esq. President, Connectional Women in Ministry 7 13thame.com Thirteenth Episcopal District Chaplain Mark Cisco President, AME Chaplains’ Association Mrs. Jacquelyn Dupont Walker Consultant/Director, Social Action Commission Mr. Robert Nicholas Executive Director, AME SADA Mrs. Ora Easley Administrator, AME Clergy Family Information Center The Rev. Joy L. Gallmon Fellowship of Christian Educators 13TH DISTRICT MEMBERS SERVING CONNECTIONAL OFFICES Ms. Lesa Halfacre 2nd Vice President, Women’s Missionary Society Mrs. Brenda Gaines-Ollie WMS Foundation Board Ms. Breonna Davis Financial Secretary, YPD Ms. Erica Perry Chairperson for Global Missions, YPD Mr. Darwin Eldredge Treasurer, Connectional Lay Organization Mrs. Doris Bell Assistant Recording Secretary, Connectional Lay Organization Mrs. Billie Irvin Advisor, Connectional Lay Organization Mr. John Thomas III Young Adult Representative, Connectional Lay Organization The Rev. Tyronda H. Burgess Financial Secretary, Women in Ministry Mr. Marcus Henderson Member Board of Trustees, AME Church, Inc.