Fifth Episcopal District, CME Church Newsletter
Bishop Teresa E. Snorton
Presiding Bishop
February 2014

 PASTORAL CONCERNS 

 

Please continue to pray for Mrs. Esther Isom, the widow of Bishop Dotcy Isom, who made his transition last month. Bishop Isom presided in the Fifth District from 1982-1986.

 

Dr. Marvin Frank Thomas, President/Dean of Phillips School of Theology lost his mother and his uncle in the same week.  They were both members of Bailey Tabernacle in Tuscaloosa.

 

Presiding Elder Oscar Massey, Tuscaloosa District, lost his brother Eddie Lee Massey of Georgia.

 

Mrs. Terry Walker, First Lady of the Miami-Tampa district lost her mother, Mrs. Tereatha Allen. She was 93 years old.

 

Rev. Larry Allen, Jacksonville-Orlando District, lost his sister, Ava Allen.

 

Rev. James Copeland, Porter St. Paul, Northport, AL, lost his brother Dwaine Copeland.

 

Rev. Sam Gordon, Bethlehem, Prattville, lost his brother, Willie Brown.

 

Mrs. Jewell Boswell, first lady of St. Paul, Jacksonville, AL, lost her father, Charlie Bell who was almost 104 years old.

 

Mrs. Georgia Whitmore, first lady of Greys Temple, West Palm Beach, FL, lost her sister,  Daphen Narine-Smith, who lived in Jamaica, West Indies.

 

Rev. C. K. Heath, former member of the 5th District, lost his father, Mr. Clarence Heath. 

 

Mrs. Doris Pitts (former Missionary President, J-O District) continues to recover from a kidney transplant.

 

Mrs. Mary Carter (widow, Huntsville District) is recovering from surgery.

 

 

"FAITH AND FITNESS"

 

The Bishop's blog

 

I have a new toy, the Fitbit Flex tracking device. I wear it on my arm like a bracelet.  It tracks my steps daily.  It can also record your sleep pattern, daily active minutes, daily calorie intake, daily water consumption and more. Some data has to be entered manually. The device is synced to my Iphone and laptop so I can view my statistics.  You charge the device the same way you charge a smart phone. Each of us should walk 10,000 steps per day.  My highest day was February 1st when I did 9,417 steps! My average for the first month was 6,680 steps per day. The device is available from RadioShack and Amazon.

 

Mental Health Tip

by Linda Forte, Ph.D.

 
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) 
 
People of color are reluctant to discuss issues surrounding mental health, even disorders that do not require hospitalization.  This month's health tip looks at OCD, a common disorder that is fairly prevalent in the general population in the United States..  Hallmarks of the disorder include recurring thoughts, ideas, feelings or actions that either cause significant psychological distress or interfere with effective living.  
 
Concerns about cleanliness, injury or aggressive sexual compulsions are common obsessions.  Repetitive hand-washing, cleaning, praying, counting or making things orderly are common compulsions.  Diagnosis is established if distress is present, the acts are time consuming (take more than an hour), or the illness significantly interferes with normal routines, occupations or social activities.  
 
Treatment includes specific medications and behavioral therapy.  The person is exposed to a feared object or idea, then discouraged or prevented from carrying out the usual compulsive response.  If successful, repeated sessions, gradually decrease the anxiety, resulting in refraining from the compulsive actions.  Treatment success depends on individual responses.   
 

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To schedule a mental health training session at your church, contact Rev. DenTise Copeland, our liaison with the National Alliance on Mental Health (NAMI), Alabama Chapter.  Email dentise7@yahoo.com.

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Black History Month 

Why is Our History Important?

 

Deuteronomy 6

6 "And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. 7 You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. 8 You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. 9 You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. 10 "So it shall be, when the LORD your God brings you into the land of which He swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give you large and beautiful cities which you did not build, 11 houses full of all good things, which you did not fill, hewn-out wells which you did not dig, vineyards and olive trees which you did not plant.

 

It has been said "Those who don't know their history are doomed to repeat it". Moses was giving instructions to the Israelites just as they were about to enter the promised land.  He knew it was important for them to remember their history, to remember where they came from, to remember that it was God "who brought them from a mighty long way."  Moses literally was saying "let everything you do be a reminder of your history and a chance to teach the next generation -  when you just sitting around at home, when you are walking around town."  If he were alive today, he would say put up posters and pictures in your house!  Read books and magazines about black history. Watch television shows, movies and documentaries about your legacy! Teach the children! Keep scrapbooks and journals!  Do whatever is necessary not to forget, loose or neglect your history!

 

This month many of our churches and auxiliaries will have Black History programs.  May these not be just for "form and fashion", but real opportunities to transmit our story to the current and future generations.  May we see evidence of God's blessings in our history, even through the pain, suffering, tragedy and struggle. May we commit ourselves anew to continue to add to the legacy by not squandering the many blessings we enjoy because of the sacrifice of so many others! 

 

successful-young-people.jpg  

 

DO YOU HAVE A HIGH SCHOOL JUNIOR OR SENIOR WHO IS INTERESTED IN ENROLLING IN COLLEGE?  

 

Technical assistance on the application process, financial aid, scholarships and other information is available through the MAPPING PATHWAYS TO COLLEGE PROJECT, sponsored by the Miles College CDC and the Fifth Episcopal District.  For more information, call 205-929-1139.  Sessions are held the second Saturday of each month through May. All assistance is free.

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OUR ANNUAL GARDEN CONTEST BEGINS IN MARCH.  BE PREPARED TO SIGN UP  YOUR CHURCH AT THE SPRING CONVOCATION!

 

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CALENDAR OF EVENTS 

 

February 13-17, 2014

Women's Day Celebration

Southside CME Church, Birmingham, AL

 

February 28, 2014 at 7:30 pm

Birmingham Region Spouses Ball

Harbert Center, Birmingham, AL

Dinner, Live Music, Dancing - Tickets: $50 per person

 

March 1, 2014  

James Coon African American History Brain Brawl, Central Metropolitan and and Holsey Temple CME Churches, Jacksonville, FL

 

March 3-9, 2014

Family and Friends Celebration

St. Paul CME Church, Docena, AL

 

March 5, 2014

Ash Wednesday 

 

Friday-Saturday, March 14-15, 2014

Alabama Regions Spring Convocation and Quadrennial Celebration, Miles College Campus, Birmingham, AL

 

Friday-Saturday, April 4-5, 2014

Florida Regions Spring Convocation and Quadrennial Celebration, Carter Tabernacle CME Church, Orlando, FL

 

Registration for the Spring Convocations will be available on the website at www.cmefifthdistrict.org after February 5th. 

 

THE ACADEMY OF PUBLIC THEOLOGY is proud to announce its first graduation ceremony on Saturday, May 31st at 11 am at Miles College, Pearson Hall.  Come join the faculty and graduates in this historic event!

  
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SAVE THE DATE!!!
Phenomenal Women's Summit
August 28-30, 2014
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Register at
 

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Contact Us:

 

Mailing Address:

P. O. Box 13383

Birmingham, AL 35202

 

Office Location:

4901 Lloyd Noland Parkway

Fairfield, AL 35164

PLEASE DO NOT SEND MAIL TO THIS ADDRESS, USE THE POST OFFICE BOX ABOVE!!!

 

Website:     

www.cmefifthdistrict.org

  

Facebook:  

5th Episcopal District of Christian Methodist Episcopal Church (CME)

 

Email: 

cmec35203@yahoo.com

   

Twitter: 

@cme5th

 

Office Phone:

205-929-1145

 

CME Church Website
      www.thecmechurch.org