10 Outstanding Ministers Honored at 11th Pastors' Conference. In what has come to be one of the highlights of the annual Pastors’ Conference, Tuesday evening, January 9, 2007, was set aside as a time to recognize outstanding ministerial leadership in the CME Church. The Celebration of Outstanding Ministries was led by Rev. Dr. Raymond F. Williams, pastor of the Brown Memorial CME Church in Louisville, KY, who served as the liturgist. Also participating in the program were Rev. E.D. Hooks, pastor of Shy Temple CME Church, Atlanta, GA; Rev. John D. Pasley, pastor of Mt. Pisgah CME Church, Memphis, TN; Bishop E. Lynn Brown, presiding bishop of the 2nd Episcopal District, and Rev. Stephen P. Delaine, pastor of the Westside Community CME Church, Atlanta, GA. Rendering music selections were the Westside Community CME Church Male Chorus and the Shy Temple CME Church Choir. The congregation was thrilled to see and hear Dr. Elfreda A. Lakey, wife of conference host, Bishop Othal H. Lakey, accompanying the Shy Temple Choir on piano.
The speaker of the evening was Rev. Dr. Donald R. Robinson, pastor of the Lane Metropolitan CME Church, in Cleveland, OH. Introduced by Bishop E. Lynn Brown, Dr. Robinson preached the Celebration sermon in place of Dr. O.D. Walker, pastor of the Phillips Temple CME Church, Indianapolis, IN, who was recovering from illness. Dr. Robinson preached from Luke 15:8-9, using as a title, “Lost in the House.” He said that, like the woman in the parable who lost her coin, those who form the community of believers would do well to turn on the light and sweep out the dirt of their lives and the church in order to be found of God.
After the sermon, President/Dean of the Phillips School of Theology Dr. Marvin F. Thomas began the presentation of persons selected by their respective Episcopal Districts to be the 2007 recipient of the outstanding minister award. Each minister, whose biographical sketch was found in the official conference program, was introduced by his or her respective Episcopal leader and presented a plaque. This year’s recipients were 1st Episcopal District: Dr. Arthur L. David, pastor, St. Paul CME, Jackson, TN; 2nd Episcopal District: Rev. Della S. Porter, pastor, Cleaves Memorial CME, Evansville, IN; 3rd Episcopal District: Rev. Faith A. Allen, pastor, Carter Metropolitan CME Church, Detroit, MI; 4th Episcopal District: Rev. Denise Anders-Modest, pastor, Anderson Chapel CME, Holly Springs, MS; 5th Episcopal District: Rev. Willie C. Jackson, pastor, Popular Springs CME, Reform, AL; 6th Episcopal District: Rev. Carlton Mahone, Sr., presiding elder, Albany-Thomasville District, Fitzgerald, GA; 7th Episcopal District: Rev. Robert J. Williams, Jr., pastor, Williams Memorial CME Church, High Point, NC; 8th Episcopal District: Dr. C.E. Mitchell, pastor, Post Oak CME, Longview, TX; 9th Episcopal District: Rev. Hurley V. Grissom, Jr., pastor, Amos Metropolitan CME, Oakland, CA; and 10th Episcopal District: Rev. Adjei Lawson, presiding elder, Northwest District, Ghana Region.