Mykia Johnson Awarded Gates Scholarship
Mykia Johnson, a member of Russell Memorial CME Church in Durham, NC, has been awarded the prestigious Bill Gates Millennium Scholarship. From a field of 11,000 applicants, Mykia was selected as 1 of 1,000 Gates Scholars for the GMS Class of 2007.
She was officially notified by way of a letter from Larry A. Griffith, Vice-President of the Gates Millennium Scholars. The Gates Scholarship entitles Mykia to a full scholarship to any school of her choice. It will fund her education through the Master and Doctoral levels if she pursues graduate studies in the fields of education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public hearth or science.
Mykia was offered a four year scholarship to North Carolina Central University by NCCU Chancellor James H. Ammons. The offer was extended during the 39th Annual Awards Banquet of the Human Relations Youth Award of the City of Durham Relations Commissions Department.
The blessings just keep flowing in her life. Mykia was also chosen to be a North Carolina Teaching Fellow. The N.C. Teaching Fellows program gives $6,500 annually tc 500 deserving North Carolina students while preparing them to be the “cream of the crop” in the filed of education by providing them with enriching opportunities to pursue their dreams. Mykia has decided to be a blessing to someone else by giving up her Teaching Fellow Scholarship to a Teacher Fellow Alternate.
Mykia is actively involved at Russell Memorial where she serves on and participates in the Sunday School, Bible Study, Children/Y outh Choir, Junior Usher Board, Mattie E. Coleman Missionary Circle, and the Christian Youth Fellowship (CYF).
A senior at Hillside High School in Durham, she is president of the student body and a member of Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA), the Student Government Association and the golf team. On a national level, Mykia is a member of the National Honor Society, National Achievers Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society, National English Honor Society, and Students Taking Academic Responsibility (STAR).
Mykia serves in the Durham community at large with Habitat for Humanity, and as Secretary of the Durham Youth Council and Chair of the Board of Striving For The Community (SFTC) Serteens.
Mykia successfully takes on all these activities while maintaining a 4.327 GP A at Hillside where she is ranked 6 of 280 students in her senior class.
Submitted by Mrs. Fannie T. Lee and Mrs. Mamie V. Alston

General Connectional Board Concludes. The first meeting of the General Connectional Board of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in the wake of the 2006 General Conference came to an end Thursday, May 3, 2007. From every indication, this was a very good General Board. Wednesday, May 2, was highlighted by the reports of each of the Standing Committees in open session held at the Greenwood CME Church, Dr. Travis Robinson host pastor. And while there was no information that caused reason for concern in the church, there was good news from certain departmental camps. General Secretary of Finances and Chief Financial Officer Dr. Joseph C. Neal, Jr. informed the Board that several of the church’s larger open accounts have been satisfied and that its largest obligation incurred on behalf of Texas College is on schedule to be fully paid as early as 2011. In fact, the church’s cash flow has increased by nearly $400,000 and long-term debt has decreased by well over a half-million dollars. More news of note came from General Secretary of Personnel Services Dr. Tyrone T. Davis who informed the church that there has been a positive return for the CME Church Retirement Plan over the last year in the amount of 7.17 percent. He also informed the Board that, thanks to help from General Secretary Neal, retirees who take their pension will also now hold a $10,000 life policy for themselves and $5,000 life policy for their spouse through age 99. Other reports were also noted, such as planning for the 2008 Connectional Youth and Young Adult Conference in Orlando, FL by the Department of Christian Education and planning for the Missionary General Assembly in Atlanta, GA in August of this year. Following the business session of the General Board was the installation service of the chairman of the College of Bishops, Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.
The evening Service of Holy Communion was also held at Greenwood CME. The Communion speaker was Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart, Sr., 3rd Episcopal District. Music was provided by the 1st District mass choir.
The 2007 General Connectional Board meeting closed on Thursday morning, May 3. The meditation speaker was Rev. Dr. Clementine Mays, St. Paul CME Church, Easley, MS. New this year in the closing service was “A Service of Renewal” for the General Board. In a Litany for the Church, the floor of the Board was divided into two groups. Then adding a third group, consisting of the College of Bishops, there were three voices that read words of dedication. It was a wonderful experience.

1st General Board of New Quadrennium Off to Good Start
Memphis, TN—The first session of the meeting of the General Connectional Board began Tuesday afternoon, May 1, 2007, as smooth as the church could hope for as delegates from throughout the Connection met at the Holiday Inn Select Airport Hotel. Host and Senior Bishop William H. Graves of the 1st Episcopal District called to order his first such meeting since being installed as the senior executive of the Church at the 36th General Conference held here in Memphis last June. The Senior Bishop began this General Board by introducing the afternoon meditation speaker, Dr. George Coleman, pastor of the Cleaves Memorial CME Church in Oakland, TN. The meditation was followed by the Roll Call by Rev. DeAndre Bell.
Atty. Juanita Bryant, the Executive Secretary of the CME Church, gave the first General Officers’ Report of this General Board. Dr. Paul Brown, Washington, DC, read the names of the members of the various Standing Committees to the General Departments of the Church. Room assignments for Standing Committee meetings were given. The General Board then recessed to attend the Dedication Service of the CME Publishing House and Miles College Bookstore on Elvis Presley Blvd. Busses were provided for the attendees.
At the Publishing House, Dr. William E. George, General Secretary of Publications Services, was recognized for his leadership in opening this facility in which all of the publishing interests of the Church are produced, including The Christian Index, The Missionary Messenger, the Sunday School literature, and numerous other resources and publications of the Church. Dr. Willie Clyde Jones of Tuscaloosa, AL, was recognized for his role in helping to facilitate the purchase of the building. It was noted that the new Publishing House is debt free.
Senior Bishop William H. Graves led in the ritual of dedication. Chairman of the Department of Publications Bishop E. Lynn Brown, 2nd Episcopal District, introduced dedication service participants and Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart Sr., 3rd Episcopal District, spoke on behalf of the College of Bishops.
During the meeting of the Standing Committees to hear the reports of the General Officers of the Church, several of the Boards dined on sumptuous meals. The final activity of the day was the annual Evening of Worship sponsored by the Ministers’ and Laymen’s Council, under the leadership of Dr. Eddie L. Jumper, president.