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.