General Secretary Harris Urges Adoption of CME Ushers Manual

July 27, 2010

TO: CME Ushers, Other Laity, Pastors, and Presiding Elders

May the joy of the Lord be yours as you continue to give thanks and service to Him everyday!

I write this communication primarily to share information about and the availability of the newly published CME Usher Manual that was written by our Connectional Usher President, Ms. Diana Winton. Dr. Victor Taylor arranged to have the manuals printed by the CME Publishing House, just prior to the 37th General Conference. All of the 300 copies that were made available for sale at the General Conference for a price of $10 were sold. I have since secured the remaining manuals and they are available through my office.

I am, thus, requesting that Usher Ministry organizations at the regional, district, and local levels of our church secure copies of the manual for information, teaching and training. We have a wonderful opportunity as a church to establish connectivity throughout this very vital ministry by studying and teaching from a manual written by the CME Connectional Usher President - for CME Ushers. There is no further need for Ushers, at any level of our church, to incorporate processes and procedures taken from manuals printed by other denominations or individuals. In Sister Winton’s words, “We wish to see and help promote our Ushers being on one accord.”

Please go to http://www.c-m-e.org/core/layministry.htm and download the Lay Ministry Order Form and place your order. You can receive your order by mail or arrange to pick it up at the up-coming CME Convocation, September 21-24, 2010 in Louisville, KY. Additionally, relative to the Convocation, I am encouraging Lay Council members, Stewards, Stewardesses, Ushers, and other laity to register and be in attendance to share in the assemblies and teaching sessions for these ministries. Our focus will be on the Quadrennial Theme: “An Essential Church:” Poised For 21st Century Ministry.

As I close, allow me to provide the latest update that I have relative to Mrs. Faye McGhee, who was hospitalized and underwent emergency surgery while at the General Conference in Mobile, AL. Faye is still in Mobile at the Infirmary Medical Center. She is doing better but is in need of our constant prayers. Any cards or expressions should be sent to the McGhee's family address: 303 Serena Street, Kettering, MD 20774-1933.

Again, may the joy of the Lord continue to be yours!

Sincerely & In Christ I trust,

Clifford L. Harris

General Secretary

Department of Lay Ministry