Celebration of Life of Rev. Dr. H. Patricia Jones

The family of Rev. Dr. H. Patricia Jones, presiding elder of the Washington-Virginia District, announces the Celebration of Life and Homegoing Service. The service will be held on Saturday, June 29, 2013 at 11 a.m. at Israel Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, 557 Randolph Street, NW, Washington, DC. The church phone number is (202) 723-5795. The family visitation will be held from 9 a.m. until the time of the service.
Cards and expressions of condolences may be sent to the family at 340 Oneida Street, NE, Washington, DC 20011.

Please keep the family and loved ones lifted up in prayer.

Texas College Accredited

Dear Texas College Family and Friends:

I am pleased to announce that the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) has awarded the status of "Accredited"  (without any sanctions and no further reports due) to Texas College.

I am also pleased to announce that the Teacher Preparation Program has received the status of "Accredited" by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). These are Herculean accomplishments and ones that I hope we can all be proud of. Thank all of you who  assisted in making this possible. I declare that God has His hands on this institution and we continue to have a mighty work ahead of us. May God continue to bless you all.

Regards,

Dwight J. Fennell, Ph.D.
President

Miles College's Accreditation Reaffirmed by SACS
June 21, 2013, Fairfield, AL – Miles College's accreditation has been reaffirmed by the
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) at its June
Board meeting.
President George T. French announced today that Miles College has earned accreditation of
reaffirmation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACSCOC) for another
decade. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges
(SACSCOC) is the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education
institutions in the Southern states. The Commission’s mission is the enhancement of educational
quality throughout the region and the improvement of the effectiveness of institutions by
ensuring that they meet standards established by higher education stakeholders.
The SACSCOC Board informed President French that it was determined and ruled that Miles
College is in compliance with all principles required for accreditation, there being over 80. The
full granting of accreditation by SACSCOC means it has been unequivocally found that Miles
College has strong leadership, quality academic programs, and is financially sound.
"The SACSCOC reaffirmation process is a rigorous and necessary review to insure that member institutions provide adequate educational programs and support services to foster quality student learning and a collegiate experience in a fiscally sound environment. Miles College is a premier learning institution which makes paramount service to our students and community. We celebrate this milestone reaffirmation by our peers. Our dedicated faculty, staff, administration and board of trustees, along with national recognition of our students, quality educational programs, and solid financial base offer key indicators that we are excelling in achieving our institutional mission,” said Miles College President Dr. George T. French, Jr.
The news of reaffirmation comes amidst a time of unprecedented growth of the institution. Miles
College is the fourth most financially stable UNCF member institution, based upon review of its
Composite Financial Index (CFI), an index which tracks key ratios of institutional financial
stability and position for growth. Miles CFI positions the institution with a sound financial base
with the necessary resources to engage aggressive planned growth.
Financially poised, Miles College has engaged in a $20 million dollar capital improvement
project to include the simultaneous construction of three new campus facilities: the Bishop
Teresa Snorton Residence Hall, a 204 bed facility; the President George T. French, Jr. Student
Activity Center, to include a movie theater, Starbucks, and a state-of-the-art dining hall; and a
high-tech Welcome and Admissions Center, all slated for service in the fall of 2013.
The SACSCOC institutional review process takes place every ten years, and Miles College accreditation has been reaffirmed through 2023.

Impact Oklahoma Relief 
Significant sectors in the Oklahoma Region have been devastated by  a series of deadly tornadoes. These severe storms destroyed homes and businesses, in addition to claiming numerous lives, most of which were children. As of this date, no CME families and or facilities have reported storm related losses, but our neighbors are hurting, and as the people of God we must respond to their pain.

Bishop James B. Walker, Presiding Bishop of the Ninth Episcopal District, Presiding Elder Paul Everett, Presiding Elder of the Oklahoma City and Tulsa Districts, along with the Pastors and Members of the Oklahoma Region have launched “Impact Oklahoma” in order to support the relief efforts in the affected areas.

In order to undergird this effort, the College of Bishops invites every CME church in the connection to take up a SPECIAL OFFERING during the month of June for the “Impact Oklahoma” tornado relief efforts.  Please make checks payable to the “CME Department of Finance,” with “Impact Oklahoma” in the memo line. Please send all checks to your Presiding Bishop no later than June 30, 2013. The funds will then be made available through the CME Disaster Relief Fund at the direction of Bishop Walker.  Thank you for sharing during this pivotal moment in the lives of Oklahomans.

Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr., Chair
College of Bishops

4th Episcopal District loses 
Pastors Rev. Cecil Beatty and Rev. Isaac Edward Deberry
The Rev. Cecil Beatty, 81 died May 31, 2013, at Rush Specialty Hospital in Meridian, MS. Services were held on Wednesday, June 5, 2013 at 11 a.m. at Glenn Chapel CME Church, with Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr. officiating. Burial followed in Calumet Park Cemetery.

Rev. Beatty was formerly employed as Assistant Principal at Baily Middle School in Gary, Indiana, and pastored various CME churches. Survivors include his wife, Rev. Oleather Beatty of Macon, MS; children, John and Kimberly Beatty, both of Muncie, Indiana, Adrienne Edwards, Allison Jones and Denein Ford, all of Redford, Michigan and Dennis Jones of Dallas; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

PASTOR ISAAC EDWARD DEBERRY, 72, Pastor of Walton Chapel CME Church, Waterford, MS, died June 2, 2013. Visitation, 3-6 p.m., Thursday, June 6th at E.H. Ford Mortuary. Services are scheduled for noon, Friday, June 7th at Hurts Chapel CME Church, Olive Branch, MS.

Burial will follow in Mt. Moriah CME Church Cemetery, Como, MS.  Pastor Deberry was preceded in death by a son, Gervonni Deberry. He leaves his wife, Ann Deberry; two daughters, Tenje Payne and Michelle Deberry; three sons, Glenn E. Deberry, Isaac E. Deberry, Jr., and Donald D. Deberry, Sr.; six sisters, Naomi Humphreys, Esther Carter, Cora Harris, Mattie Turman, Millie Higgenbottom and Shirley Deberry; two brothers, Rivers Deberry and Eric Alexander, and a host of grandchildren.

E.H. Ford Mortuary (901) 345-9558

Submitted by Pene' Woods

Executive Secretary Dr. Jeanette Bouknight (center) with (l-r)
Dr. Donald Madlock, Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr.,
Dr. Jerry Christian, Dr. Tyrone Davis, and Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham

Executive Secretary Jeanette Bouknight receives 

honorary doctorate from Texas College

May 4, 2013 was a beautiful and sun filled Saturday in Tyler, Texas as Dr. Dwight Fennell, President of Texas College, led the assemblage of distinguished dignitaries, proud parents, family members, cheering friends and excited students in the Annual Commencement Exercises for the Historically Black College founded by and affiliated with the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.  A highpoint of the Commencement service was the presentation and conferring of the Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters on Jeanette L. Bouknight, Executive Secretary of the CME Church.  Following the reading of the Citation by Board Trustee Dr. Tyrone T. Davis, General Secretary of the Board of Personnel Services, President Fennell conferred the degree on Dr. Bouknight in the company of Board Chair, Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr., and Board Vice-Chair, Dr. Jerry Christian.  Also present for the occasion were members of her family including her parents, Reverend and Mrs. Joseph Bouknight, Sr., her sister, Barbara, and her son, Joseph.

Elected Executive Secretary of the CME Church in July, 2010, Dr. Bouknight was cited for her long and distinguished career in corporate America and her contributions to the CME Church.  An associate of arts graduate of Wayne County College, she subsequently earned the bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Davenport University in Dearborn, Michigan.  Her proficient expertise was initially demonstrated as a purchasing agent with Quaker Chemical Company and her corporate career culminated with her retirement in 2008 from 3M after 32 year of service as a Marketing Services Administrator whose talents embraced and shared the skills of planning, organization, implementation, and negotiation with companies in the travel industry.

In addition to her responsibilities as Executive Secretary which include administering the operations of the Connectional Headquarters and serving as a liaison between the CME Church and other ecumenical bodies, Dr. Bouknight serves as the meeting planner for the CME Church and treasurer of the CME General Officers Council.  Dr. Bouknight resides in Detroit, Michigan and is a member of Central CME Church in the Michigan-Indiana Region of the Third Episcopal District. Dr. Bouknight was honored on Sunday, May 12 to have her pastor, the Rev. Patricia A. Havis, share her accomplishment with her church family, the Central CME Church.

Submitted by Dr. Tyrone T. Davis