African-American Ministers Retreat a Rousing Success

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO (September 30, 2003) - The African-American Ministers Association (AAMA) retreat concluded Sunday with participants considering the four-day event an unqualified success.

Designed as an opportunity for reinvigoration, rest and relaxation, the retreat also serves as a recruiting vehicle for African-American oriented ministries considering joining the Evangelical Covenant Church (ECC). In fact, almost all of the 11 visitors - who attended to gain a stronger understanding of the ECC and its relationship with largely black churches - left the event praising the relational aspect of the organization and applauding what they perceived as openness and acceptance by all, including conference and national officials in attendance.

Debbie Blue, director of adult ministries for the Department of Christian Formation, got day three of the four-day event off to a rousing start during devotions by challenging the pastors and spouses to be alert for signs of burn-out as they carry out God's call on their lives.

"When was the last time you spent quality time with God?" she asked each attendee, citing Matthew 11:28-30 as a scriptural touchstone. "What did that look like? What did that feel like? Are you paying attention to your spiritual growth? Do you have accountability partners outside of (your) marriage?"

Pointing out that her role is to help adults reflect Christ, Blue, who endorsed the effectiveness of Steven Covey's book First Things First, said a close friend helped her through a rough period in her life and that everyone needs to be accountable to someone. One of the highlights of the conference was the Friday night service, which featured several youth presentations, rousing vocals and a powerful message that set the conferees on fire.

Pastor D. Darrell Griffin of Oakdale Covenant Church in Chicago, utilized a tried-and-true passage, Jeremiah 29:10-14, to preach a strong message entitled "Surviving the Mean Time." It was anything but the traditional interpretation. Utilizing personal stories that were both painful and humorous, Griffin told his audience that every pastor has a point in his life where he asks the Lord, "If you have such a plan for me, why am I still in exile?"

Despite the fact that "we stand in front of the microwave and say 'hurry,' people in God's service need to remember that even David, the man after God's own heart, spent 25 years waiting on a breakthrough before becoming king," he advised. "The meantime can be a mean time," Griffin admitted, noting that sometimes it seems like success will never happen. "(But) I'm here to tell you your condition is not your conclusion. I can get through the mean time when I understand that the meantime is preparation time. He's (God) not getting the blessing ready for me, he's getting me ready for the blessing."

Other sessions included "How to Plan a Missions Trip," presented by East Coast Missions Facilitator Rose Cornelious, and "How to Make the Media Work for You in Your Ministry," presented by Deric Gilliard. In addition, Debbie Blue and Jerome Nelson, director of church and society ministries for the Central Conference, shared with the group plans for a 2004 "pre-CHIC" conference that will be designed to orient ethnic youth who may consider attending CHIC in 2006.

Earlier in the retreat, participants took time to visit sights around Colorado Springs. Rick Mylander, Midwest Conference associate superintendent (pictured with participant Deric Gilliard and his daughter Veronica), acted as a tour guide for a group that visited Pike's Peak.

During the retreat, AAMA President Henry Greenidge, who has led the group for the past five years, also shared the history of the AAMA and told the guests and Covenant attendees that relational skills, personal integrity and the ability to develop both money and effective leadership were keys to being successful within the Covenant. Noting the organization's role in the move towards diversity within the Covenant, Greenidge said "there would have been no open doors without (retired Oakdale Covenant pastor) Willie Jemison."

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