Home > From the Desk of the Connectional Lay Council’s General President Yvonne A. Tracey
From the Desk of the Connectional Lay Council’s General President Yvonne A. Tracey
Connectional Lay Council :: Yvonne TraceyWhy should I feel discouraged……His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me; Laity, we should count this time as our finest hour in and for Zion! The true sign of a committed and faithful laity is evidenced in our rising to higher heights when it appears that our backs are against the walls of the many individual and collective challenges at all levels in Zion. First, let me congratulate all who have helped to push the mission and objectives of the CLC higher heights. For the past three years we have increased memberships; changed from “workshops” to implementing the Lay Academy; elected, as opposed to appointing our local, district and conference officers; showed up in increased numbers to connectional meeting and participated in the drafting of several resolutions for the General Conference. The voices of Zion’s Laity are reverberating as they have not done in recent times. More importantly, I sense that we are more conscience of our role as strategic partners with the ordained clergy in fulfilling the mandate to make disciples for Jesus Christ through our ministries. Although, these changes are evident in many areas of Zion, in too many areas we still have a long ways to go.

Pressing on us now is the opportunity to close out this quadrennial in grand style. Starting with this very moment we must consider ourselves to be in the Pre-Lay Quadrennial Convention wind-down mode. To this end, we need to focus strategically on the following action items:

  1. Planning a noteworthy celebration of Connectional Lay Day as we make it a goal to win over somebody to “Come with Us to Christ”.

  2. Collect and send the Lay Sunday offering to the CLC Central Office post haste.

  3. Ensure every viable church in Zion have at least three names on the CLC Membership roll. (Pastor, Trustee and Steward Board Chairs.) It only counts if you send in the portions allocated to the district, conference and connectional levels.

  4. Plan to register and attend the 10th Quadrennial Lay Convention in Montgomery, AL. July 27 – August 1, 2013.

  5. Mentor our youth, young adults; evangelize, encourage and edify our local church families.

  6. Develop an informed and loyal body of laity in the local church, district and conference through the dissemination of good information.

  7. Extend your hands of support and prayers to all departments in Zion and especially to the Board of Bishops.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.  - Proverbs 3: 5-6
 

  • Philadelphia and Baltimore Conference
    May 21-26, 2013
    Philadelphia and Baltimore Annual Conference

  • Memorial Day
    May 27, 2013
    Memorial Day commemorates men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces.
  • Tennessee Annual Conference
    May 28-June 2, 2013
    147th Session of The Tennessee Annual Conference
    Host Church    :
    Mt. Olive A.M.E Zion Church
    133 County Rd. 812
    Etowah, TN  37331
    423-263-2826
    Host Pastor:
    Rev. Joe W. Moore
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • Colorado Annual Conference
    May 30,  - June 2, 2013
    Colorado Annual Conference
    Spottswood AME Zion Church
    Denver CO
    Rev. Alexander Persons, Jr, Pastor
  • New England Annual Conference
    June 1-9, 2013
    New England Annual Conference
    169th Session
    Hilton Garden Inn
    35 Major Taylor Blvd
    Worcester, MA 01608
    Belmont AME Zion Church, Host Church
    visit http://belmontamezion.com/ne-annual-conference/ for additional information

  • Indiana Annual Conference
    June 4-9, 2013
    Indiana Annual Conference
    Rick's Chapel
    438 North Poplar Street
    Centralia, IL 62801
    618-532-2077
    Rev. Dr. Donald L. Jones
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • Kentucky Annual Conference
    June 11-16, 2013
    Kentucky Annual Conference
    Taylortown
    10901 Ballardsville Road
    Louisville, KY 40241
    502-241-1362
    Rev. Erich V. Shumake
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • West Central North Carolina Annual Conference
    June 18-23, 2013
    West Central North Carolina Annual Conference
    Piedmont Episcopal District
    Dorothy Walls Conference & Retreat Center
    495 Cragmont Road
    Black Mountain, NC
    --------------------------
    The Holiday Inn-Biltmore East
    1450 Tunnel Road
    Asheville, NC 28805
    Host Church:
    Mt. Calvary AME Zion Church
    Monroe, NC
    Host Pastor:
    Rev. David A McLean
    Host Presiding Elder:
    Rev.  Dr. Murray L. Edwards
    Presiding Prelate:
    Bishop George E. Battle, Jr.
  • Southwest Rocky Mountain/Arizona Conferences
    June 18 - 23, 2013
    Southwest Rocky Mountain/Arizona Conferences
    First A. M. E. Zion Church, Pasadena, CA
    The Rev. Mr. Keith O. Johnson, Pastor
  • Michigan Annual Conference
    June 18-23, 2013
    Michigan Annual Conference
    Lomax Temple
    17441 Dequindre Street
    Detroit, MI 48212
    313-893-1463
    Rev. Brian Relford
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • South Florida Annual Conference
    June 19-23, 2013
    123rd Annual Session of the
    South Florida Annual Conference
    Miami District
    Host Church:
    Wactor Temple A.M.E. Zion Church
    5632 NW 31st Avenue
    Miami, FL 33141
    305 842 6939

    Host Pastor:
    Rev. Dr. Teneramie C. Jimenez

    Presiding Prelate:
    Bishop Dennis V. Proctor

    Ephesians 3:20-21
    Now glory be to God! By his might power at work within us, he is able to
    accomplish infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope.
    May he be given glory in the church and in Christ Jesus forever and ever
    through endless ages. Amen (NLT)
  • Albemarle Annual Conf. Eastern NC
    June 25-30, 2013
    Albemarle Annual Conf. Eastern NC
    Kadesh
    1001 Badham Road
    Edenton, NC 27932
    252-482-0617
    Rev. Walter P.V. Walker
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • Western New York Annual Conference
    June 25-30, 2013
    164th Session of the Western New York Annual Conference
    Sheraton Syracuse University
    Hotel & Conference Center
    801 University Avenue
    Syracuse, NY 13210
  • Philadelphia-Baltimore Annual Conference
    May 21-26, 2013
    Philadelphia-Baltimore Annual Conference
    Location TBD
  • California Annual Conference
    June 25-30, 2013
    California Annual Conference
    First AME Zion Church
    San Jose, CA
    Rev. Michael Henderson, Pastor
  • Western North Carolina Annual Conference
    June 25-30, 2013
    123rd Session of the Western North Carolina Annual Conference
    Western North Carolina Annual Conference
    Host Church:
    Clinton Tabernacle AME Zion Church
    828-327-0102
    Conference Site:
    Metro Convention Center
    1960 13th Ave Dr. SE
    Hickory, NC
    828-322-1335
  • OR-WA Annual Conference
    July 9 - 14, 2013
    OR-WA Annual Conference
    121th Session Annual Conference
    Ebenezer A. M. E. Zion Church, Seattle, WA.
    Rev. Alphonso H. Meadows Jr., Pastor
  • Cascade Annual Conference
    July 9-14, 2013
    Cascade Annual Conference
    121st Annual Session
    Ebenezer AME Zion Church
  • Missouri Annual Conference
    July 9-14, 2013
    Missouri Annual Conference
    St. Matthew
    4400 East Linwood Blvd.
    Kansas City, MO 64128
    816-861-2457
    Rev. Kelsey Hopson
    Bishop Darryl B. Starnes, Sr., Presiding Prelate
  • Tenth Quadrennial Lay Convention
    July 27-August 1, 2013
    Save the Date
    10th Quadrennial Lay Convention
    Montgomery, AL

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