Ame Church

When the Rev. Melvin C. Green was installed formally as pastor of Christian Community Church of God on Sunday, he was presented with two ministerial robes trimmed with African kente cloth.Also on Sunday, to mark the Rev. Vashti McKenzie's fifth anniversary as pastor of Payne Memorial AME Church, her congregation gave her a light blue robe of silk edged in an African-style gold embroidery.These ministers -- of different sexes and denominations -- show how the revolution in clergy dress in the black church has become mainstream in recent years.

People packed the pews and filled the balconies of Baltimore's historic Bethel A.M.E. church Sunday morning to honor a man they credit with reviving the house of worship — one of the city's most influential — and bringing unabashed passion back to the black church. The daylong ceremony recognized the Rev. John Richard Bryant's 50 years of service, which began in the steepled church at the corner of Druid Hill Avenue and Lanvale Street and took him to Africa and Massachusetts, then back to his hometown and, most recently, to the Midwest, where today he presides over the 4th Episcopal District as a senior bishop.

Deep hearty voices of an all-men's choir lifted the spirits of nearly 100 people gathered at St. John AME Church in West Baltimore yesterday to celebrate Father's Day and the endurance of African American men.Some 30 fathers who attended the ceremony were given boutonnieres and honored by Mayor Kurt L. Schmoke for commitment to their families, communities and God."Those who have counted us out are wrong," said the Rev. Maurice Wilson. "Those who call us an endangered species are wrong. There are many of us who have not abandoned our families -- who cook food for our kids and work day in and day out to support them."

Harford Community Action Agency honored volunteers, supporting organizations and individuals and employees at it annual awards dinner at the Bayou Restaurant in Havre de Grace Oct. 13. AMES United Methodist Church in Bel Air was honored with a Partnership Award for its support of the Community Action Agency food bank and food pantries through the annual Race for the Hungry. Donna Lewis, one of the organizers of the AMES effort, said the event at Edgeley Grove Park in Fallston raised more than $11,000 for the food pantry.

In an emotional chorus of support for one of Baltimore's historic black churches, 11 City Council members rose last night to urge doing everything possible to keep Bethel AME Church in the city.4th District Councilwoman Sheila Dixon introduced a resolution,which was unanimously approved, calling on the Schmoke administration to actively court Bethel."The main reason I think it's important that we keep this historic church in Baltimore is because of the impact the church has made and is continuing to make in people's lives," said Ms. Dixon, a member of the church at Druid Hill Avenue and Lanvale Street in West Baltimore.

Choir director Eric L. Domineck stands with his back to an empty church. About 30 people, choir members of the Union Bethel AME church in Randallstown are seated before him on a Friday night wearing bluejeans, sweat suits, sneakers. A request is made: "Can someone cut the spotlights off?"It gets hot under those spotlights, and tonight they are not necessary. After all, this is only practice. But it is a crucial practice. This is one of the last choir rehearsals for the Christmas service.For church choirs, Christmas is the equivalent of the Super Bowl.

On December 8, 2008, CAROLYN D. There will be no viewing of remains. A Memorial Service will be held at Union Bethel AME Church, 8615 Church Lane, Friday 7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Beck's name to Union Bethel AME Church Christian Academy. Arrangements by Chatman Harris Funeral Home.

Baltimore native, Army Sgt. Demond A. Johnson A memorial service will be held at Bethel AME Church, where he was a long time member. The funeral service was held with full military honors on Friday, February 13, in St. Luke AME Church. Fayetteville. Graveside services followed in Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake. A memorial service will be held at Bethel AME Church, where he was a long time member, Tuesday, February 17th family hour at 10:30 A.M. followed by memorial at 11 A.M. Dr. Frank M. Reid, III is the pastor.

On July 8, 2005 CHARLES EDWARDFriends may call at the CHATMAN-HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, 5240 Reisterstown Road, Wednesday 12 to 3 P.M. and at the Mount Calvary AME Church, 300 Eudowood Ln., Towson MD where the family will be present Wednesday 4 to 7 P.M. The family will receive friends at the above mentioned church Thursday 10 A.M. Funeral service will begin 10:30 A.M. Interment Meadowridge Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Mount Calvary AME Church Building Fund.

A Woman's Day Unity Revival will be held at 7 p.m. Friday at Adams Chapel AME Church, Garrison Boulevard and Egerton Road in Baltimore.The featured speakers will be the Rev. Martina Madden and her daughter, the Rev. Janice Barnes, both of Grace AME Church in Catonsville.The Woman's Day Committee at Adams Chapel also is sponsoring a health fair -- including blood-pressure screenings, breast-cancer education, AIDS information and a nutrition workshop -- from noon to 5 p.m. May 18.Pub Date: 5/15/96

Marie Betsy Smith, an active member of Waters African Methodist Episcopal Church and its choir, which she enriched for many years with her distinctive contralto, died of cancer Dec. 4 at Stella Maris Hospice in Timonium. She was 80. Marie Betsy Franklin, who was born into a musical family, was raised in East Baltimore. She learned to play piano at an early age and after graduating from Dunbar High School in 1948, attended the Baltimore Institute of Music and Art on a scholarship.

On July 3, 2009, CHARLIE L. WHELCHEL; beloved husband of Aurelia Whelchel; devoted father of Dana J. Whelchel; loving brother of Betty Hubbard, Barbara Freeman, Jean Tolson, Janice Whelchel, Tommie Whelchel and Carlton Whelchel. He is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends. On Thursday, friends may call at VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES (RANDALLSTOWN), 8728 Liberty Road from 4 to 8 P.M. On Friday, services for Mr. Whelchel will be held at Union Bethel AME church, 8615 Church Lane, where the family will receive friends 10 to 11 A.M with services to follow.

Baltimore native, Army Sgt. Demond A. Johnson A memorial service will be held at Bethel AME Church, where he was a long time member. The funeral service was held with full military honors on Friday, February 13, in St. Luke AME Church. Fayetteville. Graveside services followed in Sandhills State Veterans Cemetery in Spring Lake. A memorial service will be held at Bethel AME Church, where he was a long time member, Tuesday, February 17th family hour at 10:30 A.M. followed by memorial at 11 A.M. Dr. Frank M. Reid, III is the pastor.

On December 8, 2008, CAROLYN D. There will be no viewing of remains. A Memorial Service will be held at Union Bethel AME Church, 8615 Church Lane, Friday 7:00pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Mrs. Beck's name to Union Bethel AME Church Christian Academy. Arrangements by Chatman Harris Funeral Home.

Joseph Carrington Howard, who grew up as a member of Payne Memorial A.M.E. Church and later served as a deacon there, died of a heart attack Monday in Washington. He was 83. Mr. Harrington was raised in Northwest Baltimore and graduated from Frederick Douglass Senior High School in 1941. After receiving a bachelor's degree in sociology and romance languages from Howard University, he graduated cum laude from its School of Religion. He later earned a doctorate from Syracuse University. At the University of Baltimore he taught religion and served as assistant to the president in the early 1970s.

On July 8, 2005 CHARLES EDWARDFriends may call at the CHATMAN-HARRIS FUNERAL HOME, 5240 Reisterstown Road, Wednesday 12 to 3 P.M. and at the Mount Calvary AME Church, 300 Eudowood Ln., Towson MD where the family will be present Wednesday 4 to 7 P.M. The family will receive friends at the above mentioned church Thursday 10 A.M. Funeral service will begin 10:30 A.M. Interment Meadowridge Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Mount Calvary AME Church Building Fund.

On July 3, 2009, CHARLIE L. WHELCHEL; beloved husband of Aurelia Whelchel; devoted father of Dana J. Whelchel; loving brother of Betty Hubbard, Barbara Freeman, Jean Tolson, Janice Whelchel, Tommie Whelchel and Carlton Whelchel. He is also survived by a host of other relatives and friends. On Thursday, friends may call at VAUGHN C. GREENE FUNERAL SERVICES (RANDALLSTOWN), 8728 Liberty Road from 4 to 8 P.M. On Friday, services for Mr. Whelchel will be held at Union Bethel AME church, 8615 Church Lane, where the family will receive friends 10 to 11 A.M with services to follow.

Beulah V. Lokeman, 86, active in Evergreen churchBeulah V. Lokeman, who devoted 63 years of her life to Evergreen African Methodist Episcopal Church on Old Frederick Road, died of cancer Thursday at her Baltimore home. She was 86.Services will be at 11 a.m. tomorrow at Evergreen AME Church, 3342 Old Frederick Road.Born Beulah Virginia Cotton in 1910 on a farm near Aberdeen, she attended elementary school in Harford County but had to come to Baltimore for high school because of segregation.

In launching a blistering attack on the bureaucracy of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, the Rev. Frank M. Reid III has broadcast long-standing concerns about the nation's oldest black denomination into the public arena. He has also left many of the faithful wondering why he did it. At the group's convention in Indianapolis last week, the charismatic leader of Baltimore's Bethel AME Church and one of the nation's most prominent black pastors hammered a church electoral system that he said has been marked by back-stabbing, betrayal and money passed out in envelopes.