Page 3 - Volume 3 2016

As persons gathered in 2016 to “watch the opening of the museum, visitors to Asbury United Methodist Church, which I attend
said: “How nice of you to do this, I could not make it down to the mall”; “I was watching at home, but decided that I needed to
be in community to see this historical event, this brings tears to my eyes, how fitting we watch this in your church which is 180
years old.” We also conducted guided tours of the sanctuary and workshops were available on how to preserve your church
history as well as a book signing and other exhibits.

For further information about John Wesley contact the General
Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church at
gcah.org or Carol Travis at carol6303@aol.com.

Gifts Help Share the Message

With the opening of the National Museum of African for this communication with you. We need your financial
American Culture and History on the mall in Washington, gifts to help us continue this vital ministry.
DC, The African American Methodist Heritage Center,
(AAMHC) now in its fifteenth year, is anticipating that For two quadrennia the General Conference of the United
people across Methodism will want to know more about Methodist Church, through the General Commission on
the role of African Americans in Methodism. This ministry Archives and History (GCAH) allocated $100,000 to support
continues to seek to provide leadership in recovering, this ministry which is related to the denomination through
preserving, and promoting the importance of African GCAH. However, beginning in 2017 The General
Americans in the spread and development of Methodism. Conference is no longer providing financial support. We will
be receiving a significantly declining amount from the
One of the exciting initiatives underway is the Oral History General Commission on Archives and History. In the past
Project. It is urgent that this effort continue to move we have encouraged financial gifts from supporters.
forward expeditiously. Senior clergy and laity who were However, in order to continue this ministry we must
active in the period leading up to and during the period of receive much more substantial support to overcome the
the elimination of the segregated Central Jurisdiction are funding no longer received from The General Conference.
being videotaped as they recall their experiences before, That is why we are appealing to you at this time.
during, and after the transition to the integrated United
Methodist Church. They tell heart-breaking as well as Your financial gift will help support the heart and soul of
heart-warming anecdotes of those times. Bishops’ spouses the ministry which includes the various projects such as the
tell of their experiences in new non-segregated settings. oral history project, the AAMHC Journal, the collections,
Bishops talk about leading annual conferences not the production of resources and the presentation of
accustomed to African American leadership. Laypersons workshops to help local churches become more effective in
relate their barrier-breaking experiences in conferences, on their ministries of memory. For example, your gift of $750
agencies, and in local settings. will support an oral history interview. Your gift of $250 will
enable the limited mailing of an issue of the AAMHC
The AAMHC collection of memorabilia, housed in the Journal. As you might expect, your gift also will help
state-of-the-art archival facilities of the General undergird the basic operation of the ministry which
Commission on Archives and History at Drew University, is supports all of the projects.
growing, although slowly. It is a challenge to encourage
people to release for preservation their papers, photos and Most importantly, recognize that a gift of any size will help
materials. But, it is a project on which the AAMHC our ministry to continue. We hope that you will respond to
continues to work. It is important for both research and for this request. We are recognized by the IRS as a not-for-
edification to be able to look back at the reminders of the profit organization and we will provide you with a
experiences of African Americans in Methodism. Our statement of your contribution that you may use for tax
history is not the end of the story – it is a stepping stone deduction purposes. Donations may be mailed to AAMHC,
into the future. 36 Madison Ave, P.O. Box 127 Madison, NJ 07940.

For over a year now, the AAMHC Journal has been Questions may be directed to Carol Travis, Executive
published and distributed via e-mail. It carries articles Assistant, at 973-408-3862.
about current happenings; historical excerpts; resources;
and African American Methodists making the news. The
AAMHC Journal is one of the ways most people have come
to know about the AAMHC. Unfortunately, because of
expense, it has not been widely distributed through the
mail. This is one of the reasons