YACM AME ZION

“Episcopal Candidates Corner”

By

Rev. George William Whitfield

YACM Public Relations Committee Member

Associate Minister at Spradling Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church, Louisville KY

This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.  (Psalm 118:24)

Good Morning my fellow Zionite family. I pray that you are having a wonderful day. I woke up this morning with a thankful heart because God has been so good to all of us, even when we don’t deserve it. I challenge everyone that is reading this blog entry to take a moment out of your schedules today, just to tell God THANK YOU.

What can I say about today’s Episcopal Candidate? I met this woman of God at the Mid-West Episcopal District Leadership Institute. I was really excited to meet her because I had heard so much about her. God allowed our paths to cross during the lunch hour. It wasn’t until after worship that we were able to sit down and have dialogue. I like that fact that she wanted to know what I thought about certain issues pertaining to our church. I really enjoyed our conversation and I thank God for allowing me to have that opportunity. 

I would like to introduce to you today’s Episcopal Candidate Presiding Elder Barbara LaToison. She was raised in Wilmot, Arkansas, at John Wesley. In 1983 Presiding Elder LaToison accepted the call to preach, 1987 was ordained deacon and elder in 1990. In 1994 she co-planted Holy Ghost AME Zion Church, 2005 was assigned Presiding Elder of the Houston-San Antonio District. In 2008, she was assigned Pastor of Walls Chapel AME Zion Church and February 2009, was elected President of the Presiding Elder’s Council of the A. M. E. Zion Church.

Presiding Elder LaToison studied Psychology and Speech Communication at the University of Arkansas at Monticello, holds a Master’s degree in Pastoral Counseling and is in the project phase of her Doctor of Ministry from Houston Graduate School of Theology.

She has been married to Rev. Abelardo LaToison for 30 years. They have 6 children, 12 grandchildren, and a couple more on the way.

This is how Presiding Elder LaToison answered the questions:  

1.               Why do you think me have a lack of young adult involvement in our church?

There are a myriad of reasons why there is a lack of young adult involvement in our church, however I will only address three. The first is the poor use of time, a three hour service that is filled with poorly planned and orchestrated worship components that lack spiritual and relational vitality. Secondly, young adults do not feel that they are wanted in the church. This has two separate and distinct factors: 1) young adults are technologically savvy and feel that if a church does not attempt to communicate with them through this medium they are not serious about them; and when they do overcome this point and engage they are not heard and their gifts and graces are not utilized. Finally, young adults are more pragmatic than former generations, they need messages and bible studies that hit them where the rubber meets the road and give them practical applications rather than sermons that wax well rhetorically and wane poorly about how to deal with the day to day issues.

2. As Bishop what will you do to engage the young adults?

As Bishop I will do what I presently do in my local church, district, and in our Episcopal areas. I am intentional about making sure that we have representation of every age group in strategic areas. Example: When our Episcopal District had its vision casting retreat, as the coordinator, I pressed to make sure we had youth and young adult voices to participate and vocalize the concerns of their demographic. Likewise, when our Episcopal district established a Transformation Management Team I ensured there was young adult representation on that team.  I am constantly looking for young adults who are willing and able to engage and offer leadership on the Houston-San Antonio District. Currently, on the Houston-San Antonio District, at least one young adult provides leadership in each of the departments. In the Local church, I have been intentional about placing young adults in visible, responsible and managerial areas of leadership, such as Trustees, Stewards, Christian Educators, Minister of Music, Outreach and Evangelism. Finally, I purposely engage my young adults in dialogue seeking their input and implementing their ideas, hopefully with them taking on leadership roles to accomplish the objectives.

3. Currently what ministries are you doing at your local church that engages young adults?

Currently, the local church where I serve is a church in transition. When I arrived at the church, more than seventy percent of the congregation was fifty-five years old or older and only 19 percent were young adults. Today, the fifty-five and older are twenty four percent of the congregation and the young adults have risen to forty-two percent. This increase of young adult membership at Walls Chapel is a direct result of initiating and developing relationships with the young adult population surrounding Texas Southern University, a college near the church. This influx revealed to us the young adult need for constant, enriching, and genuine relationships. The new young adult members are currently developing two ministries around those principles: the Young Adult fellowship and the Young Couples Ministry.

4.       Where do you see our church in the next 10 years?

I see the church being stronger than it has ever been. Research shows that by 2015 there will be a generational shift in the population of the United States, 1/3 of the US population will be the Millennials, those persons between the ages of 19-37. I see a church that is seeking to stem the exodus of young adults from our churches and find ways to re-attract, reattach, and retain those persons who left. Secondly, I see us becoming competitive and moving from our screening and selection process that is based on race, class and socio economic status and striving to reach all. I see a church that is seeking to connect with young adults digitally: having websites, Facebook, twitter, blogs and other forms of social media. Once we are connected, we have relevant and relational ministries that utilize technology and audio visual media. I see a church that seeks to embrace, engage, and involve people in a more multigenerational approach, not only in the worship experience, but in leadership as well. I see a church that values tradition is lead by the Holy Spirit and make decisions based on available sociological and demographic information.

If you would like to contact Presiding Elder Barbara LaToison she can be reached at barbara4bishop@gmail.com.