African American congregational nurture
History of African American Disciples
Raymond Brown, former DHM interim president, reports
"black membership in practically all of the first churches
where the Disciples movement began." (An African-American
History) Today African American Disciples represent 10 percent
of the denomination's membership and boast some of the fastest-growing
congregations in the United States.
Here's a look at how it all began
(a time line follows):
The African American Convention movement was established as
early as 1830 in "free" states as the secular adjunct
of African American congregations as a means of coordinating
opposition to slavery, forced relocation of free African Americans
in Africa and a multitude of social ills. The development of
collective strategies to effect the well being of "freed"
African Americans after the close of the Civil War (1865) was
so great that most of the present organized work of the African
American congregations within the Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ) was developed by that first generation of former
slaves.
The African Christian Missionary Society supported African
American evangelist and employed Preston Taylor as National
Evangelist during the closing decade of the 19th century. The
ACMS asked the Christian Women's Board of Mission to take over
the work in 1900. The CWBM continued that support through the
next two decades. On July 1, 1914, the CWBM employed Rosa Brown
to minister among the women and on Oct. 1, 1914, the Bible School
Department of the ACMS employed P.H. Moss to serve the Bible
schools.
The merger was finalized in 1960 and called upon the ministries
of the whole church to serve the whole church. Three former
National Christian Missionary Convention staff persons became
staff of UCMS. They held positions in Evangelism, Christian
Education and Christian Women's Fellowship. Concern was expressed
that "Jim Crowism"of the former NCMC staff not be
operational through calling upon all of the UCMS staff to serve
the whole church.
In 1969, the International Convention of the Christian Churches
adopted "Principles for Merger of the National Christian
Missionary Convention and the International Convention of Christian
Churches (Disciples of Christ)" that formalized this 26
years of visions and strategy. The opening paragraphs of the
resolution state the strategy well.
Under the ONE God, the ONE church has ONE mission in the
world; the merger of the National Christian Missionary Convention
and the International Convention of Christian Church (Disciples
of Christ) must be under the disciplines of the ONE God and,
in ONE Church, stand united in ONE mission in the world.
The total responsibility and witness of the Church, including
the concerns outlined by the Committee on Program and Structure
of the National Christian Missionary Convention in its report
on "Design for Renewal and Growth,î is the object
of the proposed merger of the National Christian Missionary
Convention and the International Convention.
The agreements of 1960 between the National Christian
Missionary Convention and the United Christian Missionary
Society dealing with such areas of common concern as staff
employment, the relationship of the Executive Secretary of
the National Christian Missionary Convention, employment procedures,
Staff Committee on Negro work, Commission on Interracial Relationships,
etc. were recognized and approved as being in principle equitable
and acceptable to all regarding program services for the total
church.
The National Convocation was called into being as a result
of the adoption and Implementation of the these principles and
stated its purpose in its "Articles of Operation"as
follows.
...to provide an instrumentality within the structure
of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) as forum for
the discussion of pertinent issues related to black church
life in the context of total church life for fellowship, program
promotion, leadership training, and such other general purposes
as shall support and strengthen the congregations involved
in the total mission of the church.
Development Time Line
Dates |
Events |
1830 |
Beginning of the African American
Convention movement in "free"states |
|
|
Signing of the Emancipation
Proclamation |
1867-1910 |
Organizing of African American
Disciple conventions |
1890 |
Preston Taylor hired as National
Evangelist by ACMS |
1914 |
Rosa Brown hired as Field Worker
for women by CWBM
P.H. Moss hired as Church School and Young Peoples Worker
by ACMS |
1917 |
NCMC organized and approved
as an auxiliary of the International Convention |
1935 |
R.H. Peoples hired as National
Field Worker by UCMS |
|
1943 |
R.H. Peoples call
for merger of NCMC and International Convention |
1945 |
Emmet Dickson hired as Executive
Secretary of NCMC |
|
1947 |
Lorenzo Evans hired
as Director of Christian Education by NCMC |
1949 |
Charles Webb, Sr. hired as Director
of Field Work and Evangelism by NCMC |
1960 |
Merger of staff and service
of NCMC with UCMS |
1969 |
Merger of NCMC with International
Convention |
