ABOUT US
First
African Methodist Episcopal (First AME) Church
Young People’s Division of the Women’s
Missionary Society
Soul-Saving 6th Episcopal District
Augusta
Georgia Conference
Augusta-Athens District
YPD DREAM TEAM
Local
YPD Director: Deenie Tarver,
dtarver@uhs.uga.edu
Mother’s Sunbeams (Ages 2-6 years old): Charisse
Harper, Marques Hunter, & Ste’onna Wilkins
Allen
Stars (Ages 7-12): Shakita Johnson & Quincy Wilkins
Youth
Division (Ages 13-17): Harlan Harper & Deenie Tarver
Young
Adults (ages 18-26): Minister Rahsaan Matthews &
Quincy Wilkins
YPD Mission Statement
The
mission of the Young People’s and Children’s
Division (YPD) is to serve as tool for the
development of healthy Christian leadership skills
for youth. Additionally, through the support of the
Women’s Missionary Society (WMS), young people will
have opportunities to engage in missionary
activities and evangelism (community outreach),
increase their knowledge of the AME Church History
(education programs), learn the importance of
tithing as a tool for building God’s kingdom and
other skills necessary for leadership in the AME
church (workshops and training), and develop
unconditional loving relationships with other youth
and adults (Christian social relations).
YPD Meetings and Calendar of Events
YPD
meetings are typically every 2nd Saturday
of each month unless there is a conflict on the
church calendar. Scheduled meetings for 2008-2009
are:
August
9, 2008
September 13, 2008
October
11, 2008
November 8, 2008
December 13, 2008
January
10, 2009
February 7, 2009
March
7, 2009
April
4, 2009
May 9,
2009
June-July Summer Break
(no
meetings)
Click this
link for YPD attachment for Calendar of Events and more
information.
Some of our
upcoming programs include:
2008
v
Sunday,
August 3rd, 3-5PM First AME/First UMC Back to School
Block Party
v
Saturday,
October 25th, 2-5PM, Shadow Day (Career Exploration),
First AME
v
Wednesday,
November 19, 6:30-8:30PM, Thanksgiving Sharing Program,
First AME
v
Saturday,
December 13th, 10AM-2PM, Christmas
Caroling/Outreach to St. Mary’s Rehabilitation Center;
Christmas/Kwanzaa Party at FAME
2009
v
January 19th,
MLK Day of Service/Souper Bowl of Caring Project,
Location TBA
v
Wednesday,
February 18th, 7-8:30PM, Treasuring our
Culture/Black History Celebration, FAME
v
Saturday,
April 4th, Easter Outreach St. Mary’s
Rehabilitation Center; Easter Party FAME
v
May,
Self-Denial Contest & Workshops, Dates & Time TBA, FAME
YPD Pledge
I pledge my
willing and untiring service to all efforts of the Young
People's and Children's Division to aid the needy and
suffering people, regardless of race, color or creed. I
further pledge to take the Bible as my guide, to aid my
church, and to attend meetings regularly. In all these
tasks I seek the Savior's guidance.
YPD Goals
-
Increase knowledge
of the AME church
-
Improve knowledge
and understanding of the Bible
-
Shape personal
development and leadership skills
-
Enhance ability to
conduct an orderly meeting
-
Increase active
participation in church ministries
-
Strengthen
foundation in implementing mission and service
projects
-
Provide
opportunities to form healthy relationships and
communication patterns
-
Provide
opportunities for fellowship and improved spiritual
health
YPD Motto
-
“Grow, Glow, and Go
for Christ”
YPD/Missionary Benediction
In the name
of the triune God
May the spirit of Christian mission
Enter every heart
This we ask in Jesus' name
Amen.
Meaning of A.M.E. (YPD handbook, p. 65)
-
African Methodist
Episcopal
-
African means
that people of African descent and heritage
organized the AME church. It does not mean that the
church was founded in Africa or that it is for
people of African descent only. All people are
welcome.
-
Methodist means
that the AME church is a member of the family of
Methodist churches. Richard Allen, the founder and
its first consecrated bishop, felt that no religious
group or denomination would suit the needs of his
people as did Methodism because of its emphasis upon
the plain and simple Gospel and its orderly system
of rules and regulations.
-
Episcopal refers
to the form of government under which the church
operates. The General Conference elects bishops, who
in turn make pastoral appointments (See AME
Discipline for further information).
Women’s Missionary Society (WMS)
-
President, Mrs.
Mary Britton
-
The YPD is a
division of the WMS. The WMS will collaborate with
the YPD on projects throughout the year primarily
around missionary work and also helping our young
scholars learn more about the AME church, the 6th
Episcopal District, joining church ministries,
leadership, and tithing.
The Discipline
-
There is a book
published every four years by the AME Church called
The Doctrines and Discipline for the African
Methodist Episcopal Church, or The Discipline.
This book outlines the structure and guidelines of
the AME church.
General Organization (YPD handbook, p. 73)
-
The bishop is the
chief officer of the Connectional (all the AME
Conferences, the whole body of AME churches)
organization. He/She is elected for life by a
majority vote of the General Conference, which meets
every four years.
The Bishop for the 6th Episcopal District
is Bishop William P. DeVeaux.
-
Presiding elders
are the assistants who the bishops appoint to
supervise the preachers in a presiding elder’s
district. At the end of the year they report to the
bishop at Annual Conference and make recommendations
for pastors’ appointments.
The Presiding Elder fore the Augusta-Athens District
is Rev. Ella Mae Smiley Samuels.
-
Pastors are
appointed yearly to a charge, on recommendations of
the presiding elder, by the bishop. Pastors are in
FULL CHARGE of the church and is an ex-officio
member of all ministries and boards.
The pastor of First AME is Rev. Richard Allen
Washington, Sr.
The 6th Episcopal District
(YPD handbook, p .75)
-
Consists of
Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Atlanta-North, Macon,
South Georgia, and Augusta
-
First
AME is in the Augusta Georgia Conference in the
Augusta-Athens District.
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