The Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference was held February 6-9, 2012. It was held at the Drake Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. It is an annual conference for clergy, lay leadership, seminarians and people who are interested in empowerment through education and awareness within church and community. This was the SDW Conference's ninth year and was titled, "Reckoning with Power: Destroying Caste and Restoring Community."
The conference began on Sunday, February 5, 2012 for seminarians to check in. The check-in included a Super Bowl Party Fellowship, which included an extraordinary display of delicacies. It was a time of meet and greet for pastors, leadership, and seminarians from over thirty seminaries. I was honored to have Dr. Iva E. Carruthers, General Secretary of the organization, engage with myself and other seminarians, and give her testimony of how she started the organization nine years ago, after attending seminary herself. She is truly a woman of compassion and wisdom of which she enjoys sharing.
This was an justice ministry and education for me as I attended three different workshop sessions, worship services in the AM and PM, an Intergenerational Circle, a Luncheon, and Honoree Dinner. The workshops I attended were Combating the Issues of Mass Incarceration, The Power of Arts and Culture as Forms of Resistance and Empowerment, and Organizing Teams for Congregational Development and Prophetic Witness.
Mass Incarceration is viewed today as a racial injustice of our time directed towards the war on drugs. The U.S has the highest rate of incarceration in the world, including, China, Africa, and Russia. Michelle Alexander has written a book: The New Jim Crow which unveils the Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness. This is a racial justice issue of our time which affects our community stability, emotional and mental health of families, political power, and educational enterprises. A legal system which is viewed as a new form of slavery against African Americans, low income and poverty stricken communities, the unemployed, and those who are vulnerable.
The Power of Arts and Culture was an informative workshop exploring media, fine and performing arts in our society which help shape our identity. These forms of art empower our youth and adults and help inspire the theological imagination and justice movements.
My favorite workshop was Organizing Teams for Congregational Development and Prophetic Witness. I feel it is important to educate and inform the church and community which will help combat social injustices in our community. Knowledge is power, and with it we can empower our families, communities, and our churches. The teams can work together in congregations to mobilize communities, make connections, share concerns, and provide care for our church and communities. This will develop faithful, healthy, and powerful identities within the church and community, which create relationships and teams.
This conference has given me resources, information, and educated me on the social injustices of our society. It is important to provide ministry to transform and redeem our communities, churches, and government. “For the Kingdom of God depends not on talk but on Power”1 Corinthians 4:20. We have an opportunity to recover that which has been lost; our children, society, love and compassion, education system, equality for all people, homeless, and starving people all over the world. Yes “our village is on fire” and yes “it does take a village to raise a child”, and “we have a lost hope” But God is able to do “exceedingly, abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us” Ephesians 3:20.
Let us work together on our journey to strengthen churches, empower leaders, and transform communities with vision by faith, through action. Let us live for purpose within our vocational calling with a greater anticipation for spiritual renewal and justice for all as God continues to direct our path.
Continued blessings of Love, Joy, and Peace,
Melvina Stemley
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