Genreal Board Member Bishop Frank White

FREEPORT, NY – The fleet of black sedans meeting arriving flights at JFK International Airport were promptly occupied by the distinguished guests from the Great Lakes region anticipating their daylong summit at the invitation of Bishop Frank O. White. Winding their way through the morning rush-hour, the commute into Freeport was welcomed with steady enough traffic to appreciate the reconstructed roadways of the Belt Parkway – then onward east along Sunrise Highway to Zion Cathedral.

When you enter the magenta-trimmed office, tastefully accented by an obviously recent photograph of himself and his wife of nearly 50 years, Juliet, you will find Bishop White gladly occupied with extending his usual hospitality, rising from his desk to embrace the arrival of Bishop James R. Wright of New York Western Jurisdiction, shouldered against Bishop R. J. Hoston of New York Central and Bishop Jeffrey L. Melvin (East Africa, Republic of Rwanda).

With Bishop G. H. Young of New York Western Second, Superintendent Matthew Brown (Buffalo), Bishop Norman Quick of New York Southeast and Bishop Aubrey Baker of New York Eastern Second already standing in conversational reverence of the framed portraits of past Presiding Bishops of the Church of God in Christ – and the present – along the corridor outside Bishop White’s office, Bishop J. P. Lee (New York Eastern Fourth) soon enters the fellowship area and joins the stance.  It was a setting suited for perhaps even the Sons of Isachaar (1 Chron. 12:32).

Scheduled roll call was only minutes away. But first, the long-awaited tour of the majestic Zion Cathedral. From its polished hardwood mezzanine seating nearly 900 to its masterfully-equipped main sound studio perched against its 350-seat balcony overlooking the royal breadth of the sanctuary, the brotherly consensus rang clear: What a towering tribute to the glory of God!  Tuned with humility, “It is the house that prayer built” Bishop White relayed. 

Upon the arrival of Bishop James Gaylord (New York Eastern First), they were off to the Executive Conference Room to be about our “Church of God in Christ” business centered upon The Power of Partnership.

Bishop White opens the summit by calling the bishops’ attention to the fact that the Church of God in Christ is on the leading edge of something truly great! He pauses to remove his eyeglasses with the paternalistic posture of the late Bishop O. M. Kelly and offers thanks to God for having always given unto the Church of God in Christ “great leaders with reliable visionary eyesight.”

The Power of Partnership: Linking Leadership 

The unanimous decision to join forces, combine resources and pledge active participation for advancing the agenda articulated by our Presiding Bishop & Chief Apostle, Bishop Charles E. Blake in his Apostolic Missives made for a comfortable, productive, informative and successful morning session presided over by Bishop White, who, prior to being elected to the General Board, served the Church of God in Christ for more than 16 years as Secretary of Finance.

Listed on the agenda, after being served a Marriott International-style breakfast, was a visual presentation by Superintendent Matthew Brown power-pointing to “Connecting, Leveraging, Engaging and Promoting” the tools available to the body. In particular, “broadening our capacity in strategic and virtual initiatives that impact all New Yorkers”. Articulate and thorough, Superintendent Brown facilitated the discussion followed by Bishop Wright’s presentation highlighting the benefits of ecumenical networks established in his Western New York region.

By the second brew of coffee, Bishop Harrison Hale had joined the meeting by conference call from Guatemala as did Bishop Ralph Jefferson (Canada Western) from his home office. Their input: well-received.

Right on schedule, Bishop Baker, responding to Bishop White’s appeal for the summit to align its perspective with Bishop Blake’s appreciation for President Obama’s economic sensitivity, New York State Comptroller William Thompson, also in attendance, offered a realistic overview of where middle-income saints might expect to find themselves in times like these. Consequently, Congress had just  introduced the Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act giving “the federal government more tools to crack down on the kind of fraud that put thousands of hardworking families at risk of losing their homes despite doing everything right to live within their means.”

Commenting further on the transitional state of our government, Bishop White admonished the bishops in the edited style of the late President John F. Kennedy, “As leaders with influence, it is important that we ask not so much what our government can do for us, but rather ask respectfully what we can do for our government.”

By mid-afternoon, Chief Adjutant-Pastor Jerome Lewis, confirming return flights by cell, ordered the distribution of relevant guidelines prepared by Bishop White for the fellow bishops to digest in preparation for COGIC Heritage Celebration & Loyalty Day as well as their respective regional World Missions Walk-A-Thons.

Making a Difference: One Mile At A Time

Just as planned, Bishop White kicked-off the New York Area Walk-A-Thon, Columbus Day Morning at 9:14 AM on the Boardwalk at Long Beach following greetings by Thomas R. Sofield, President of the Long Beach City Council. Hundreds of walkers from the joint jurisdictions, neighboring communities as well as volunteers from the local PTAs, NAACP and Nassau University Medical Center joined the endeavor looking out at a brisk Atlantic.

Beaming with accomplishment, having completed the 1.4 kilometers, each way, the morning turned out to be “so much more than a health benefit” remarked Yamise Fields, Manager for the American Heart Association. “It was a chance to remember that global outreach is a part of our Church of God in Christ identity.”  

To add to the excitement, [it was] “a new, refreshing and rewarding activity initiated by our Presiding Bishop Blake sure to catch on all over the world” commented Dr. Walter Willie, Executive Secretary of New York Eastern Third.

Reaching Out by Being Prayed-Up

Back at the summit table, as Bishop White moves through the agenda, a readiness to maximize our Church’s goals is intensifying wall to wall within the chambers. Specifically, it became inevitable that the challenge to envision the lack of food in Angola, inaccessible medical care in rural Malawi, insufficient means for receiving  proper education in Zimbabwe and an infant mortality rate directly linked with malnutrition here on American soil would draw an outpour of compassion and a commitment among the bishops to  actively do something! This begins with the relational touch of Christ Who “met them, then He loved them, then He healed them and then He saved them” Bishop White shared.

“This opportunity cannot pass us by” became the common goal even as the bishops bid each other traveling mercies until seeing each other again in Memphis.  “My Brothers take this same energy back home to your local churches.” Bishop White fervently charged them all. “Take this back to your jurisdictions” he continues. “Bring it back to your pastors, and let us do what God has empowered us in the Church of God in Christ to do: Make a difference…one step at a time.”

By late afternoon, the meeting of minds drew towards culmination with plans to promote a New York Summit on Prayer, appropriately subtitled by Bishop White as “The Next Realm of Power.” Plans are underway for naming five locations for hosting concurrent intercessory prayer by the Spring 2010.

Closing with prayer for the grace and joint determination to undergird Bishop Blake’s cause, strategy and leadership, the black sedans pulled up and opened again their doors to the team of bishops, all of whom, having participated in this enlightening full-day fellowship were energized and ready to open their own arms to the world – Church of God in Christ style!

The same night, 150 souls from New York Eastern Third were baptized! The Ceremonial Homily delivered by Bishop R. J. Hoston. With joy, the candidates, young and old, were escorted “to the water” by Bishop White, himself – The host of the day. ■