MEET THE PASTOR

Rev. Dr. Deborah K. Blanks

The Reverend Dr. Deborah K. Blanks is an itinerant elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and recently appointed to serve as pastor of the historic Mount Pisgah AME Church.  Prior to coming to Mount Pisgah, she serve as pastor of Allen AME Church, White Plains, New York.  She was spiritually nurtured in the Christian faith at Saint James AME Church in Newark, NJ.   At the age of 19, she accepted her call to ministry and pursued theological education immediately after graduating from college.   Her professional journey of ministry began as an active duty United States Navy chaplain in which she was stationed at the following commands:  Navy Chaplains’ School, Newport, Rhode Island; Portsmouth Naval Hospital, Portsmouth, Virginia; Recruit Training Command, Orlando, Florida, and the United States Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, NC.  After serving in the Navy for 10 years, 3 months and 28 days, she was honorably discharged and achieved the rank of Lieutenant Commander.  Re-entering the civilian world opened many doors of opportunity; thus, she successfully competed for an assistant university chaplain post at Brown University, Providence Rhode Island and served there with distinction.  Rev. Dr. Deborah's continuing call to fulfill her ministry in the academy led her to pursue and be appointed the first African-American female assistant dean of religious life and the chapel at Princeton University.  During her tenure at Princeton she was promoted to associate dean of religious life and the chapel.  After many years of service, she transitioned from Princeton University into the next new future – pastoring Allen AME Church.  The call upon her life has always been to make her calling and election sure and she continues to do that through preaching, teaching, leading, and seeking to be God's ambassador in the church and the world.

Dr. Blanks earned a B.A. degree in political science from Douglass College, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, and the M. Div. degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta Georgia.  During her Navy years, she was among a select group of Navy chaplains chosen to pursue postgraduate study, and earned the Th. M. degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.  In 2014, she was awarded the Doctor of Ministry degree from Drew University, Madison, New Jersey with a concentration in Worship, Spirituality and Preaching.

She has been a recipient of military honors and civilian awards for outstanding service. Her military decorations and civilian awards include the following:  Navy Commendation Medal; Navy Achievement Medal; National Defense Service Medal; Meritorious Unit Citation; James H. Clark Memorial Preaching Award; Bishop Henry McNeil Turner Award; Wayman-Day Honor Award; Women’s History Week Award; and Outstanding Young Women of America Award.  She was inducted into the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College, Atlanta, Georgia.   Dr. Blanks was featured in Jet and Ebony magazines during her naval career.  Additionally, she was spotlighted in a 2005 Ebony magazine as one among eight African American chaplains serving as religious leaders and pastors at Ivy League institutions.  In 2014, Rev. Dr. Blanks was appointed by Governor Chris Christy to serve as a commissioner of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Commemorative Commission for the State of New Jersey.  

A respected clergy professional in university chaplaincy, Dr. Blanks was the first African American female elected president of the Association for College and University Religious Affairs (ACURA), which is an over half century old national ecumenical and interfaith collegium of deans of religious life, chaplains, and directors and coordinators of religious affairs representing over forty institutions of higher education.  During her tenure, the organization established and adopted national Principles for Religious Life in Higher Education utilized by colleges and universities around the country. 

Dr. Blanks served as the dean of the New Jersey Annual Conference AME Church Ministerial Institute from 2009-2015, the gateway for preparing persons pursuing the itinerant and local ordained ministry and evangelists for service in the AME Church.  Recently, she completed a clinical pastoral education residency program at Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, which allows her to serve as a clinically trained chaplain.  Dr. Deborah is a proud member of the illustrious sisterhood of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. 

The verse from Scripture guiding her ministry is “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." II Corinthians 4:7 (KJV)

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Joint Effort Safe Streets August 4 - August 11, 2019

Aug. 4 - Witherspoon-Jackson Gospel Fest at the First Baptist Church - 5:00PM

Aug. 5 - Witherspoon-Jackson Community Reception at Hillier Studios - 5:00PM

Aug. 6 - Discussion: The Future of the Town - Princeton Public Library - 5:30PM

Aug. 7 - Jim Floyd Memorial Lecture AND Cynthia "Chip" Fisher Memorial Art Exhibit 5:30PM

              Social Justice in the Current Landscape - Presented by Rev. Dr. Lukata Mjumbe,                                   Pastor of Witherspoon Presbyterian Church - 6:15PM

Aug. 8 - Concert on the Green - Princeton Shopping Center - 6:00PM

Aug. 9 - Joint Effort Youth Basketball Clinic, Community Park Courts, 10:00AM

Aug. 10 - Witherspoon-Jackson Community Block Festival - Princeton YMCA Field - 1:00PM

Aug. 11 - The Pete Young Memorial Games - Community Park, 10AM

For more information call John Bailey 720-629-0964 or johnbailey062@gmail.com

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 WHAT IS A LOVE FEAST?

(Taken from The Christian Recorder 1/10/07)

The Apostolic church instituted an Agape Feast, which evolved into the love feast. Early AME Churches had class meetings and love feasts prior to Communion. Historically, the love feast was celebrated with bread and water. The Bread was symbolic of our goodwill toward one another and water was symbolic of our desire for purification. The Love Feast and class meetings were to facilitate our love for God, our love for each other and our desire to live holy lives.

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Are We There Yet?

A Founders’ Day Litany

Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr., 115

Leader:                 I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14, NKJV)

“Are We There Yet?” It is the appeal of children displaying routine impatience with the journey, a lament from the back seat of the car, the back seat of the church. “We have miles to go before we rest.”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 And some inquisitive child who had survived the Yellow Fever epidemic in Philadelphia, seeing the cornerstone laid in place on a brand-new edifice called Mother Bethel, having completed a course of study at the school organized by Richard Allen, a preacher and businessman, known to have bought his own freedom and that of his brother, asked him, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 In a proverbial sense, it was asked of Bishop Daniel Alexander Payne, after the founding of Wilberforce University (and 21 other colleges founded by the AME Church), and of President Booker T. Washington, after the founding of Tuskegee University, and of President Mary McLeod Bethune, after the founding of Bethune-Cookman University, and of W. E. B. DuBois, the first African American to earn a doctorate degree from Harvard, and George Washington Carver, scientist, and of Thurgood Marshall, first black Supreme Court Justice, and of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. after  receiving the Nobel Peace Prize, and after the election of President Barack Hussein Obama, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 As Sir Galahad would learn in his quest for the Holy Grail; as Paul surmised about the “prize of the high calling of God” —  the meaning is discovered in the journey. The relevance is in the quest. The purpose is discovered in the pursuit, the adventures, the experiences, the victories achieved, the challenges overcome, the lessons learned, the wisdom gleaned, the collective resolve to journey on that makes arriving at an elusive destination even more worthwhile.

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling! 

Leader:                 Then a small voice that matched the size of the supplicant asked the genius poets and authors and playwrights and composers and bandleaders and starlets, and showmen of the Harlem Renaissance, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 Then a small girl sidled up beside Deaconess Rosa Parks, sitting as dignified and defiant as she might at the front of the bus, and asked, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 Then some youthful voice, from the colored section of the ball park in 1947, yelled above the raucus cheers of spectators in the direction of Jackie Robinson as he rounded third base towards home-plate; just as his older brother had asked of Jesse Owens after winning four gold medals in the Berlin Olympics in 1936, and his younger sister asked after Henry ‘Hank’ Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s homerun record in 1974, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 Then some youthful lad made a crisp military salute in the direction of uniformed pilots as they lifted their planes into the “wild blue yonder” from an airfield in Tuskegee, wondering aloud as he considered their skill and heroism; just as we asked of Dr. Mae Jemison, NASA’s first black woman astronaut; and of Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie, the first female bishop of the AME Church,  “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

Leader:                 It is God in Christ Jesus who beckons us forward and upward; “Follow Me, He says.” It is His call — towards salvation and liberation — and discovering along the journey grace and mercy and peace that surpasses all understanding, and complete forgiveness and love and joy and Life Abundant, here and now, and Life Everlasting! And the next generation will ask of us, “Are we there yet?”

People:                We join the forward march of those who have preceded us, insisting that ‘our lives matter.’ We press toward the mark; it’s a high calling!

(A Litany by Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Jr., 115)

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 “Soldier of Christ, well done!

Biography of Bishop John Hurst Adams

The Right Reverend John Hurst Adams was born November 27, 1927 in Columbia, South Carolina to Charity Nash Adams, a homemaker and Reverend Eugene Avery Adams, an African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) minister and educator. Adams graduated from Booker T. Washington High School in Columbia, South Carolina and in 1947 earned an A.B. degree in history from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, North Carolina. Subsequently, he earned his Bachelor of Sacred Theology (S.T.B.) degree and Master of Sacred Theology (S.T.M.) degree from Boston University School of Theology in 1952 and 1956, respectively. Adams also studied at Harvard University and Union Theological Seminary, as well.

As a seminary student, Adams was assigned to the pastorate of Bethel A.M.E. Church in Lynn, Massachusetts. Upon graduating, he served on the seminary teaching faculty at Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce University in Ohio. In 1956, Adams was selected to serve as President of Paul Quinn College, Waco, Texas during which time he also served as campus pastor to all the students. In 1972, Adams was selected as the 87th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church after a prophetic ministry at First A.M.E. Church in Seattle, Washington and Grant A.M.E. Church in Los Angeles, California. At the time of his retirement in 2004/2005, Adams had served as Bishop of five separate Episcopal Districts to include his home district of South Carolina from 1992 to 2000. He was Senior Bishop of the A.M.E. Church from 1988 until his retirement.

Adams served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), Allen University, Edward Waters College and Morris Brown College. In addition, he served as transitional Chairman of the Board of Trustees at the Atlanta University Center. He founded and was the Chairman Emeritus of the Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. (CNBC). Moreover, Bishop Adams is the initiator of Executive Management Training for Black Church Leaders and Chairman of the Institute of Church Administration and Management (ICAM) Board of Trustees. He has been active with the Joint Center on Political and Economic Studies, Transafrica, National Black United Fund, King Center Development Board and Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity.

Adams was the husband of Dr. Dolly Deselle Adams of New Orleans, Louisiana. They have three adult children and eight grandchildren.

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THE LONGEST DAY

Alzheimer's Association

Wednesday, June 21, 2017 was the summer solstice, the longest day of the year. On this day the Alzheimer's Association sponsors The Longest Day activities. These events are to raise awareness about the disease. The events are held on this day to symbolize the daily challenge of those living with the disease and their caregivers. Alzheimer's disease is the most common type of dementia and causes problems with memory, thinking and behavior. It is a fatal disorder that results in the loss of brain cells and brain function. It is sometimes difficult to know the difference between age related changes and the first signs of Alzheimer's disease. To help, the Alzheimer's Association has created a list of 10 warning signs for the disease.

The 10 Warning signs of Alzheimer's Disease

• 1. Memory loss that disrupts daily life.

  2. Challenges in planning or solving problems.

  3. Difficulty completing familiar tasks at home, at work or at leisure.

  4. Confusion with time or place.

  5. Trouble understanding visual images and spatial relationships.

  6. New problems with words in speaking or writing.

  7. Misplacing things and losing the ability to retrace steps.

  8. Decreased or poor judgment.

  9. Withdrawal from work or social activities.

  10. Changes in mood and personality.

If you notice any of these signs, please see a doctor. For information, visit alz.org/10signs or call 800-272-3900

Copyright 2009 Alzheimer's Association. All Rights Reserved

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BLACK LIVES MATTER

Bishop Jeffrey N. Leath

As we look to Black Lives Matter Sunday (14 December 2014), let us live out our convictions in the days that follow.

Here are some more things we can do in addition to our witness next Sunday (Dec 14) to show that Black Lives Matter:

1. Pray for, and respect, black women as those who bear and nurture black life as a commitment to Black Lives Matter.

2. Stop domestic violence against the blacks in your home, especially women, children and the aged as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 3. Get tested for HIV and be ethical in your conduct once you have received the results as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 4. Advocate for the poor and oppressed on the continent of Africa and other places where blacks live as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 5. Encourage black police officers to recruit, tutor and support new black police officers as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 6. Pledge to vote in every election as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 7. Help family and friends find the mental health support they need without stigmatization as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 8. Stop abusing drugs, alcohol and tobacco and work with community groups to stop the drug dealers in your neighborhood as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 9. Support the adoption of black children as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 10. Eat more fruit and vegetables as you cut back on salty and sugary foods and watch high blood pressure and diabetes factors as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 11. Exercise regularly as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 12. Work in your community to eradicate gang violence as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 13. Go to class (students) and pursue academic excellence; tutor/mentor a young person an hour per week as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 14. Oppose human trafficking as you protect black women and children as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 15. Give to an HBCU (Wilberforce or another of our AME Schools should be on your list) as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 16. Encourage young people to pursue high demand, skilled trades when college is not the correct path as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 17. Be concerned about mass incarceration and help a former inmate get their voting rights restored as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 18. Be civil with those who do not share your sexual ethic and do not allow violence or oppression because of sexual orientation as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 19. Support the creation of jobs for blacks so they can feed and house black families as a commitment to Black Lives Matter. 20. Be a growing, practicing Christian in every way as a commitment to Black Lives Matter.

Black Lives Matter is a message for everyday as ALL LIVES MATTER, and we look to a day when we will not have to remind others of the dignity and worth of our humanity. In the meantime, let us go beyond Black Lives Matter Sunday to living a life that matters.

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 December 3, 2014

Statement -

Social Action Commission African Methodist Episcopal Church Grand Jury Decision Regarding Killing of Eric Garner

 Bishop Reginald T. Jackson

Last week many of us were disappointed and angered by the failure of the grand jury in St. Louis County, Missouri to indict Officer Darren Wilson in the killing of Michael Brown.

This week we are disappointed and angered again by the failure of the grand jury in Staten Island, New York to indict Officer Daniel Pantaleo in the death of an unarmed black man, Eric Garner. What makes this decision by the grand jury more insulting and unbelievable is that there is a video which recorded and showed the activities of the officer and Mr. Garner. Officer Pantaleo choked Mr. Garner, an action prohibited by the New York Police Department. Further, the coroner in New York ruled Mr. Garner’s death a homicide, caused by choking. With the video, NYPD prohibition against choking and the coroner’s ruling, the grand jury still decided not to indict Officer Pantaleo.

The decision by the grand jury in both the Brown and Garner cases sends a clear and consistent message that black lives don’t matter. There is no other explanation, and blacks should get the message and be outraged. Police are not indicted when there are witnesses, and they are not indicted when there is a video. What more evidence do you need? 

In the past month alone we have also seen 27 year old, Akai Gurley, unarmed and doing nothing illegal or inappropriate, shot and killed, by a New York Police officer in a stairwell, because it was dark and he was scared, also 12 year old Tamir Rice shot and killed by police in a Cleveland Park because he had a pellet gun.

Enough is enough!

 All the excuses and explanations are inadequate. Police are not held accountable for the shooting and killing of black males. It is time for the United States to face and confront the reality that the justice system does not work for Blacks. It is also time for Black Americans to stop talking and being angry, but to make the effort to change the system.

The Social Action Commission of the AME Church will reach out to our Ecumenical partners, the NAACP and other organizations to seek to reform our criminal justice system. Specifically, the SAC will be proposing and pushing legislation to require the appointment of a Special Prosecutor in any case where the actions and involvement of police is questioned. Under the current system these cases are handled by county prosecutors, who work closely with local police every day. It is clear that county prosecutors are not able to be objective when it comes to the police they work with every day. This is why in both Ferguson, Missouri and New York City county prosecutors did not seek indictments from grand juries. The current system does not work and must be changed. We will lead the effort to change it.

Black lives do matter, and we must stop what has become a consistent pattern of killing unarmed blacks, then expressing remorse, justifying their actions by saying they “feared for their lives.” Justice demands that we act, and act now.

Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, Chair, AMEC Social Action Commission