AAMES Introduces Episcopal Patch Series
Beginning January 1, 2021, the Association of African Methodist Episcopal Scouts (AAMES) will premiere a new religious activity aimed at engaging and encouraging youth to learn about the mission of the AME Church in an easy and fun way through the lives of the bishops of the church. AAMES’ Episcopal Patch Series, the brainchild of the Rev. Dr. Missiouri McPhee, was borne to honor the faith and sacrifices of the men and women who built, led, and continue to lead the AME Church. These men and women not only defended the faith but worked tirelessly to promote equality, diversity, and excellence for the whole of humanity.
Before the popularity of the Black Lives Matter Movement, the AME Church was the original organized social justice platform that advocated for Black lives and an egalitarian society. The men and women participants will meet in this series are devout followers of the God of Liberation who often found themselves getting into “good trouble—necessary trouble” in their fight for racial justice and religious freedom. It is our great hope that glimpses into their lives will inspire youth and adults to do their part in creating a more fair and just society.
AAMES has religious activity open to any youth, rather scout or not or a member of the AME Church or not in addition to any adult in any faith tradition or no faith tradition. To earn any of the patches in this series, youth participants will be required to learn about the life of a particular bishop, utilizing the online resources provided in the workbook or any other digital, oral, or written resources.
After researching the life of the bishop being studied, the youth participant will be required to answer a certain number of questions and complete certain activities based on their grade level. The completed workbook can be returned to AAMES by mail or email along with the patch order form. Adults can earn a patch by serving as a mentor whose task it will be to assist a youth or youth group in earning any of the patches in this series.
The Bishop Daniel Coker Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Henry L. and Mrs. Beverly Postell, II, the presiding elder and district consultant of the North Orlando District, Central Conference, Eleventh Episcopal District. The Bishop Richard Allen Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Joyce J. and Mr. Donald Moore, the presiding elder and district consultant emeritus of the St. Petersburg District, West Coast Conference, Eleventh Episcopal District. The Bishop Francis Herman Gow Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Dr. Nathan M. Mugala, the senior pastor of Allen Chapel AME Church in Daytona Beach, Florida. The Bishop John Hurst Adams Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Terence R. Gray, I, the senior pastor of Saint Mark AME Church in Orlando, Florida. The Bishop Frank Curtis Cummings Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Marvin Clyde Zanders, II, the senior pastor of St. Paul AME Church in Jacksonville, Florida, and the Rev. Arnold A. Porter, the senior pastor of Ward Chapel AME Church in Winter Park, Florida. The Bishop Adam Jefferson Richardson, Jr. Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Santarvis Brown, the senior pastor of Stephen AME Church in Miami Gardens, Florida. The Bishop Vashti Murphy McKenzie Patch is sponsored by the Eleventh Episcopal District Women in Ministry. The Bishop David Rwhynica Daniels, Jr. Patch is sponsored by the Rev. Dr. Garland F. Pierce, the executive director of the Department of Christian Education of the AME Church.
To learn more about this religious activity for youth, please visit the Christian Education Department’s website at www.ameced.com. The information can be found under the Scouting Ministry Tab. If you desire to volunteer to join the Episcopal Patch Series Committee to assist with the section of bishops to be featured in future series and assist with drafting the accompanying workbooks, please visit info@AMEscouts.org.
