About Us
The Lectionary Team |
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| Raquel St. Clair Lettsome |
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Desiring to create new national conversations concerning the use of Scripture in worship and preaching, the Reverend Martha Simmons, President and Publisher of The African American Pulpit Journal, commissioned world-renowned scholars to assist in the creation of The African American Lectionary. The Lectionary was launched in December 2007.
The African American Lectionary is a resource tool that not only highlights the African American ecclesial traditions and moments that creatively express the joy, freedom, and the challenges of being both African American and Christian (e.g., Watch Night, African Heritage Sunday, Usher's Day, and Women's Day), but also recognizes days on the liturgical calendar that are celebrated across a variety of ecclesial traditions (e.g., Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, and Pentecost). By incorporating both the moments of significance across many African American ecclesial traditions and some of the traditional moments of any lectionary cycle, The African American Online Lectionary allows users to select from a vast array of material that will exactly fit their congregation's needs and expectations.
How You Can Participate
Clergy, worship leaders, historians, cultural anthropologists, poets, musicians, and others can contribute lectionary readings, poetry, music, and sermon illustrations throughout the project. E-mail us at info@theafricanamericanlectionary.org to contribute to the Lectionary. The Lectionary does not accept unsolicited articles or book manuscripts.
Sixth-Year Online Lectionary Commentary and Compact Unit Writers
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the lectionary commentaries and compact units: Reverend Dr. Raquel St. Clair Lettsome, Itinerant Elder, African Methodist Episcopal Church, New York, NY; Dr. J. Kameron Carter, Associate Professor of Theology and Black Church Studies, Duke Divinity School, Durham, NC; and Dr. Brian Bantum, Assistant Professor of Theology, Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, WA.
Sixth-Year Cultural Historians and Ethicists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the cultural resources: Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, TN, and Reverend Charles H. Smith, editor of the Jubilee Legacy Bible and retired senior minister of First Baptist Church of Madison, NJ.
Sixth-Year Lectionary Liturgists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the worship division: Ms. Michelle Riley Jones, Minister of Music, Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Daryl Walker, Minister of Worship and Arts for Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL; and Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr., President of NEWorks Consulting and editor for the African American Heritage Hymnal. A group of young adult liturgists will work on the Lectionary in Year Six under the direction of Reverend Williams. Their names are listed under the Young Adult Liturgists’ Corner.
2013 Lectionary Conferences and Workshops
Dr. Forrest Harris, President of American Baptist College of Nashville, provides leadership for conferences and workshops that the Lectionary will hold in 2013 and 2014. Rev. Martin Espinosa will also assist in the development of Lectionary conferences and workshops.
Lectionary Young Ministers’ Corner
Reverend Willie D. Francois III serves as the director of the Lectionary’s Young Ministers’ Corner. He is the Director of Christian Education at Wheeler Avenue Baptist Church, Houston, TX. For additional information about Rev. Francois, see the Young Ministers’ Corner.
Lectionary Young Adult Liturgists’ Corner
The young adult liturgists are: Mr. Brandon Boyd, Minister of Music, Worship, and Arts, Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Tallahassee, FL; Mr. Charles Cotton, Minister of Worship and Arts, Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cleveland, OH; Reverend Neichelle Guidry Jones, Associate Pastor of Young Adults at Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, IL; Ms. Courtney-Savali Andrews, musician and youth leader at the Grey Lynn Community Baptist Church in Auckland, New Zealand; and Mr. Jermaine Manor, Music Director, Covenant Church of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA. For additional information about any of the young adult liturgists see the Young Adult Liturgists’ Corner below.
Facebook Facilitator
Reverend Reginald Bell Jr. serves as the facilitator for The African American Lectionary’s Facebook page. Reginald is ABD at the University of Memphis, Memphis, TN, and the pastor of Fresh Start Church in Charlotte, NC.
Lectionary Collaborative Partners 2011–2014
American Baptist College of Nashville (Dr. Forrest Harris, president) and The African American Pulpit Inc., (Rev. Martha Simmons, President) serve as The African American Lectionary’s collaborative partners for 2011–2014. The Lilly Endowment of Indianapolis generously provides funding for the project.
Fifth Year Online Lectionary Commentary and Compact Unit Writers
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the lectionary commentaries and compact units: Reverend Dr. Luke Powery, the Perry and Georgia Engle Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, Reverend Dr. Raquel St. Clair Lettsome, Executive Minister, Saint James AME Church, Newark, NJ; and Reverend Dr. Elvin J. Parker III, a fourth generation preacher for thirty-five years, who currently resides in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Fifth Year Cultural Historians and Ethicists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the cultural resources: Reverend Dr. Anthony B. Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University, and Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Fifth Year Lectionary Liturgists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the worship division: Ms. Michelle Riley Jones, Minister of Music, Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington, D.C.; Mr. Darryl Walker, Minister of Music for Trinity United Church of Christ, Chicago, Illinois; and Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr./NEWorks Consulting. Rev. Williams served as the music editor for the African American Heritage Hymnal and is the former Minister of Music of Metropolitan Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. A group of young adult liturgists will work on the Lectionary in Year Five under the direction of Reverend Williams. They are: Mr. Brandon Boyd of Nashville, Tennessee; Mr. Charles Cotton of Cleveland, Ohio; and Mr. Jermaine Manor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Lectionary Conferences and Workshops
Amy Steele is the director for conferences and workshops that the Lectionary will hold in 2012 and 2013. Martin Espinosa will also assist in the development of Lectionary conferences and workshops.
Lectionary Young Ministers' Corner
Reverend Willie D. Francois III serves as the director of the Lectionary's Young Ministers' Corner.
Facebook Facilitator
Reverend Reginald Bell Jr. serves as the facilitator for the African American Lectionary's Facebook page. Reginald is ABD at the University of Memphis, Memphis, Tennessee.
Lectionary Collaborative Partners 2011–2014
American Baptist College of Nashville (Dr. Forrest Harris, president) and The African American Pulpit Journal (Rev. Martha Simmons, President) serve as The African American Lectionary's collaborative partners for 2011–2014. The Lilly Endowment generously continues to provide funding for the project.
Fourth Year Online Lectionary Commentary Writers
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the lectionary commentaries: Reverend Dr. Brad R. Braxton, Professor of Preaching and New Testament Studies, McCormick Theological Seminary of Chicago; Reverend Dr. Luke Powery, the Perry and Georgia Engle Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey; and Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Fourth Year Cultural Historians and Folklorists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the cultural resources: Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock and world-renowned singer, composer, and historian; and Reverend Dr. Anthony B. Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University.
Fourth Year Lectionary Liturgists
The following persons are responsible for providing oversight for the worship division: Ms. Michelle Riley Jones, Minister of Music, Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington, D.C. and Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr./NEWorks Consulting. Rev. Williams served as the music editor for the African American Heritage Hymnal and is the former Minister of Music of Metropolitan Baptist Church of Washington, D.C. A group of young adult liturgists will work on the Lectionary in Year Four under the direction of Reverend Williams. They are: Mr. Brandon Boyd of Nashville, Tennessee; Mr. Charles Cotton of Cleveland, Ohio; Mr. Jermaine Manor of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Mr. Jason Powell of Indianapolis, Indiana; and Ms. Cecilia Olusola Tribble of Nashville, Tennessee.
Second and Third Year Online Commentary Facilitators
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the lectionary commentaries: Reverend Dr. Luke Powery, the Perry and Georgia Engle Assistant Professor of Homiletics at Princeton Theological Seminary in Princeton, New Jersey; and Dr. Stacey Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of Ethics and Society at Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Second and Third Year Cultural Historians and Folklorists
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the cultural resources: Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock and world-renowned singer, composer, and historian; Reverend Dr. Anthony B. Pinn, the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University and Executive Director of the Society for the Study of Black Religion; and Dr. Juan Floyd-Thomas, Associate Professor of Black Church Studies, Vanderbilt Divinity School in Nashville, Tennessee.
Second and Third Year Lectionary Liturgists
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the worship division: Mr. W. Patrick Alston, music educator and Minister of Music, Macedonia Baptist Church, Baltimore, Maryland; Ms. Michelle Riley Jones, Minister of Music, Capitol Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church, Washington, D.C. and Executive Director, NEWorks Consulting; and Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr., who served as the music editor for the African American Heritage Hymnal and is the Minister of Music at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C. and the Principal for NEWorks Consulting.
Initial Collaborative Partners
After two years of planning, a collaboration was formed in 2007 between Hope for Life International, Inc. (the owners of The African American Pulpit and creators of The African American Lectionary) and Vanderbilt Divinity School through its dean, the Reverend Dr. James Hudnut-Beumler, and the Director of the Kelly Miller Smith Institute on Black Church Studies at Vanderbilt Divinity School, the Reverend Dr. Forrest Harris. This partnership facilitated the implementation of the Lectionary. The Lilly Endowment generously provided funding for the first three years of the project.
Illustrations Compiler
Reverend Reginald Bell, Jr., Ph.D. student, University of Memphis in Memphis, Tennessee.
The BIG IDEA Facilitator
Reverend Leslie Houseworth, Staff Pastor, Concord Baptist Church, Brooklyn, New York.
First Year Online Commentary Facilitators
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the Lectionary in Year One: Reverend Dr. Katie Cannon, the Annie Scales Rogers Professor of Christian Ethics at Union Theological Seminary/Presbyterian School of Christian Education (Union-PSCE) in Richmond, Virginia; Reverend Dr. Brad Braxton, Associate Professor of Homiletics and New Testament at McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago; and Reverend Dr. Rodney Sadler, Jr., Assistant Professor of Bible at Union-PSCE in Charlotte, North Carolina.
First Year Cultural Historians and Folklorists
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the cultural resources for Year One: Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon, founder of Sweet Honey in the Rock and world-renowned singer, composer, and historian; and Reverend Dr. Williams Wiggins, Jr., Professor Emeritus of Folklore and Ethnomusicology and Professor Emeritus of Afro-American Studies at Indiana University.
First Year Lectionary Liturgists
The following persons were responsible for providing oversight for the worship division for Year One: Mr. Leo Davis, Minister of Music at Mississippi Boulevard Christian Church in Memphis, Tennessee; and Reverend Nolan Williams, Jr., who served as the music editor for the African American Heritage Hymnal and is the Minister of Music at Metropolitan Baptist Church in Washington, D.C.
Members of the Lectionary Creation Team
We salute the Lectionary Creation Team for their work during the planning stage of the project: Dr. Cain Hope Felder, Dr. W. James Abbington, and Dr. Mitzi Smith.
