The Abyssinian Baptist Church 132 Odell Clark Place | New York, New York 10030

Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III – Pastor Worship Service PASTORS’ MEMORIAL SUNDAY June 7, 2015

“To all those who enter here, be thoughtful, be silent, be reverent. Before the service, speak to

God. During the service, let God speak to you. After the service, speak to others.” 9:00 am 11:00 am Reverend Starsky Wilson Pastor, Saint John’s Church St. Louis, MO President & CEO, Deaconess Foundation

Prelude “Praise God from Whom all Blessings Flow” Fred Bock 9:00 am 11:00 am James Davis Jr., Organist

Call to Worship Leader: In every generation, God has given us spirits that guide; People: Visionaries who push us to live to our greatest possibilities. Leader: In every generation, God has given us spirits that advocate; People: Leaders and prophets who speak truth to power and empower us

to be truthful. Leader: In every generation, God has given us spirits that love; People: Pastors and preachers who inspire us to walk taller, think higher,

and love more. All: On this Pastors’ Memorial Sunday, we give you thanks, O God, for

the leaders you have given us. Amen. The Lord’s Prayer Processional “Holy, Holy, Holy” #329

Invocation and Chant (Please scroll down)

Responsive Reading “Clergy Appreciation” #64

Gloria Patri Prayer and Choral Response Anthem 9:00 am 11:00 am The Cathedral Choir "Way Over in Beulah Land” Hall Johnson Pastoral Emphasis Scripture Meditation 9:00 am 11:00 am The Cathedral Choir "Yes God is Real” Kenneth Morris Soloist: Sharmane Davis, Soprano

Sermon and Invitation Invitational

Offertory: 9:00 am 11:00 am Offertory Sentences & Selections The Cathedral Choir

"A City Built Four Square” Dorothy Love Coates Soloist: Mary Flowers, Contralto

Doxology

Offertory Prayer

Recessional “Life’s Railway to Heaven” #472

Benediction and Amen

(Please scroll down)

Postlude

WORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

Sunday Morning Praying Band assembles Sunday mornings at 7:00 AM.

Sunday Morning Bible Study meets at 8:45 AM.

WE Youth Worship Experience Sundays, 9:15 AM – 11:00 AM.

Monday Afternoon Bible Class meets Mondays at Noon.

Mid-Week Manna Worship Service - Wednesday evenings 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM

The Abyssinian Baptist Church proudly observes

PASTORS’ MEMORIAL SUNDAY

“Honoring Our Former Pastors”

Prepared by The Adam Clayton Powell Memorial Ministry

Today, Abyssinian Baptist Church proudly remembers three of our most prolific pastors in the church’s history: Reverend Dr. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr., Congressman, Reverend Adam Clayton Powell, Jr., and Reverend Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor.  

Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. was born on May 5, 1865 in Franklin County, VA, to a southern slave owner and Sallie (Dunning) Powell, a former slave. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Anthony Powell, an ex-slave who instilled in him religious beliefs. In 1875 at age 10, Adam met Mattie Fletcher Schaffer in West Virginia. They married in 1887 and had two children, Blanche and Adam Jr. Adam Sr. originally sought to study law and politics, but decided to follow God’s call to preach (Please scroll down)

the Gospel, and in 1888, entered Wayland Seminary, now Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA.

In 1892, Dr. Powell was called to pastor Immanuel Baptist Church in New Haven, CT, while a special student at Yale Divinity School. In December 1908, Powell Sr. was called to the pastorate of The Abyssinian Baptist Church, which then was located on West 40th Street in New York City. Under Adam Sr.’s leadership, in 1920, lots on West 138th Street in Harlem were purchased, and a tithing campaign was implemented. On April 9, 1922, ground was broken, construction began, and the new Abyssinian church edifice was completed in 14 months. The $60,000 construction debt was retired in less than five years by members who were committed to Rev. Powell’s vision.

Dr. Powell was responsible for building the first community/ recreational center in the most densely populated Black community in the world, making Abyssinian a model church. He went on to establish other social/religious education programs, and by the mid-1930's, Powell Sr. was the powerful pastor of a church that boasted membership of 14,000, that was recognized as one of the largest Protestant congregations in America.

During the Depression era, Powell, Sr. advocated for jobs and city services, as well as feeding the poor. He lectured on race relations at Colgate University, the College of the City of New York, and at Union Theological Seminary, among other institutions. Additionally, Dr. Powell was a co-founder of the National Urban League, an early leader in the NAACP, and an organizer of the Silent Protest parade of 1928. He was a proponent for racial pride and believed in education and hard work. In 1937, Powell Sr. retired and turned over Abyssinian’s pastoral mantle to his son, Assistant Pastor, Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. By this time, the church’s loyal, tithing members were paying the operating expenses of the church, salaries of full and part-time church workers, and supporting a missionary effort in Africa. Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. died in June 1953.

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr.

Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. was born on November 29, 1908 in New Haven, CT to Mattie Fletcher and Adam Clayton Powell, Sr. He attended the public schools of New York City, and later received degrees from Colgate University (Hamilton, NY) in 1930; Columbia University (New York, NY) in 1932; and Shaw University (Raleigh, NC) in 1934. Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. succeeded his father as pastor in 1937. He previously served Abyssinian

as Assistant Pastor, and launched his career crusading for reform as Director of the church’s soup kitchen and relief operations, which served thousands of Harlem's needy during the Depression. In recognition of his outstanding work, Shaw University awarded him the Doctor of Divinity degree.

In 1930, Adam Jr. persuaded several large corporations to drop their “unofficial” ban on employing Blacks including Harlem Hospital, and New York City’s Bus Lines, which routinely discriminated against Blacks in hiring practices. He was also instrumental in helping Blacks find employment on Harlem’s lucrative “125th Street.” Adam Jr. was a dynamic leader who successfully combined the Christian message with a radical oratory of Black activism and politics. In 1944, he was elected Congressman of the 22nd District and served 14 terms in the House of Representatives. In 1945, Powell went to Washington, D.C. as the sole Congressional representative of a community of 300,000, of which 89% were African American. Identified as “Mr. Civil Rights,” and a freshman legislator, Powell was a firm believer in the importance of radical politics who actively engaged in fiery debates with arch-segregationists. On Capitol Hill, Powell managed federal legislation that generated public laws to benefit minorities, the aged and handicapped in areas of fair employment, public education, school aid, discrimination, increased minimum wage and poverty.

Throughout his career in Congress, Powell attended several conferences abroad as spokesman for the United States, including the Afro-Asian Conference in Bandung, Indonesia (1955) and the independence of Ghana, West Africa (1957). During his dynamic pastoral leadership, Abyssinian maintained a firm membership of over 10,000 and was known as the “church of the masses.” Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. died on April 4, 1972.

Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor became Abyssinian’s pastor in 1972. Born and raised in Norfolk, VA, Dr. Proctor received degrees from Virginia Union University (Richmond, VA) in 1942, Crozer Theological Seminary (Rochester, NY) in 1945 and Boston University (Boston, MA) in 1950. He was ordained as a Minister of the Gospel in 1943, and went on to hold various posts in education, including Presidency of Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA in 1955, and North Carolina A & T State University in 1960. He held administrative positions with the National Council of Churches, the Peace Corps in Nigeria and Washington, D.C., and the Office of Economic Opportunity prior to becoming pastor of The Abyssinian Baptist Church.

Dr. Proctor was also a Professor of Education (Please scroll down)

at Rutgers University (1969 -1984), and served on the board of Middlebury College as well as at other education institutions. A prolific educator, teacher and public servant, Dr. Proctor built on the legacy of both Powells with his powerful preaching of God’s word. As a delegate to the national and international conferences on Human Rights and Peace, Dr. Proctor consistently condemned racism, militarism and injustice. During his 17 year pastoral tenure, Abyssinian became a staunch supporter of global efforts that upheld the cause for social, educational and racial equality for all African Americans. Dr. Proctor retired from Abyssinian in 1989. He authored several books including “We Have This Ministry,” “How Shall They Hear,” “Sermons from the Black Pulpit,” and “The Substance of Things Hoped For,” among many others.

Reverend Proctor died on May 22, 1997. Reverend Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III, succeeded Dr. Proctor, as Pastor of The Abyssinian Baptist Church in the City of New York.

PASTORS’ MEMORIAL SUNDAY GUEST PREACHER STARSKY WILSON

The Reverend Starsky D. Wilson is President & CEO of Deaconess Foundation, a faith-based grant making organization devoted to making child well-being a civic priority in the St. Louis region. Since he took the helm in 2011, the foundation has selected a new round of Deaconess Impact Partners, launched a community capacity building initiative to strengthen care for children through advocacy, community engagement and public policy, expanded the Deaconess Nursing Scholars Program and increased foundation assets by more than ten percent. Since 2008, Wilson has served Saint John's Church (The

Beloved Community) in St. Louis as pastor. He has led congregational activism on myriad issues, including youth violence prevention, Medicaid expansion, public school accreditation, voter mobilization, capping payday lending and raising the minimum wage, while more than tripling worship attendance and financial stewardship. Through the church, Pastor Wilson established The Beloved Community Conference and Sojourner’s Truth: A Celebration of Preaching Women. In 2014, Governor Jay Nixon appointed Rev. Wilson co-chair of the Ferguson Commission to study the underlying conditions and make policy recommendations to help the region progress through issues exposed by the tragic death of Michael Brown, Jr. He serves national boards for the United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund and (Please scroll down)

the Samuel DeWitt Proctor Conference and sits on regional boards for the YMCA of Greater St. Louis, FOCUS-St. Louis, Teach for America-St. Louis and the Mayor's Commission on Children, Youth and Families, where he co-chaired the Regional Youth Violence Prevention Task Force. Under his leadership, the Urban League Young Professionals established St. Louis’ Young Blacks Give Back initiative which has provided thousands of community service hours to local non-profits over the last twelve years. Starsky earned a bachelor of arts in political science from Xavier University of Louisiana, master of divinity from Eden Theological Seminary and is currently pursuing the doctor of ministry degree from Duke University’s Divinity School. A member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. and Eta Boule of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity, Starsky is married to Dr. LaToya Smith Wilson, a dentist at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. They are raising three young sons in the city of St. Louis.

THE ABYSSINIAN BAPTIST CHURCH

132 Odell Clark Place • New York, New York 10030 | 212.862.7474 (T) | 212.862.3255 (F) www.abyssinian.org