With the beginning of summer comes the New England Annual Conference in Cromwell, CT. This year the Cross Street AME Zion Church will be hosting this tremendous event. In preparation first Sunday was filled with Thanks and gratitude from our Pastor. We pray for his return to Goodwin AME Zion Church. Here is the report of the church that will be given by Tracy Sutherland (delegate) the week of the conference.
New England Annual Conference Report
June 3-8, 2008
Report from the church among the trees
New England Annual Conference Report May 30, 2008
Greetings from Goodwin Memorial AME Zion Church in Amherst, MA
Thank you to Cross Street AME Zion Church for hosting this event to God be the glory!
Report from the church among the trees:
Alfred L. Johnson, Sr. – Pastor
Dawn Hardy – Associate Minister
Rev. Margaret R. E. Lawson – Presiding Elder
Iris M. Battle – Missionary Supervisor
Rev. George E. Battle, Jr. – Presiding Bishop
Gloria Boyer – Chairperson of the Trustee Board
Cyrus Cox – Preachers Steward
Tracy Sutherland – Clerk
The summer of 2007 brought a new Pastor (Alfred L. Johnson) to Goodwin Memorial AME Zion Church. We were extremely saddened to see Pastor Talley leave but know that it is all in God’s plan.
Our Motto is: God’s Work, Done God’s Way, will Always Have God’s Support
Since Pastor Johnson’s arrival Goodwin continues to be blessed with bountiful fruit. He and his lovely family were welcomed and put to work immediately. Our annual picnic/cookout was held in North Amherst in June.
Respectfully Submitted by Tracy Sutherland (Delegate)
The year started with vacation Bible School in August held at the Cadigan Center across the street from the church. The church has since been blessed with new stairs, beautiful railings and new storm windows. In addition the choir has grown so much so that there has been additional room made for them with new seating. The music ministry was blessed with a new piano that allowed for the much needed room for the choir members. In the fall the choir went on retreat to Westfield State College and returned focused and tuned. Missionary Sunday was Sept. 23rd this year with guest speaker Francine Wilson. The Missionary Society gave out fruit baskets for Thanksgiving and continually supported the work on the district. They as did the choir donated one storm window for the church and financially supported the Amherst Senior housing assistance program as well as the work that continues in New Orleans.
This winter the choir held their Second Annual Christmas concert (There’s a Song in the Air) with the combined choir of Wesley Methodist Church in Hadley, MA. Christmas at Goodwin was a magnificent event with the lighting of advent candles each Sunday and the giving tree which provided a special gift for each child of the church. Following was Black History Month which offered many of us the ability to reflect on and celebrate black history. Church members participated at events at Amherst, College and the ABC (A Better Chance) Program. Also in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King the church had their annual pancake breakfast which was well received by the surrounding community.
Our Quarterly Conference was held February 2nd at the church and provided Goodwin with clarity and direction.
Men’s Day was a marvelous event with the motto of” the impossible is possible every single day,” the men are active in the community making their presence know. Women’s day was just as wonderful with the motto of “Christian Women Standing on the Promises of God”. Both events featured dance, worship, poetry, song, prayer, dynamic sermons and praise that truly can not be described.
As you may know the Eastern District Conference was Holy Ghost filled with the additional blessing of the Goodwin choir’s attendance. Mother’s day was outstanding as all the male members presented roses to all the women and girls of the church.
In general the Class leaders are doing an outstanding job, thanks to Pastor Johnson we now have a visitation ministry who visit and write to those on our sick and shut in list as well as keeping in contact with our visitors.
Sunday school meets each Sunday at 9:45 am and classes are taught by dedicated teachers who provide classes for both Youth and Adults. The church also offered alternating evening and morning prayer throughout the year at 6am and 6pm. Additionally, the choir traveled to Uncasville, CT, Worchester, MA , Boston, MA and Hadley, MA spreading the word of God and helping our sister church’s to celebrate milestones in their ministry’s.
Resurrection Sunday was held on the campus of Amherst College this year to provide a larger seating arrangement for the congregation. The choir received more blessings from the Amherst College community at their bi-semester worship service celebrating black alumni weekend in early April. They have most recently been asked to sing at a 27th annual gospel performance in Hadley, Massachusetts July 2nd at the Porter-Phelps-Huntington Museum. .
Goodwin is doing great things and the church is overall doing very well. The Missionaries are stoling 14 new Life members this Friday. It is evident that Pastor Johnson has enhanced Goodwin Memorial AME Zion Church thanks to his leadership, narrative sermons and relationship building ministry that is soul saving and uplifting. Pastor Johnson allows the congregation at Goodwin AME Zion to be active members in the church, while giving us the ability to express our love of God and our dedication to Him in many different ways. We sincerely appreciate him and his service to God.
We are a bible believing, gospel preaching, people praising church!
Continue to pray for us as we will you.
Thank you!
Goodwin Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church 