Wilberforce University Alumni Weekend Boosts Local Businesses

MORE THAN 1,000 GATHER IN GREENE COUNTY

A big, successful Dawn Dance celebration for Wilberforce University welcomed more than 1,000 alums, prospective students, and friends for on and off-campus events in Greene County from March 29, 2023 to April 1, 2023. Dawn Dance is the traditional invitation for alums to return to their alma mater to celebrate the spring season and honor Wilberforce, the nation’s first private Historically Black College/University (HBCU).

The weekend’s highlights began with a fashion show featuring Nubiance, a student-led modeling company. Events then advanced to a chapel service that included the university chorale and a reception with ‘07 alum, master poet Jay Martinez.

Nearly 400 guests attended Preview Day. These visitors are prospective students and their families who visited the campus for tours and presentations. Among those who spoke, Provost Dr. Emily Lewis, President Elfred Anthony Pinkard, Ms. Gernisha Parnell, director of The Center for Academic Support and Student Success (CASS), the university’s center for student success, and alums who are now employed by Dawn Dance event sponsors PNC Bank and the local law firm, Wright and Schulte, LLC.

Cheerleaders offered a special welcome, and the WU marching band, the Hounds of Sound, strutted that blazing, rhythmic flair. The Saturday evening wrapped up with a sold-out, HBCUstyle Greek fraternity and sorority step show with more than 500 people in attendance.

These events not only drove campus interaction, but according to the city of Xenia’s economic development coordinator, 1,000 extra people in the campus area over the weekend can create what is known as the multiplier effect.

“That many people coming to an area for a weekend has a positive effect on the local hotels, restaurants, and shops,” said Steven Brodsky. “You hope that they have enjoyed themselves enough to want to come back to this area.”

Over the years, Wilberforce has helped bring additional income to the Greene County area. One study by the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) estimated that Wilberforce University has driven approximately $124 million in economic spending to the region annually and has the capability of creating more than 1,000 jobs.

This is the first in-person Dawn Dance in the three years since the COVID-19 pandemic closed many public events. The annual weekend is rivaled only by the fall season’s homecoming festivities.

The university acknowledges the residents and business owners in Greene County and the surrounding communities for their warm hospitality during the fun-filled weekend. For more details, contact Marsha Bonhart at 937-286-0023. ❏ ❏ ❏

Cob Statement

Dear AME Family:

We write to provide you with an update on the status of the denomination’s efforts to resolve the litigation relating to the Department of Retirement Services and to reaffirm the denomination’s commitment to ensuring that our participants do not continue to suffer because of what has happened to us.

Since we uncovered this devastating crime, there has not been a day that we, and the professionals we retained, have not worked to find a reasonable solution. Lawsuits limit our ability to speak freely about all efforts underway; however, to be clear, our constant concern and attention have been on full restitution of the mishandled, misappropriated funds and on limiting the erosion of any recovery through legal fees which will accrue with prolonged litigation.

Last month the federal court overseeing this litigation dismissed seven of the nine claims against the denomination. It decline d to dismiss claims against others, including Newport and Symetra, each of which is alleged to have breached fiduciary duties that they owed to the denomin ation. In February of this year, the denomination participated in an initial mediation with all parties, and the denomination expects to resume that mediation effort in early May. We pray that our second attempt at mediation will successfully accelerate a resolution.

We are still doing everything possible to pursue justice and compensation from those primarily responsible. However, whether we recover from these entities or not, we are family and committed to ensuring we receive what we expected before we uncovered this matter. By faith and some evidence, you WILL eventually receive the retirement funds you expected to receive before we all found out about this abomination. Again, we thank you for your patience and cooperation during this most challenging season in the life of African Methodism.

Yours in Christian service,

Bishop Ronnie Elijah Brailsford, Sr., Pr esident, AMEC Council of Bishops

Bishop Adam J. Richardson, Sr., Senior Bishop

Sampaio, Paulo Teixeira, Bernardo Kilembeketa, Sousa Hebo, Ananias Prata, Ananias Manuel, Manuel Selenda, and others.

1991 – He is sent to Luanda, and in the first organizational conference led by the then proclaimed bishop of the Independent Methodist Church, he receives an appointment to the Church of Jerusalem – Sambizanga, Ecclesiastical District of Luanda, whose superintendent was the late Reverend Cristóvão Francisco Miguel.

Years later, another division arose from the independent to African Episcopalian - this remained in the Jerusalem church.

In 2002, he contacted the leadership of IAME again, showing his desire to join it. This request was only accepted at the 2004 conference, and he was appointed to pastor Job’s IAME.

In the 2007 session, he is elected as a delegate to the General Conference in the USA.

In July 2008, he represented the Annual Conference of Angola at the General Conference held in the USA in the city of Philadelphia, in the company of the Reverend Abílio A. Andrade and Brother Pedro Manuel Dala. After the session, the Reverend Abílio, as assistant to the bishop, took the opportunity to present him to the new Bishop Alfred Messias as his future successor.

In September 2008, at the conference held at the IAME in Betânia, he was appointed administrative assistant to the bishop in Angola, pastor of the IAME de Peregrinos, and senior president of Cuanza Sul.

The Reverend Sarmento represented the Annual Conference of Angola in several sessions, biennials, quadrennials, forums in the USA, South Africa, Namibia, and others.

Training

In 1993 – he successfully attended an English course at one of the training centers in Kinaxixi, which gave him many opportunities in life, both professionally and religiously.

From 2017 to 2018 – Completed the Bible training course – Rhema.

04.08.2017– Completed the leadership training at the ILI National Conference in Luanda; still in 2017, participated in the leadership course Africa – Angola – ICAN Maxwell.

An excellent leader who managed to create a healthy relationship between church and state, during his leadership, he participated in various government activities, was one of the promoters of the creation of the Richard Allen College, and carried out the church recognition process. He boosted the area of Cuanza Sul.

Worked in the churches of Jerusalem, Job, Bethany, Pilgrims.

At 8:10 a.m. on March 17, 2023, the Annual Conference of Angola was surprised by the sad news of the physical passing of the Reverend Manuel Esteves Sarmento. The voice of the preacher par excellence, who, when he preaches, shook everyone up, was definitively silenced. Maaa March, Puuu jump.

Easy-going leader, genius preacher, friend to all, the person who held no grudges. He knew how to forgive, and he accepted forgiveness.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Rev. Manuel Esteves Sarmento was not only a specialist in biblical matters but also a man of faith, counselor, and pedagogue. But also a disciplinarian. As if that weren’t enough, he was very affectionate, affable, a friend, a brother, very present in happiness and sadness. From a very early age, as the gospel of Saint Mark 12:30-31 says, “That the last commandment is love,” in the perspective of union, reciprocity, and solidarity.

My brothers and sisters, we have lost a pastor, a father, a grandfather, a nephew, a brother, and an uncle. But, we gained an intercessor with the heavenly father. It remains for us, dear brothers and sisters, to internalize and practice all your advice, teachings, and doctrine. Whoever accepts them will be happy; however, whoever disregards them will be unhappy.

Go in peace, great word fighter and interpreter of the English language. Intercede with the father for us who are still on pilgrimage on this face of the earth so that love, health, solidarity, and peace may be felt within the African Methodist Episcopal Church collective.

The deceased leaves a widow, 4 children, 4 grandchildren, and a void in the family and the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

According to biblical evidence, Pastor Manuel Esteves Sarmento did not die but rest, rest, or sleep. By the way, today, March 22, 2023, he would be 52 years old. ...continued on p29