HISTORY OF THE CONFERENCE
1995 During the MCC World Jubilee & General Conference in Atlanta, GA, 40+ people of African descent gathered to connect with one another and expressed the desire to stay connected. Rev. Elder Darlene Garner then wrote and submitted The First Report on the State of African-Americans in MCC to General Council and the Board of Elders. The General Council adopted many of the recommendations in The Report. The Board of Elders asked Garner to be responsible for ensuring follow-through on the recommendations contained in The Report, including convening biennial MCC conferences for people of African descent.
1998 1st MCC Leadership Conference for African Americans (Beltsville, MD); chaired by Rev. Elder Darlene Garner, Conference Convener.
2000 2nd MCC Leadership Conference for African-Americans (McLean, VA); chaired by Ms. Onetta Brooks of MCC LA.
2002 3rd MCC Leadership Conference for People of African Descent (Atlanta, GA); convened by Rev. Wanda Floyd of Imani MCC in Durham, NC, and Mr. Barry Hundley of First MCC in Atlanta, GA.
2004 4th MCC Leadership Conference for People of African Descent and Parallel Track (Houston, TX); co-chaired by Ms. Anita Jones-Merritt, Mr. Kenneth M. Samuel, and Ms. Philippa Lynn Jenkins of Resurrection MCC in Houston, TX.
2006 5th MCC Leadership Conference for People of African Descent and our Friends and Allies (Tampa, FL); co-chaired by Rev. Candy Holmes of Christ the Liberator MCC in North Brunswick, NJ, and Rev. Franc Perry of First MCC of Atlanta in Atlanta, GA.
2008 6th MCC Leadership Conference for People of African Descent and our Friends and Allies and 10th Year Celebration (St. Louis, MO); chaired by Rev. Candy Holmes of Christ the Liberator MCC in North Brunswick, NJ.
2011 7th MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Our Friends and Allies (Washington, DC);chaired by Rev. Candy Holmes of MCC of Washington, DC. The host churches were – MCC of Baltimore, Baltimore, MD, Rev. Dr. Y’Lon Dozier, Pastor; Holy Redeemer MCC, College Park, MD, Rev. David North, Pastor; MCC of Northern Virginia, Fairfax, VA, Rev. Dr. Kharma Amos, Pastor; MCC of Washington, D.C., Rev J. Dwayne Johnson, Pastor; Bethel Christian Church, Washington D.C., Rev. Darren Phelps, Pastor; City of Refuge, Washington DC, Rev. Cedric Harmon, Interim Pastor; New Life MCC of Hampton Roads, Norfolk, VA, Rev. Mark Byrd, Interim Pastor.
2014 8th MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Our Friends and Allies (Atlanta, GA): chaired by Rev. Candy Holmes of MCC Washington, DC. The host church was First MCC of Atlanta, Rev. Dr. Paul Graetz, Senior Pastor
2017 9th MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Friends, and Advocates (St. Louis, MO): chaired by Rev. Candy Holmes of MCC Washington, DC. The host church is MCC of Greater St. Louis, Rev. Wes Mullins Senior Pastor, Rev. Katie Hotze-Wilson, Pastor of Congregational Care and Worship, and Rev. Elder Lillie Brock, Pastor of Congregational Life.
Relationship of the People of African Descent Conference to MCC
The MCC Conference for People of African Descent, Friends and Advocates is an official MCC conference and is included in MCC’s annual budget process. MCC staff work with planning teams to provide assistance with site selection, negotiating hotel contracts, preparing marketing materials, maintaining the conference Web site, and managing pre-conference registrations. A representative of the Council of Elders serves as Convener of the Conference to ensure that MCC continues to provide the resources and supports that are needed for each Conference and to provide information from the Conference to the Council of Elders, Governing Board, and MCC staff, as appropriate.
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