Here am I! Send me: a model for recruiting African Methodist Episcopal ministers into the Navy Chaplaincy, 2006
Buford, Maurice Arnold
2006-03-29
2000-2009
The original purpose of this project was to empower ministers within the African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church to consider serving God within the context of the Navy Chaplaincy, through educational workshops, seminars and church visitations. This study was to consist of twenty-eight (28) weeks of group participation, involving forty- five (45) aspiring ministers - the control group. The intent was to conduct a 'before' and 'after' questionnaire with this entity upon the completion of several educational workshops. Due to military obligations, this goal was interrupted and a modified pathway adopted. That included interviewing a new control group that consisted of (31) thirty-one marines and sailors while in Iraq; twenty-five (25) random A.M.E. parishioners; sixteen (16) A.M.E. military chaplains; eight (8) subscribers to various African Methodist periodicals and four (4) personalities from the executive leadership of the A.M.E. Church. The common thread amongst all of the interviews revolved around the question, 'Why aren't there more African Methodist Episcopal clergy serving God within the context of the Navy Chaplaincy at such a time as this?' The researcher's overall hypothesis framed the nature of the said study. Though circumstances forced readjustment, the adopted method of interviewing essentially validated the researcher's supposition resulting in an overall success in spite of alterations. Ninety-six percent of the control group's mentality modified in a positive way concerning the Naval Chaplaincy and three group members are currently embarking upon this form of ministry. This model of ministry, though not executed according to the writer's original intent, nevertheless, contends that the essence of the study will enlighten African Methodist institutional awareness, compel others to heed the divine call to serve in the Navy Chaplaincy and will bring spiritual value added to our daughters and sons serving in the United States Armed Forces.
text
application/pdf
dissertation
Interdenominational Theological Center
Georgia--Atlanta
http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12322/itc.td:2006_buford_maurice_a
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
