News and Events
A Special Celebration: Culture Day, February 2010
By Godwin and Uduak Akpan
Cultural day program for February 28, 2010 was full of laughter, culture and informative insights into the lives of those individuals who made our celebration of Black History Month an historical event. The Washington DC church capsulates an array of cultures: African Americans, multiple African cultures, Caucasians, and several islands—Caribbean, West Indies and Pacific Island. The program started with the master of ceremony Brother John Johnson giving us all a very warm welcome along several short facts throughout the program about the founder of Black History Month, Carter Woodson.
A youth trio (Donnie Coleman, Janay Reid, and Monique McElveen) rendered two Negro spirituals: “This Morning When I Rose” and “There’s A Leak in This Old Building”. Sister Monique then gave a powerful monologue titled “For my People”. Sisters Ruth and Chioma rendered a special song in the Yoruba language singing “Thank You Jesus, Thank You Very Much” followed by a trio (Brother and Sister Mbang with Brother Godwin Akpan) singing in Ibibio “Ubong, Ubong, Hallulujah (Glory, Glory Hallelujah)”. Heritage readings recognizing the historical impact of the AFC Church by various individuals that made. These individuals included Reverend Leon Dicks, founder of the AFC work in Brooklyn; the founding of AFC church in Trinidad; Reverend Timothy Oshokoya, the first Nigerian AFC Overseer; and Reverend (Mother) Kelly, founder of the AFC Washington, DC.
The highlight of the event was “I Remember The Time,” a talk-show interview hosted by Sister Carrie Keju several of our DC church elders. On the panel was Sister Rose McAlister, who visited the church on July 4th 1976 and prayed through to salvation on her first visit. Sister Annie Ruth Reid joined in 1965, invited by her sister who told her that she was too nice to go to hell.
Sister Beatrice Richter joined the church in 1990 after retiring from nursing in New York to help care for her grandchildren. At times she would shuttle all nine grandchildren in her five passenger vehicle to church. Brother Ayo joined in 1983 after being raised in Nigeria. Introduced to the church by his mother, he’s early recollection of the church in Nigeria includes Brother George Hughes’ visit, a missionary who died on his return from Africa and was buried in Liberia.
Lastly Reverend Josephine McElveen, our pastor, who joined the church in 1976. She smiled as she talked about how she met her husband back in college. She received her salvation experience in Los Angeles and later moved to DC to stay with her in-laws. She reflected on how she quit her job to attend campmeeting in Century, Florida. Her first sermon occurred at our old M Street location during one evening service with her mother and brother in attendance.
