Chapter 16: every tradition · Christianity
African Methodist Episcopal Church
A congregation of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, founded by Richard Allen and the people of Mother Bethel in Philadelphia, organised in 1816, and Methodist in doctrine under the Twenty-Five Articles of Religion. Sunday worship is long, sermon-centred, and responsive, with choirs, the Hammond organ, altar prayer at the rail, and the doors of the church opened every week; communion on first Sundays at the rail, prepared by the stewardesses. The bishop appoints the pastor each year at Annual Conference on the presiding elder's recommendation, and the presiding elder holds a Quarterly Conference with every church. The building is held in trust for the connection, and churches pay stacked assessments to the district, the Annual Conference, and the General Budget. Stewards, trustees, and class leaders share the work, with the Women's Missionary Society and the Young People's Division. Watch Night, Women's Day, and Men's Day mark the year.
All 80 traditions · its profile in Faiths and traditions, with how to play it; How people feel, what every factor is.
At a glance
| Faith | Christianity |
|---|---|
| Its words | church, church, sanctuary; the pastor leads the worship service; the sermon; Sunday; the Bible |
| Worship | word focus, responsive, moderate formality (0.67 of 1); seated on pews |
| Music | gospel organ expected; piano expected; choir expected; chant discouraged; recorded discouraged |
| The room's sound | likes a ringing room (organ and choir) |
| Its year | western, black church; full observance; fasts none |
| Leans | neutral on moral questions, liberal on economic ones |
| Polity | connectional; leaders come by itinerant; property trust |
| Leaders | one leader, full time, trained by course of study; marriage any |
| Belonging | high commitment, pastoral discipline, admitted by clergy |
| Giving | tithing expected; collected by walked, plate, online |
| Way of life | alcohol moderation, dress church clothes, sabbath relaxed |
The week's services
| Day | Time | Service | Led by | People look for it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday | 8:00 am | Preaching service | the pastor | optional |
| Sunday | 11:00 am | Black church worship | the pastor | expected |
| Wednesday | 7:00 pm | Prayer meeting and Bible study | the pastor | expected |
- Leader: a pastor. With none (a vacancy, or no one hired), the services are still held, but each costs everyone at it 0.10; on sabbatical a supply pastor stands in ($800 a month) for a little less. A small church shares its pastor with another, who leads only its first service of the week; each later one costs 0.03.
- Communion (monthly), served at a rail: it needs an altar, communion table, rail, or communion station with clear floor in front of it, or communion can't be given that week. Everyone receives, infants too. A licentiate or itinerant deacon can't preside: while the church has no one who can, an elder visits for each communion service, for $150.
- Baptism: needs a font, a baptistry, or an immersion font, built and installed; until there is one, those wanting baptism wait.
- Lay helpers at each service: Expected: 2 stewards (at communion); Optional: an acolyte.
Rites
- Class Meeting (weekly, +0.015 to those there): Members meet weekly in small classes under a class leader to pray, read scripture and tell one another how it is with their souls.
- Watch Night (yearly, +0.03 to those there): On New Year's Eve the church gathers to pray, sing and testify, and to see the new year in on their knees at midnight. In Black churches it also remembers Freedom's Eve, December 31, 1862.
- Special Day (quarterly, +0.025 to those there): Women's Day, Men's Day, Youth Day or Usher Day: one group leads the whole worship service, in matching colors, with a guest preacher and a special tithes and offerings.
- Homecoming (yearly, +0.03 to those there): Former members and families come home for a day of worship, singing and remembering, followed by dinner on the grounds.
- Church Anniversary (yearly, +0.025 to those there): The congregation celebrates the anniversary of its founding with special music, a guest preacher, and the story of the church's beginnings.
- Revival (yearly, +0.03 to those there): A week of nightly meetings with a guest evangelist, rousing music and an invitation every night, held to renew the church and win new converts.
- Love Feast (yearly, +0.03 to those there): A simple shared meal of fellowship, after the early church's agape: Methodists share bread and water; Moravian servers pass out sweet buns and coffee while the congregation sings; the Brethren join self-examination, feet washing, a meal and the bread and cup.
Baptism, confirmation, and joining
- Baptized elsewhere: it recognizes any baptism in the name of the Trinity. Someone so baptized is received at a service after about 4 weeks (a week from another of its churches).
- Not baptized (or baptized where it doesn't recognize it): a candidate who prepares for 1 months (only months its class can meet count), then is baptized and received at the same service.
- Joining age: 12.
- The church's children are baptized as babies, and are baptized members, without a vote until confirmed.
- Kinds of belonging: full members (votes, may hold office); probationers; received by the pastor.
- What it means: being baptized, confirmed, or received is worth +0.1 to the person, +0.05 to family there, and +0.03 to everyone else at the service. It roots them: a rooted household drifts away only 0.6 times as often, and if it does fall away, it has a 25% chance of coming home each Christmas Eve and Easter for ten years.
Giving, and what goes up
How its people give and what else comes in, as Money explains it for every faith.
- How it's given: the tithes and offerings, by an offering walked forward at each main service, a plate passed at each main service, and giving online. Walked forward, members give 15% more than into a plate, and a visiting household half as much again as its $5 to $25. Those who give online give whether or not they come (8% more a month).
- Tithing is expected: people give 15% more.
- Fundraisers: any it allows (below).
- Owed above: General Budget, $25 a year for each member, to the General Conference; not kept, it costs the congregation its voice.
- Owed above: Annual Conference claims, 6% of what it takes in, to the Annual Conference; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.
- Owed above: District assessment, 2% of what it takes in, to the Presiding Elder District; not kept, it costs the wider body's regard.
The pastor, the staff, and who decides
- How the pastor comes: sent by the Presiding Elder District, which moves them on; you can't advertise for or dismiss one, but can ask for a move.
- Paid: full time; housed by the congregation.
- Who they are: trained by a course of study (less skilled; they ask 90%); women among them (about a third); most married; about one married candidate in seven comes as a couple, caring for 75 more; the spouse has a recognized part (+0.01 to everyone after each service).
- Tenure: reviewed by the wider body each July.
- Ranks: Licentiate, Itinerant deacon, Itinerant elder; a candidate holds one by skill, and rises with the years.
- Staff it can hire or name (see Staff and volunteers):
- Bivocational pastor ($22,000–$38,000; cares for 75)
- Pastor ($55,000–$85,000 + $18,000 benefits, full time; cares for 150)
- Associate pastor ($42,000–$62,000 + $15,000 benefits, full time; cares for 100 more)
- Local elder (unpaid; from the members; cares for 30 more)
- Choir director / organist / pianist ($15,000–$35,000; leads the music (up to +0.06))
- Caretaker ($18,000–$30,000; slows the building's wear)
- Church secretary ($20,000–$35,000; runs the office (+50 to the leader's reach, once))
- Youth director ($20,000–$40,000; up to +0.08 for households with young people)
- Its boards: the stewards (deciding, over the money); the trustees (deciding, over the building); the class leaders (advising, over calls and the spiritual life).
- Renovations: The trustees votes, consulting the pastor.
- New construction: The Presiding Elder District votes.
- Who votes: full members, 16 and over.
Life together
What its Community screen offers it, with the dilemmas only its own faith or family meets; see The congregation in its community.
- Ministries of its own: Choir.
- Ministries every tradition can run that it's offered: Blood drive, Food pantry, Health clinic, Preschool, Youth group.
- Fundraisers of its own: Soup supper.
- Shared fundraisers it may hold: Auction, Bake sale, Bingo night, Car wash, Raffle, Rummage sale.
- Tenants it can take: A Masonic lodge, A scout troop, A twelve-step group, Another congregation, Dance classes, Parties and receptions, Polling place and forums.
- Auxiliaries: Stewardess Board, Usher Board, Women's Missionary Society, Young People's Division.
- Outreach: invitation Sunday, a revival (Community → Evangelism).
- Dilemmas of its own faith (besides those every congregation meets): A petition for cushions, The bells, again.
- Dilemmas its code of life brings: A candidates' forum, A raffle for the roof, A recruiter asks for the hall, Champagne at the reception.
What the building needs
- required Communion railCommunicants receive at a rail, kneeling or standing.
- required Communion tableThe Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper.
- required Baptismal fontInfant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church.
- required PulpitPreaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform.
- required sacristyVestments, sacred vessels, and paraments are kept and prepared in a sacristy.
- expected Choir stallsA choir leads the singing and needs a place to stand or sit together.
- expected CrossAn empty cross is the expected focal symbol.
- expected Hammond organGospel worship is carried by a Hammond organ.
- expected Upright pianoThe congregation expects singing led from a piano.
- expected fellowship hallTables are set for the meal in the fellowship hall.
- expected kitchenThe food and coffee are prepared in the kitchen.
- discouraged CrucifixThis tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix.
- discouraged Flaming chaliceThe flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol.
- discouraged IconIcons are not part of this tradition's worship.
- discouraged StatueStatues are not part of this tradition's worship space.
What people here feel
- Architectural style: Colonial brick +0.028; Modern synagogue +0.046; Gurdwara +0.052; Japanese temple +0.056; Islamic +0.05; Shinto shrine +0.05; Chinese temple +0.044; Dravidian temple +0.038; Nagara temple +0.038; Thai temple +0.038; Jain marble +0.032; Gothic +0.026.
- Building fit: up to ±0.15 for everyone, the average fit of the characterful items in its worship rooms (the table below).
- Acoustics: it wants a ringing room, about 2.8 seconds of reverberation: stone, plaster, a high ceiling. Up to ±0.05.
- Seasonal decor: it keeps the church year: paraments and the season's decor are worth up to ±0.027.
- Solar panels: leaning liberal, it's glad of them (+0.02 at every service).
- The sermon lands by its topic and the tradition's leaning (below); the pastor's preaching adds or costs up to 0.08 more.
- Communion: each communion service runs longer; a slow one costs 0.05 for every 10 minutes the service runs over (0.2 at most).
How each sermon lands
The topics its leader can choose from (some are only for one faith or family), and what each is worth.
- Social Justice Call+0.06
- Care for Creation+0.04
- Healing for All+0.04
- Wealth & Poverty+0.04
- Welcome the Stranger+0.04
- Biblical Stories+0.015
- Blessed Are the Peacemakers+0.015
- Called by Name+0.015
- Doubt & Faith+0.015
- Eternal Life & Resurrection+0.015
- Grace & Forgiveness+0.015
- Gratitude+0.015
- Hope & Comfort+0.015
- Joy in All Things+0.015
- Love One Another+0.015
- Sabbath Rest+0.015
- Saints & Witnesses+0.015
- Servant Leadership+0.015
- Songs of the Psalms+0.015
- Stewardship & Generosity+0.015
- The Church Year+0.015
- The Life of Prayer+0.015
- The Parables of Jesus+0.015
- Faith & Family-0.02
- Faith of Our Fathers-0.02
- Interfaith Understanding-0.02
- Obedience & Discipline-0.02
- Personal Holiness-0.02
- Reading Scripture in Context-0.02
- Resisting Temptation-0.02
- Spiritual Warfare-0.02
- Swords into Ploughshares-0.02
- The Authority of Scripture-0.02
- The Great Commission-0.02
- The Prophets' Call-0.02
- Women Who Led-0.02
- Marriage as God Designed-0.03
- Racial Justice & Reconciliation-0.03
- Radical Inclusion-0.03
- Sanctity of Life-0.03
- The Last Days-0.03
- Fire & Brimstone-0.04
Every item, for this tradition
Fit runs from −1 (jars) to +1 (just right); the building fit is the average over the characterful items in the worship rooms. An item with no character (a table, a toilet) has no fit. A rule applies wherever the item is.
| Item | Fit | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Seating | ||
| Box pew | +0.333 | |
| Choir stalls | +0.667 | expected A choir leads the singing and needs a place to stand or sit together. |
| Meeting bench | no fit | |
| Oak pew | no fit | |
| Row of chairs | 0 | |
| Liturgical furniture | ||
| Altar | +0.333 | |
| Baptismal font | +0.333 | required Infant baptism by pouring needs a baptismal font, traditionally near the entrance as a sign that baptism is entry into the church. |
| Baptistry | no fit | |
| Bishop's chair | +0.333 | |
| Brass eagle lectern | +0.333 | |
| Columbarium niches | +0.333 | |
| Communion rail | +0.333 | required Communicants receive at a rail, kneeling or standing. |
| Communion station | no fit | |
| Communion table | no fit | required The Lord's Supper is served from a communion table, recalling the table of the Last Supper. |
| Communion trays | no fit | |
| Confessional screen | no fit | |
| Coptic cross | +1 | |
| Epitaphios | -1 | |
| Flaming chalice | -1 | discouraged The flaming chalice is another tradition's symbol. |
| Foot-washing basins | no fit | |
| Haikal screen | -1 | |
| Iconostasis | -1 | |
| Immersion font | +0.333 | |
| Lectern | no fit | |
| Litany desk | +0.333 | |
| Mercy seat | no fit | |
| Octagonal stone font | +0.333 | |
| Paraments | no fit | |
| Pulpit | no fit | required Preaching is the center of worship, so the pulpit stands at the center of the platform. |
| Readers' desks | no fit | |
| Rood screen | -1 | |
| Sanctuary lamp | +0.333 | |
| Tabernacle | +0.333 | |
| Three-bar cross | +1 | |
| Thurible and stand | no fit | |
| Music | ||
| Brass band stands | 0 | |
| Chanter's stand | -0.333 | |
| Drum kit | 0 | |
| Electronic organ | 0 | |
| Grand piano | +1 | |
| Hammond organ | +1 | expected Gospel worship is carried by a Hammond organ. |
| Handbell table | 0 | |
| Pipe organ | +0.167 | |
| Sound system | 0 | |
| Upright piano | +1 | expected The congregation expects singing led from a piano. |
| Decor | ||
| Advent wreath | no fit | |
| Banner | 0 | |
| Christmas Eve candles | no fit | |
| Cross | +1 | expected An empty cross is the expected focal symbol. |
| Crucifix | -1 | discouraged This tradition uses an empty cross, proclaiming the risen Christ, rather than a crucifix. |
| Easter lilies | no fit | |
| Eternal flame | no fit | |
| Flag of the church | 0 | |
| Great dome | +0.333 | |
| Icon | -1 | discouraged Icons are not part of this tradition's worship. |
| Memorial plaque | no fit | |
| National flag | 0 | |
| Painting of Christ | 0 | |
| Paschal candle | no fit | |
| Plain spire | no fit | |
| Small dome | no fit | |
| Stained glass window | +0.333 | |
| Statue | -1 | discouraged Statues are not part of this tradition's worship space. |
| Steeple and bells | +0.333 | |
| Votive candle stand | no fit | |
| Furnishings | ||
| Alms box | no fit | |
| Coffee pot | no fit | |
| Commercial coffee pot | no fit | |
| Computer | no fit | |
| Crib | no fit | |
| Desk | no fit | |
| Desk chair | no fit | |
| Folding table | no fit | |
| Full-length mirror | no fit | |
| Pillar | +0.333 | |
| Prie-dieu | +0.333 | |
| Projection screen | 0 | |
| Vestment cabinet | +0.333 | |
| Wooden table | no fit | |
| Utility | ||
| A/V rack | no fit | |
| Camera | no fit | |
| Cast-iron boiler | no fit | |
| Central air conditioner | no fit | |
| Commercial HVAC plant | no fit | |
| Commercial stove | no fit | |
| Congregation van | no fit | |
| Ductless heat pump | no fit | |
| Electric wall heater | no fit | |
| Gas furnace | no fit | |
| Hearing loop | no fit | |
| Lift | no fit | |
| Packaged heat pump | no fit | |
| Plumbing stack | no fit | |
| Ramp | no fit | |
| Shuttle bus | no fit | |
| Sink | no fit | |
| Solar panels | no fit | |
| Stairs | no fit | |
| Toilet | no fit | |
| Used school bus | no fit | |
| Wall camera | no fit | |
| Window air conditioner | no fit | |
| Grounds | ||
| Evergreen tree | no fit | |
| Flower bed | no fit | |
| Fountain | no fit | |
| Garden bench | no fit | |
| Hedge | no fit | |
| Lychgate | +0.333 | |
| Playground | no fit | |
| Shade tree | no fit | |
| Standing cross | no fit | |