Beckley hosts the 157th Pittsburgh-West Virginia Conference of AME

BECKLEY, WV (WVNS) — Beckley hosted the 157th session of the Pittsburgh-West Virginia Annual Conference of the 3rd Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

The event runs until 21st at St. Matthews AME Church.

Leaders and members from across the district gathered to discuss vital issues affecting their congregation and to commemorate their faith during the gathering. The first official gathering of the new appointed bishop, Stafford Joe Nathan Wicker of the 3rd Episcopal District, hosted the conference.

The district was assigned to Stafford less than 3 weeks prior to the event and he is the 137th elected and consecrated bishop. Bishop Stafford J.D. Wicker said he plans on uniting the community.

“My goal is to try to do everything I can to make church and community come together as one and [work on] various ways of meeting the needs of the community,” said Bishop Stafford J.D. Wicker

Many attendees were excited that the conference was in their own backyard, saying that it shined a light on the local community.

“It shows that there are African American people here in West Virginia but also it shows that we go across racial and cultural religious lines for bring unity. That’s what the purpose of it is. We have you know that to me is what’s exciting it shows that we can come together. That’s the most important thing to me,” said Alton Dilard the Presiding Elder of West Virginia.

To create a welcoming and lively community, members with the Saint Matthew African Methodist Episcopal said they were thrilled to share an initiative designed to help young people connect with their faith and get involved with services in the church.

Pastor Debra Smoot said that they hoped that the conference paid homage to their previous leaders as well as welcoming younger members to participate in church going activities.

“[It is] encouraging us to lead our younger people as our leaders, elderly leaders led us,” she said.

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