WS Chronicle

While political activities this year exposed divisions within American society, one organization in Winston-Salem has forged ahead. Its diversity has helped, not hindered, its progress.

The Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity has accomplished a great deal with its leadership and members, which vary by sex, race, denomination and title.

The Conference elected new officers last week as its outgoing president, Bishop Todd Fulton, gave his end of the term presentation. The organization has committees that spearhead the various activities of the group. They are the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Food Justice, Ministry of Social Justice, Ministry of Health and Wellness and Ministry of Economics. Fulton, who served for two years, out-lined how the Conference’s work touched many aspects of the lives of Winston-Salem residents.(SEE STORY ON PAGE B5)

Among its work, the Conference has worked and says it will continue to work for the release and exoneration of Kalvin Michael Smith, who has been accused in a brutal beating of a pregnant woman. The Conference also raised money for people hurt as Hurricane Matthew whipped the North Carolina coast.

On May 5, 1930, the roots of the Minister’s Conference were laid. In the beginning it was geared toward Baptist ministers, but has grown to include a wider group of Christians. The history of the Conference says the preachers were the only group that was not beholden to the white power structure and did not have to worry about any economic, political, or job related backlash. The history continues to say that in the mid-1970s, the leadership style began to evolve from a closed-door/backroom style to a more confrontational in-your-face/this-is-where-we-stand approach. The Conference changed the name to Ministers’ Conference and Vicinity. This was done to be more inclusive of the entire community.

Its Facebook page says: “The Conference continues to diligently work to ensure the best solutions to common problems; seek the most workable approaches to worthy concerns; and advance the general interest of the cause of Christ. We also advocate social justice for all persons, regardless of race, creed, color, religion, or socioeconomic status.”

We hope that with the new leadership coming in in 2017, that the Ministers’ Conference of Winston-Salem and Vicinity will continue to be a voice and vehicle for action in the community.