Dear Family, Friends and Breakthrough Partners:
Today, I stood before the Bishop and the Atlanta North GA Annual Conference and was confirmed for ordination to the office of Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). This day and the ordination service to follow marks the end of a long journey (14 years) that started at St. James AME Church, Newark, NJ. It was in 1996 that I officially and publicly accepted the call to the ministry. But it was actually in the" manse" as a little boy in Midway, GA and in the crucible of Midway First Presbyterian Church that the seed for ministry was born. Wow! 14+ years to get to this point...Wow! Marvin Sapp is correct, "Never would have made it Never could have made it without you (God) I would have lost it all but now I see how you were there for me..."
This has been an incredible month. First, graduation from seminary after 6 long years of study. Now, full ordination in the AME Church. I wish I could express how I feel...but the words don't seem to flow. Just know...I am happy.
Let me thank God for choosing a flawed vessel like me for ministry. If I was God I would not have chosen me...but that's why I am not God. I pledge to do my best and to be open and amenable to God's will.
Today, I stood before the Bishop and the Atlanta North GA Annual Conference and was confirmed for ordination to the office of Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME Church). This day and the ordination service to follow marks the end of a long journey (14 years) that started at St. James AME Church, Newark, NJ. It was in 1996 that I officially and publicly accepted the call to the ministry. But it was actually in the" manse" as a little boy in Midway, GA and in the crucible of Midway First Presbyterian Church that the seed for ministry was born. Wow! 14+ years to get to this point...Wow! Marvin Sapp is correct, "Never would have made it Never could have made it without you (God) I would have lost it all but now I see how you were there for me..."
This has been an incredible month. First, graduation from seminary after 6 long years of study. Now, full ordination in the AME Church. I wish I could express how I feel...but the words don't seem to flow. Just know...I am happy.
Let me thank God for choosing a flawed vessel like me for ministry. If I was God I would not have chosen me...but that's why I am not God. I pledge to do my best and to be open and amenable to God's will.
Let me also thank my wife (Jennifer Watley Maxell) and my three beautiful children for their patience, understanding, love, prayers and support. Without them, I would not have made it. Let me thank my parents, Rev. Bernese Shaw and Rev. Dr. Charles Maxell, Sr. for their Christian example, their prayers and their love. Let me thank my Step-Mother, Ophelia Maxell and my sisters and nephew, Carmela (Maxell) Martin, Lynn Maxell and Vincent Charles Finona for their love and support. Let me thank Dad (Rev. William Watley), Mom (Muriel Watley), Gran (Marian Watley), my brother (Matthew Watley) and my sister (Shawna Watley) for their love, prayers and support through the years. And let me thank the 211 Crew (you know who you are...Bennett, Rob, Gerald, Ken and Todd)...every relative...every friend...and every Breakthrough Partner...and every person who ever gave me a word of support or told me to keep going. I celebrate these accomplishments with you. And let me thank every Naysayer...who thought, said or wished I would never reach this milestone. Without you...the fire and determination to continue and to not quit would not have been so great.
So now what...good question. I wish I had a good answer. All I know is that I am wiser and more mature than I was in 1996. I am more resolved in my faith and more trusting in its sustaining power. I am ready to claim my destiny and to do the work that God intends for me to do. My goal is to become a successful pastor. Success will not be judged by church membership, book titles that bear my name, or a calendar filled with speaking invitations; but success will be judged by my ability to win souls for the Lord and to lead people to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
So now what...good question. I wish I had a good answer. All I know is that I am wiser and more mature than I was in 1996. I am more resolved in my faith and more trusting in its sustaining power. I am ready to claim my destiny and to do the work that God intends for me to do. My goal is to become a successful pastor. Success will not be judged by church membership, book titles that bear my name, or a calendar filled with speaking invitations; but success will be judged by my ability to win souls for the Lord and to lead people to an intimate relationship with Jesus Christ.
I feel that God has something he wants me to say to this generation. There are significant pockets within the community that do not believe in God’s deliverance and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. They view the Christian church with confusion and disillusionment. They ask what God is doing to stop the number of Black men going to jail, Black woman being affected with AIDS, the collapse of the Black family and to help Black children suffering without relief. They point to the feelings of self-hatred and self-contempt that plague the community; which are perpetuated by stereotypes that attack Black intelligence, ability, beauty, sexuality and character. They ask what is being done to eradicate poverty, homelessness, racism, sexism and to improve education for all people.
I pray that my ministry will affirm to those without faith and to that whose faith is waning, that the God of their past will also be the God of their future. And most importantly, that Jesus loves them... and so do I.
My work continues.
I pray that my ministry will affirm to those without faith and to that whose faith is waning, that the God of their past will also be the God of their future. And most importantly, that Jesus loves them... and so do I.
My work continues.
All the best,
Charles Maxell, Jr. (aka Rev. CAM)
Charles Maxell, Jr. (aka Rev. CAM)
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