New Orleans to host the First Unity Summit of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church

With Special Guests Mr. Ben Jealous, The Williams Brothers and Mrs. Cynthia M.A. Butler-Mcintyre

Nationwide (BlackNews.com) — The Christian Methodist Episcopal (C.M.E.) Church will host its first CME Unity Summit September 25-29, 2012 at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel, 500 Canal Street in New Orleans, Louisiana. Approximately 3,000 persons from the United States and other countries are expected to attend the four-day event which provides educational and spiritual empowerment classes, dynamic ministry and music.

On Thursday, September 27 at Noon, a Unity Summit Luncheon will be held and the guest speaker will be Mrs. Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre, National President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Tickets cost $50 for the luncheon. The Williams Brothers, the Grammy-nominated and Stellar Award-winning gospel group, will perform in concert on Thursday evening at 7:00 p.m. and tickets are $27. On Friday, September 28 at 7:00 p.m., Mr. Ben Jealous, the NAACP President and CEO, will be the guest speaker for the Awards Nights Gala, a free event honoring civil rights and other African American achievers. All events at the CME Unity Summit are open to the general public and held at the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.

The CME Unity Summit will be hosted by the Fourth Episcopal District under the leadership of Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr., who also serves as the Chair. Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart, Sr., Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District serves as the Program Chair, and the Finance Chair is Bishop Henry M. Williamson, Sr., Presiding Prelate of the Eighth Episcopal District. The Convocation is spearheaded by the Executive Secretary of the CME Church, Ms. Jeanette L. Bouknight.

The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, under the leadership of Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Jr. and its College of Bishops, is a 141-year old historically African American Christian denomination with more than 1.2 million members across the United States, and has missions and sister churches in Haiti, Jamaica and fourteen African nations. There are four CME related colleges, Lane College (Jackson, TN), Miles College (Birmingham, AL), Paine College (Augusta, GA) and Texas College (Tyler, TX). There is additionally a CME sponsored seminary, Phillips School of Theology, which is an affiliate member of the Interdenominational Theological Center (Atlanta, GA).

For additional information about the CME Unity Summit and the CME Church or to purchase tickets, visit www.c-m-e.org, telephone 1-855-CME-1870, or e-mail 2012cmeunitysummit@c-m-e.org .

Photo Caption: (l-r: Mr. Ben Jealous, Mrs. Cynthia M.A. Butler-McIntyre and the Williams Brothers)