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The final days of September 2024 was a high time in the Lord for the Abyssinian Baptist Church and the surrounding Harlem community. The historic church was in preparation to officially install the Reverend Dr. Kevin R. Johnson as its 21st pastor.
The celebration began on Sunday, September 22; following the morning worship service, the congregation and the community rejoiced with good fun and good food outside the church doors on West 138th Street, which has been the location of the Abyssinian church for one hundred years of its 216.
In a joyful display of a new beginning, the community block party proved to be an example that a church congregation can pray and party together in harmony from dancing in the street to jumping Double Dutch.
In June of 2024, Kevin R. Johnson was introduced as a candidate by the Pulpit Search Committee after a tedious vetting process of forty applicants. The majority vote by church members was cast and Johnson was confirmed and returned to Abyssinian, leaving the Dare to Imagine Church Inc. in Philadelphia, where he was the founder and lead pastor.
Since his first return sermon to the pulpit of Abyssinian in mid-July, Rev. Johnson has been on a whirlwind spiral of getting to know the congregation and renewing his longtime associations. Within a brief time, over seventy-five new members have joined the church under his vision to breathe new life into the mission of the church and to address the spiritual and social needs of the 21st century.
Rev. Johnson is not new to the inner workings of the Abyssinian church, having been mentored by its former pastor, the Rev. Dr. Calvin O. Butts, III and served as Assistant Pastor under his tutelage.
On Friday, September 27, the celebration continued with a meet and greet formal gala held in a huge white tent at the entrance of the long-awaited Calvin Otis Butts, III Education Cultural Center, built adjacent to the church.
A bounty of hor d’oeuvres and beverages were served, before walking the red carpet into the lobby and great hall of the center. Passing the large portrait of the late pastor, was a symbol of his presence. Though the center had not been officially opened to the public, it was the appropriate space to welcome in a new era and honor the past precious memories of Dr. Butts’ achievements.
The program included: Master of Ceremonies, G. Edwin Robinson; Welcome Address by Calvin O. Butts, IV; the Blessing of dinner by Rev. Chyrisse A. Nelson; Greetings by the Diaconate Board Co-chairs, Deacons Gerald Barbour and Karen Davenport; Trustee Chair, Deacon Alexis Thomas; Reverend Charles L. Fischer, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary and Pastor Johnson’s mother, Mrs. Dorothy N. Johnson.
Yours truly, Hazel Rosetta Smith was honored to recite the poignant poem “New Day” by Amanda Gorman and Kim Godwin-Manning introduced the speaker, Rev, Dr. Carolyn Ann Knight, Founder of CAN-DO Ministries, Atlanta, Georgia.
The introduction of their mother, Abyssinian’s new First Lady, Mrs. Kimya S. Johnson, Esq. by daughters Laila and Lena and their father, the new pastor, by his son, Miles, was enlightening as they spoke about the inspiration and encouragement of their parents, but especially about their father’s consistent commitment to his word, emphasizing if he says it, he will do it.
Musical entertainment throughout the evening was provided by artists from Lewis and Kirk Music of New York, that included The Sage Trio of Charise, the Diva Violinist; Kim Clark on bass fiddle and Noriko Mendez on keyboard in the tent and the rhythmic sounds of the Soul Synergy Orchestra featuring the trio of Sammulous, Tynishia Hill and Noel Simone Wippler singing the oldies and goodies that kept the crowd on their feet in the center, and that included our new first family.
On Sunday, September 29, the lengthy Service of Installation began at 3:00 pm, lasting four hours. Beginning with the prelude by longtime Abyssinian organist Dina M. Foster, the line of procession of officials and clergy entered to the hymn, To God be the Glory. The agenda included: The Call to Worship led by Dean Lawrence E. Carter, Sr.; The Evocation & Chant by Rev. Lisa M. Weaver, The Riverside Church, NYC; Scripture Lessons – Old Testament by Abyssinian Rev. Janine Myrick, and New Testament by Rev. Brandy Shiloh, Esq., Founder of Brandy Shiloh Ministries.
The Abyssinian Liturgical Dance Ministry performed Sacred Movement with youthful elegance under the guidance of Minister Denise Perry. Acknowledgments & Recognition by Rev. Dr. Jeffrey Haggray, Executive Director of American Baptist Home Mission Society and Rev. Michele Lawrence, Managing Director at J.P. Morgan Chase Bank; Rev. Dr. Delman Coates, Senior Pastor, Mt. Enon Baptist Church, Clinton, Maryland.
Rev. Charles L. Fischer, Pittsburgh Theological Seminary, introduced the Installation Preacher, Rev. Dr. Joseph C. Parker, Jr., Esq., Senior Pastor, David Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, Austin, Texas. Dr. Parker’s words focused on “God is with you as you Aby forward.”
In keeping with the standard proceedings of an Installation, the following steps of confirmation are THE CHARGE TO THE CHURCH by the Honorable Reverend Dr. Raphael G. Warnock, U.S. Senator of Georgia; THE CHARGE TO THE PASTOR by Rev. Dr. Otis Moss, Sr. Pastor Emeritus Olivet Institutional Baptist Church, Cleveland, Ohio; PRAYER OF INSTALLATION by Rev. Dr. D. Darryl Griffin, Oakdale Covenant Church, Chicago, Illinois and the RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP between the Pastor and Diaconate.
Following the FIRST STATEMENT OF PASTOR by Rev. Johnson, the BENEDICTION was given by Rev. Dr. Violet Deas and RECESSIONAL to Lord, Make Me More Holy.
New York State Senator Charles Schumer offered his ongoing commitment to Pastor Johnson and the excellent work of the Abyssinian Church in his remarks at the installation, stating, “Johnson is poised and ready to pick up the mantle for the future generation.” Let the church say, Amen.
