African American Lectionary Project

African American Lectionary Project
Name	African American Lectionary Project
Formation	2004
Type	Religious nonprofit
Headquarters	United States
Focus	Christian liturgy, worship resources

Contents

African American Lectionary Project is a faith-based initiative that provides weekly worship resources, liturgical materials, and educational content for congregations primarily in the United States. The project supplies sermon guides, liturgical prayers, and cultural resources intended for use within African Methodist Episcopal Church, National Baptist Convention, USA, Progressive National Baptist Convention, Church of God in Christ, and other predominantly African American religious institutions. It is utilized by clergy, music ministers, and educators across denominations including United Methodist Church, Presbyterian Church (USA), Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and American Baptist Churches USA.

History

The project was founded in 2004 amid discussions among leaders in African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Gideons International, National Council of Churches, Black Church Center, and clergy connected to seminaries such as Howard University School of Divinity, Interdenominational Theological Center, Candler School of Theology, Yale Divinity School, and Princeton Theological Seminary. Early collaborations involved figures associated with Martin Luther King Jr. commemorations, Desmond Tutu events, and worship initiatives linked to organizations like NAACP, National Urban League, and Southern Christian Leadership Conference. Support and visibility increased following engagements at conferences hosted by Vanderbilt Divinity School, Emory University, and Duke Divinity School, as well as partnerships with publishers such as Judson Press and Abingdon Press.

The stated mission aligns with goals promoted historically by leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., Fannie Lou Hamer, and Sojourner Truth to fuse social witness and worship. Activities include producing weekly lectionary reflections comparable to resources from Reformed Church in America, Roman Catholic Church, and the Anglican Communion; organizing music programming in styles associated with artists like Mahalia Jackson, Aretha Franklin, and James Cleveland; and offering training sessions modeled after workshops held at venues such as National Cathedral, Carnegie Hall, and Lincoln Center. The project also coordinates observances related to holidays and commemorations celebrated by Juneteenth, Black History Month, Kwanzaa, and civic events coordinated with Congressional Black Caucus gatherings.

Resources produced include sermon guides, lectionary commentaries, liturgical prayers, hymn suggestions, and multimedia curricula. These have been cited in programs alongside publications from The Christian Century, Sojourners, The African American Pulpit, The Witness, and academic journals associated with Duke University Press and Oxford University Press. Educational packets reference historical materials from archives like Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, Library of Congress, Smithsonian Institution, National Archives, and collections related to figures such as Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, W. E. B. Du Bois, and Ida B. Wells. Music and liturgical recommendations draw on works by composers like William L. Dawson, R. Nathaniel Dett, and contemporary arrangers linked to Gospel Music Workshop of America.

The project informs preaching that engages scripture passages featured in the Revised Common Lectionary, the Three-Year Lectionary, and selections used in Episcopal Church (United States). Its materials are used in continuing education at seminaries including Union Theological Seminary, Columbia Theological Seminary, and Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. Workshops and sermons influenced by the project have been delivered in houses of worship such as Ebenezer Baptist Church (Atlanta), Abyssinian Baptist Church, First African Baptist Church (Savannah), and venues linked to civic leaders including Barack Obama, Coretta Scott King, and Stokely Carmichael. The project’s integration of historical testimony addresses social issues connected historically to events like the Montgomery Bus Boycott, Selma to Montgomery marches, and campaigns led by organizations like Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee.

Collaborations extend to academic institutions, denominational bodies, arts organizations, and civil rights groups. Partners have included Howard University, Spelman College, Morehouse College, Tuskegee University, Meharry Medical College, National Museum of African American History and Culture, Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, and arts partners such as Apollo Theater and National Endowment for the Arts. Community outreach connects with social service agencies like United Way', advocacy organizations like Southern Poverty Law Center, and youth initiatives run by Boys & Girls Clubs of America and YMCA chapters serving predominantly African American neighborhoods.

The project is governed by a board and a team of editors, clergy advisors, musicians, and scholars drawn from institutions including Howard University School of Divinity, Interdenominational Theological Center, Princeton Theological Seminary, and cultural organizations such as African American Museum affiliates. Leadership has engaged notable clergy and scholars in dialogues alongside figures like Henry H. Mitchell, Leontine T.C. Kelly, Samuel DeWitt Proctor, and contemporary leaders active in ecumenical circles including National Council of Churches forums. Administrative functions interact with nonprofit structures similar to those used by United Negro College Fund and denominational agencies within African Methodist Episcopal Church and National Baptist Convention, USA.

Category:African American Christianity