INTRODUCTION

With approximately 6,000 congregations and 2.5 million members in 41 countries on 5 continents (North & South America, Africa, Europe and Asia), the African Methodist Episcopal Church is a global denomination. The 5th Episcopal District encompasses 15 states in the U.S. west of the Mississippi (Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming), and is one of 20 Episcopal Districts worldwide. With hundreds of churches and thousands of members, the 5th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church is a vibrant connection of Christians who share a rich and deep history and heritage. With its roots running back to 1787, the A.M.E. Church is the first independent black denomination founded in the Western hemisphere.