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Bishop Harry L. Seawright Bishop Harry L. Seawright serves as the 133rd elected and consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church. His election marked a historic moment during the church’s 50th Quadrennial General Conference as he became only the second bishop to be elected on the first ballot. On December 12, 2025, he was appointed by the Council of Bishops to the Second Episcopal District to serve as the Presiding Prelate over five Annual Conferences: Baltimore, Washington, Virginia, North Carolina, and Western North Carolina. He also serves as Chair of the AME Commission on Christian Education. From 2019 to 2020, he faithfully led the denomination as President of the Council of Bishops. From 2016 to 2024, Bishop Seawright served as Presiding Prelate of the Ninth Episcopal District (the State of Alabama). On August 28, 2024, during the 52nd Quadrennial Session of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in Columbus, Ohio, he received his Episcopal assignment as Presiding Prelate of the Thirteenth Episcopal District (the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the State of Tennessee). Born in Swansea, South Carolina, Bishop Seawright is the youngest child of the late Joe Nathan and Mary L. Seawright. A fourth-generation AME, his faith was deeply nurtured at Prodigal AME Church in Swansea, South Carolina. His humble beginnings and spiritual foundation continue to illuminate and sustain his lifelong commitment to faith and service. Bishop Seawright earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Benedict College in Columbia, South Carolina. He received the Master of Divinity degree from Howard University School of Divinity in Washington, D.C., where he was honored with the award for “Student Most Likely to Excel in Pastoral Ministry.” He earned the Doctor of Ministry degree from Howard University and was named “Doctor of Ministry Student of the Year” for his exceptional doctoral project. He has received numerous additional honors, including participating in the University of Oxford Roundtable in Oxford, England. Throughout his ministerial journey, Bishop Seawright was admitted to the Central Annual Conference of the Seventh Episcopal District by the late Bishop Frank Madison Reid, II, and appointed to serve as Interim Pastor of St. Stephen AME Church in St. Matthews, South Carolina. He was ordained an Itinerant Deacon by the late Bishop Henry Wendell Murph and an Itinerant Elder by the late Bishop John Hurst Adams. Over a distinguished pastoral career spanning 35 years, he served congregations at Payne Memorial AME Church in Jessup, Maryland; Hemingway Temple AME Church in Washington, D.C.; and Union Bethel AME Church in Brandywine and Temple Hills, Maryland. Bishop Seawright is the author of More Than Bricks and Mortar: Building a Church Without Losing Your Mind and Don’t Faint: Help for Hurting Pastors and Their Families. His practical and transparent writings continue to encourage, guide, and strengthen pastors, leaders, and congregations. In addition to his pastoral and Episcopal leadership, Bishop Seawright has served the church and broader community in numerous capacities, including the AME International Commission on Economic Development, the AME International Health Commission, Second Vice President of the Trustee Board at Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center, the Church Mutual Insurance African American Leaders Advisory Committee, and the AstraZeneca U.S. Health Equity Advisory Council. In 2018, he was inducted into Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity. As an entrepreneur, Bishop Seawright is the founder and co-owner of WeKleen, Inc., HLS Consulting, Trinity Group, and Prestigious Property Management. He continues to apply his business expertise to advance community development and promote positive societal change. Bishop Seawright is married to the former Sherita Gayle Moon. They are the proud parents of Ms. Shari Nicole and the Reverend Harry Mathew Seawright, and the loving grandparents of Minister Cameron Isaiah Seawright.
St. PaulAME Church Advanci ng the K i ngdom thr ough Fai th, Fami ly & Fellow shi p 919-832-2709 stpaulamechurchraleigh@gmail.com https://sprchurch.org The Rev. Dr. Steven L. Lyons, Servant-Leader T h e H i s t o r i c September 6, 2026 Greetings St. Paul Family and Friends.. . Lady Robin and I are so appreciative to be a part of this new phase of Kingdom building. We approach this appointment with a glad heart and a willing spirit. How grateful we are to join hands and heart with each of you to advance the LORD's work, serving the surrounding areas, bringing helps and encouragement to all in such a time as this. Thank you to our Chief Pastor, Bishop Harry L. Seawright and Supervisor, The Reverend Sherita Moon Seawright for your participation in this celebration, for your love and support and for all that you do to lead us. We are all the better because of your Episcopacy. Mrs. Kay F. Harris and Mrs. Delores W. Pollard have been a joy to work with. Our gratitude to you, Madame Co-Chairs, all volunteers, members, guests and friends. Because of you, we can truly say, we have seen the LORD, and we know what HE can do. May we move from this glorious Anniversary celebration with a renewed commitment to reach the masses, serve the community, witness of HIS goodness and be the Church that is true to our calling to meet the LORD's people at the point of their needs, doing so with "Hearts to love, Hands to Build and a Mind to do the Work." GOD bless your heart real good! In HIS Service! Dr. Steven L. Lyons, Servant Leader SLL:fca For 178 years, GOD's people have been coming this way. From our humble beginning(s) until this present age, this Church has served as a place of hope and inspiration for the faith community and the community at large. The LORD be praised for every need met, every act of Ministry performed and for every person who maintains "a mind to do the work."
ORDER OF WORSHIP ~ September 6, 2026 (Third Sunday after Pentecost, Year A – Liturgical Color - Green) 178th Church Anniversary Mrs. Kay F. Harris and Mrs. Delores W. Pollard, Co-Chairpersons Mrs. Kay F. Harris, Worship Leader PRE-WORSHIP MUSIC…………………………………………The St. Paul AME Church Music Ministry THE DOXOLOGY……………………………………………“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” THE CALL TO WORSHIP………………………………………………………………..…Sis. Kay F. Harris “O sing unto the Lord a new song, for He has done marvelous things. Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth, and sing praises!” THE HYMN OF PRAISE…………………………………..…………………………..…..Mrs. Dana Caudle “The Church’s One Foundation” 1. The Church's one foundation Is Jesus Christ her Lord; She is his new creation, By water and the word; From Heav'n he came and sought her, To be his holy bride; With his own blood he bought her, And for her life he died. 2. Elect from ev'ry nation, Yet one o'er all the Earth, Her charter of salvation, One Lord, one faith, one birth; One holy name she blesses, Partakes one holy food, And to one hope she presses, With ev'ry grace endued. 3. 3. 'Mid toil and tribulation And tumult of her war, She waits the consummation, Of peace forever more; Till with the vision glorious, Her longing eyes are blest, And the great Church victorious, Shall be the Church at rest. 4. O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we Like them, the meek and lowly, On high may dwell with thee; There, past the border mountains, Where in sweet vales, the bride With thee, by living fountains, Forever shall abide! THE APOSTLE’ CREED…………………………………………………………………..…Mr. Mekhi Shaw I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead; and buried. The third day he arose from the dead’ he ascended into heaven and sitteth at the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Church Universal, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen. THE INVOCATION………………………………………………………..The Rev. Elsie Covington Bostick (Refrain Choir & Congregation) THE WORSHIP THROUGH MUSIC…………………………………………………..The Anniversary Choir THE SCRIPTURE LESSON....……………….............................................................Mrs. Gloria Mittman Nehemiah 4:1-6 1 When Sanballat heard that we were rebuilding the wall, he became angry and was greatly incensed. He ridiculed the Jews, 2 and in the presence of his associates and the army of Samaria, he said, “What are those feeble Jews doing? Will they restore their wall? Will they offer sacrifices? Will they finish in a day? Can they bring the stones back to life from those heaps of rubble—burned as they
are?” 3 Tobiah the Ammonite, who was at his side, said, “What they are building—even a fox climbing up on it would break down their wall of stones!” 4 Hear us, our God, for we are despised. Turn their insults back on their own heads. Give them over as plunder in a land of captivity. 5 Do not cover up their guilt or blot out their sins from your sight, for they have thrown insults in the face of the builders. 6 So we rebuilt the wall till all of it reached half its height, for the people worked with all their heart. Leader: The Word of God, for the people of GOD. People: Thanks be to GOD. AMEN THE PREFACE TO THE DECALOGUE...................................................................................Hymn # 69 “From all that dwells below the skies; Let thy Creator’s praise arise; Let thy Redeemer’s name be sung. Through every land by every tongue.” THE SUMMARY OF THE DECALOGUE………………………………………………....Mr. Charles Wright Leader: Hear what Christ our Savior saith. Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it: Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. THE GLORIA PATRIA (Congregation – Heads Bowed): Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost. As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. WELCOME……………………………………………………………………….Mrs. Anita Green Bennett ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SPECIAL GUESTS SPECIAL PRESENTATION THE OFFERING……………………………………………………………………The Finance Committee “All things come of Thee, O Lord” #644 AMECH THE PRESENTATION OF THE BISHOP…………………………...The Rev. Dr. Steven L. Lyons, Pastor THE WORSHIP THROUGH MUSIC…………………………………………………The Anniversary Choir THE PREACHING MOMENT………………………………………….Bishop Harry L. Seawright, #133 Presiding Prelate – 2nd Episcopal District African Methodist Episcopal Church THE INVITATION TO CHRISTIAN DISCIPLESHIP……………………………..The Rev. Dr. Roanld Ivey THE HOLY COMMUNION………………………………Bishop Harry L. Seawright, Chief Celebrant THE REMARKS……………………..Mrs. Kay F. Harris and Mrs. Delores W. Pollard, Co-Chairpersons The Rev. Dr. Steven L. Lyons, Pastor THE DOXOLOGY……………………………………..……..“Praise God from Whom All Blessings Flow” THE BENEDICTION…………………………………………………………….Bishop Harry L. Seawright