AME Church returns to Florence in growing numbers

For several years now the African Methodist
Episcopal (AME) Church has been gathering in Florence for its annual Christian
Education Leadership Congress which will begin Monday, July 6th through
Friday, July 10th at the Florence Civic Center. This 2009 AME Leadership
Congress is expected to generate a direct economic impact of $1.4 million and a
rollover in the amount of $3.5 - $4.9 million for the Florence area. Additionally,
the conference is expected to draw over 2,000 attendees per day contributing to
an increase in the purchase of food, accommodations, products and services for
the Florence area.

“We strive to provide our community with an array of civic engagements similar to
the AME Convention” says Tina Dean, Director of Sales and Marketing for the
Florence Civic Center. “We provide professional conference coordinating for the
group not only to host a successful engagement, but to also supply economic
value to the surrounding area via the several thousand patrons in attendance.”

This year’s AME Leadership Congress will feature dynamic worship experiences
each evening, Monday through Thursday at 7 p.m., with the closing service on
Friday at 10 a.m. Powerful preaching will be delivered all week long from
Reverend Merrit Graves of Mt. Zion AME Church, SC; Bishop Violet Fisher,
retired Bishop of United Methodist Episcopal Church; Reverend Carey Grady of
St. Peters AME Church, Lisle, IL; retired AME Bishop Zedekiah Grady and Dr.
Jamal Bryant of Empowerment Temple Church, Baltimore, MD. Dr. Jamal Bryant
is the son of AME Senior Bishop John Bryant and currently serves as pastor of
The Empowerment Temple, the fastest growing church in the AME
denomination.

Each day, between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., the AME Leadership Congress will also
offer workshops on a variety of subjects such as Black Church History,
Entrepreneurial Exploration, and Youth and Young Adult Biblical Studies. For a
complete listing of activities contact the AME Church at (803) 935-0500 or
www.ame7.org.