Bishop Vashti McKenzie's Sermon at Trinity United Church of Christ
A sermon by Bishop Vashti McKenzie.
African American, Woman, Leader
October 23, 2008
The current U.S. presidential election has illustrated how gender, race, and religion can become lightning rods, and may be seen as potential stumbling blocks to leadership. Vashti McKenzie is a pioneering figure on all these fronts. When she became the first woman bishop of the oldest historic black church in America, she declared, "The stained glass ceiling has been pierced and broken." We offer her story, her wisdom, and her good humor as an edifying lens on the American past, present, and future.
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McKenzie is a bishop in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, and author of several books, including Not Without A Struggle: Leadership Development for African American Women in Ministry.
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