webmaster posted on June 03, 2011 16:08
Dear American Baptist friends,
Rev. Leo Thorne and I had the rare honor yesterday of being invited to Washington, D.C. for the swearing in of the new US Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom. What made the event so special is that the new ambassador is an American Baptist pastor, Rev. Dr. Suzan Johnson-Cook, better known to most of us as "Sujay."
Ambassador Cook has served as a pastor in ABC/Metro New York throughout her career and was the first African-American woman called to be the senior pastor of an ABC congregation. An eloquent preacher, she will be an able communicator and bridge-builder for religious liberty around the world.
After opening remarks by Secretary of State Clinton and taking the oath of office, Ambassador Cook referred to Clinton's use of the African proverb, "It takes a village to raise a child." "Madame Secretary," she said, "I want to introduce you to my village," and proceeded to recognize American Baptists first.
While there, I had the opportunity to speak to a number of State Department officials about our concerns for human rights abuses against Baptist Christians in Burma. We sow seeds wherever we can!
As a people who offered the tenet of religious liberty to the world, we as Baptists take great pride in having Suzan Johnson-Cook serve as Ambassador at Large for International Religious Freedom.
Yours in Christ,
Roy Medley
General Secretary, American Baptist Churches USA