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Women’s Missionary Society to Honor Judge President Monica Leeuw

On July 29, 2011, in Orlando, Florida, with esteemed 11th District Hosts Bishop McKinley and Supervisor Dorothy Young, during the 17th Quadrennial Convention of the Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, Judge President Monica Leeuw will be honored with the Sarah Allen-Charlotte Maxeke Legacy Award, and she will deliver the keynote address. The 19th Episcopal District leaders, Bishop Jeffrey and Mother Dr. Susan Leath, are proud of this distinguished member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church.

Judge President Monica Leeuw, South Africa

The Sarah Allen-Charlotte Maxeke Legacy Award is the brainchild of Connectional President, Dr. Shirley Hopkins Davis, and The Missionary Magazine Editor, Dr. Rosa McCloud Baxter. President Hopkins Davis established this Legacy Award to be presented during the Quadrennial Conventions of the Women’s Missionary Society, the first to be presented during this 17th Quadrennial Convention. During Quadrennial 2007-2011, the WMS theme is “Soaring on a Legacy of Service: Our Global Imperative.” How fitting it is that at the close of this Quadrennial about legacies of service the WMS would establish a Legacy Award!

The Award recognizes and honors individuals within the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Women’s Missionary Society, who through their efforts: 1) continue the ministry of Jesus Christ through faithful works, enabling the Church and Missionary Society to carry out the work of ministry and service to those in need; 2) make outstanding contributions by mobilizing others to advocate for the human rights and dignity of all people; 3) strive to formalize and expand girls and women’s roles in the church and society; and 4) contribute to the growth and stability of the church and society as institutions administering to the material and spiritual well-being of all.

This high award is named for two women of the African Methodist Episcopal Church who were instrumental in the growth and stability of the Church and Society: Sarah Allen and Charlotte Maxeke.  Sarah Allen (Philadelphia, PA), wife of AME Church Bishop Richard Allen, founded what is now known as the Women’s Missionary Society. Before becoming known as the Women’s Missionary Society, it was known as the Dorcas Society, which referred to a women’s auxiliary group that engaged in clothing and feeding the poor. Charlotte Maxeke of South Africa was a strong advocate for education of South Africans, and she was co-founder of two groups: AME Church Widow’s Mite Society and Foreign Missionary Society. Johannesburg Hospital has been renamed Charlotte Maxeke Johannesburg Academic Hospital.

Judge President Monica Leeuw’s service in the AME Church and Women’s Missionary Society is comparable to that of both Sarah Allen and Charlotte Maxeke. Mrs. Violet Lodi – Connectional Associate Magazine Editor, member of the 19th Episcopal District, and close friend – refers to her as a “Woman of Many Initiatives,” a “Shining Star” of the 19th District. She is the first woman to be appointed Judge President to Parliament in the Republic of South Africa (comparable to a Supreme Court Justice in the US).  Prior to this appointment, she had received several appointments to High Courts: 1999 – Judge of the High Court; 2005 – acted as Judge President of the Northwest High Court; 2006-2007 – Judge at the Labour Court of SA, Johannesburg; 2007 – appointed a permanent Judge of the Labour Appeal Court in November.

Honoree Judge President Leeuw has served diligently in all offices of the WMS from the local circuit to the Episcopal level across 30 years. She has represented the WMS twice as a delegate to the Quadrennial Conventions, the last one being in 2007. She is one of the founding members of the African Jurisdictional Council and was among those members responsible for the establishment of the Global Development Council.

Mrs. Jackie DuPont Walker, AME Church Director of Christian Social Action, speaks highly of Judge President Leeuw’s works of service in the AME Church: “Judge President Leeuw has tithed her legislative skills well while serving as a delegate to the General Conference.  In 2008, she was the voice over the microphone who called for the Revisions Committee to bring legislation on Lay Leadership Training to the floor for consideration.  Without that action, we would not have the combined resources of Payne and Turner Theological Seminaries now developing a cutting edge model of preparing the members of the AME Church for service in the ministries at all levels of the church.”

Bishop James L. Davis, former 19th Episcopal District Presiding Bishop and now Chair of Global Witness and Ministry and Presiding Prelate of the 9th Episcopal District, shared his thoughts, indicating that “Judge President Leeuw is most deserving, based not only on her elevation to the equivalent position of the American Supreme Court Justice; but in a larger sense, based on her proving herself as an advocate for right.”

Bishop Davis reflected on the many times he has witnessed our honoree serve not only in this and other well-earned positions of authority and influence, but also he has seen her in the trenches serving food and assisting those in need.  He spoke emphatically about her sincere interest in the AME Church and her commitment to hold the Church accountable to live up to its potential and its God-given responsibilities.

He noted that Judge President Leeuw’s service to God and His people spans many areas.  Of particular note is that she used her expertise to remove language barriers in translation of  The Book of Doctrine and Discipline of the African Methodist Episcopal Church so that it applies to South Africa and speaks to the local culture with a text that is meaningful and applicable to the local AME Church members and the civil authorities as well.  Bishop Davis emphasized that our honoree is a “no-nonsense leader who stands for right when others don’t, even if she stands alone.”

Realizing that the Judge President is a Christian who champions the Cause of Christ in all she does, Bishop Davis is elated that the Women’s Missionary Society has selected this “Do-Right Woman” as the first recipient of the prestigious Sarah Allen-Charlotte Maxeke Legacy Award.  He reminds the Church that “God is faithful to reward our sister for her ministering to the saints; and we are blessed as we highlight what God can do through a willing vessel, and as we give honor to one who so richly deserves honor.”

Connectional President, Dr. Shirley Hopkins Davis, says, “This high honor is awarded to Judge President Leeuw, because her works of service have, indeed, contributed to the growth and stability of the church and society as institutions administering to the material and spiritual good of all.”

Contacts:
Dr. Rosa McCloud Baxter, Editor, The Missionary Magazine (Cell phone:770 656 7668)
Mrs. Violet Lodi, Associate Editor, The Missionary Magazine (Ph: 011-27-11-985-3760 RSA)
Dr. Shirley Hopkins Davis, President, Connectional WMS (Cell phone: 601-259-3530)

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