Last Time: Incidents and circumstances leading to the final call meeting of 2011 were recapped.
November 20, 2011
During Pastor Cyrus Payton’s absence Thanksgiving weekend, Associate Minister Zachary Toliver took the reins and performed the pastoral duties. To be in line with the church’s bylaws, Bro. Amos Macklin announced that there would be a call meeting next week. With Bro. Macklin’s decree, the required two week consecutive announcements in regards to upcoming call meetings was completed.
Dcn. Travis proclaimed there would be no November call meeting before reminding everyone of the “real” call meeting in December. The “real” call meeting would determine whether Pastor Payton stayed or went – thus going against the bylaws and Dcn. Holly’s decree during the previous call meeting about a voting out of a pastor couldn’t occur in a call meeting.
When several members questioned how the Deacon Board could override Pastor Payton’s approval of the November call meeting, and Bro. Macklin’s announcement in coordinance with the bylaws, Dcn. Travis mockingly asked, “Who is ‘Baritone’?”
A huge ruckus occurred afterwards. During the commotion, Dcn. Travis demanded the members restraining Bro. Macklin’s mother from either physically or verbally defending her son let her go so she could arrested.
As the situation somewhat settled, upset members called for the Deacon Board’s upheaval for instigating conflict in the church.
Thanksgiving Week
Several members of the church who were heading the upcoming 4th Sunday Call Meeting started calling around to find out if their was any truth to the call meeting being cancelled. On Thanksgiving afternoon, Pastor Payton called my home to confirm that there would be no call meeting on the 4th Sunday in fear of something worse happening compared to the prior Sunday’s occurrence. Pastor Payton promised to explain himself to us on 4th Sunday.
November 27, 2011
During the service, Dcn. Travis made the announcement that there would be no call meeting as planned today, but a call meeting six days later to determine whether the church would continue under the leadership of Pastor Cyrus Payton. Many attendees voiced their shock to hear something like a call meeting happening to possibly get rid of Pastor Payton was happening.
After the service, Pastor Payton met with Brother Amos “Baritone” Macklin, Sister Selena Davidson, Sister Gloria Henderson, Sister Hope Boykins, Sister Josephine Elliot, and myself.
Pastor Payton informed us that Sis. Boykins talked with another pastor about the 4th Sunday Call Meeting and how everything went down on the past Sunday. This pastor felt it was in the best interest of those who didn’t want to involve the cops and have a peaceful meeting to avoid any possible confrontational situations like a call meeting aimed at people thirsting for violence. After talking about the 1st Saturday in December Call Meeting, my father told everyone about the dream he had of a dark cloud hanging over the church.
Pastor Payton agreed that this was no ordinary dream. Rather, the dream was another confirmation that God’s judgment was about to rain on those whose minds were warped; and having the people sitting before Pastor Payton get caught in that wrath was something God didn’t want.
The meeting closed with a solemn prayer that would possibly be Pastor Payton’s last inside the church’s sanctuary as pastor.
