The Installation of Bishop Sylvester Williams, Sr. as Chair of the College of Bishops of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church took place at the Annual CME Unity Summit on Wednesday, September 26, 2012 following the Connectional Board Meeting. Senior Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt, Sr, served as the liturgist.
The participants sang the hymn, "My Hope is Built", and the Affirmation of Faith was lead by Bishop Ronald M. Cunningham. The prayer was offered by Bishop James B. Walker and the Scripture, Romans 8:31-39, was read by Bishop Godwin T. Umoette. Special presentations were then presented by Presiding Elder Delmetria Cayson-Combs and members from the 2nd Episcopal District regional auxilaries. Mrs. Sharon McDuffie, with help from a sample of the CYAM Choir, sang "Encourage Yourself" (see video below) followed by The Charge and Investiture was given by Senior Bishop Hoyt, who has chaired the committee twice. He offered Bishop Williams, "I charge you to seek to be faithful, seek to be fruitful, seek to have a shepherd's heart, and seek to hear to recognize everyone as equal and that everyone has a comment to make."
The Prayer of Induction was made by Bishop Teresa E. Snorton, after which Bishop Williams accepted his selection as the Chair of the College of Bishops with sermonic reflections on Numbers 13:30-33, offering "A Message of Encouragement". He offered three points: 1) Stop thinking about how small you are; understand what God can do with the little; 2) When you're about to get discouraged, you should look at who you're listening to; and 3) When you find yourself getting discouraged, look back at how far you come.
Bishop Marshall Gilmore prayed The Prayer for the Church and after the Hymn "O Rapturous Scenes", Bishop Othal H. Lakey pronounced the Benediction.
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