HU MINISTERS' CONFERENCE TO ADDRESS LIBERATION OF THE PREACHER
Bishop T.D. Jakes to address attendees

Hampton, VA - Ministers from around the nation will converge at Hampton University on June 2-7 to discuss the liberation of the preacher at the 88th annual Ministers' Conference.

The theme for this year's conference is the "Proclamation of Liberation." The conference will address the freeing of the preacher to be all that God wants him or her to be. The conference topics are sociology of religion, self-liberation and pastoral theology.

The Ministers' Conference is held in conjunction with the 68th Annual Choir Directors' - Organists' Guild Workshop.

Other leading presenters at this year's Ministers' Conference include: Dr. Carolyn Showell of Ellicott City, Md.; Rev. Maurice Watson of Omaha, NE; Bishop Noel Jones of Los Angeles, Calf.; Dr. H. Beecher Hicks Jr. of Washington, D.C. and Dr. Charles E. Booth of Columbus, Ohio.

The Conference's opening session will be held on June 3 at 7:30 p.m. at the Hampton University Convocation Center. The session will include the Conference President's Message by Dr. Walter S. Thomas and remarks by the Choir Guild President Floyd Lynch.

The Charles H. Flax Memorial Concert will be held at Hampton University Convocation Center on June 6 at 7:30 p.m. Under the direction of Royzell Dillard and James Abbington, the choir will present a wide variety of sacred music.

The HU Ministers' Conference, which focuses on the tradition of worship in the African-American church, is believed to be the largest group of interdenominational African-American clergy that meets anywhere in the world. The Ministers Conference began in 1914 for leaders in the black community to gather for a week of reflection and theology in an interdenominational setting.

The first small group of ministers, teachers and farmers met in the Memorial Chapel, but when attendance grew to nearly 900 in 1976, conference meetings were moved to Ogden Hall.

Participation in recent years has again more than doubled forcing conference planners to relocate again to the Convocation Center, completed in 1993. In fact, Ministers' Conference attendees raised more than $2 million towards the arena's construction. Current attendance is approximately 6,000. Past attendees include the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., in 1962; Rev. Wyatt Tee Walker of Abyssinian Baptist Church, New York; Rev. Jesse Jackson; Rev. Al Sharpton; Dr. Ernestine Reems; Marion Wright Edelman, founder, Children's Defense Fund; and former HUD secretary, Henry Cisneros.

On-site registration is $150 per person for the weeklong conference. For registration information, call (757) 727-5367, send e-mail to ministersconference@hamptonu.edu or visit the Hampton University website at www.hamptonu.edu and click on Hot News.

For additional information, please contact: Yuri R. Rodgers at (757) 727-5253 or via email: yuri.milligan@hamptonu.edu