TRIBUTE
FROM
WOMEN’S
MISSIONARY COUNCIL
January
20, 2001, Carter Tabernacle CME Church, Orlando, Florida
To
Pastor and Pulpit Associates
The
Carter Tabernacle Church Family
General
and Connectional Officers
"When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears, and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted, and saves the crushed in spirit. " Psalm 34-17-19
It
is with saddened hearts that we the officers and members of the Women’s
Missionary Council of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church bow in the home
going of Dr. Thelma Vivian Jackson Dudley the sixth President of the Women’s
Missionary Council. Or to many Thelma. She was an unusual RENAISSANCE
Woman. I was first introduced to
Thelma as she was affectionately named in the summer of August 1971 in Detroit
Michigan. The Women’s Missionary Council was meeting at the Sheraton Cadillac
Hotel and was in the process of electing the fifth President of the Women’s
Missionary Council. Reports were
being given, and Mrs. Belcher an outstanding Missionary President from the
Florida Conference was unable to attend due to illness.
Little did we know that her representative Dr. Thelma J. Dudley would
report on the progress that these faithful Mission workers, and also electrify
the assemblage, and eventually become the Council Vice President at that
meeting. What an unusual RENNAISSANCE WOMAN!
In retrospect I have noted the following reflections of this truly humble servant which describe her exceptional and irreplaceable fiber
§
She
exhibited a dramatic flair when making presentations. Who can forget Greetings
and Salutations!
§
She
was a sincere and accomplished Bible Scholar.
§
She
was gifted with a “Silver Tongue to articulate her spiritual beliefs.
§
She
followed her father’s the late Rev. Jackson pattern of love and fealty to the
CME Church, especially in Florida
§
SHE
WAS AN UNUSUAL RENAISSANCE WOMAN
§
She
was proficient in music instrumental and vocal
§
She
was proficient in articulating the English language as noted by her service at
Valencia Community College here in Orlando, Florida
§
She
was a motivator – to many as represented here by their presence encouraging
them to become active servants in Missionary and Church Work.
§
SHE
WAS AN UNUSUAL RENAISSANCE WOMAN
§
She
was skilled in Culinary arts
§
She
was noted for her thirst in academic excellence (Received Doctorate of Education
at an advanced age)
§
She
was noted for (Ruth and Naomi relationship with her stepmother affectionately
known as “Dear”
§
SHE
WAS AN AMAZING RENAISSANCE WOMAN- Her daily credo was to “Demonstrate
Christian Unity as a way of Life as one of God’s “Bridge Builders”,
“Making Missions Relevant” as “Christian Missionary: Transforming Her
World”.
§
In
Organizational work, she possessed the qualities of a Leader and Follower.
§
She
was a valuable vocal asset to any delegation on any level of the church
§
She
served as a genuine role model in all organizations and church activities
§
Her
Permanent evidence of vision became a reality, with the furnishing of a
Missionary Conference Room at the CME Headquarters in Memphis Tennessee.
§
SHE
WAS AN UNUSUAL RENAISSANCE WOMEN
§
She involved herself in the
Ecumenical world, and held an office as the Vice President of the Florida
Council of Churches
§
She attended many meetings as
representative of the CME Church in Europe and in Asia.
§
She assisted this President
in the planning of the 14t Quadrennial Assembly, convening in Florida
by facilitating the usage of voting machines, which was a first in this Zion,
and chaired successfully a Post Assembly Cruise which generated funds for the
Retirement Fund of the Women’s Missionary Council
§
TRULY SHE WAS A
RENAISSANCE WOMAN
§
She initiated payment to
subsidize teachers salaries employed at the Joseph C. Coles School in Jamaica.
§
She believed in the values of
a Christian Family and its virtues.
During
her Presidency, Thelma embraced many programs and encouraged many young women to
participate. She loved her work, and continued the legacy of the Presidents of
the Council which preceded her.
Believing in education, she encouraged her
conference to excel in generating funds for the Helena B. Cobb Scholarship Fund
and it has become one of the outstanding Council contributors in this one of
many Council programs.
We could go onward into the night extolling
the virtues of this wonderful and remarkable RENAISSANCE WOMEN, But Dr. Dudley
would expect us to continue in the high tradition of stewardship, leadership and
love – and she displayed all of these noble acts of servitude because of her
Love for the Church – Love for humankind – and lastly Love for our beloved
Missionary Council.
To the family, Hold on to God’s everlasting memories of our dear
sister, daughter and friend. Thelma is now resting in the arms of Jesus – Try
to remember the following as authored by William Markham.
"Let
us not think of our dear departed one caught and cumbered in a grave of earth;
But
think of death as but another birth.
A
New freedom for the wings outspread,
A
new joy, more ethereal mirth,
A
new world with friends of nobler worth,
With
Christ our leader and our stead,
Where
all may taste more immortal bread."
Sorrowfully,
The
Officers and Members of the Women’s Missionary Council of the Christian
Methodist Episcopal Church
Dr.
Judith E. Grant, President