Sermon (The Essential Work of the Church)

Speaker(s): Prince A. Taylor, Jr., introduction by William R. Cannon

Description: Sermon preached at the ordination of deacons at the 1972 Virginia Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. (Original title not known.) The introduction is by Bishop William R. Cannon. Prince Albert Taylor Jr. (1907–2001) was a trailblazing American bishop in The Methodist Church and The United Methodist Church, known for breaking significant racial barriers within the denomination. In 1964, he was the first Black bishop assigned to an episcopal area composed predominantly of white congregations (the New Jersey Area). This assignment was a pivotal step in dismantling the racially segregated Central Jurisdiction. In 1965, he became the first African American to serve as president of the Council of Bishops. He earned degrees from Samuel Huston College, Gammon Theological Seminary, and Union Theological Seminary, as well as a doctorate in education (Ed.D.) from New York University in 1948.

Length: 33:48
Recording Date: June 21, 1972
Recorded at: Hampton, Virginia