Letters of Light for First Ladies

Esteemed first lady of Bishop John Bryant in the AME Church and an honored pastor in her our right, Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant has complied a collection of letters that mentor other first ladies of the church, letters rich in comfort, encouragement, and challenge. Written in the tradition of Paul’s pastoral epistles and crafted by Rev C’s own poetic voice, each chapter addresses a woman who is wrestling with a particular issue common to first ladies—covering topics such as church conflict, financial stress, self esteem, discouragement, and the death of a pastoral spouse. One letter even offers advice to the woman whose husband is the “pastor’s spouse.” A practical and inspirational resource that offers self-help with spiritual depth and honest practicality.

Rev. Dr. Cecelia Williams Bryant has been involved in faith formation for women for over 40 years. Her ministries began in New England and have spread throughout the United States, Canada, England, The Netherlands, Israel, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Bermuda, Guyana, Ghana and Nigeria. She has established women’s resource and development centers and schools for children in both the United States and Africa.Presently, Rev. Bryant serves as Episcopal Supervisor in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She is director of Akosua Visions Global Ministries, and president of the Women’s Global Resources and Development Initiative.Rev. Bryant is the author of Kiamsha: A Spiritual Discipline for African American Women (Akosua Visions, 1991) and was a contributor to Those Preaching Women, Volume 4 from Judson Press. Dr. “C” is the wife of Right Reverend John Richard Bryant, the 106th Consecrated Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and the mother of Rev. Dr. Jamal Harrison Bryant and Dr. Thema Simone Bryant-Davis.