Ada Strong Johnson Christian Education Lecture

Oak Chapel AME Church will host its annual Ada Strong Johnson Christian Education Lecture on Saturday, June 7 at 3:00 PM. This year’s keynote speaker is The Reverend Rosetta Swinton, Presiding Elder of the Mulanje District in Malawi, Central Africa.

A native of Charleston, South Carolina, Rev. Swinton has lived and served in Malawi for the past 17 years. In addition to her pastoral work, she is a licensed nurse and holds a Master of Divinity from Payne Theological Seminary. During the lecture, she will share her powerful testimony and her work leading 18 churches in Malawi—including her efforts to create sustainable community gardens that address food insecurity.

The lecture honors the legacy of Ada Strong Johnson, a beloved church leader, educator, and local historian who dedicated her life to empowering youth and preserving African American history in Warren County. Her daughter, Jennie Franklin, continues this work today.

“The purpose of this event is to emphasize and celebrate Christian education as both learning and living the gospel,” says Rev. Cathy Alston-Kearney, pastor of Oak Chapel. “Elder Swinton’s work in Malawi mirrors our own efforts in Warrenton through the Everlasting Community Garden. It’s a reflection of God’s care for people everywhere.”

The public is warmly invited to attend both the lecture and the reception immediately following.

Contact Pastor Cathy Alston-Kearney at calstonkearney.cak@gmail.com.