Imam resigns from post at Masjid of Al-Islam
Plemon El-Amin, an Atlanta imam (prayer leader at a mosque) with 33 years of service, resigned his position at Masjid of Al-Islam.
The Harvard educated El-Amin served on numerous civic and service organizations and is a founding board member of the Faith Alliance of Metro Atlanta, the city's largest interfaith organization. He is also the director of World Pilgrims, an interfaith effort to develop friendships among faith leaders through travel and exchange. He has led eight trips of mixed groups of Muslims, Christians and Jews to Turkey, Morocco, Spain, Greece, Jordan and Jerusalem. President Barack Obama invited El-Amin to the White House in 2009 for a Ramadan dinner.
El-Amin said January 1 marked his 25th anniversary as head imam, and he thought it was a good point to step aside and let younger leaders take over.
"It was just time. I really knew that we would lose these young people unless we gave them some responsibility and some financial support," he said.
Masjid of Al-Islam has 2,500 members, and about 1,000 attendees in a typical Friday prayer service. It developed elementary and high schools under El-Amin.
The newly elected imam is Mansoor Sabree, a mosque member.
El-Amin will continue his work with World Pilgrims.
Presbyterians in metro Atlanta elect new leader
Presbyterians (U.S.A.) in 20 metro Atlanta counties have a new leader.
Electors from the Presbytery of Greater Atlanta elected the Rev. Thomas Evans as Executive Presbyter effective February 1. Evans previously served as Executive Presbyter in central Alabama, during which time he co-founded the Alabama Faith Council, an interfaith group.
He has also served churches in Idaho, Arkansas and New York. He graduated from Princeton University with Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees. He, his wife and two children will be moving to the Atlanta area in coming weeks.
The previous Executive Presbyter, the Rev. Edwin W. Albright Jr., retired after 12 years of service.
Test your knowledge of Christian theology
Metro Atlantans will have a chance to brush up on their Christian theology when Mercer University's McAfee School of Theology and Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters present "Thirty-Minute Seminary" beginning Thurs., Jan. 28. Fourteen episodes will air as 14 professors are given 30 minutes each to talk their way through the subjects they teach, from Old Testament to the parables of Jesus. The school is also offering the video episodes to Sunday school classes and churches as a way of advancing the faith.
Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters is on Comcast channel 5 in Atlanta, AT&T channel 6, and Charter Communications channel 22. The show will air Thursdays at 5 p.m., Fridays at 1:30 p.m., Saturdays at 7 a.m. and Sundays at 6:30 a.m.
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