The Next Generation Movement will have a Community Leaders Meeting today at 10 a.m. at the Clinton Chapel AME Zion Church located at 615 Green St. in Selma.

Bishop Seth O. Lartey will be the speaker.

Bishop Lartey is a 1976 graduate of the A.M.E. Zion Academy, Monrovia, Liberia and the Liberian Baptist Theological Seminary, 1980 with a bachelors degree. He received a B.A. in Intermediate Education from Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina in 1987. He received his doctorate degree in 2003 from Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Lartey has been the recipient of numerous awards and honors among them, Who’s Who In American Colleges and Universities, Presidential Scholar, NAACP Presidential Award and the State of NC NAACP Man of the Year Award.

His pastorates began with St. Matthias AME Zion Church (West Africa) 1980-1982. He moved to St. John AME Zion, Wilson, NC as Associate Pastor 1983-1985. He was made Interim Pastor at Trinity AME Zion Church in Wilson in 1985. Later in 1985 he was made Pastor at Invitation AME Zion Church in Snow Hill, NC 1985-1987.

He was moved to Mt. Zion AME Zion Church in Elizabethtown, NC 1987-1992. In 1992 he was moved to Goler Memorial AME Zion in Winston-Salem, NC where he would remain for 20 years. Bishop Lartey was elevated to the episcopacy from Goler Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church as the 100th bishop in succession.

Lartey is the Founder of the Goler Institute for Development and Education, Inc. and the Goler Community Development Corporation Inc., in Winston-Salem, N.C.  Bishop Lartey also serves as the Chairman of Faith Partnerships, Inc.; Chairman of the Zion Benefits Services, Inc. of the A.M.E. Zion Church; Founder of the Next Generation Movement for Peace and Non-violence as well as the Founder/CEO of the 400 Years Celebration, Inc.