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(Young People Willing Workers), and Missions and Evangelism. It is a separate and distinct work of grace that occurs in the lives of believers after conversion. Coffey was a child convert to COGIC under the preaching of Bishop Mason, and was influential in organizing many of the auxiliaries, bands, and units that exist within the COGIC Women's Department. The current president of the Missions Department is Bishop Vincent Mathews Jr. of South Africa. On the local church level in addition to the office of missionary, COGIC developed and has maintained the position of the "church mother." These elders became the first Pentecostal General Assembly of the Church of God in Christ. Military chaplains have also been instrumental in spreading COGIC through military installations. Secretary of the National Board of Trustees Dr. T. Lynn Smith. Mother Rivers also began the "49 and Under" to enlist and focus the younger women of COGIC to remain committed to the doctrine and teachings of the church. The beliefs of the Church of God in Christ are briefly written in its Statement of Faith, which is reproduced below:[41] It is often recited in various congregations as part of the order of worship and all national and international convocations. William B. Holt was appointed as General Superintendent. In 1951, the first separate National Sunday School Convention convened in Kansas City, Missouri. [6], In June 1896, Jones held a Holiness convention at Mt. COGIC believes "that if such a case arises, the mother should pray and seek the wisdom and guidance of God and the Holy Spirit on whether or not they should resort to emergency abortion if it is necessary to save her life," but if not, the Church traditionally encourages expecting mothers to "seek God's guidance for other options and choices regarding their unborn child so that they do not have to choose aborting it, and can safely go through with their pregnancy until childbirth. COGIC has always been traditionally anti-abortion. [5] He officially retired on March 19, 2021, and was succeeded by Bishop J. [46], COGIC teaches that the baptism of the Holy Ghost or Holy Spirit is an experience subsequent to conversion and sanctification, can be experienced by all believers who ask for it. After being ejected for accepting these new Pentecostal teachings, Mason called a meeting in Memphis later in the year and reorganized the Church of God in Christ as a Holiness-Pentecostal body. [20], In 1926, Mason authorized the church's constitution, outlining the bylaws, rules, and regulations of the church. He was succeeded by Bishop Joe L. Ealy. There is one God eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. The first general secretary of COGIC was Elder William B. Holt, a white minister. [23][24] After Mason's death, in accordance with the 1952 church constitution, the control of the church reverted to the COGIC Board of Bishops. In 1981, Bishop J.O. However, the General Assembly vested authority in the executive board composed of the seven bishops selected by Bishop Mason before his death. Dr. Valerie Daniels Carter, entrepreneur, Jurisdictional Supervisor, Dr. Dorinda Clark Cole, International Elect Lady of Evangelism Dept., international evangelist. At the start of the new millennium, then COGIC presiding Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson, continued to support the advancement of civil rights. [42], COGIC teaches that angels are messengers sent from God who served during the creation, throughout the Old Testament, the life and ministry of Jesus Christ, the establishment of the church and the ministry of the apostles, and continue to be at work in the Kingdom of God. Drew Sheard is a former public-school teacher. Chairlady, International Youth Department Evangelist Vandalyn Kennedy. The current Presiding Bishop is Bishop John Drew Sheard Sr., who is the Senior Pastor of the Greater Emmanuel Institutional Church of God in Christ of Detroit, Michigan. In 1946, the National Sunday School Congress began to meet with the Young People's Willing Workers (YPWW) Congress. The general assembly is the supreme authority over the church to decide matters of faith and practice. In 1992, during the Ford administration, UNAC was disbanded in favor of three separate conventions namely: the International Sunday School Convention, the MY Convention (Music and Youth) and the ME Convention (Missions and Evangelism) again meeting in separate cities.. The general assembly elects a 12-person general board (presidium) every four years from the college of bishops, who serve functionally as apostles of the church. He was recognized in Washington, D. C. by President Barack Obama in 2009 and invited to serve on the White House Advisory, Council on Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships. A general supervisor of women is appointed by the presiding bishop and given authority to lead the International Women's Ministry of the church. Presiding Bishop J. Bishop Charles H. McClelland Board member (2021present). G iving to the Church of God in Christ (COGIC) fell by nearly 50 percent during the COVID-19 pandemic. The judicial board serves as the judicial branch and is the supreme body that interprets polity and practice. James Moore, Thomas Whitfield (singer), Deniece Williams, Hubert Powell, Donnie McClurkin, LaShun Pace, The Anointed Pace Sisters, Dr. Bettye Ransom Nelson, Bishop Richard "Mr. Clean" White, Bishop Paul S. Morton, The Clark Sisters: (Jacky Clark-Chisholm, Elbernita "Twinkie" Clark, Dorinda Clark-Cole and Karen Clark-Sheard). COGIC Bishop Alvin A. Childs of the Faith Temple Church of God in Christ (later renamed Child's Memorial in his honor) was the clergyman who finally opened his doors. He gave the eulogy for Till at Robert's Temple COGIC in 1955. General Treasurer Bishop Charles Harrison Mason Patterson Sr.. Financial Secretary Bishop Frank A. "Bishop Mason was one who lifted African Americans who were former slaves and the children of slaves, lifted them up from the degradation of slavery, ex-slavery, the brokenness of poverty,". [55], A 2014 statistical study from the Pew Research Center Forum on Religion & Public Life, reported that most members of COGIC usually got married between the ages of 25 and 30, and that over 42% of COGIC members between the ages of 25 and 65+ were married, at least 19% were divorced or separated, 32% were never married, and at least 5% were widowed. Each department convened its own convention in various cities through 1975. As the first elected presiding bishop, Bishop Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia. He appointed regional presidents to serve as liaisons to the jurisdictional presidents. The church's new presiding bishop, who took office on March 20, said he will have to. Of special note is Evangelist Reatha Herndon who served as the International Elect Lady of the Department of Evangelism from 1951 to 2001. Mrs. Anna Broy Crockett Ford was the first organizer and director of the National Music Department, which was formally established in November 1949. [36], In 2022, it was present in 112 countries in 2022. During World War I, the FBI opened a file on Bishop Mason and conducted surveillance on him because of his pacifism during the war. Bishop John Drew Sheard is Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle of the Church of God in Christ, Inc., one of the largest African American Pentecostal denominations in the United States with 12,000 churches in over 112 countries. President, International Department of Evangelism Evangelist Gary Sprewell, Elect Lady, International Department of Evangelism . He called for an annual gathering of COGIC members, known as the "International Holy Convocation", to be held in Memphis. In 1955, Emmett Till's funeral was held at Robert's Temple Church Of God in Christ in Chicago, Illinois. [5] He officially retired on March 19, 2021, and was succeeded by Bishop J. Among those who died after reportedly contracting the virus were: First Assistant Presiding Bishop Phillip A. Brooks, a preacher, and leader from Detroit who was No. Drew Sheard who was elected in 2021. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A. [43], COGIC teaches that man was created perfect and sinless in the image of God as a tripartite being having a body, soul, and spirit. Blake has also formerly served as an Advisory Committee Member of the Pentecostal World Conference, and as the founder and Co-chair of the Los Angeles Ecumenical Congress (LAEC), an interdenominational coalition of religious leaders and pastors for the city of Los Angeles. C. P. Jones was elected the General Overseer, C. H. Mason was selected as Overseer of Tennessee, and J. He was a lifelong member of the. A. Blackwell, E. M. Blackwell, E. M. Page, R. H. I. Clark, D. J. Bishop Elijah Hankerson III - Board member (2021present), Bishop Charles E. Blake Presiding Bishop Emeritus. To be consistent with progressive measures and modernization, in the Nineties, the international church along with many local COGIC churches began to use the term "youth department" instead of "YPWW. " The church has more than 3,000 churches in Asia, and 2,000 churches in the Caribbean and South America. He began production of the YPWW Quarterly Topics to train the youth of the COGIC in the faith, doctrine, and polity of the church. Bishop Patterson was the second youngest person to ever be elected Presiding Bishop of COGIC at the age 60 in 2000, second to his uncle, Bishop J. O. Patterson Sr. who was 56 when he was elected Presiding Bishop in 1968. President, International Youth Department Superintendent Nathaniel Green. His pastor and mentor was Bishop F. D. Washington of Brooklyn, NY. They exist primarily in the spiritual realm and are organized according to duty and function. Jones Sr. was elected Senior Bishop by the General Assembly. The three-year initiative would also help encourage COGIC clergy to use their missions and charity ministries in local churches to help offer aid and assistance to African-Americans and people of other ethnic minorities, and people of low incomes in local communities who are considering and contemplating abortion and offer aid and assistance to people dealing with economic and medical issues from pregnancy. Today COGIC has more than 12,000 churches, and several schools, missions, and medical clinics in more than eighty nations, including every inhabited continent. Drew Sheard elected as COGIC's new presiding bishop; two Memphis bishops elected to general board Sheard, 62, was elected in late March to lead the predominantly African American . Bishop Carlis Moody immediately began to reorganize the Missions Department, giving new guidelines.