Bishops eras

Bishop C.H. Mason Era (1907-1961) After moving to Memphis, TN, Bishop Mason established a local church called Temple COGIC. He also established the COGIC national headquarters and the annual gathering of COGIC members that became known as the \"International Holy Convocation\" to be held in Memphis. This gathering of the Saints lasted for twenty days beginning from November 25 to December 14. This period of time was selected because most of the COGIC members throughout the country were farmers and harvesting of their crops ended around this period. COGIC members gathered for praying, fasting, teaching, preaching, fellowship and conducting business pertaining to the national COGIC organization.[13] COGIC originally begun in the Southern states of Mississippi, Arkansas, and Tennessee. During the early twentieth century, the Pentecostal movement experienced rapid growth and racial integration of its worship services. As a result, Bishop Mason as the leader of one of the few legally chartered Pentecostal denominations was pivotal in licensing and credentialing white and African-American ministers who spread the Pentecostal message and established churches. The first General Secretary of COGIC was Elder William B. Holt, a white minister. During 1910-1913, two white ministers, Elder H. A. Goss and Elder Leonard P. Adams were clergy under the authority of C.H. Mason who established organizations within COGIC. More than a decade after the Azusa Revival, in 1914, approximately 300 white ministers representing a variety of independent churches and networks of churches, including the \"Association of Christian Assemblies\" in Indiana and the \"Church of God in Christ and in Unity with the Apostolic Faith Movement\" from Alabama, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas met in Hot Springs, Arkansas to separate and form the Assemblies of God. American racial,social, cultural and political norms such as Jim Crow South prohibitions rather than Christian doctrine ended any prospect of racial integration under the leadership of an African-American such as C.H. Mason.[14] This invitation to join the movement was only sent to white ministers.[15] The H.A. Goss faction left COGIC to join the Assemblies of God USA. Over time, the ministers and churches under Leonard P. Adams separated and assimilated into other white Pentecostal groups or organizations. In 1916, a few white churches joined COGIC and were organized into a white branch with William B. Holt as General Superintendent; the racial climate would not sustain this relationship and so it ultimately ended. By 1930 this ministry among whites had ended.[16] C.H. Mason traveled across the nation preaching and establishing COGIC churches. As African-Americans migrated north during the Great Migration, churches began to be established in the north and west. C.H. Mason sent ministers and evangelists to cities and urban areas outside the South, including William Roberts (Chicago), O. M. Kelly (New York), O. T. Jones Sr. (Philadelphia), E. R. Driver (Los Angeles) and Samuel Kelsey (Washington, D.C.) In these major cities, COGIC spread throughout the country. In 1926, C.H. Mason authorized the church's constitution, outlining the bylaws, rules, and regulations of the church. In 1933, he set apart five overseers to the Office of Bishop in the church, the first five Bishops of COGIC.[17] Those consecrated were I. S. Stafford (Detroit, Michigan), E. M. Page (Dallas, Texas), W. M. Roberts (Chicago, Illinois), O. T. Jones, Sr. (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania), and R. F. Williams (Cleveland, Ohio). The first national tabernacle was built and completed in 1925, but was destroyed by fire in 1936. In 1945, C.H. Mason dedicated Mason Temple in Memphis as the church's national meeting site. Built in the 1940s during World War II, the nearly 4000 seat building became the largest church auditorium of any African-American religious group in America.[13] After his death, C.H. Mason was entombed there, the only person ever so honored in the city of Memphis. The historic church auditorium was the location of Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr's final message to the world. He delivered his \"I've been to the Mountaintop\" speech on April 3, 1968. Mason Temple in Memphis remained the site of the International Holy Convocation until the mid-1970s when the number of delegates far exceeded capacity. Many COGIC members would refer to their preparation to attend the annual COGIC Holy Convocation as \"Jerusalem\" with Mason Temple as a special site. In 1951, when Bishop Mason was approaching 85 years of age, he set up a \"special commission\" to help with the administration and oversight of the church. On June 5, 1951, he selected Bishop A.B. McEwen, Bishop J.S. Bailey, and Bishop O.M. Kelly as his assistants. On May 19, 1952, he added Bishop J.O. Patterson, Sr. Also in 1952, C.H. Mason revised the constitution to determine the leadership and succession of the church after his demise. Three years later on October 12, 1955, three more bishops were added: Bishop U.E. Miller, Bishop S. M. Crouch, and Bishop O.T. Jones, Sr. This group became known officially as the Executive Commission and assumed greater responsibility over church affairs until C.H. Mason's death.[18] In 1907, there were ten COGIC churches, but by the time of Bishop Mason's death in 1961, COGIC had spread to every state in the United States and to many foreign countries with a membership of more than 400,000 and more than 4,000 churches.[19]

ZBishop O.T. Jones Sr. Era (1962-1968) 1962-1968 is described as a \"Dark Period\" in the history of COGIC, accompanied by polarization and conflict in leadership.[20] Bishop Mason died November 17, 1961 at the age of 95, leading COGIC for 54 years. As founder, Bishop Mason exercised authority over matters of church polity. After his death, according to the 1952 church constitution, the control of the church reverted to an executive board of bishops. The General Assembly vested authority in an Executive Board composed of twelve bishops. The COGIC constitution at the time did not specifically outline a clear successor or the authority of this executive board of bishops after C.H. Mason's death. A. B. McEwen was elected chairman of the Executive Board, and O.T. Jones Sr was elected Senior Bishop by the General Assembly because of his seniority.[21] Bishop O.T. Jones Sr.was pastor of the Holy Temple COGIC in Philadelphia and jurisdictional bishop of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Jurisdiction. O.T. Jones Sr. was the only living Bishop of the five original bishops consecrated by Bishop Mason. Bishop O.T. Jones Sr.assumed leadership as the Senior Bishop. In 1964, disagreement between the authority of the Senior Bishop and the Executive Board led by Bishop A.B. Mcewen was addressed at the Fifty-Seventh Holy Convocation. Factions developed within the organization as executive and administrative decisions were being made by both the Senior Bishop in conflict with Bishop A.B. McEwen and vice versa.[22] The church experienced litigation issues with lawsuits filed in the Chancery Court of Shelby County, Tennessee. This was to resolve the legitimate authority of the denomination. The court ordered the church to convene a constitutional convention in February 1968. The constitutional convention drafted and approved a new constitution that dissolved both the office of the Senior Bishop and the Executive Board. These two offices were replaced by the Office of the Presiding Bishop and a General Board to be elected every four years to preside over the church. The General Assembly will be the supreme authority over the church to decide matters of faith and practice. On November 14, 1968, the General Assembly of the COGIC elected the first General Board and Presiding Bishop of the church.[23] First General Board 1968-1972 • Bishop J.O. Patterson, Sr - Presiding Bishop • Bishop J.S. Bailey - First Assistant Presiding Bishop • Bishop S.M. Crouch - Second Assistant Presiding Bishop • Bishop W.N. Wells • Bishop L.H. Ford • Bishop O.M. Kelly • Bishop C.E. Bennett • Bishop J.A. Blake • Bishop J.W. White • Bishop D.L. Williams • Bishop F.D. Washington • Bishop J.D. Husband Several bishops disagreed with a new organizational structure and severed ties with COGIC to start their own organizations. The most notable rift occurred in 1969 when fourteen bishops met in Evanston, Illinois to form the Church of God in Christ, International; they disagreed with the electoral process in selecting the Presiding Bishop.[24] Bishop O.T. Jones Sr, however, did not leave COGIC. He remained the Jurisdictional Bishop of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania until his death in 1972.[25] COGIC continued to grow and in 1973, the church claimed a worldwide membership of nearly three million.[23] to St. Louis, Missouri.

Bishop J.O. Patterson Era (1968-1989) Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. was elected as the first Presiding Bishop of the church by the General Assembly at the Sixty-First Holy Convocation of the church in November 1968. The son-in-law of Bishop Mason, J.O. Patterson Sr. served the church previously as a member of the Executive Board and as Executive Secretary. J.O Patterson Sr. was pastor of the Pentecostal Temple Institutional COGIC in Memphis, TN and was the Presiding Prelate of the Tennessee Headquarters Jurisdiction. J.O. Patterson Sr. established protocols of worship, policy and practices. A new constitution and official manual of the church were completed in 1973. COGIC became a major force in the collective Black Church and worldwide Pentecostal movement and experienced rapid growth in many sectors as one of the fastest growing and largest religious groups in the United States.[26] As the first elected Presiding Bishop, Bishop J.O. Patterson Sr. established the Charles Harrison Mason Seminary in Atlanta, Georgia; the C. H. Mason System of Bible Colleges; the J. O. Patterson Sr. Fine Arts Department; the Historical Museum and Fine Arts Center, organizer of the Charles Harrison Mason Foundation and the Presiding Bishop's Benefit Fund which provides scholarships. He expanded the COGIC Bookstore and COGIC Publishing House. In 1982, he led COGIC in its Diamond Jubilee in a celebration of the International Holy Convocation. He established the World Fellowship of Black Pentecostal Churches and initiated COGIC membership into the Congress of National Black Churches. His dream was to establish an international ministry complex known as \"Saints Center\" and an accredited institution known as \"All Saints University\". Subsequently, he was elected four times as Presiding Bishop uncontested. He consecrated and appointed more than 100 bishops during twenty-one years of leadership.[25] His initiatives allowed the church's growth to exceed four million in the United States in 47 foreign countries and 10,000 churches at the time of his death in 1989.

Bishop L. H. Ford Era (1990-1995) Bishop Louis Henry Ford of Chicago, Illinois, was elected after the death of J.O.. Patterson Sr. in 1990. L.H. Ford was pastor of the St. Paul COGIC in Chicago and was Presiding Prelate of the Historic Illinois First Jurisdiction. L.H. Ford was a strong advocate for social justice a became nationally recognized after the horrific death of Emmett Till, officiating the funeral and giving the eulogy for Emmett Till at Robert's Temple COGIC in 1955.[27] In Chicago, he organized voter registration initiatives and protested against lodging segregation in Memphis, Tn during the holy convocations in the midst of the Civil Rights era. L.H. Ford pride himself in returning COGIC to its emphasis on basic holiness. He was critical of the use of high church liturgy, vestments, and modernity that had been introduced to the church. He dedicated his efforts reminding COGIC members of the sacrifices of the pioneers of COGIC. He reopened Saints Academy and College and constructed the multi-million dollar Deborah Mason Patterson Hall in Lexington, Mississippi. He renovated several COGIC structures in Memphis,TN, including Mason Temple. L.H. Ford is most notably credited with bringing President Bill Clinton, who was a personal friend and the only U.S. President to address the COGIC at Mason Temple during the Eighty-Sixth International Holy Convocation on November 13, 1993.[28] Racial Reconciliation During the 1990s during Bishop Ford's administration, America's classical Pentecostal denominations began to take steps to heal the movement's racial divide. This effort culminated in the 1994 Memphis Miracle, which led to the creation of the Pentecostal/Charismatic Churches of North America (PCCNA), dissolving the all-white Pentecostal Fellowship of North America (PFNA). The new group was formed as an inclusive organization including all the major Pentecostal groups in North America regardless of race. Since its creation, it has had a co-chair leadership, one of which has always been a COGIC bishop, usually a member of the General Board, and the other from one of the member organizations of the previous PFNA.

Bishop Chandler David Owens SR (1990-1995) Bishop Chandler David Owens Sr was elected Presiding Bishop after the death of Bishop Ford in 1995. C.D.Owens gained national attention in the church as the President of the Youth Department. C.D. Owens was a noted evangelist, pastoring several churches including: Bostick Temple in St. Louis, Missouri; Well's Cathedral COGIC in Newark, New Jersey; and Greater Community COGIC in Marietta, Georgia. He also served as the Presiding Prelate of the New Jersey Garden State Jurisdiction and the Central Georgia Jurisdiction. Bishop Owens led the COGIC in its centennial celebration in 1997 with the theme, \"Holiness, a Proven Foundation for a Promising Future!\" He is credited with systematically restructuring church departments and ministries, expanding the church in Asia, primarily India and the Philippines, placing the COGIC on a solid financial status. C.D. Owens outlined a progressive plan to position the COGIC for ministry in the twenty-first century known as \"Vision 2000 and Beyond.\" In the year 2000 at the Ninety-Third International Holy Convocation, the General Assembly of the COGIC elected Bishop Gilbert Earl Patterson to replace Bishop C.D. Owens as Presiding Bishop. C.D. Owens continued to serve as a jurisdictional bishop and member of the General Board until his death in 2011.[25]

Bishop G.E. Patterson Era (2000-2007) Bishop Gilbert Earl (G.E.) Patterson began his ministry as co-pastor of the Holy Temple COGIC with his father, Bishop W.A. Patterson. In 1975, he resigned as co-pastor, withdrawing his membership in the COGIC because of leadership disagreements with his uncle, J.O. Patterson Sr. concerning an estblishment of another jurisdiction in the city of Memphis. J.O. Patterson Sr. was the Presiding Bishop at that time. G.E. Patterson established the Temple of Deliverance, the Cathedral of Bountiful Blessing which grew to become the largest Pentecostal church in Memphis with over 14,000 members. In 1988, after a thirteen-year exodus from COGIC, Bishop G.E. Patterson returned as the founding Prelate of the newly formed Tennessee Fourth Jurisdiction. In 2000, he was elected as the Presiding Bishop of COGIC.He re-ignited the church to be a flagship Pentecostal denomination. He was able to bridge denominational barriers and encourage non-COGIC ministries to work collboratively with the COGIC denomination. He established COGIC Charities which has provided thousands of dollars in college scholarships and disaster relief efforts such as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.[25]

Bishop C.E. Blake Era (2007-present) Bishop Charles E. Blake assumed leadership and elected Presiding Bishop of the church after the death of Bishop G.E. Patterson in March 2007. Bishop Blake is the Senior Pastor of the West Angeles Cathedral COGIC in Los Angeles. For many years, West Angeles has been one of the fastest growing churches in the United States and remains the largest COGIC local congregation with a membership of 25,000.[29] C. E. Blake served as the Presiding Prelate of the First Jurisdiction of Southern California. Bishop Blake led COGIC through the death of G.E. Patterson while preparing the church for its 100th Holy Convocation; an important milestone for the church. Bishop Blake is leading the COGIC to become a greater global ministry primarily in Africa and Latin America while at the same time investing in the inner cities where many COGIC congregations are located. He is also known for his aggressive initiative, \"Save Africa's Children\" which supports hundreds of African children who have been affected by HIV/AIDS in orphanages in several countries in Africa.[29] In 2009, Bishop Blake unveiled an aggressive program known as \"Urban Initiatives\" to address the plight of America's urban areas. In 2010, Bishop Blake led more than 50,000 delegates to the 103rd International Holy Convocation