Bishop Samuel Nathan Hancock was baptized in Jesus’ Name and received the Holy Ghost in 1912.  He was called to the ministry in 1914, ordained in 1917 and served as Assistant Pastor at Apostolic Faith Assembly.  Elder Samuel Hancock was elevated to the Bishopric of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (PAW) in 1927.  He was the Diocesan Bishop over the states of Illinois, Nebraska, Wyoming and Iowa. In 1957, Bishop Hancock became the Presiding Bishop of the newly formed Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith (PCAF).  At the establishment of the Illinois State Council in February 1958, Bishop Hancock presided over the election of Council officers and the institution of Council bylaws.

Until his demise in 1963, Bishop Hancock beseeched us all to walk circumspectly before God in love.

 

Bishop Odears Wright, Jr. was baptized in Jesus’ Name and received the Holy Ghost in 1961.  Bishop Wright became the pastor of the Bethel Apostolic Faith Church in September 1971 upon the retirement of Elder Otis H. Carter.  Bishop Wright served in many positions across local, state and national levels.  Bishop Wright was Youth Chairman, Sunday School Superintendent, Assistant Pastor of Victory Apostolic Faith Church, Dean of the Midwest Apostolic Bible College, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith (PCAF), Inc. and Bishop of the 15th Episcopal District of the PCAF and Diocesan Bishop of the state of Alabama. Bishop Odears Wright, Jr. transcended to eternity on July 23, 2002.

 

Bishop Reese Price, Jr. was baptized in Jesus’ Name and received the Holy Ghost in 1949.  In 1958 he became a member of the Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church where he served as Youth Chairman and church musician.  In July 1961, Bishop Price established the Englewood Apostolic Church, renamed the Victory Apostolic Faith Church.  During his fruitful life, Bishop Price established several churches and had more than 10 pastors hail from his ministry.  Bishop Price served as the Illinois State Council Chairman, Overseer and Treasurer of the PCAF Global Mission, Church History Teacher and Vice President of the Midwest Apostolic Bible College, Assistant to the Diocesan of the State of Illinois, member of the PCAF Ordination Committee, and Auxiliary Bishop of the PCAF Pastor’s Alliance. Bishop Price entered the eternal presence of the Lord August 19, 2010.

 

District Elder Larry Cornelius was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost in 1973.  As a member of Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church, Dist. Elder Cornelius served in the capacity of Sunday School Teacher, Sunday School Superintendent and Youth Chairman, choir member, chef cook.  He also served as the National Youth Vice Chairman.  In February 1978 he was elected Illinois State Youth President and ordained an Elder, holding the record as the youngest Elder in the entire Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith, Inc.  In September of 1986 he began pastoring Living Waters Apostolic Church in North Chicago, IL.  He was elevated to the position of District Elder in April 1993.

 

Evang. Delilah Vance originally hailed from New Jerusalem Apostolic Faith Church under the pastorage of District Elder Leslie Robinson and was often entrusted with overseeing the running of the church in the absence of Dist. Elder and Evang. Robinson.  After the demise of her beloved pastor, she moved her membership to the Bethel Apostolic Faith Church.  Evang. Vance’s love for the Word of God led to her position as Sunday School teacher and Superintendent.  Evang. Vance was a trailblazer, forming the first choir in the Illinois State Council and stepped out in courage to help form the council’s missionary choir.  Her talent also found an outlet on the National level as she worked with the National Missionary Department as the party responsible for scheduling speakers for the missionary day at the convention.

 

District Elder James Turner Robinson was baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ and received the Holy Ghost in 1959.  In 1963, following the death of his first wife, he met and married Pastor Rinnie L. Barnes of the Robbins Pentecostal Church where he was a faithful deacon until he was called to the ministry and later became Assistant Pastor. After the home going of Pastor Rinnie L. Robinson on July 15, 1972, he became the Pastor.  He was elevated to the Board of District Elders (P.C.A.F) and served as one of the senior pastors of the Illinois State Council.

District Elder James T. Robinson departed this life in March 2000.

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Elder David Hawkins, Jr. was baptized in Jesus’ Name in 1982 and received the Holy Ghost in 1983 at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church.  Having a strong love for and dedication to those in situations reminiscent of what God saved him from, Eld. Hawkins worked tirelessly preaching and teaching both on the street and for over twelve years in prison ministry.  While Eld. Hawkins also worked on the usher board, the President of the Brotherhood Auxilary and was a dedicated choir member; he found his love in the Sunday School department, both locally and at the state level.  He was a Sunday School teacher, a State Sunday School Field Worker, Assistant Sunday School Superintendent at Christ Temple and Superintendent of the Illinois State Council Sunday School. Eld. David Hawkins entered eternity on Saturday, March 4, 2005.

 

District Elder Lessie Robinson was the Founder and Pastor of New Jerusalem Apostolic Faith Church.  District Elder Robinson, a prayerful man who loved the Word of God, served the Lord in various positions.  He was an usher, the Assistant Sunday School Superintendent while at Bethlehem Healing Temple.  However, his passion for the lost was evident as he ministered faithfully on Madison Street in the heart of the City’s westside.  When his pastor Bishop Charles E. Poole and Evang. Mattie B. Poole traveled during healing campaigns the church was left in his capable hands.  In 1971, District Elder Lessie Robinson became the 2nd Chairman of the Illinois State Council. 

District Elder Robinson was called him from labor to reward in the winter of 1974.

 

Mother Viola Bellamy was a Quiet Storm within the Illinois State Council (ISC) of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith.  She did not make a lot of noise. She did not need a microphone or a stage to get her voice heard. She led from behind the scenes. With great strength Mother Bellamy was the ideal support system for her husband, Bishop John P. Bellamy Sr. and worked quietly and firmly blazing a trail over the course of forty-four years.  She worked in nearly every capacity of her home church including the Culinary Staff, Baptism Committee, Maintenance Crew, Sunday School and Missionary Departments, the Golden Gems and the Seniors Program. Mother Bellamy proved that beside every great man is a great woman by supporting her husband as he ascended through the ISC ranks as the Council’s Treasurer, Secretary, Assistant Chairman and Chairman. She never tried to out shine her husband as she worked tirelessly behind the scenes dotting the i’s, crossing the t’s and tying the loose strings while raising a large family and encouraging all to follow GOD. 

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Dr. Hattie C. Brownlow was baptized in Jesus’ Name and received the Holy Ghost on the same night that she first heard the plan of salvation, making her the first convert of Bishop D.Rayford Bell.  Dr. Brownlow held various positions in her home church including Youth Chairman, Sunday School teacher, and Director of the first Children’s Church within the Illinois State Council.  She was also an instructor at the Mid-West Apostolic Bible College (now the D.R. Bell Apostolic Bible College).  While Dr. Brownlow was a renowned teacher and preacher, her greatest contribution was witnessed in the Missionary field.  She served as Chairman of the Illinois State Council’s Missionary Department, Vice-Chairman of the National Missionary Department and Chairman of the National Missionary Department.  Dr. Brownlow authored two books: “A Curriculum Guide for Christian Education” and “A Missionary Study Guide”, a book that is still being consulted by today’s missionaries.  To her credit, Dr. Brownlow was one of three missionaries whose vision of a senior complex was realized with the opening of the Hancock House built by the efforts of the Brownlow, Belton, Sullivan & Arms, non-for-profit organization that bears her name.  Dr. Hattie Brownlow departed this life on July 21, 1983.

 

Deacon Tomie J. Jackson was baptized in Jesus’ Name and received the Holy Ghost on August 7, 1947, the same day as his wife.  Deacon Jackson served as Youth Chairman and was Chairman of the Deacon Board at Christ Temple Apostolic Faith in Chicago, IL.  However, he will forever be memorialized as “Mr. Sunday School.”  He loved to study the Word of God and was an ordained teacher.  Deacon Jackson held the position of Sunday School Superintendent in his local assembly for 52 years, as an Illinois State Sunday School Superintendent for 42 years, and as the National Sunday School Superintendent of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith for 36 years.

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Bishop John P. Bellamy, Sr. originally hailed from Bethlehem Healing Temple and later New Jerusalem Pentecostal Church where he served in numerous capacities.  He became the assistant to Pastor Nelson Owens of the Christ Temple Church on Roosevelt Road and following the demise of Elder Owens; he was elevated to the position of Pastor.  Bishop Bellamy was Chairman of the United Pastor’s Alliance of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith, Chairman of the Board of District Elders, and Diocesan over the states of Hawaii and North Carolina.  Bishop Bellamy was the first Secretary to the Illinois State Council.  He was elected Vice Chairman of the Illinois State Council and later served as the 4th Chairman to the Council.  He laid down his sword and was called to rest on April 20, 2006