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Bishop Larry O. Jones, Diocesan

Midwestern District Council

12th Episcopal District, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.

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MDC Pastors

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District Elder Lance Bryant was saved in....at Grace Apostolic Church under the leadership of Suffragan Bishop A. John McCoy and Evangelist Dr. Norma Jean McCoy. District Elder Lance A. Bryant, Sr. married Co-Pastor and First Lady Mona Bryant on April 30, 1983.  He is the founder of Holy Way Church of God of the Apostolic Faith and has been a District Elder since 2013. He is the father of 4 children (1 daughter and 3 sons), grandfather of 12 and the great grandfather of 1.

District Elder Lance Bryant

Holy Way Church of God

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Suffragan Bishop

Illona W. Dickson

Radiant Life in Christ

Suffragan Bishop Illona W. Dickson, is the wife of nationally acclaimed businessman Reg- inald Dickson for 47 years, she is the mother of 3, adoptive parent of 3, the grandmother of 7, and she is the Pastor and Founder of the Radiant Life in Christ Apostolic Church. Pastor Dickson holds a bachelor’s degree from Harris Teacher’s College and a master’s degree in education from the University of Missouri at St. Louis. A recently retired teacher, having spent 33 years in the St. louis Public School System, she is the recipient of six awards as outstanding teacher. Mrs. Dickson also served as principal of the Pentecostal Christian Academy for 3 years.

 

Saved in 1972, Pastor Dickson acknowledged her call to the ministry and served her home church faithfully in many leadership capacities including usher instructor, Sunday School teacher, Vice-President of the Minister’s Board, Pastor of the Children’s Church, director of the children’s choir, & vice-president prison outreach for nineteen years. Certified with honors in ministerial studies by the Aenon Bible College, St. Louis Extension licensed and ordained by the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Pastor Dickson has been summoned to speak all across the nation. Under the leadership in Radiant Life Church, two hundred souls were baptized in Jesus’ Name and over 150 filled with the Holy Ghost before the church left the basement sanctuary of her home. The first Apostolic assembly to hold regular services in the Harbor Lighthouse of the Salvation Army, Radiant Life Church continued to minister monthly services and to provide for the homeless and is involved in communtiy service to orphans and the homeless, through the One Church One Child Program, the Post Dispatch One Hundred Neediest Cases and the Salvation Army Harbor Light House. The church also gives support to an orphanage in Haiti and a church in Nairobi, Africa.

 

Pastor Dickson has also been given the mantle of training Ministers. Pastors who were under her ministry have successfully established five churches. In July of 1993 the Midwestern District Council, Pentecostal Assemblies of the World received the membership of the Radiant Life in Christ Apostolic Church. Pastor Dickson has served this fine organization in many capacities of instruction and leadership including, Auxiliary Director, Vice Chair and Chairman of the Pastor’s Advisory Board. In the summer of 2007, Pastor Dickson was honor by her Diocesan, Bishop Alphonso Scott, with an ap- pointment to the position of District Elder. District Elder Dickson (Elected by vote) assumed the role of Chairman of the MDC-PAW. In July of 2012, Bishop Larry O. Jones Elevated her to the office of Suffragan Bishop. She is the first female in the 70-year history of the council to serve in these six positions.

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Pastor Jolene Gay....

Pastor Jolene Gay

Upper Room Church of God

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Pastor Doris Gilmore-Graham

Balance Life Ministries

PASTOR DORIS GILMORE-GRAHAM is the wife of Bro. Robert Graham, a Social Worker.  They were young adult sweethearts who became separated by miles and life circumstances. 

 

Bro. Graham left the state of Missouri for several years and when he began to think about a wife, God spoke to him and told him to go back to St. Louis and look for Doris.  Bro. Graham followed the leading of the Lord; he returned to St. Louis and began to ask family and old friends if they knew of the whereabouts of Sis. Doris Gilmore.  Bro. Graham was directed to Greater Pentecostal Church of God where Doris was a faithful member and as they say, the rest is history.  They have been married for sixteen years.

 

Pastor Gilmore-Graham works for the Internal Revenue Service, a job she asked God for specifically and often says ‘It is the best job I have ever had.’  She has been employed with The IRS for almost 21 years.  She has many awards from her employer attesting to her outstanding customer service and dedication as an employee. 

 

With that same dedication Pastor Gilmore-Graham was a licensed minister, a faithful Sunday School teacher and a prayer room worker, working with many souls to receive the Holy Ghost.

 

In 2004, the Lord directed Pastor Gilmore-Graham to establish Balance Life Ministries.  The ministry was birthed into reality during the year of 2004 in the Graham’s home.  After hearing God’s call and asking God could he not ask her to do something else Evangelist Graham took a pad and pen and began to write down a complete plan for the God-given vision for the ministry. 

 

When Pastor Gilmore-Graham finally put down the pad and pen she remembered the scripture Habakkuk 2:2, "And the Lord answered me, and said, write the vision, make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it." 

 

Shortly afterwards Evangelist Graham began the process of fulfilling that vision and Balance Life Ministries was birthed.  To God Be the Glory!

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Assistant Pastor

Deborah Smith

Balance Life Ministries

Asst. Pastor Deborah Smith, Balance Life Ministries, Inc., is a widow, mother of two children, and a very proud grandmother.

 

Minister Smith holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Ministry from St. Louis Christian College.  Min. Smith was formerly a long-time member of Greater Pentecostal Church of God.

 

Minister Smith is a retired Human Resource Manager with the Department of Mental Health, state of Missouri.  After retirement she launched my own business, WordWright Medical Transcription.  Deborah has always held the belief that one should also contribute to their community.  With that belief Deborah served as Mayor of the Village of Vinita Terrace where she and her family owned a home.  Now a city resident, she continues to be active in the community by serving as a volunteer with the Kipp schools and other community organizations - “If you are not willing to help, do not complain.”

 

Min. Smith acknowledged her call to the ministry as a teacher (Eph. 4:11) and served her home church faithfully in many leadership capacities including radio announcer, church secretary, usher, Sunday school teacher, prayer-room worker, prison outreach worker and Christian Education Director.  Becoming an assistant pastor is the next call Minister Smith is glad to answer.

 

To God Be the Glory!

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Pastor Clarice Howard was saved in 1980 at Pentecostal Church of Jesus Christ under the leadership of Pastor Leo B. Joshua and First Lady Evangelist Ernestine Joshua. She married Deacon Robert Howard in 2003 and became the founder and pastor of Living Waters Church of God in 2007. She is the mother of two daughters.

 

Pastor Howard is a certified Etiquette Consultant and has earned a Doctorate of Theology in 2016 from Midwest College of Theology. She retired in 2009 from the United States Postal Service as a Postal Worker after 30.5 years of service. 

 

Her favorite scripture is 2 Corinthians 5:17

Pastor Clarice Howard

Living Waters Church of God

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District Elder May E. Johnson is the wife of the late, great, and much beloved District Elder Arthur R. Johnson. She is also the mother of six children and numerous grandchildren. Named Interim Pastor following the tragic loss of her husband in 2010, she was officially installed as pastor of The Last Days Apostolic Church in August of 2011.

 

In 2012, Pastor May E. Johnson became District Elder May E. Johnson. She was given the office of District Elder and a jurisdiction within the Midwestern District Council of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World. Pastor Johnson is a busy woman of God who wears many spiritual hats. She willingly makes herself available to the saints whether young, old, male, female, member or visitor. She is a living example of a Pentecostal Proverbs 31 woman. As the woman of God, she is chosen and ordained to instruct us in all manners of holy living and how to dwell together in Unity.

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May E. Johnson

Last Days Apostolic Church

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Pastor Mark A. Simmons

Truth Church

Founder and Pastor of Truth Church formerly known as Shekinah Glory Tabernacle in O'Fallon, Missouri. He began his ministry under the Leadership of the honorable Bishop James A. Johnson, pastor of Bethesda Temple Church in St. Louis, Missouri.  He is an ordained minister through the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, INC.  At Bethesda, Elder Simmons was baptized in Jesus Name at an early age and received the gift of the Holy Ghost.  He served as Ministerial Staff Member, Assistant Prayer Leader, Alter Worker, Prison Ministry, and Sunday School Teacher.  After many years of faithful service, Elder Simmons was called by God to Pastor.  Shekinah Glory Tabernacle opened its doors on Sunday, September 11, 2005.  Truth Church formerly Shekinah Glory has been established for the past 13 years.  

He is an anointed preacher and man of God who is not ashamed to deliver the uncompromising message to God's people. He is a praying man after God's heart and mind.  He is a devoted husband and father.  He is well supported by his wife, teammate, and co-founder, First Lady Dr. Veda Simmons and their three children Mark Jr., Matthew, and Manna.  He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Education and Health minor from Murray State University.  He also received his Chaplain licensed and served as Chaplain with Grace Hospice.  Elder Simmons' mission and vision is to win souls and to build God's Kingdom.  Pastor Mark endeavors to one day build a Christian school to educate our youth spiritually and academically.

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