Pastor James A. Williams

James A. Williams has taken inspiration from his father, unafraid to follow in his father’s footsteps. Pastor Williams has been a member in the Church of God in Christ organization since 1957 and a member of the St. James COGIC since 1979.  He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Saviour at the age of fourteen during a revival conducted by his father, Pastor Emeritus Alvin E. Williams, at the Homeland COGIC. Like his father, he studied under Dr. John Ware and has had the privilege of serving in several capacities at the Temple COGIC, Homeland COGIC, and St. James COGIC. Some of the areas he has enjoyed serving in are Head Usher, YPWW President, Deacon, Sunday School Teacher, and Program Committee Chairman, to name a few. Pastor Williams became a minister in 1981 and was ordained an Elder under Bishop W. L. Porter in 1985.  

In the early 90’s, Pastor Emeritus Alvin E. Williams, who was the Brownsville District Superintendent, appointed Pastor Williams to the position of Brownsville District Chairman, which he served faithfully until 2017.  He and his committee instituted programs and activities that benefited and recognized members in the Brownsville District. Pastor Williams said, “I had a wonderful working relationship with the committee and the committee and I loved the Brownsville District and we executed programs that would cultivate the youth and build and progress the District.”  Three accomplishments he is most proud of while serving as the District Chairman were the Minnie Malone Youth Scholarship Award, Senior Citizen Award, and Brownsville District Gala. The Brownsville District Gala was established as an avenue to recognize graduating seniors and senior citizens and to support the Brownsville District Pastors and the Central Jurisdiction. For years, Pastor Williams and committee were able to honor a graduating student with a scholarship and present a senior citizen with the “Senior of the Year” award. Many of the District programs and activities were sponsored by Pastor Williams’ business clients and the generosity of District Superintendent Williams and Pastor Williams.

Through the years, Pastor Williams has seen God’s healing power working in the church, and he has also experienced the power of God in his life as well as the lives of his family. He believes the scripture:  “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and forever” (Hebrew 13:8 KJV), and what He has done for others, He will do for you.

Pastor Williams not only has an extensive background as working in the church, but he has been a prominent business entrepreneur as a Landscape Designer/Architect in the Memphis Metropolitan area for over 45 years. For many years, he and his father worked together in the business. His father realized his son’s talent at the age of fourteen when his son designed a landscape plan to resolve a client’s lawn issue. The client told them that the design produced remarkable results, and that the son was an incredibly talented teenager. Pastor Williams’ designs have been featured in several leading architectural magazines including Veranda, Architectural Digest, Scout magazine and Southern Living. His work has placed him in the path of many prominent business leaders and well-known garden designers.  He often reminisces about the time he met Rosemary Verey, who was highly impressed with his garden designs. Ms. Verey was an internationally known English garden designer, lecturer and prolific garden writer.  Verey helped plant and develop the gardens of Charles, Prince of Wales’ Highgrove House in Gloucestershire, the gardens for Princess Michael of Kent, the New York Botanical Garden, and gardens of famous celebrities.

His business clients often tell him that he is Memphis’ Best and that he can make a landscape design look like the “Garden of Eden.” He credits his parents, particularly his father, for allowing him to work with him as a teenager and for providing him with the training to be a successful business entrepreneur. 

Pastor Williams is not just a gifted garden designer, but he is recognized as a skilled building designer by the St. James Church Family as he designed the interior/exterior layout of the new addition to the St. James Church. The St. James Church Family truly appreciates Pastor Williams for his outstanding design.

Pastor Williams is recognized by his business clients as well as the church community for his eminent leadership as an entrepreneur, employer, and clergy. He has been a tremendous blessing to the St. James Church, Brownsville District, Central Jurisdiction and to many people outside of the church community. 

First Lady Rochelle Williams

First Lady Williams comes from a family of nine, with six siblings and her loving parents, James and Lillie Ross. First Lady Williams laments, “Growing up in a large family could be arduous at times, especially with limited funds and resources, but that did not hinder the love we have for each other because we are a close-knit family.” Seeing her parents’ dedicated work ethic and countless sacrifices to support their family influenced First Lady Williams’ own values and drive as a daughter and a person. It was her desire to one day be a blessing to her parents as they had been to the family.  First Lady Williams learned early on to never give up on her goals and aspirations. However, she realized that having goals without God leading your path is like being “a ship without a sail.” After hearing Pastor Emeritus Alvin Williams speak during a Wednesday night service at the Temple Church of God in Christ in 1975, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior.  First Lady Williams said, “God completely changed my life and my path.”  Praise God!  

God’s plan for Pastor Williams and First Lady Williams . . . When Pastor Williams saw his would-be wife in church (Temple COGIC), he knew God would join them together as the Word of God tells us in Proverbs 18:22 (KJV):  “Whoso findeth a wife findeth a good thing, and obtaineth favour of the Lord.” Pastor Williams and First Lady Williams have been married for 44 years (June 26, 1976) and have two lovely, talented daughters, Candice and Constance. 

Since the very beginning of their marital union in 1976, First Lady Williams has followed her husband on the path that God led him. Though their path began at the Temple COGIC, God’s path for them took the couple to the Homeland COGIC in 1978 and to the St. James COGIC in 1979.  First Lady Williams said, “On the road to St. James COGIC, Memphis to Brownsville, with two babies, was often taxing for me, but I wanted to stay on God’s path for my family. When God directs your path, it is designed specifically for you. He places you with the purpose of growing your seeds and helping others grow their seeds. St. James has been a path of many seeds: seeds of love, challenges, hard work, sacrifices, tears, joy, blessings and so much more. All of which I am truly thankful.” First Lady Williams has labored in almost every area of the church and is currently serving as the President of the Missionary Board, which she has served faithfully for many years.  She is grateful to her Pastor for the opportunity to serve her church, and she appreciates his leadership.

Reaching one of her goals . . . delayed but obtained.  One of her goals was to attend college. First Lady Williams attended college later in life, raising her daughters, caring for her parents, and working her career. Though she had many sleepless nights, she managed to acquire her undergraduate degree (Magna cum laude) in Management/Organizational Leadership as well as a graduate degree in Conflict Resolution. 

First Lady Williams’ passion for helping people is why she chose to work in the Human Resource Management field for over 25 years. She has worked for several organizations, including the City of Memphis Government, where she was given many wonderful opportunities to work with community leaders. She worked with several non-profit organizations in the city, including United Way of the Mid-South, American Cancer Society, Junior Achievement of Memphis and the Mid-South, and Salvation Army Memphis. First Lady Williams believes working with non-profit organizations and recruiting employees as volunteers to support fundraising events not only builds stronger relationships in the community but also develops relationships in the workforce as it gives a sense of purpose and meaning in a workplace environment.  She also enjoyed her work with some of Memphis’ finest outdoor attractions/amenities−Memphis Zoo, Memphis Botanic Garden, Memphis Grizzlies, and Memphis Redbirds.

First Lady Williams’ inclination for helping her community and working with her fellow Memphians doesn’t stop with her being an HR Consultant. She is listed as a Tennessee Supreme Court Rule 31 Mediator (Family/Civil/Elder). She has conducted several pro bono family mediations in Memphis to help partners resolve conflictual issues.

To get away from the hustle and bustle of work, First Lady Williams enjoys writing poetry.  She feels her poetry is an expression of feeling, experience, and truth, and it gives her the opportunity to write about life situations−good or bad.  

First Lady Williams' favorite bible verse serves as her personal mantra as well as her vision for the future of the St. James COGIC: “There is much work to be done and we can’t stop now.” “The harvest truly is plenteous, but the labourers are few” (Matthew 9:37 KJV).

Pastor Williams and First Lady Williams feel truly blessed to be connected with such a wonderful Church Family.  Pastor Williams and First Lady Williams said, “We are Family and we love every member and pray God’s unfailing love surround the St. James Family.”   “Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth” (3 John 2:2 KJV).

This beautiful poem was written by Missionary Rochelle Williams and will be included in her upcoming book “Poems from the Heart,” that will be released in 2022.