Dr. Byron Brazier, Bishop Brazier’s son,
named as successor

CHICAGO, May 15, 2008 —  Bishop
Arthur M. Brazier, longtime patriarch and widely revered pastor of the
Apostolic Church of God (ACOG; 6320
S. Dorchester Ave.) has announced plans to step
down as pastor of the Pentecostal congregation he has led for 48 years. His
last official broadcast will air June 8 on WCIU-TV 26 in Chicago. 

On May 4, Bishop Brazier, 86,
told parishioners that he would preach his last sermon as pastor on June 1, and
he informed them that the ACOG Official Board and congregation had named Dr. Byron
Brazier as his successor. Bishop Brazier praised the foresight of his board and
asked his congregation to warmly embrace his son as its new pastor — the body
had ratified Dr. Brazier’s nomination four years ago in anticipation of Bishop
Brazier’s retirement. 

“I am tremendously humbled to
be called by the Lord to be of service to his people and to this congregation,”
says Dr. Brazier, who received both a master of arts in theological studies and
a doctorate in ministry from McCormick Theological Seminary. “This did not
happen a month ago: It happened 12 years ago, when I was called into the
ministry from my private sector career.” 

Bishop Brazier said that he contemplated
retirement a few years ago, but had put the thought out of his mind. “I prayed about
it, because retirement, for me, is not like retirement from some job that you
labored at for 25 or 30 years, glad to go, and wave goodbye,” he told his
congregants. “I have not approached this day with happiness.” 

In 1960, 39-year-old Bishop
Brazier was pastor of Universal Church of Christ when he was approached by ACOG
leaders who wanted him to fill its head pastor position. He accepted, and
combined his church with ACOG, which produced approximately 100 members. 

Today, ACOG has more than
20,000 members. 

During his tenure, Bishop
Brazier oversaw several ACOG expansion projects, including a 3,000-seat
sanctuary; the addition of television control facilities; a 400-seat banquet
facility; and a 37,000-square-foot youth and family center that holds a regulation-sized
basketball court, classrooms, a music room and a dance studio. For 30 years,
Bishop Brazier served as Diocesan of the 6th Episcopal District of
the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, which entailed oversight of more than
80 churches in Illinois. 

Bishop Brazier is known for
his commitment to improving African-Americans’ quality of life  — he is founding president of The Woodlawn
Organization, the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., and the Fund for
Community Redevelopment and Revitalization. He also authored three books — “Black
Self-Determination,” “Saved by Grace and Grace Alone,” and “From Milk to Meat”
— and many articles. 

As he prepares to step down, Bishop
Brazier also recognizes the support of Mrs. Isabelle Brazier, his wife of 60
years. “I came to this church and worked every day for what will be 48 years in
June — I never took a day off, and I don’t recommend that to anybody else,” he
said. “I came home for dinner and then came back to church to counsel people,
and my wife never complained. 

Dr. Byron Brazier
received his Bachelor of Science Degree in Management from Roosevelt University,
and both his Master of Arts Degree in Theological Studies and Doctor of
Ministry Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary. He also sits on several
boards and has been married to his wife, Mary, for 32 years.