Columbia Pastor Elected AME Bishop During General Conference
COLUMBIA, S.C. (PRESS RELEASE/WOLO) – Rev. Dr. Ronnie Elijah Brailsford, Sr. has been elected and consecrated the 136th Bishop in the 200 year history of the African Methodist Episcopal Church during the denomination’s General Conference, which was held July 6-13th, in Philadelphia.
Bishop Brailsford is a native of Summerton, where he graduated Valedictorian from Scott’s Branch High School.
He is the first graduate of the University of South Carolina to become an A.M.E.C. Bishop. He earned his Master of Divinity degree at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta and a Doctor of Ministry Degree at United Theological Seminary in Ohio.
Bishop Brailsford has 36 years of ordained ministry experience and has pastored churches in Gray Court, SC, Atlanta, GA, and has served as pastor of Bethel A.M.E.C. in Columbia since December 1992.
Bishop Brailsford was assigned for four years to the 20th Episcopal District of the A.M.E.C., which is comprised of nearly 200 churches in the countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique on the continent of Africa.
Bishop Brailsford is married to the Reverend Carolyn Elizabeth Irvin Brailsford, and they are the parents of three children, Veronica-Carol, Ronnie, Jr. and David.
Bishop Samuel L. Green, Sr./Provided
During the quadrennial conference Bishop Samuel L. Green was assigned to serve as the new leader of the Seventh Episcopal distrust of the church that spans South Carolina.
Green was bishop of Arkansas and Oklahoma.
Following the 10:00 a.m. worship service on Sunday, July 17th, Bethel A.M.E.C. will have a reception to honor the election of Bishop and Supervisor Brailsford.
For more info, you may contact the Bethel A.M.E. Church office at (803) 779-0138.
