Pastoral Offices
Pastoral Offices
Midday Class Series
This year’s convention theme is “Take It to Another Level”
Read a bit about each of our session leaders and register below for one or more classes. These sessions are certain to bless you!
Chairperson, NIJ AIM
Sister Annette Dowd
Annette Dowd is a proud educator with 30 years of
experience. A passionate advocate for leadership
development, she is the founder of MooreLife Leadership, where she supports individuals and teams in becoming effective leaders. For over a decade, she has facilitated the Leadership Institute at Friendly Temple Church under the guidance of her pastor, Bishop E. M. Walker. As a certified Christian women’s life coach, Sis. Dowd ministers to the needs of women through personal development coaching. Sis. Dowd serves as the AIM chairperson of the Historic Northern Illinois Jurisdiction. When she’s not working you can find her reading, gardening, and spending time with her four children.
Principal, CICS Longwood High School
Dr. Jeralyn Harris
Jeralyn Harris is a wife, mother, grandmother, teacher, and evangelist missionary. She Is currently in her 34th year in education, and is the newly selected principal of Longwood High School in Chicago. Dr. Harris has served in the youth and women's departments at Freedom Temple for the past 27 years. Her pastor is Administrative Assistant Billy Jermale Evans.
CEO, CVMK Global Enterprises
Elder Cody Kelly
Cody Kelly has over 15 years of corporate experience along with 8 years of executive leadership experience. He is a Loyola University of Chicago alum who has dedicated his energy to changing the narrative of ecumenical impact. An MBA graduate of Keller in 2017, a TEDx village speaker in 2020, and Co-Founder of CVMK GLOBAL, he believes that his calling is to implement economic and social infrastructure that will change generations. As an ordained elder in the COGIC he serves his pastor’s vision of making 2024 the “Year of Action.” He is a husband, a grandson of the founder of Freedom Temple, and a fitness enthusiast.
President, NIJ Youth Department
Pastor Rashaun Pitts
Rashaun Pitts, Sr. has been serving in the church all of his life! He has worked as a youth choir director, minister of music, musician, and is serving presently as the State Y.P.W.W. President for the Historic Northern Illinois Jurisdiction. Elder Pitts has a passion for youth. He has been teaching for 22 years, and currently serves as a 7th
grade science teacher for CICS Wrightwood Charter School in Chicago.
For 18 years Elder Rashaun served as assistant pastor at Greater Jackson Tabernacle COGIC under the leadership of his father, Dr. Thaddeus L.
Pitts. He now serves as the proud pastor of Greater Praise Ministries. Bishop E. M. Walker is his jurisdictional prelate. Elder Rashaun has been married for 20 years to Lady Toma Pitts and has two beautiful children, Rashaun Pitts, Jr. and Tamaya Pitts.
District Missionary; Teacher for CPS
Lady DeVita Williams
DeVita A. Williams wears many hats as wife to Pastor Naamon Williams Jr. for 18.5 years, mother, teacher, evangelist and leading lady of the Bread of Life/Trinity All Nations Church of God In Christ. She is the recently appointed district missionary for the Sweet Holy Spirit District. Lady Williams is the Empowerment Conference host
and most recently, author of Authentically Me: My Personal Devotions to God.
As an intercessor, she believes that “Prayer, ignited with God's Word, can change everything!” Lady Williams finds balance in all her earthly assignments by putting God first and trusting Him to align everything else.