JURISDICTIONAL HISTORY

Upon the demise of our illustrious and highly esteemed Jurisdictional prelate, Bishop Levi E. Willis, Sr., the Virginia Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction was faced with the election of new leadership.  Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, voted the pastors present immediately following the repass at Garden of Prayer Temple COGIC after the funeral of Bishop L. E. Willis, February, 2009, to elect the new bishop .  Administrative Assistant Levi E. Willis, II received twenty-five (25) votes and Administrative Assistant G. Wesley Hardy received twenty-four (24) votes.  Bishop Charles E. Blake placed Administrative Assistant Levi E. Willis II over the Third Jurisdiction.  Due to the philosophical and leadership differences between Administrative Assistants G. Wesley Hardy and Levi E. Willis II, forty-one (41) pastors with their duly authorized churches separated from the Third Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Church of God in Christ, March, 2009.

On April 18, 2009 there was a meeting in Petersburg, Virginia in which forty-one (41) pastors voted to have Dr. G. Wesley Hardy as their leader of the New Millennium Fellowship.  This led to the process of becoming a jurisdiction in the Church of God in Christ and the confirmation of Dr. G. Wesley Hardy as their prelate.   This journey began May 8, 2009 with a Petition to the General Board of the Church of God in Christ and ended in April, 2010 with the establishment of the Virginia Fourth Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction and Dr. G. Wesley Hardy, Sr. being consecrated as Bishop in November, 2010 at the COGIC International Holy Convocation, St. Louis, Missouri.  The Inaugural Banquet for Bishop G. Wesley Hardy was held Friday, February 11, 2011, with Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., Chief Apostle and Presiding Bishop, Church of God in Christ, as the Speaker.  There were approximately 830 people in attendance.

In the 2009 organizational stage Bishop G. Wesley Hardy, Sr. and the pastors selected the following persons to serve in the Leadership of the New Millennium Fellowship, to include, the Supervisor of Women, Dr. Sheary D. Johnson, Dr. Herman Crockett, Jr., Administrative Assistant, Supt. I. L. Ward, Sr., Chairman, Pastor’s and Elder’s Council, Evangelist Barbara Ward, 1st Assistant Director of Women and Eldress Mamie Shaw, 2nd Assistant Director of Women.  Bishop also created ten new districts and appointed ten superintendents and ten District Missionaries to oversee those various districts.

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