Rt. Rev. Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr.
Presiding Prelate Nineteenth Episcopal District A native of South Carolina, Bishop Brailsford was born and raised in Clarendon County. In 2016, he was elected and consecrated the 136th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church during the 50th Quadrennial General Conference held in Philadelphia, PA. He currently serves as the Presiding Prelate of the 19th Episcopal District which is located in South Africa and is comprised of 246 churches and over 54,000 members. Prior to serving in the 19th Episcopal District, he served the 20th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church with 223 churches and over 23,000 members in the African countries of Malawi, Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Uganda, and Mozambique. During a five year tenure, 28 churches and over 5,000 new members were added, culminating in an overall membership increase of 28% growth. Among many accomplishments, he oversaw that building of 9 churches, 12 new churches planted, and 16 churches added to the AMEC. While serving in the 20th Episcopal District, Bishop and Supervisor Brailsford visited 186 of 223 churches and 26 of 35 AMEC schools, even in rural and remote areas, where safe to travel. Funds were raised to help provide school supplies for over 20,000 students and the staff. They provided funds and food for disaster relief for over 2,500 families. Medical mission trips served over 11,000 people with medical, dental, eye and dermatology services. They partnered to provide scholarships and school fees for 100 plus students. In addition, the United Methodist Church and Africa University partnership was started August 2020 and provides $700,000 of four year full scholarships for 32 students. Bishop Brailsford graduated Valedictorian of his 1976 class at Scott’s Branch High School of Summerton, SC. He went on to graduate from the University of South Carolina, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing. His Master of Divinity degree was earned at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, GA. where he was a Benjamin E. Mays Fellow and a John Middleton Scholar. An honorary Doctor of Divinity degree was bestowed upon him by A.M.E. University of Monrovia, Liberia. He did Studies in the Doctor of Ministry program at ITC and earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2007 from United Theological Seminary. He has received many academic, professional and community honors.
Bishop Brailsford was licensed to preach on January 20, 1980 at his home church, Historic Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church in Summerton, SC. He's served as ministerial staff at Big Bethel AMEC in Atlanta, GA, as well as Senior Pastor of Mt. Carmel AMEC (Gray Court, SC) and Amanda Flipper AMEC (Decatur, GA). His twenty-four years (1992-2016), at Bethel A.M.E. Church, Columbia, SC were highlighted by exceptional spiritual, numerical, and financial growth. In 1995 Bethel relocated from its landlocked Sumter Street site to 819 Woodrow Street, a $5,000,000 campus with five connected buildings, 86,000 square feet, on 5 acres of land. The 1.5 city blocks offer 366 parking spaces and modern accommodations, including 120 classrooms and offices, a Christian Life Center and Gymnasium. A new school, Bethel Learning Centers, was founded, and accredited since 1995, educating thousands. A $3,000,000 new school building was completed in 2008. In 1983, he married his partner in marriage and ministry, Rev. Carolyn Elizabeth Irvin. They have three children: Veronica-Carol, Ronnie, Jr. and David; a daughter-in love, Erica; and six grandchildren: Harper, Kyndal, Gracen, Dawson, Roman and Brendan.
Pastor Grainger Browning Jr., Senior Pastor
Ebenezer A.M.E. Church, Fort Washington, MD Rev. Dr. Grainger Browning, Jr. is the Senior Pastor of Ebenezer African Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.) Church of Fort Washington, Maryland where the Right Reverend Dr. James Levert Davis is the Presiding Bishop of the Second Episcopal District and Rev. Dr. Ronald Braxton is the Presiding Elder of the Potomac District. He is married to the Reverend Dr. Jo Ann Browning, Co-Pastor of Ebenezer and they have served there in ministry for more than 35 years. Pastor Browning is a 1974 graduate of Hampton University, Hampton, Virginia where he earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in History-Education. He was awarded a Master of Divinity Degree in 1982 from Howard University Divinity School where he was awarded the Benjamin E. Mays Theological Fellowship and listed in Who’s Who in American Colleges and Universities. Additionally, he received Doctor of Divinity Degrees from Payne Theological Seminary, Wilberforce, Ohio, as well as from the A.M.E. University in Monrovia, Liberia. He has also received an Honorary Doctorate degree from Wilberforce University. Before being called into ministry, Pastor Browning was a high school educator with the Newton Massachusetts Public School System, serving as Department Chairperson in Social Science. While living in the Boston area, Pastor Browning was also Vice President of the Boston NAACP in 1982-1983. Pastor Browning is a member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity. Pastor Browning was called to preach in 1979, while he was a member at St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He was appointed Pastor of Ebenezer A.M.E. Church in 1983 with a membership of 17 and a budget of $12,000. Under his leadership for over 35 years, the church membership has grown to exceed more than 8,000 members and ministers to the spiritual, educational, political, social, economic and health needs of the community. Under his helm, Pastor Browning has led Ebenezer A.M.E. Church family in donating nearly $3 million in scholarships to high school graduates and returning college students. With a ministry extending beyond the church to several educational, social and community institutions, Pastor Grainger served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio. He served on the Board of Trustees of Wilberforce University from 1996-2006 and served as its Vice Chairman from 2002-2006. Pastor Browning is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Rainbow/People United to Save Humanity (PUSH) Coalition. In that capacity, he has traveled on several delegations with Rev. Jesse Jackson, Sr. to Israel, Palestine, Sudan, Libya, Lebanon, Syria, and Ghana, meeting the Head of State in each one of these countries. Pastor Browning has traveled extensively throughout the African continent while ministering in Senegal, Gambia, Lesotho, Zambia, South Africa, Liberia and Egypt. Pastor Browning has given the invocation for memorial services at the United States Capitol Rotunda for Congressman John Lewis and for Civil Rights activist, Rosa Parks. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Ebenezer A.M.E. Church has given out over $700,000 in food gift cards. It has also fed over 300,000 people and has been on the forefront of health initiatives for the community and hosted several vaccination clinics. Pastor Grainger Browning and Pastor Jo Ann Browning are the proud parents of two married, young adult children and four grandchildren.
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CONGRATULATIONS Bishop Ronnie E. Brailsford , Sr. From Ebenezer AME Church, Atteridgeville in Mokone Conference
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Episcopal Motto: “Last in Number, First In Spirit and Service” Quadrennial Theme: “A Mind to Work!”
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