When Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, the pastor emeritus of Apostolic Church of God, died in Chicago of prostate cancer on Oct. 22 at age 89, even President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama were touched.
“There is no way that we can replace the gentle heart and boundless determination that Bishop Brazier brought to some of the most pressing challenges facing Chicago and our nation,” President Obama said in a written statement from the White House.
“However, his spirit will live on through the parishioners, leaders and friends that he touched each day.”
Bishop Brazier himself touched greatness on Earth. In 1966 he invited Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to his church’s Bible Conference.
“Their like passion for civil rights led to the two men protesting, together, against segregated housing and schools in Chicago,” according to a written statement from the church.
Now Bishop Brazier is being mourned deeply in St. Louis by one of the area’s prominent religious leaders, Bishop James A. Johnson, pastor of Bethesda Temple Church in Normandy.
“I have known Bishop Brazier since the mid-1950s,” Bishop Johnson told The American. “I preached in his church when it was a storefront. He preached in ours when it was a converted ice cream factory.”
Brazier took the helm of Apostolic Church of God in 1960, when the church on the South Side of Chicago had a membership of only 100.
When Brazier passed, he was pastor of a powerhouse church with a 20,000-strong congregation, but he never forgot his friends from his early days.
“I lost three members of my family, two daughters and my wife,” Johnson said. “He was gracious enough to attend all three funerals in St. Louis.”
As their two churches grew, the two men remained in active contact.
“We always had favorable exchanges pertaining to religion, our church work,” Johnson said.
As they emerged as denominational leaders, they worked and traveled closely together.
“In 1960, we traveled from Chicago to Los Angeles together,” Johnson said.
“We served on some of the same bishop boards.”
Johnson found Brazier to be an exemplary man of their faith.
“He was a brilliant man within the Apostolic Pentecostal organization. He made enormous contributions intellectually and financially to the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World.”
Such a leader leaves behind many kinds of legacies – and losses.
“His passing is a great loss to the world and to our religion, Pentecostalism, and to those friends of his,” Johnson said.
Brazier is survived by his wife, Ester Isabelle; son, Dr. Byron Brazier; daughters, Lola Hillman, Janice Dortch and Rosalyn Shepherd; seven grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Johnson misses more than a fellow leader, however. He misses a friend.
“He was just a great friend to have,” Johnson said.
Free church concert
Second Presbyterian Church will present An Aaron Copland Birthday Concert on Sunday, November 14 at 4 p.m. at the church, 4501 Westminster Place in St. Louis. The concert will feature some of Copland’s works for organ, choir, piano, soloist, and violin. For further information, call 314-367-0366. The event is free and open to the public.
