Celebrating 35 Years of Pastoral Ministry and Community Involvement

 

On Sunday, April 14, 2024, a great celebration that had been planned to celebrate Rev. Dr. Dwayne A. Walker came to a successful conclusion at Little Rock A.M.E. Zion Church in Charlotte, NC, where he has served as pastor for 19 years. After having led congregations in Detroit, MI, and Indianapolis, IN, where in those communities, he served as administrator of a child development center, on the board of several organizations such as the United Negro College Fund, Volunteers of America, and Celebration of Hope. Dr. Walker continued to serve the community and city of Charlotte as a member of the Planning Commission, leading the community concerning social injustices and hosting community organizers while leading the congregation in spiritual and numerical growth.

Rev. Dr. Clifford A. Jones, Sr. and the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church Choir, along with invited elected officials and community leaders, were in attendance to honor Dr. Walker for his accomplishments as a pastor and community leader. The Little Rock Adult liturgical dancers also ministered during the celebration.

Rev. George W.C. Walker, Jr., the younger brother of Dr. Walker, presided over the Service of Celebration. He is the pastor of the St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church in East Chicago, Indiana. After the invocation and the hymn of praise, the Old Testament scripture was read by Rev. S. Franklin Russell, pastor of the Myers Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church, and the New Testament scripture was read by Rev. Henrico White, pastor of the Weeping Willow A.M.E. Zion Church, both located in Charlotte, NC. Rev. Dr. Grant Harrison, Presiding Elder of the Salisbury (NC) District, offered the prayer.

Rev. Belinda Austin, associate minister at Little Rock and the Chairperson of the committee for this occasion, gave the welcome and the statement of occasion. She reviewed the accomplishments of Little Rock since Dr. Walker arrived as pastor in 2005. Among those accomplishments was the re-purchase of the old Little Rock church building from the city where the mortgage was burned the same day, the growth of the congregation, not only numerically but also spiritually, to the point where there are now over fifty ministries of which many are of the evangelistic nature reaching out into the community and beyond. The most recent accomplishment under Dr. Walker’s leadership was the completed construction of a 110-unit apartment building, Varick, on 7th, in collaboration with the city of Charlotte, the Laurel Street Developers, and the Little Rock Community Development Corporation. Of those 110 apartments, fifty-six are designated as affordable, and the rest will be leased at market rate.

Mayor of Charlotte, Honorable Vi Alexander Lyles, began her tribute to Dr. Walker by reading from 1 Peter 5:1-2 as it reminds her of Dr. Walker as a compassionate and generous community servant who cares about not only his people but all people whose rights may be infringed upon. Minister Corine Mack, president of the Charlotte Mecklenburg NAACP, spoke of the protective nature of Dr. Walker during peaceful demonstrations that have taken place in the city as they marched together to protest many acts of social injustice and/or wrongful actions by police. Rev. Kenneth Robinson, the pastor of the Creek Church and President of the Concerned Clergy of Charlotte, remarked on the friendship he and Dr. Walker have developed since working together to effect change in the city for social justice and especially the lack of effective public education for people of color in the Charlotte-Mecklenburg County schools.

Mr. Mark Jerrell, Vice Chair of the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners, brought greetings and read a proclamation on the Board’s behalf to proclaim April 14, 2024, as “Dr. Dwayne A. Walker Day.” This resulted in thunderous applause and a standing ovation!

Congresswoman Alma Adams, representing the 12th District of North Carolina expressed high regard for Dr. Walker as a pastor, community leader and family leader who is as close as a phone call, who is respected not only in the church community but the community at large.

Ms. DeAndra Walker, the first-born daughter of Dr. Walker, with her sisters Dana, Daivene, and Deborah, brought many accolades for their father. Then Dylan, the first grandchild, gave remarks of love, amazement, and awe for his grandfather on behalf of the other grandchildren, Meliya and Aila.

 

Rev. Dr. Wardell Henderson commented on the remarkable accomplishments of Dr. Walker as the pastor of Little Rock and as the first pastor of the North Charlotte District. He and his wife appreciate the thoughtfulness and many kind expressions from Little Rock under Dr. Walker’s leadership. Presiding Elder Henderson presented his friend, the preacher of the afternoon, Rev. Dr. Clifford A. Jones, Sr., pastor of the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church, Charlotte, NC.

Dr. Jones considers Dr. Walker a “son” and a friend in the ministry. He extolled the characteristics of love, compassion, and leadership in the church and the community. He preached from 2 Corinthians 5: 16-21. The title of the sermon was “A Christian Witness for the Kingdom.” This requires one to be justified, reconciled through Christ, and have salvation. We, as Christians, are ambassadors for the Kingdom of God. After the word was delivered, the invitation to Christian Discipleship was extended.

Rev. Dr. J. Ruth Davis-Shields, Presiding Elder of the Hendersonville District, pastor of the Zion Grove A.M.E. Zion Church, and co-chair of the Walker for Bishop 2024 Campaign Committee, presented the Honoree, Dr. Dwayne A. Walker.

Dr. Walker and his wife, Donna, both expressed their thankfulness for the love and caring spirits expressed to them. His desire and qualifications to become an episcopal leader and Bishop in The A.M.E. Zion Church are on display for anyone to examine. From being a youth pastor at John Wesley A.M.E. Zion Church (Washington, DC) to being the pastor of Jones Tabernacle in Chicago and then being appointed to the pastor of Little Rock, Dr. Walker has a legacy of leaving ministries better than when he founded them, not only spiritually, but civically as well. His compassion and love for people, regardless of their condition, can be found in the lives of his family, church, and community. He has been the face and voice of Zion, not only locally but statewide and nationally. Just check the record.

After Dr. Jones's benediction, everyone was invited to a reception in the fellowship hall. Excellence in Ministry was on display for the entire celebration. Many thanks were extended to Rev. Belinda Austin, Chairperson for the celebration, and the members of this committee members, Mrs. Glain Lewis, Mrs. Shabara Ellis, Mrs. Kym Johnson, Mrs. Harriett Feimster, Mrs. Antoinette Cody, Dr. Angelia Fryer, Rev. Lea’Vee Jordan, Mrs. Diana Davis, Ms. Deborah Walker, Mrs. Daivene Cannon, and Ms. Stephanie Haynes.

God Did It!