Bishop Arthur M. Brazier

Pentecostal Assemblies of the World

1921 ~ 2010

Bishop Arthur M. Brazier was born in 1921, in the Hyde Park Community of Chicago, Illinois. He was born in the third floor apartment at 5210 Lake Park Avenue. During that period, most Black children were born at home because few hospiotals admitted African Americans due to the racial climate at that time. He was born to Robert and Geneva Brazier, who had migrated from the state of Alabama in 1917.

Arthur was raised on the South Side of Chicago, and attended Francis E. Willard and Douglas Elementary Schools. After graduation he attended Wendell Philips High School, but left in 1938, at the height of the Great Depression to go to work to assist his family financially.

In October 1942, Arthur was inducted into the U.S. Army. He received his basic training at the Myrtle Beach Bombing and Gunnery Range in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and at the Dyersburg Army Air Base in Dyersburg, Tennessee. He left the United States for overseas duty in India and Burma, July 1943, and returned to the United States December 24, 1945. He was honorably discharged on December 28, 1945. In July 1947, he met his future wife, Esther Isabelle Holmes, and they were married February 21, 1948. Four children were born to this union.

Arthur was baptized in the name of Jesus Christ in September of 1947, at the Morgan Park Assembly Church under the pastorate of Elder Herbert C,. Moore. However, he joined his mother's church, the Universal Churcj of Christ, where she was the pastor. She passed away in 1949, and Elder Steven Lucas was named pastor. Arthur, who had already been called to the ministry, was named as the assistant pastor, and he served under Elder Lucas until his deasth in 1952.

He served the small congrergation of about 30 members until 1960, when he was asked to serve the Apostolic Church of God as its pastor. Both churches saw the value of a merger, and led by Elder Brazier, the churches merged with 100 members. Today the church has has approximately 16,000 members.

In 1967, District Elder Brazier was elevated to the office of Diocesan Bishop and assigned to the Diocese of Illinois. Although Bishop Brazier has committed his life to the Christian ministry, he has recognized the need for being active in the civic life of the city and working for the well-being of African Americans and other minorities. Bishop went home to be with the Lord in 2010.