Commission on Ministry and Recruitment

Bishop Jeffery B. Cooper, Sr

Bishop Cooper attended the public schools of Savannah, Georgia. He holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a master’s degree in public administration from the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. He holds an M.Div. & M.A. degree in Practical Theology from Regent University School of Divinity in Virginia Beach, Virginia, and a Doctor of Ministry from Graduate Theological Seminary. Bishop Cooper holds a certificate in theology from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia and has done further study at the University of Georgia School of Law and Emory’s Candler School of Theology in Atlanta, Georgia.

Bishop Cooper received his first pastoral charge while a student at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia. This assignment was to Siloam A.M.E. Church in Siloam, Georgia from 1978-79. He then served the St. Luke/Nimno A.M.E. Church Circuit in Athens, Georgia, in the Augusta Conference from 1979-80. In December of 1980, Bishop Cooper was assigned to Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church in Athens, Georgia. During his tenure the church membership grew, the mortgage was burned, renovations were made to the church structure and parsonage, stained glass windows and a church steeple were installed, and the Annual Conference was hosted. Bishop Cooper also served as Chief Secretary to the Augusta Georgia Annual Conference and, following the passing of Presiding Elder J. F. Booker, for a brief period served as acting Presiding Elder.

In June of 1988, Trinity A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Georgia received Bishop Cooper as its 36th Pastor. During his 24-year tenure, the church property was renovated, a one-million-dollar state of the art Early Learning Center was built, and a house was purchased and converted into an enrichment center for the church and community.

Bishop Cooper has had an illustrious career, serving in multiple significant roles. He has been a consultant to the United States Central Intelligence Agency’s Personnel Department, a member of the General Board of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church (1984–1988), and the Assistant Director of Admissions/Director of Minority Admissions at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia (1984–1995). During his tenure at the University of Georgia, minority enrollment increased under his leadership, and he played a key role in having the university removed from federal oversight regarding admissions policies.

In addition, Bishop Cooper has served on the Board of Trustees for both Turner Theological Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and the Sixth Episcopal District of the AME Church. From 1981 to 1988, he was the secretary of the Augusta Georgia Annual Conference. His contributions extend further as a member of the Board of Examiners and the Board of Trustees for the Atlanta North Georgia Annual Conference.

Bishop Cooper has also chaired the Credentials Committee for the General Conference of the AME Church (2004 and 2008) and served as the accountant for the Sixth Episcopal District. Notably, he authored A Financial Management Primer for the AME Church, a key resource used by the AME Board of Examiners for training ministers.

Over the course of his more than 40 years in ministry, Bishop Cooper has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Distinguished Service Award from Turner Theological Seminary. He currently serves on the Faith-Based Advisory Board for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.

In 2012, Bishop Cooper was elected General Secretary/Chief Information Officer of the AME Church. He has also served as President of the General Officers Council and Senior General Officer of the AME Church. Throughout his career, Bishop Cooper has received many sons and daughters in ministry and continues to mentor and provide guidance and counsel to a wide network of ministers.

Bishop Cooper has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions over his forty plus years of ministry including the President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Distinguished Service award from Turner Theological Seminary. Rev. Cooper also serves on the Faith Based Advisory Board for the Department of Homeland Security for the United States Government. Bishop Cooper has received many sons and daughters into ministry and continues to mentor and advise a host of others.

In the year 2012, Bishop Cooper was elected as the General Secretary/Chief Information Officer of the AME Church. He has served as President of the General Officers Council and as the Senior General Officer of the AME Church.

Bishop Cooper is married to the Rev. Joanne E. Williams-Cooper, M.D. and they are the proud parents of four children: Ako, Ethan, Charity, and Jeffery, II. They have also been blessed with eight adorable grandchildren: Alex, J’adore, Imana, Jaylan, Legend, Mitchel, Elijah, and Anderson.

Bishop Ronnie E. Brailsford, Sr.

A native of South Carolina, he was born and raised in Clarendon County. He was elected and consecrated the 136th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church during the 50th Quadrennial General Conference held in Philadelphia, PA, July 5th – 13th, 2016. With this honor, he is the Presiding Prelate of the 19th Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church in South Africa which is comprised of 226 churches and over 54,000 members. He was assigned in July 2021.

Prior, 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, 9 churches were built, 12 new churches were planted and 16 churches joined the AMEC.

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.

Having graduated in 1976 as Valedictorian from 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 I.T.C. and earned his Doctor of Ministry degree in 2007 from United Theological Seminary. He has received many academic, professional and community honors.

He was licensed to preach on January 20, 1980 at his home church, Historic Liberty Hill A.M.E. Church in Summerton, SC. He served at Big Bethel AMEC in Atlanta, GA. Later, he pastored at Mt. Carmel AMEC, Gray Court, SC and Amanda Flipper AMEC, Decatur, Georgia.

His twenty-four years, from 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 Carolyn Elizabeth Irvin. She is an Itinerant Elder. They have three children: Veronica-Carol, Ronnie, Jr. and David; a daughter-in love, Erica; and five grands, Harper, Kyndal, Gracen, Dawson and Roman. He is a very devoted husband, father, bishop, and community leader.

Commission Members (2024-2028)