Finding a welcoming and spiritually fulfilling church community is a significant decision. This article highlights some of the prominent African American churches in Tucson, Arizona, carefully selected based on heartfelt testimonials from members and newcomers.
Featured Churches
After reviewing several African American churches in Tucson, we have selected those with the most heartfelt testimonials from members and newcomers.
Prince Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church
Prince Chapel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church is a cornerstone of the African American community in Tucson. It was founded in 1905, with Reverend Ratcliff Hughes serving as the first pastor.
Leadership
The church is currently led by a dedicated team of ministers:
- PASTOR: Reverend Gerald P. Richard II, Esq.
- ASSOCIATE MINISTERS: Reverend George Priest, Reverend Hue Barrett
- RETIRED MINISTERS: Reverend Delman Howard, Reverend Dr. Gloria J. Barrett
Meet the Ministers
Reverend Gerald P. Richard II, Esq.
Reverend Gerald P. Richard II, Esq. serves as the pastor of Prince Chapel AME Church in Tucson, Arizona. Previously, he served as pastor of Harbert Chapel AME in Flagstaff, Arizona for 4 ½ years and Murph Community AME Church in Phoenix, Arizona for 3 years. He has also served Murph Community African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church in Phoenix, Arizona.
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He is a former member of the 5th District Annual Conferences and the 5th District’s Judicial Committee. He also served as a sexual misconduct instructor for the Women Missionary Society for the District. Currently, he chairs the Arizona-New Mexico District’s Judicial Committee and serves on the boards of the Arizona Faith Network and Community Legal Services. He is also involved in the Governor’s Arizona Census Community Based Organizations Subcommittee and the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office Community Advisory Board.
Reverend George Priest
Reverend George Priest serves as an associate minister at Prince Chapel AME Church in Tucson, Arizona. He grew up in Decatur, Alabama, and is a graduate of Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama, with a bachelor’s degree in Management. He was the first Marine Officer commissioned at the school.
Reverend Priest is a veteran of Viet Nam and “Operation Desert Storm.” During his time in the Marine Corps, he served in various roles, including Infantry Officer, Weapons Platoon Commander, Weapons Section Leader, Artillery Forward Observer, Artillery Battery Administrator, Operations Officer, Reconnaissance Battalion Headquarters Commandant, Civil Affairs Officer, and Civil Affairs Team Leader.
Reverend Delman Howard
Pastor Delman Howard was born and educated in Elgin, Illinois. He is a graduate of Elgin High School. He received his BS degree in Religion from the University of LaVerne (La Verne, CA), a Master’s Degree in Theology from Bethel Theological Seminary (San Diego, CA), and continued his education at Ileff School of Theology (Denver, CO).
While attending Bethel AME Church in San Diego, CA, he was ordained an Itinerate Elder in the Southern California Conference. Pastor Howard ministered for over 47 years in four Annual Conferences within the Fifth Episcopal District of the AME Church until his retirement in October 2022. He also served as the Presiding Elder of the Pacific NW conference.
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Reverend Dr. Gloria J. Barrett
Reverend Dr. Gloria J. Barrett serves as a retired itinerant elder at Prince Chapel AME Church, Tucson, AZ. She is a multiple best-selling author and facilitates a weekly Zoom Bible study called "Come to Jesus: A Bible Study for Transformation."
Reverend Dr. Barrett has dedicated her life to service and leadership in hospitals, universities, seminary classrooms, county government, and congregations under her pastoral charge in Texas, West Virginia, Ohio, California, and Arizona. She has also served in AME Women In Ministry at various levels, including Connectional, 2nd Vice President, Conference Coordinator, 3rd and 5th AME Districts, and Adviser.
Reverend Hue Barrett
Reverend Hue Barrett serves as an associate minister of Prince Chapel AME Church in Tucson, AZ. He grew up in Temple, Texas, and attended West Virginia Northern Community College, Wheeling, WV, and Diablo Valley College, Pleasant Hill, CA. He studied computer science, communication, and speech.
Reverend Hue's studies in Bible, Church Tradition, Administration, Preaching, Theology, Church History, Ministerial Ethics, Worship, and Church Leadership have prepared him to serve effectively. He served as chaplain for the Pima College football team in Tucson and is known for affinity evangelism - sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ through events that gather people around a common affinity, creating places where the unchurched are blessed and enjoy themselves.
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Frequently Asked Questions
I can't find a church close to where I live in this list
We're continuously expanding our directory to include more churches in and around Tucson.
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How can I add my Tucson church to your directory?
We carefully curate our directory to include churches that fit our criteria. To maintain the quality of our directory, we have a review process for new listings.
