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Pastor Rev.
Dr. Sherryl Matlock
Our Pastor is a native of Grandview, Texas and is the
fifth child of the Late Mr. and Mrs. Edward
(Katharine) Matlock. She was educated in the
Grandview Independent School District and
continued her education at Paul Quinn College
(Waco, Texas) and other institutions of higher
learning. She received her early Christian
training while growing up at Bethel African
Methodist Episcopal (A.M.E.)
Church-Grandview, Texas where the current pastor
is Rev. Annie J. Love.
Dr. Matlock entered Christian ministry in August of 1980
at St. James A.M.E. Church-Fort Worth, Texas and
has been preaching and teaching the word of God
ever since.
She has pastured Ball Chapel
A.M.E Church-Wichita Falls,
Texas, St. James
A.M.E Church-Denton, Texas and
served as supply pastor at St. Stephen
A.M.E
Church-Fort Worth, Texas. She served as
Assistant Pastor and Youth Pastor simultaneously
for more than thirteen years at Historic Allen
Chapel-Fort Worth, Texas during the pasturage of
General Officer Rev. Daryl B. Ingram.
On November 13th, 2010 she was appointed by
Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram to serve as pastor of
Historic Allen Chapel. She is the first women
pastor in the church’s 140 year history.
Our pastor is excited about doing a mighty work
for the Lord and His people. Her focus at this
time is on preaching and teaching the word of
God, saving souls, reaching out to and attending
to the needs of the youth and seniors of the
church, being visible in the community and the
city; as well as building restoration. She
truly believes that with God all things are
possible.
Rev. Merrell Johnson - Presiding Elder Emeritus
 Merrell Johnson was born in Sulphur Springs,
Texas to Proncell Johnson and Lillian Wells
Johnson. He attended the public schools in
Sulphur Springs and graduated from Douglas High
School. He later attended
0.L.
Sherman In Service Theological School at Paul
Quinn College in Waco, Texas. His whole tenure
has been a learning experience, with many
Continuing Education classes.
Rev. Merrell Johnson accepted his call into the
ministry at the age of twenty nine. He was
licensed to preach by Presiding Elder Prince F.
Jackson and was admitted to the North Texas
Annual Conference of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church, November 30, 1961. Rev.
William Franklin Ball was the Bishop.
In thirty years
Presiding Elder Johnson served seven different
congregations. These churches listed in
Order of assignment: 1962-1966 Allen Chapel,
Irving now named Allen Temple, Grand Prairie;
1966-1969 Jenkins Chapel, Dallas now named Agape
Temple, Dallas; 1969-1973 St. James, Fort Worth;
1973-1979 Greater Garth Chapel, Dallas;
1979-1980 Visitors Chapel, El Paso; 1980-1988
Anderson Chapel, Wichita Falls; 1988- 1991
Historic Allen Chapel, Fort Worth.
During his tenure at each church, in which he
was assigned, Presiding Elder Johnson made
significant improvements in the renovations of
the facilities and property. He was successful
in refurbishing the inner structure of these
properties by purchasing new pews, purchasing
pulpit furniture, installing air condition
units, paving streets and parking lots and
planting trees, bushes and flowers. He paid off
mortgages and purchased adjacent houses and land
for expansion. Namely, Greater Garth Chapel,
Dallas and Anderson Chapel, Wichita Falls.
Presiding Elder Johnson has served under eleven
Bishops and seven Presiding Elders. The Bishops
are: William Franklin Ball, Sr., 0.L Sherman,
H.I. Bearden, John H. Adams, William Henry Murph,
Rembert Stokes, J. Haskell Mayo, Robert Lee
Pruitt, John R. Bryant, McKinley Young and
current prelate, Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram.
Presiding Elders who served under were:
Reverends, P.F. Jackson, S.V. Johnson, H.F.
Dodson, S.J. Matthews,
Rev. Hartwell, E.J. Davis and John DeLeon
Walker.
Reverend Merrell Johnson was elevated to the
position of Presiding Elder in May of
1991 and placed over the San Antonio District.
It was later combined with the Corpus Christi
District then voted to be named the Southwest
Texas District, Southwest Texas Conference
He Served the communities where he
found himself:
As Pastor he accomplished or served as the
following.
1.
He is proud to have broken the racial climate in
Irving, Texas by becoming the first African
American to Speak from the pulpit of an
all-white congregation.
2.
Ecumenical relations and racial relations were strengthened
when there was an exchange of pulpits with an
all -white Catholic Church in Wichita
Falls, Texas.
3.
Treasurer of the Interfaith Ministries
4.
Chaplin of the Heart Foundation
5.
Member of the CAC Board
6.
Member of the Food Bank board
7.
President of the Eastside Ministerial Alliance
City of Wichita Falls
8.
President of the Interdenominational Ministerial
Alliance Wichita Falls
9.
Vice President of the Ministerial Alliance North
Texas Conference
10.
Organized Food Pantries
11.
Distributed Federal Food Surplus to thousands of
needy families
12.
Improved Police and Community Relations
13.
Member of the Education Advisory Sub-committee
14.
Organized City Wide " THANK YOU AMERICA, PARADE"
for making Martin Luther King's Birthday a
Holiday
15.
Member of the Wichita Falls Cancer Society
16.
Member of the United Way Board Wichita Falls
17.
10" District Treasurer (short time)
Work as Presiding Elder
1.
Organized the District by creating the committees necessary to
be successful.
2.
First District to use a percentage system to figure budgets
and apportionments
3.
Organized City wide 24-Hour Prayer Vigil (San Antonio)
4.
Formed two new congregations
5.
Past President of the 10th Episcopal District
Presiding Elders Council
6.
Past Sergeant at Arms of the Connectional Presiding Elder's
Council
7.
Formed the Conference Trustee Fund
8.
Provided financial help for Church improvements and repair
9.
Participated in the Task Force on Gang Violence
10.
Supporter of Bishop Sarah Davis's run for Bishop
Presiding Elder Merrell Johnson retired after 45
years of service to the African Methodist
Episcopal Church in the year 2006. The service
was held at Emmanuel
A.M.E
Church, San Antonio, Texas.
Presiding Elder Merrell Johnson is married to
the former Ruby McCullough and to this union
were born four daughters: Marilyn Johnson,
Gwendolyn Nannette Johnson, Kim Shaunette
Johnson Steward, and Vanessa Rene’ Johnson. He
has six grand children, six great grand children
and one great great grandchild.
Greater Fort Worth District Staff
Rev. Johnny Ray Mitchell -
Presiding Elder
Rev. DeLois Evans Mitchell - First Lady
10th Episcopal District Staff
Rt. Rev. Vashti Murphy-McKenzie - Presiding
Prelate
Bro. Stan McKenzie - Episcopal
Supervisor
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