THE HISTORY OF
MICHIGAN SOUTHWEST THIRD ECCLESIASTICAL JURISDICTION CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, INC.

The Church Of God In Christ has its beginnings in the State of Michigan in 1914. Bishop C. J. Johnson was appointed State Overseer of the newly formed Michigan Jurisdiction. Michigan remained a one jurisdiction state until 1946 when Bishop John Seth Bailey was appointed the Jurisdictional Prelate of a newly formed Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, Southwest Michigan.

 

Bishop Bailey presided over Southwest Michigan from 1946 until his death in 1984. Bishop James Oglethorpe Patterson, Sr. served as Interim Prelate until the end of The Holy Convocation in 1985. At that time the General Board and Bishop Patterson decided to multiply Southwest Michigan into four jurisdictions.

 

Bishop Willie Harris was appointed Prelate of Southwest Michigan First; Bishop Earl Jerome Wright, Sr. was appointed Prelate of Southwest Michigan Second; Bishop Roger L. Jones was appointed Prelate of Southwest Michigan Third (MI SW3); and Bishop Nathaniel Wyoming Wells, Jr. was appointed Prelate of Southwest Michigan Fourth (name was changed to Western Michigan Jurisdiction).

 

Bishop Roger L. Jones served MI SW3, as the founder, from 1985 until 1996. Mother Birdie S. Flake served as the Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women during this period. Jurisdictional Headquarters was in Flint, Michigan at Greater Holy Temple Church Of God In Christ where Bishop Jones served as pastor. Bishop Jones, known for his powerful and anointed preaching and national service, led MI SW3 from its beginnings. Bishop Jones was elected as the first Chairperson of the National Board of Trustees for the Church Of God In Christ in

1968, serving with distinction for 26 years.

 

On May 9, 1996, the Superintendent Marvin Cecil Pryor of Saginaw was appointed Jurisdictional Prelate by then Presiding Bishop Chandler David Owens and members of the General Board. Bishop Pryor selected Mother Earlie M. Strozier (later, Mother Earlie M. Peppers) as Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women. Bishop Pryor was serving as the Superintendent of the Charles Harrison Mason District within MI SW3 and pastor of the

Victorious Believers Ministries Church Of God In Christ.

 

Bishop Pryor was known as "The Chief Praiser" and stressed education as fundamental to a Christian’s spiritual walk. He would quite often be heard saying, “Salvation plus Education equals Success.” A retired public school teacher and principal at Flint Northern High School for 16 years, he instituted both Christian Education Day Sessions and an Annual Leadership Summit for leaders and laity. Bishop Pryor placed a heavy emphasis

upon programming for youth and held an annual recognition banquet to award members of MI SW3 for their loyalty and support of jurisdictional programs.

 

With a heart devoted to missions, Bishop Pryor traveled to Burkina Faso, West Africa in mid-February 2010 with Compassion International. He returned to the United States on Monday, February 22, 2010. After enjoying family for a few hours, God called him from labor to reward. His life was celebrated in three services February 28, 2010 - March 2, 2010. His final resting place is in Forest Lawn Cemetery in Saginaw, Michigan.

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Bishop Pryor and his lovely wife, the Evangelist Ruth C. Pryor, worked together to bring MI SW3 into the 21st Century with A Pursuit of Excellence in Holiness. The Pryors were blessed with four children: Brother Derrick Pryor, the late Elder Mel Pryor, the late Missionary Vonda Massey, and Administrative Assistant Christopher (Kenyatta) Pryor. They have four grandchildren. Elder Christopher Pryor succeeded his father as the pastor of Victorious Believers Ministries.

 

Mother Peppers served as the Jurisdictional Supervisor of the Department of Women from1996 until the Lord called her from labor to reward on July 15, 2019. Assistant Supervisor, Alethea Nichols-Taylor served as the Interim Supervisor until her appointment at the beginning of 2021.

 

At the conclusion of the national service for Bishop Pryor, His Grace, the Most Reverend Charles Edward Blake, Sr. inquired of the leadership who would be interested in serving as the next leader of MI SW3. One man stood in response, the Administrative Assistant Samuel Duncan, Jr. Bishop Blake served as the Interim Jurisdictional Prelate from February 22 until May 15, 2010 at which time the Administrative Assistant Samuel Duncan, Jr. was appointed as the Bishop-Designate of MI SW3 in a special service presided over by the First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Church Of God In Christ, the Right Reverend Phillip Aquilla Brooks of Detroit, Michigan. This service was held at the conclusion of the Annual Bishop Marvin C. Pryor Leadership Academy.

 

Bishop Duncan had served as a Superintendent of the Charles Harrison Mason District since 1996 and as the First Administrative Assistant from 2007 until his appointment as Jurisdictional Prelate. Bishop Duncan has also served as pastor of the Lansing Church Of God In Christ in Lansing, Michigan since 1992. After a distinguished career with the State of Michigan as an accountant, Bishop Duncan was able to take early retirement in 2002 to devote full time to ministry. He has prophesied that the half has not been told about the future success of MI SW3.

 

Bishop Duncan has emphasized growth and development as being critical to the sustainability of the local church. He established a motto and guiding theme for MI SW3: Teaching Saints, Training Leaders, and Transforming Lives! All services, events and learning opportunities are created with this powerful theme in mind. The growth since Bishop Duncan has served as leader has been widely celebrated.

 

Bishop Duncan retired as pastor at the beginning of 2025 and passed the mantel to his son, Elder Samuel “Cisco” Duncan, IV, as his successor. This allows Bishop Duncan to assist the pastors and churches of MI SW3 to advance the Kingdom of God in their local areas.

 

Bishop Duncan is the devoted husband of the lovely, gifted and anointed Evangelist Dorothy L. Duncan and proud father of two: Superintendent Samuel IV (Lady Benita) Duncan and Missionary Shayla (Elder Sheldon) Thomas. He has four grandchildren: Kennedy and Madison Duncan, and Sheldon and Shayden Thomas.