Bio of District Elder Dr. Charles L. Reid III

Charles L. Reid III is pastor of the Bethesda Worship Center.  In this position, Dr. Chuck, as some people call him, directs the activities of this growing congregation located at 1280 E. Algonquin Road in Des Plaines, Illinois, just north of O’Hare airport.  Formerly Chuck was Director of Ethnic External Relations for Kraft Foods, Inc.  In this position, Chuck was responsible for the strategic leadership and overall coordination of activities which helped Kraft achieve a leadership position with key ethnic groups. He held a number of positions in Diversity and EEO/AA functions over his more than twenty-six years of service with Kraft.  Dr. Chuck became pastor of the congregation in 1996.  He retired from Kraft in 1998 to devote full-time to the ministry and the congregation.

Chuck is an ordained minister with the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc., and serves as a District Elder, Chairman of the Illinois District Council (IDC), and a member of the Executive Board of the IDC.

A native of Dayton, Ohio, he earned the BS in Education (Math) from Central State University, Wilberforce, Ohio, and the Master of Education from the University of Cincinnati, Ohio.  He has also earned the Doctorate of Divinity Degree from the International Apostolic College of Grace and Truth, which also conferred upon him the Doctorate of Philosophy in Church Administration Degree.  He resides in Mt. Prospect, IL with his wife, Barbara.

Demonstrating concern for his community, Pastor Chuck was instrumental in founding Troy Resources Our Youth, Inc. (Troy, Ohio), a community-based organization which provided Summer employment for high school and college students with public sector employers.  He also served on a number of boards, committees, and advisory councils which impact on change and diversity in the corporate and civic arena.

Some other associations and accomplishments:

• Member, Des Plaines Ministerial Association
• Member, Des Plaines Healthy Community Partnership (DPHCP) and DPHCP Foundation
• Life Member, Kiwanis International and Member and Distinguished Past President of Des Plaines, IL club and Troy, OH club
• Member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Delta Xi chapter (inactive)
• Former Mathematics Instructor for seven (7) years, Gary, IN and Dayton, OH
• Former President, Human Relations Commission, Troy, OH
• Former Board Member, Literacy Volunteers of America
• Former Chair, Business Advisory Council, Organization of Chinese Americans
• Published paper, “Vocational Education’s Role in Impacting on Adult Unemployment and Job Mobility,” January, 1979, in Resources in Education
• Professional Member, Sigma Iota Epsilon Honorary Management Fraternity, Illinois State University
• Past Member, Corporate Advisory Council, National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO)
• Past Member, Business Policy Review Council
• Jefferson High School Hall of Fame (Basketball Coach), 2006
  

Bio of Evangelist Dr. Barbara J. Reid

Born in St. Louis, MO, to Harold and Helen Boyd Clemons on November 24, 1946, she was reared in southwestern Illinois.  Her father became an elder in the 1950s and also was founder and pastor of the House of Prayer to All Nations Pentecostal Church in East St. Louis, IL which he led into the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, Inc.

Sister Reid attended the East St. Louis City schools until 1963 when the family moved to California.  Barb was active in Sunday School and youth services, attended Bible studies and other services regularly.  She graduated from Ravenswood High School in 1964.  A quiet young person during her high school years and not an active participant in many extra-curricular activities, she received a small scholarship award to attend the local junior college following a planned visit to Illinois in 1965.  She remained in Illinois and settled in Chicago.

Here she attended the Apostolic Church of God where Bishop Dr. Arthur M. Brazier continues to pastor.  With his assistance and that of the Chicago Urban League, she was hired by International Harvester as one of the first black employees at their corporate offices.  As a member of the Apostolic Church of God, Barbara attended Sunday School, youth services, summer camp meetings and the very rich and blessed Bible studies taught by then Elder Brazier.  She was also part of a community outreach in the church neighborhood during the summer of 1965.  Bishop Brazier initiated this ministry with the assistance of a group of Aenon Bible College students who had come for the summer to work in the outreach effort.

During the summer of 1965 she met Charles L. Reid, III.  They were united in marriage on August 19, 1967, in Chicago, and moved immediately to Dayton, Ohio, where he taught mathematics at Jefferson Senior High School.  She transferred to the International Harvester Motor Truck Division in Dayton. Her husband later took a position at the Hobart Corporation in Troy, OH. During their years in Dayton and Troy, they attended Bethesda Temple where the late Bishop Ralph Bass and the late District Elder Henry Jones pastored.  Both Barb and Chuck were active in the choir, as well as Sunday School and other church services and activities.

While a resident of Troy, Barbara served as a member of the Board of Directors for United Way.  She also studied Biblical/Christian counseling at Living Hope Counseling and Personal Enrichment directed by John Carroll, a local Church of God minister.

Barbara and Chuck began teaching a marriage seminar at Bethesda on Sunday mornings and continued to be active at Bethesda until he was transferred to Illinois in 1984 to work for Kraft Foods, Inc.  There they became members of the United Pentecostal Church of Des Plaines where Chuck served as Assistant Pastor for a number of years before his appointment as Pastor in January of 1996.

Barbara taught the senior high Sunday School class for a number of years, serves as President of the Women’s Ministries and in that function has involved the ladies and other church members in a nursing home outreach, a rehabilitation home outreach and other enriching activities and ministries.  she also served as an officer in one of the auxiliaries of the Illinois District Council of the P.A. of W.

She established, with the help and encouragement of three other pastor’s wives, an organization entitled WOW (Women Of Wellness) which is an alliance of and ministry for pastor’s wives.  She is also a member of the Kiwanis Club of Des Plaines, IL.

Barbara continued to pursue her education, including religious academic training from the International Apostolic College of Grace and Truth where she received a Doctorate of Christian Education Degree with honors in 1995.  She attended Oakton Community College in Des Plaines, Illinois, and is a Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC).  She is a member of Phi Theta Kappa Society and was honored as a President’s Scholar..

Further Dr. Barbara has published a book, Commune With Me – Moments of Meditation and Inspiration.  It is a text filled with priceless communication with God in times of quiet, prayer and reflection.  The topics shared help the reader better understand some of life’s pressing issues and to accept the work of God in her/his life.

Barbara and Chuck have reared two children, now adults, Cheryl Pierce (Ron) and Christopher.