General Info

There was a tent at 20th and Broadway in Gary, in which Sister Ella Bradley was in attendance. This was not a meeting of the Holiness denomination because there were none in the City of Gary. Yet Sister Bradley had a desire in her heart to have her children raised in the same environment of faith that she had left in the South. During that tent meeting, a minister came to the platform and he began to sing a song that Sister Bradley recognized as one written by Bishop Charles Price Jones. She introduced herself to him after the meeting that night and Elder William A. Nolley told her that he was of the same Holiness movement with the headquarters in Jackson, MS. Sister Bradley was happy to hear those words and after several visits and discussions, Sister Bradley opened her home and as a results, Christ Temple Church of Christ (Holiness ) U.S.A. was born in Gary, Indiana on November 25, 1925. Present at this meeting was: James Bradley, Oliver Bradley, Celestine Bradley, Hannah Bradley, Ella Bradley, Elder William A. Nolley and his wife, Velma Nolley. The last surviving charter member Deacon Oliver Bradley passed away in 2007. At the time of his home going he was Chairman Emeritus of the Deacon ministry. Sister Celestine D. Bradley Cherry was choir director and member of the Deaconess Board, went home to be with the Lord December 4, 1997. A lot was purchased at 2472 Pierce Street under the pastorate of Elder William A. Nolley. He was then sent to pastor a church in the South by the presiding Bishop and Elder Johnny James Peterson became the pastor and built the church that is now located at that address in 1933. The church grew and was remodeled in 1960 and the Lord called Elder Peterson from labor to reward in June, 1962. Our next pastor, Elder L. M. Relf came to us in September, 1962. He completed the work left by Elder Peterson and later on started a Building Fund to build a larger church. Following Elder Relf; Elder James K. Mitchell, Jr., became our pastor. We continued our building fund and he told us after we had $100, 000 in the bank, we could think about building another church. God intervened in a great and mighty way and we were able to purchase our present church building located at 4201 Washington Street. In January 1980, we moved from 2472 Pierce Street to our present location; and God has truly been good to us. In August, 1988, the Board of Bishops and the National Convention elevated Elder James K. Mitchell, Jr., to the bishopric and assigned him to the North Central Diocese in Saint Louis, MO. Bishop O. W. McInnis, the presiding bishop, served as our interim pastor from September 1988 until September, 1989. After our mortgage was paid off, Bishop McInnis appointed Elder Dale Cudjoe as our next pastor. We certainly praise God for his leadership here. My God continue to bless and keep us as we grow in grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are members of the T-E-M-P-L-E...Transforming Every Member (into ) People (who ) Live Effective (Christian Lives ). The members of our church (Christ Temple Church of Christ (Holiness ) U.S.A. ) are ordinary people made up of different backgrounds, yet who in the tradition of our founder, Bishop Charles Price Jones and others, have discovered a meaningful relationship in Jesus Christ by embracing a life of holiness. We are excited about what God has done for us. Most of our lives have been changed dramatically. Ambitions, attitudes, outlook and lifestyles, almost everything has been affected by Jesus and we like the difference. He has become our source of joy and the recipient of our love. We do not apologize for being a little different, for we believe and understand that God is calling us to live holy. 1 Peter 1: 15-16 tells us, But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy. You may see us praying to God, praising Him for His love and kindness or talking exci