Our Pastor
As a native of Gary, Indiana, Pastor Mel was never "made" to go to church, but as a young boy visited various churches in his community. In an attempt to escape the street life, limitations of steel mill work, and other life issues, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. While stationed at Elmendorf, Air Force Base, in Anchorage, Alaska, a friend invited him to attend service with him at Greater Friendly Temple (GFT) Church of God in Christ, under the pastorate of Bishop Charles D. Williams.
It didn't take him long to realize that God was calling him into a personal relationship with Him and not just "going to church." Bro. Williams accepted Christ into his life in 1969. As he began to grow in the Lord, he accepted and served in many capacities in the ministry. He became passionate about the Word of God and was led to remain in Alaska after his discharge in 1972. He accepted his call into the ministry and was ordained as an Elder under the ministry of Bishop Williams in 1975. Pastor Mel is an anointed and energetic speaker/teacher. He enjoyed serving as Youth Pastor, Sunday School teacher, YPWW teacher, mid-week bible study teacher and wherever there was a need including janitorial services for the church. During those years of serving, God began to reveal and prepare Elder Williams for the pastorate calling on his life.
Pastor
For more than 30 years, Elder Williams serve faithfully at GFT and held various positions on the Local, District, State and National levels of the Church of God in Christ. He previously served as the Associate Pastor under Bishop Williams for more than 25 years, and is currently serving as the Chairman of the Board of Pastor's and Elders for the Alaska Jurisdiction. Elder Williams has received a Bachelors and Master’s Degree in Church Administration. In October, 2008, God released Elder Williams, affectionately now known as Pastor Mel, to birth Dominion Ministries Church of God in Christ.
On May 22, 1977, Pastor Mel married his covenant love, Avis Bonita Williams, known to her family and friends as "Bonnie.” After serving as a School Social Worker for 20 years, she retired from the Anchorage School District in 2008. She has dedicated her life to supporting "at-risk" families by offering wise counsel and providing both natural and spiritual guidance and support.
She finds her purpose, her passion, her God-given ministry in the area of one-on-one soul care. She assisted people inside and outside the walls of the church by helping them in practical ways, as well as helping them to understand who they are in Christ, how they relate to God, with others and with themselves. Sis. Bonnie's personal ministry motto is "Won by One!" Her burden is that the Body of Christ would experience wholeness or total well-being… spirit, soul, and body (I Thess. 5:23). She believes that as we learn to deal biblically with our emotions, a counterpart to spiritual growth, we begin to handle anger, fear, bitterness, guilt, etc. as Christ would. In this endeavor, she serves as coordinator Kingdom Life Support Ministry at Dominion Ministries. Her allegiance is to God's Word alone and is dedicated to bringing hope and healing through discipleship, encouragement and by assisting Kingdom people in handling life's problems, obediently! Pastor Mel and his bride reside in Anchorage, Alaska; and together they are blessed with six adult children and seven grandchildren, with more to come in the future!