ABOUT THE PASTOR

The Reverend John D. Williams, Sr.

Rev. John D. Williams, Sr., is the son of the late Bro. John Willie Williams and Sis. Sweetie Louise Williams. He was born September 4, 1956, in the sunshine state of Florida in the beautiful city of Sanford. At an early age, he united with Allen Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church under the pastoral leadership of Rev. M. C. Ross. He was educated in the Seminole County Florida Public School System and graduated in 1974 from Seminole High School.

Soon after high school, he joined the United States Army in pursuit of a military career. After eight and a half years with the military, he decided to terminate his military career and pursue life in the civilian arena.

Rev. Williams worked at Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation in Savannah, Georgia building business jets for four years before returning home to Sanford where he began working in the Seminole County Public School System. After reuniting with his home church, Allen Chapel Sanford, under the pastoral leadership of the late Rev. John H. Woodard and afterwards under the pastoral leadership of Rev. Orestes A. Cobb, Sr., he accepted his call to ministry under Rev. Orestes A. Cobb, Sr. Rev. Williams entered the Orlando Annual Conference in 1997.

Rev. Williams was ordained an Itinerant Elder in 2006. A graduate from Seminole Community College December 12,2003 with his Associates of Arts Degree and later matriculated from the University of Phoenix, with a Bachelors of Science Degree in Management on March 31,2006.

Rev. Williams will officially matriculate from Asbury Theological Seminary after pursuing a Masters of Arts Degree in Counseling on May 7, 2011. He has pastored New Bethel AME Church in Geneva, FL. 600 Cochran Road; Allen Temple AME Church in Brooksville, FL. and is currently the pastor of Ward Chapel AME Church in Winter Park, FL.

He volunteered as an outreach Chaplain at Hernando Correctional Facility in Hernando County and currently serves as a Chaplain at Lucerne Hospital in Orlando, Florida where he is currently enrolled in the Clinical Pastoral Education Program.

He is married to Sis. Deborah J. Williams and is the father of three children: Jennifer, Dana, and John, Jr. He is the grandfather of two boys, Camren and Josiah Williams. His gift is teaching and his office is pastor.