TRIBUTE TO BISHOP D. RAYFORD BELL
WHEREAS, In His Infinite Wisdom, Almighty God has granted Apostolic Bishop D. Rayford Bell eternal life after a devoted earthly life of four score and ten years; and
WHEREAS, On July 9, 1923, Bishop Bell started his temporal life as Dennis Raphael Bell, the son of sharecropper parents in Leflore County, Mississippi. Raised by his grandparents and convinced that a ray of heavenly light was guiding him, he was elevated from a Mississippi plowboy to a Prince of the Apostolic Church of God; and
WHEREAS, In 1938, after a brief stint in Missouri, he returned to Mississippi where, at the age of 15, he met Darlene Griffin. On July 20, 1942, they were united in Holy Matrimony and to this union were born two sons, Harvey and Curtis, as well as nine grandchildren. Their 48 years of marriage ended only with her passing after a lengthy illness. However, in April of 1991, the Lord blessed Bishop Bell with a new mate and life partner, Jacqueline Collins; and
WHEREAS, Soon after Harvey was born, Bishop Bell was drafted into the United States Army and was sent to the European Theatre where he saw action in campaigns of Northern France, Ardennes, Rhineland, and Central Europe. He was honorably discharged December 9, 1945. Four years later, Bishop Bell received the Holy Ghost; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Bell constantly sought to improve himself through education. He finished high school at LaSalle University in Chicago, matriculated to Southwestern College in Oklahoma City where he was awarded a Bachelors degree with honors, earned a Masters of Theology at American Bible College and a double Doctorate in Theology and Philosophy from Toledo Bible College and Seminary; and
WHEREAS, As an Apostolic preacher for more than 55 years, Bishop Bell spent the majority of his life serving the people of God in many ways. He was a chaplain for the Chicago Police Department and came up through the ranks of Christ Temple Church, serving as Sunday School teacher as we...
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