ENROLLED ORIGINAL
A CEREMONIAL RESOLUTION
23-186
IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
November 5, 2019
To recognize Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. on the occasion of the 90th anniversary.
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. in Washington, D.C. was started as part of the
Pentecostal Assemblies of the World (P.A.W.) organization in 1929 by Lena Sears, who later
came to be known as Mother Sears, a soft-spoken but fiery Virginia-born woman preacher who
organized the church at its first location 440 M Street, N.W. in Washington, D.C. on November
24, 1929 at a time when the church world largely frowned on women preachers and women
pastors;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. moved in 1930 to a larger building at 400 M
Street, N.W.;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. purchased a former Jewish synagogue across
the street at 415 M Street, N.W. in 1945;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. formally elected Evangelist Marian Miller, who
was then called Mother Miller, as pastor in 1954;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. split from the P.A.W and joined the Pentecostal
Churches of the Apostolic Faith (P.C.A.F.) in 1957;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. received Assistant Pastor Naomi Azivedo, a
renowned national evangelist, as the pastor after the death of Pastor Miller;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. outgrew the sanctuary at 415 M Street N.W.
and later moved to its present location at 3456 Pennsylvania Avenue S.E. in Ward 7, with a
sanctuary that could seat 300 people and featured a 50-car parking lot and annex house;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. received Elder John T. Leslie as the officially
appointed and installed fourth pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ in 1980;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc.s presence continued to grow, especially after
the church began broadcasting, The Apostolic Revival Hour on WYCB 1340 AM;
 ENROLLED ORIGINAL
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. was officially dedicated on June 24, 1984 by
Bishop D. Rayford Bell, then the second assistant presiding bishop of the P.C.A.F.;
WHEREAS, Elder John T. Leslie, Jr. was consecrated to the Office of Bishop in 1991;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. experienced another growth spurt, and by 1993,
finished an addition to the building that included more sanctuary seating, administrative offices,
an expanded dining area and a daycare center that served a capacity of 80 children;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc.s radio broadcast was heard on three radio
stations by the early 2000s, Bishop Leslies sermons also began airing on cable in the District of
Columbia and Prince Georges County, Maryland, and the church began reaching a worldwide
audience through the internet;
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc.s current sanctuary has a seating capacity of
nearly 600, including an overflow room that accommodates another 200, an expanded daycare
center that serves 120 children; and
WHEREAS, Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. is the fourth-oldest Apostolic assembly in
Washington, D.C., has faithfully served as a house of worship in the District of Columbia for 90
years.
IT IS HEREBY RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF
COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the Church of Jesus Christ, Inc. 90th
Anniversary Recognition Resolution of 2019.
Sec. 2. The Council of the District of Columbia honors and celebrates Church of Jesus
Christ, Inc. for 90 years as a house of worship and faith community in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 3. This resolution shall take effect immediately upon the first date of publication in
the District of Columbia Register.
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