FWA
UMC's senior pastor is the dynamic and dedicated
Rev. Charles A. Woolery, Sr., a man of vision
and above-average leadership ability. He is a
faithful and sincere preacher who is anointed
for pastoral ministry and radical discipleship.
Rev.
Woolery hails from the capital city of Springfield,
Illinois. He was called into the ministry at the
age of 16. Finding the need to study to show himself
approved to handle the awesome task of pastoral
ministry, he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts
in Religious Studies from the University of Illinois-Champaign-Urbana,
IL in 1991, and a Masters of Divinity from Garrett-Evangelical
Theological Seminary, located in Evanston, IL,
in 1994.
After
graduation from seminary, his first pastorate
was the historic Francis Burns United Methodist
Church in Des Moines, Iowa. Burns United Methodist
Church was the oldest church in Iowa. He pastored
there for six years where under his leadership,
the budget doubled, a brand new church van and
parking lot was purchased, outreach ministries
were birthed, and investments doubled. In 2000,
the opportunity came to move back to the Chicago
metropolitan area. Pastor Woolery jumped at the
chance to get back to the city, where he always
wanted to be.
As
pastor of FWA UMC for 5 years, he and the congregation
have been faithful in many things. FWA UMC is
fulfilling its mission in that great suburb of
Harvey. It is his vision to create a community
of faith that meets people's spiritual, social,
economic, and political needs. He firmly believes
that it is the mission of the church to save the
community in which the church is placed. He also
believes that it is the mission of the church
to make the kingdom of God a present reality.
Furthermore, he feels that the church is the only
vehicle that can save God's people from the many
pathologies that afflict them. He is rationally
radical, motivationally militant, and proud of
his heritage, history, and the collective struggle
of all people of color against all forms of evil
perpetuated against them.
Finally,
Rev. Woolery has a heart for ministry and he feels
that God's plan for his life is to take him and
First Wesley Academy UMC to a higher level of
ministry. His vision also includes creating a
healthy congregation that will be a center of
transformation in the village of Harvey.
He
is married to the lovely Robin Jennifer Woolery
and they are the proud parents of Nia Tiye, Charles,
Jr., Cameron Alexander, and Cayden Ayinde.
