On Sunday, Nov. 10, family and friends of the late Apostle Leon and Bishop Ethel Williams gathered at Refuge Temple Revival Center in Seaford, for the unveiling of the Founders Wall, which was created in memory of Apostle Leon and Bishop Ethel Williams.
Refuge Temple Revival Center was founded in 1967 by Apostle Leon Williams and his wife Ethel. Evangelist Edna Mann, sister of Bishop Ethel and a member of Refuge Temple since it was founded 57 years ago, spoke about how Refuge Temple was born. She shared that both pastors had compassion, were humble, had accountability, were dependent on God and focused on God’s plan, were faithful and they had perseverance.
Debra Williams Fletcher (left) gave a special thank you to Brauncy Jenkins and Mary “Ginger” Speight (right) for their help in bringing the wall to life. Submitted photo
Together, Apostle Leon and Bishop Ethel created a refuge for those who were rejected by others. They never wavered when it came to helping those in need and they lived by the commandment, “Love thy neighbor as thyself.”
Pastor Angelia Williams Cannon, daughter of the honorees and current pastor of Refuge Temple Revival Center and her sibling, Debra Williams Fletcher along with current members of Refuge Temple Revival Center, Elder Dorene Bumpass and Pastor Linda Toppin, reflected on the ministry of the late pastors and how the ministry affected their lives.
Guest minister Bishop David A. Sabatino, founder and overseer of Foundation of Faith Ministries in Belle Haven, Va. and a close family friend, shared with the congregation some history of the ministry and how because of their faith and vision, Refuge Temple Revival Center was born. Apostle Leon and Bishop Ethel Williams founded and nurtured Refuge Temple Revival Center while raising 14 children, two of whom are now deceased.
The Williams’ son and son-in-law, SFC(Ret) Charles Williams and LTC(Ret) James Fletcher, both U.S. Army veterans, presented special recognitions from the Department of the Army and the Commander at Ft. Hamilton in New York to Evangelist Edna Mann, for her faithfulness to the ministry for over 57 years as a founding member.
LTC(Ret) James Fletcher presented awards posthumously to Apostle Leon Williams and Bishop Ethel Williams from the Department of the Army – the Public Service Commendation Medal for Service and Leadership in a Community. The awards were presented to the youngest Williams children – Army veteran SGT(Retired) Belisha Williams Bessicks and Jeremy Williams.
The Founders Wall as a lasting memorial for Apostle Leon and Bishop Ethel Williams was the dream of their daughter, Army veteran SPC Debra Williams Fletcher. With the support of the Williams family and the Refuge Temple Revival Center church family, the dream became a reality.
Debra Williams Fletcher gave a special thanks to Brauncy Jenkins, Mary “Ginger” Speight and Towers Signs LLC, of Seaford, for helping create the wall and bringing the vision to life.
The ministry and the legacy that Apostle Leon Williams and Bishop Ethel Williams have left – a place of refuge, where souls are saved, healed and delivered – lives on through the ministry of their daughter, Pastor Angelia Williams Cannon.
