About the Pastor

Elder Melvin Lewis Howard, Sr. was born in the state of Mississippi and moved to Ohio while he was just a boy. He was educated in the Warren city school district and is a graduate of Warren G Harding High School. He attended the New Castle School of Trade and the American Baptist Theological Seminary.

Elder Melvin Howard, Sr it is the 10th child of 11 brothers and sisters. His the fifth and youngest son of which two others are ordained elders of the Church of God in Christ. At a very young age, the hand of God was upon him and he showd signs of preaching and pastoring while just a child.  People would gather on their porches to hear him preach even as a boy. As a child, he was offered to have a church built for him so that he could go there and preach to the children. Elder Melvin Howard, Sr. preached his trial sermon in March 1969 and was ordained in 1974, by the late Bishop R. S. Fields.

Elder Melvin Howard has been the assistant pastor of the St. James Church of God in Christ since 1977. During the years he served as assistant pastor he was faithful to the church and worked to see that God's house was always taken care of, even if it meant he had to get on the tractor and cut the grass.  His first concern was to the ministry of the church. He always did everything within his power to uphold the ministries and teachings of Pastor David Howard Sr.

Elder Melvin is a preacher in his own right. He seems to have the ability to find an encouraging song to take the St. James family through a period of events. For example: If You Can't Make it Through a Storm, The Storm is Passing Over, Amazing Grace, and many others, but the latest, God Has a Blessing Tailor-made for You.

Elder Melvin has been an inspiration to many young people. He was always there to hold up Pastor David Howard, Sr's. arms. He has taken on the spirit of Pastor Howard. He too is a humble and giving man of God.

Eld. Melvin Howard was one of the original planners of the present sanctuary. He helped to develop the blueprints, plans and designs for construction. He is a dedicated worker and can be seen working here at the church at any hour of the day or evening.

Pastor Howard has been pastoring the St. James C.O.G.I.C since 1992. He is the appointed District Superintendent of the Warren No. 2 District.

Pastor Howard was also Administrative Assistant to Jurisdictioinal Prelate, the late Bishop Warren Elijah Miller. (Ohio Central Jurisdiction) & is now 1st Administrative Assistant to Bishop Designate David Leon Herron Sr. (Ohio Central East Jurisdiction).

Elder Melvin Howard and his wife Betty are the parents of three children, Melvin Jr., Dinita Drake, and Travis Howard, two grandsons, Stephen Drake and Melvin III.