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Rev. Dr. Kenneth D. Love, Sr.
The Chattanooga-Knoxville District consists of the eastern portion of the East Tennessee Annual Conference, which encompasses the eastern region of the State of Tennessee. These areas include the cities of Alcoa, Chattanooga, and Knoxville.
The Reverend Kenneth Love was first called into ministry at the tender age of 16 at Second African Methodist Episcopal Church, Los Angeles, CA under the pastorate of the early Paul E. Kidd, Sr. He was later licensed to preach under the pastorate of the Reverend Dr. A. Lee Henderson; former publisher of the African Methodist Episcopal Church Sunday School Union. As he matured in the ministry he also became one of the leading musical directors of the A.M.E. Church’s Southern California Youth Conference Choir along with noted gospel recording artists Dr. Ricci Jones and Brent Jones.
After graduating from the infamous Crenshaw High School, Los Angeles, CA in 1982, Rev. Love attended Claremont Colleges (Pitzer) under a scholarship granted to him as being one of 20 Outstanding Male Students in a class of more than 1,300 students. In 1984, Rev. Love joined the United States Air Force to serve in such locations as Texas, Florida, Nebraska, Turkey, Germany, Spain, Netherlands, Italy, Greece and the United Kingdom. During his tenure in the service he was appointed Minister of Music for the Mediterranean Region Gospel Choir. He also traveled the Mediterranean region as a pianist and musical director playing in the company of such notables as Lee Greenwood, Whitney Houston and Issac Hayes. In 1991, after being Honorably Discharged, the Rev. Love returned to college and received a Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems from DeVry Universtity, Pomona, California. It is also worthwhile to note that he graduated Sum Cum Laude with a 3.97 GPA. Other academic achievements include a Master of Arts degree from Liberty University in Human Services Counseling: Marriage and Family. Pastor Love is currently seeking a Doctor of Philosophy in psychology.
Rev. Love was ordained an itinerant minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church on September 18th, 2001 during the watch of Bishop Frederick Hilborn Talbot. He is a strong teacher of the Word, an untiring advocate for the disenfranchised, and an unshaken believer in community development both economically and spiritually.
Rev. Love accepted his call to ministry at the age of 16 and has served in ministry for over 40 years for several congregations:
As a pastor for St. Paul AMEC, Chattanooga, TN; Bethel AMEC, Shelbyville, KY; Asbury Chapel AMEC, Louisville, KY; St. Paul AMEC, Alcoa, TN; Powell Chapel AMEC, Pulaski, TN and as a minister of music and/or musical director for the East Tennessee Conference, 13th Episcopal District, AMEC; West Kentucky Conference, 13th Episcopal District, AMEC; Warren Chapel AMEC, Chattanooga, TN; St. Paul AMEC Youth Choir, Fayetteville, TN; St. Paul AMEC, Tampa, Fl.; Beulah Baptist Institutional Church, Tampa, Fl.; Beulah Baptist Church, Los Angeles, CA.; Middle-East Joint Services Gospel Workshop, Adana, Turkey, United States Air Force; Lynwood AMEC, Lynwood, CA; Brown Temple AMEC, Pasadena, CA; Southern California Conference Youth Choir, 5th Episcopal District AMEC; First AMEC, Indio, CA.
The appointment of the Reverend Kenneth Love, Sr. to the charge of the historic St. Paul African Methodist Episcopal Church in October of 2010 by Bishop Vashti McKenzie is a hallmark within itself. Twenty years prior to this occurrence the father of Rev. Love, the Reverend Willie Silas Love, pastored the historic and hallowed grounds of St. Paul.
Rev. Love has a beautiful wife, Mrs. Donna Shirelle Grant-Love in which he married in Los Angeles, CA in 1984. From this union two intelligent and beautiful children were been born, Mrs. Keniya Shirelle Wilson and Mr. Kenneth D. Love II. He is also the grandfather of five energetic and loving grandchildren: Elijah, Joshua, Jayden, Evin and Jaaziah.
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Presiding Elder