Bishop Davis Leaves His Mark

En route to leading his last service as pastor of Pitts Chapel Unified Free Will Church, Elijah Davis Jr. accidentally left his bible in the limo. So he ditched his planned sermon and preached a word about fishermen and loyalty.

Davis preached that sermon as part of one of two events Sunday marking his retirement.

Davis shepherded Pitts Chapel for the past 35 years, the longest pastoral term in the congregation’s history. On Sunday he was celebrated at a farewell service by more than 100 church members. After the service, the community celebrated outside at Shelton Avenue and Brewster Street by unveiling a sign renaming the corner after the bishop.

For his farewell sermon, Davis urged his church to continue to ​“introduce the word of God to others” as he has for decades. He referred to Matthew 4:18, a scripture written on the back of the Sunday program. It appeared alongside a photo of Davis with his wife back in 1986, during his first year as pastor at Pitts Chapel.

“The scripture says, ​‘Follow me. I’ll make you fishers of men.’”

The bishop was gifted with limousine rides to and from the Sunday celebration. Upon arrival at the 10 a.m service, he discovered his briefcase with his bible was misplaced. This caused him to have to improvise his final remarks.

“There are times when you throw your net out and you might not catch everything that you tried going after. You’re going to lose some along the way. You’re not going to catch a fish every time, but you keep on fishing,” he said.

Davis’ improvised sermon brought the congregation to their feet in applause and cheers of ​“Amen” and ​“Hallelujah.”

Friends and family members showered the bishop and First Lady Esther Davis with gifts of gratitude during the service including watches, plaques, and blankets. Members of the congregation made donations to a fund for the bishop’s retirement.

The Sunday farewell service was led by Bishop Nathan Edwers of New York and Ministers Darnell and Darrell McClam of Union Temple FWB Church.

The church thanked the bishop for his service not only as a bishop but also as a father, husband, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

“I know there was many days she [Esther Davis] dealt with him while he carried our headaches,” Edwers said. ​“We want to thank his children for the days he was at the church and not home.”

The service had a full house. Claps and hums rang from the pews in sync with the choir and church band. The bishop sat at the center of the stage alongside his wife and church staff.

The church also thanked First Lady Davis for serving as a ​“picture of perfection” who supported her husband since he became head pastor.

Davis’ two kids, Chris and Renee Davis, were aged 16 and 17 when their father became Pitts Chapel’s bishop. The duo thanked the church Sunday for their faith in their father and years of support for their family.

Chris was a rising high school senior and Renee had just graduated high school when the bishop stepped up at Pitts Chapel. When their father took on the role, they learned to depend on each other as the bishop worked. ​“At that time you know that’s an age where you need guidance and someone to depend on,” Chris said.

Chris thanked his father for showing him devotion and sacrifice while also being focused on the church. Watching his father while growing up, he learned to carry their family name with pride, he said.

“We believed in what our parents taught us and told us,” he said. ​“That success came through watching them.”

Chris urged the families of the church to be an example to their youth.

“I am proud to be a Davis,” Chris said. ​“If you’ve ever asked yourself was it worth it — yes it was. The fishing trips that we missed, it was worth it.”

Darrell McClam thanked the bishop for nurturing him and his brother through ministry and teaching them about faith.

“God sent a man in the midst of a congregation to heal the church,” said Edwers. ​“He brought this church a mighty long ways.”

Bishop Davis’s nephew, Fire Lt. Samod ​“Nuke” Rankins, joined the Sunday celebration in church.

After the church service, attendees joined at the corner of Brewster and Shelton to reveal the renamed corner. Newhallville leaders including former Alder Delphine Clyburn, Newhallville Alder Oscar Havyarimana, and State Rep. Robyn Porter thanked the bishop for his years of service.

Porter presented Davis with a state citation at the Sunday corner renaming.

The day ended with a banquet back at the church.