A Pentecostal Pioneer in the Heart of Harlem
On a stretch of East 130th Street between Fifth and Madison Avenues in Harlem, the Historic Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ has stood for more than seven decades as the first Pentecostal church in the neighborhood built from the ground up. The church's motto, "Moving Forward with Strength and Courage," is drawn from Joshua 1:9 and gives shape to a community that traces its roots to a single storefront on Fifth Avenue and 137th Street in 1939. Today, Bishop James Pullings, Jr. pastors the congregation from that same East 130th Street edifice, while services fill the sanctuary in person each week and stream across Harlem and beyond through Zoom, Facebook and YouTube.
From a Storefront on 137th Street to a Landmark on 130th
Kelly Temple began as what was then known as "The Mother Church," planted in 1939 under the pastorate of Reverend Otha Miema Kelly. The original meeting place was a very small storefront on Fifth Avenue and 137th Street. Within a short time the congregation outgrew it and moved into a larger storefront at 132nd Street and Fifth Avenue, then to a double storefront at 22-13 Fifth Avenue as the membership doubled again. A fourth move brought The Mother Church to an older church building at 70-74 East 128th Street, where the congregation was able to pay off the mortgage within five years.
In 1945, Pastor Kelly received a vision to build an original edifice. Four years later, in a foreclosure sale, he and the congregation purchased three vacant lots at 8-10-12 East 130th Street. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on January 24, 1949, and on Easter Sunday, March 5, 1951, the congregation moved into the basement of the rising building. The sanctuary above was finished in 1959. In the late 1950s, The Mother Church of God in Christ was renamed Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in honor of its founder. The distinction of being the first Pentecostal church in Harlem built from the ground up belongs to Kelly Temple.
The Shepherds of Kelly Temple
Bishop Otha Miema Kelly, born in Hattiesburg, Mississippi in 1897, was saved at fifteen under the preaching of Elder I. E. McFadden and later came under the influence of Bishop Charles Harrison Mason. He pastored the Harlem church from 1935 until his death on September 16, 1982, and rose to become First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the Church of God in Christ, a leader so closely identified with the denomination that he was known as "Mr. Church Of God In Christ."
After Bishop Kelly's passing, Elder James H. Gaylord, who had been appointed Assistant Pastor in 1972, was installed as Pastor on March 5, 1983. Gaylord led the church for forty years, was elevated to Bishop and Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Eastern New York in 1999, and oversaw the purchase of six additional properties on East 130th Street between 1993 and 1998 through the generosity of the church family alone. He also launched the annual Outreach Service held in a local park each summer and the Turning Point Ministries for those in recovery.
The current pastor, Bishop James Pullings, Jr., became the pastor of Historic Kelly Temple in July 2023, after having founded and pastored the Leviticus Church of God in Christ for thirty-three years. A Vietnam veteran and former United States Postal Service supervisor, he now serves as Jurisdictional Prelate of the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Eastern New York #1, succeeding Bishops Kelly, Washington, Clemmons and Gaylord. He is married to Evangelist Esther R. Pullings, the First Lady of the church. Before coming to Kelly Temple, Bishop Pullings launched a food program called "Five Loaves & Two Fish" that has served more than one million family meals in South Ozone Park since 1994, and he was appointed Disaster Relief Coordinator for COGIC Charities by then Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake. In December 2024 he baptized actor Denzel Washington and presented him with his ministerial license in the Church of God in Christ.
Gathering Around the Word Each Week
Worship at Kelly Temple follows a steady weekly rhythm that reaches both the sanctuary and screens across the city. Sunday School opens the day at 9:30 a.m. in person and on Zoom (Meeting ID 885 5427 8767, Passcode 584801). The Worship Service follows at 11:00 a.m., offered in person and broadcast on Facebook and YouTube. At 5:00 p.m. the Young People Willing Workers (YPWW) gather, except during July and August. Midday, the church lifts up Noon Day Prayer at the Temple on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Zoom. Tuesday evenings at 7:30 p.m. bring Corporate Prayer, also on Zoom, and Thursday evenings at 7:30 p.m. close the week with Bible Teaching, streamed live on Facebook and YouTube.
The Order of Service page, the church's weekly announcements and the Google calendar all help visitors and members keep that rhythm intact. The church office is open Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. at 212-289-9618.
What Kelly Temple Believes
The Statement of Faith on the church's site is brief and traditional to the Pentecostal tradition. Kelly Temple teaches that the Bible is the inspired and only infallible written Word of God, that there is one God eternally existent in three persons (Father, Son and Holy Spirit), and that the blessed Hope is the rapture of the Church of God at Christ's return. Salvation, the church believes, comes through repentance and faith in the precious Blood of Jesus Christ, with the redemptive work of the Cross providing healing for the human body in answer to believing prayer. Regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential for personal salvation, the Baptism of the Holy Spirit according to Acts 2:4 is given to believers who ask for it, and the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit enables the Christian to live a holy and separated life.
Ministries for Every Season of Life
The Youth Department includes the O. M. Kelly / James H. Gaylord Scholarship Fund and the Young Women of Excellence, a collaborative ministry for young women ages 13 to 21 that focuses on etiquette, effective communication, financial literacy, education, spiritual maturity and economic advancement.
The Women's Department gathers women of every age under three banners. The Women's Ministry provides support, positive association and strength. The Christian Women's Council educates women in the principles and practices of holiness and saintly living, serving as mentors to younger women in church behavior, community relationships, home building, child development and self-improvement. The Young Women's Christian Council ministers to young women ages 19 to 40, married or single, encouraging holy living and dedication to Christian service.
The Men's Department carries a parallel structure. The Men's Ministry builds character and accountability through Biblical principles, while the Deacon Board serves as proven men of faith who assist the Pastor in secular and business matters, conduct worship services and help carry out the ordinances of the church. Young Men of Valor develops young men as anointed leaders marked by holiness and excellence.
Reaching Beyond Harlem
The Missions Department at Kelly Temple is, in many ways, the hands and feet of the church in East Harlem and beyond. Turning Point Ministry, called "Stepping Out of Darkness," is a Christ-centered deliverance ministry that walks alongside those facing addiction, abuse and other life-controlling issues. The Missions Ministry provides physical assistance to church members and community members in need of food and clothing. The Health Ministry takes a holistic approach to wellness, emphasizing research, education, disease prevention and the connection between mind, body and spirit. A Senior Citizens ministry serves the elderly, the sick and the shut-in with social activities and quality-of-life support.
The reach of the congregation stretches well past 130th Street. Kelly Temple provides monetary support and spiritual assistance in Ghana, Liberia, Australia and the Caribbean Islands, and the church has been instrumental in obtaining affordable housing in Harlem. The building and additional properties purchased in the 1990s give the church a continuing role in stabilizing the neighborhood.
Worship in Song, Dance and Drama
Three arts ministries shape the life of the sanctuary. The Music Ministry, led by the Worship Choir, ministers deliverance, restoration, healing and salvation through song and accompanies every service along with special guests, maintaining the flow of worship under the direction of the Holy Spirit. The Liturgical Dance Ministry tells God's stories through prayerful movement in the church and the wider community, inviting the presence and work of Jesus into people's lives. The Drama Ministry adds skits, plays and dramatic presentations that illuminate the Word of God and draw worshipers into a deeper understanding of Scripture.
Steps to Salvation
Kelly Temple offers a clear four-step path on its site, drawn from Romans 10:9-10. A seeker is invited first to realize that all are sinners (Romans 3:23), then that the payment for sin is death (Romans 6:23), then that Jesus died on the cross for those sins (Romans 5:8), and finally to repent, accept Jesus as Savior and ask Him to come into one's life. A sample prayer is provided for those ready to make that decision.
Giving supports the work of the ministry through Givelify, Zelle (KellyTempleGiving@gmail.com) and checks or money orders made payable to Kelly Temple COGIC. Prayer requests can be submitted through the church's online form, and the church's Facebook, YouTube and Instagram feeds carry its ongoing ministry to Harlem and far beyond.