History

Brookins Community A.M.E. Church started as a pilot program to be supported by the Southern California Conference for a period of two years. Bishop Brookins served as Pastor with the assistance of Presiding Elders A.K. Quinn and A.A. Morgan. Under his leadership, the church grew to 41 members in two months.
 
The Rev. Dr. T. Larry Kirkland, Sr. was appointed the first Pastor by Bishop Brookins and began his service on June 1, 1977. Prior to his appointment, the Rev. Dr. Kirkland was Pastor of Turner A.M.E. Church in Greenwood, Mississippi. In his new assignment, he began the awesome task of growing the congregation and was also responsible for building a kitchen in the lower level, installing a choir loft, constructing the Pastor’s office and study, purchasing a baby grand piano, and developing a recording studio.

Among the early organizations he established were the Sunday School, Women’s Missionary Society, Young People’s Department, Lay Organization, Music Ministry, Tape Ministry, and other auxiliaries. During his 19-year tenure, Rev. Dr. Kirkland started other organizations to meet the needs of people including New Members Institute, Welcome Club, Couples Club, and several outreach ministries.

The main sanctuary was destroyed by fire in 1991 and Pastor Kirkland oversaw million dollar renovation and seismic retrofitting project to restore and improve the building. In addition, the church purchased several surrounding properties including the Brookins Community Development Center on 48th Street and Gramercy Place. In June 1996, the Rev. Dr. Kirkland was elected as the 114th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church in June 1996. Currently, he serves as the Presiding Prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church.

The Rev. Dr. Frederick O. Murph was appointed as the second pastor of Brookins in October 1996 by Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, presiding prelate of the Fifth Episcopal District. Previously, Dr. Murph served 10 years as pastor of First A.M.E. Church in Oakland, CA. Under his leadership, the church added a Thursday Night Bible Study to complement the Pastor’s Tuesday Night Bible Study and Wednesday Mid-Day Bible Study, and a Sunday School class for young Black males ages 10 to 13. His other accomplishments include leading the congregation in renovating the main church building, installing a state-of-the-art sound system in the main sanctuary and rehabilitating three church-owned properties.

The Rev. Joseph C. Nixon was appointed as the third pastor of Brookins by Bishop T. Larry Kirkland in October 2008. During his tenure, the church continued to grow both spiritually and numerically, the God Answers Prayer (GAP) Ministry was instituted, the Music Department added two new choirs, Children’s Church was implemented and a Tutoring Program established to assist youth in math and science.

On November 2, 2010, the Rev. Dr. C. Dennis Williams was appointed the fourth pastor of Brookins by Bishop T. Larry Kirkland. The first family consists of his wife, Yvette; daughters, Desireé and Faith; son, Calvin Dennis (“C.D.”) Williams, II, and grandson, Jordan Kenneth.