Rev. James M. Kelley

James Merrill Kelley was born on February 16, 1929, in Brownsburg, Indiana, near Speedway where he later graduated from Speedway High School. A few years later in April of 1950, never imagining what God had in store for him, he was invited to a United Pentecostal Church.

It was there, at The Bible Church in Indianapolis, Indiana, where James heard the gospel for the very first time. He thrived under the excellent teaching of Pastor James Petty. Later, under Pastor James ''Pop'' Simison’s leadership, love and ministry he quickly bonded with the church.

After being baptized in Jesus Name and receiving the Holy Ghost, he became involved in ministry and committed himself to a life of service. This commitment has been a thread throughout his ministry and his life.

With a desire to obey the call to go into full time ministry, Brother Kelley pursued his study of the Word at the Apostolic Bible Institute in St. Paul, Minnesota. He began holding revivals around the country and pastored in New Castle, Indiana.

While serving in The Bible Church in Indiana, Brother Kelley met the love of his life, a woman who had a heart for God and ministry as much as he did, Eleanor Gray Bess. They married in 1959.

The Bible Church was growing and needing a larger facility. Brother Kelley drafted and designed a new building.

In 1962, the Kelleys were elected pastor of Christ Apostolic Temple in Weirton, West Virginia. Their son, Jonathan, was born in early 1963, when the family moved to West Virginia. During their pastorate in West Virginia, the Kelley’s had another daughter, Crystal.

While traveling through Washington, D.C., Brother Kelley felt a call to start a new work in the area. In 1967, he and Sister Kelley began holding Bible studies in the basement of Colonel Hubert Nolde’s home. After several months, he moved his family of five from West Virginia, to establish the first United Pentecostal Church in the Washington D.C. Metro area. Shortly thereafter, the Kelley’s were chosen to be one of the first recipients of the new Christmas for Christ program of the UPCI. They moved from the basement of Colonel Nolde’s home to a small house in Alexandria, Virginia, and later purchased a church building in Arlington, Virginia, which became home to a strong, vibrant church. During this time, another daughter, Rachel, was born.

Creating a daughter-church approach to metro evangelism, Brother Kelley seeded several churches in neighboring areas with ministers from his local congregation, planting members in these neighboring areas to help support these works.

While pastoring in Arlington, Virginia, James Kelley became the Superintendent of the Virginia District, continuing in this position for twenty years. Under his oversight, the district grew from six churches to approximately forty-seven.

In 1992, Brother Kelley retired as bishop of Capital Worship Center, now pastored by his son and daughter-in-law, Jonathan and Charla Kelley in Centreville, Virginia.

He passed from this life on March 2, 2017.