Bishop E.J. Reynolds

Bishop Reynolds was born Oct. 18, 1930, in Gainesville, Georgia, to Bonnell and Maude Reynolds and was reared in the Gainesville Mill Village and the rural Springway Community. He felt the call to preach at an early age and first read the Bible through at the age of 8. During his boyhood he frequently skipped school and spent the day in the woods preaching to the trees, which became a humorous anecdote in his sermons after he went into the ministry. In 1947, he married Violet Lee Appling, a preacher’s daughter from Gainesville, and continued studying for the ministry by, among other things, memorizing vast amounts of scripture and practicing his own sermons alone in his father-in-law’s church. In 1950, at the age of 19, he ran his first revival (at the Church of God in Canton, Georgia) and from then for the next 60 years he was never without a place to preach. He became an ordained minister in the Church of God (Cleveland, TN) and pastored churches from 1953 through 1995 in Georgia, Louisiana, Alabama and Florida. Along the way, he served as State Overseer for Wisconsin and Northern New England; served on the Board of Directors for the Lee University School of Theology; was the pastor of the Alabama City Church of God, now known as Cathedral of Praise from 1970 to 1982; he conducted radio programs for many years, debated bible subjects with other denominations, authored two books (“Echoes of Evangelism and “Covenant with God”), wrote many more articles of publication; and preached 47 Camp Meetings and hundreds of revivals in more than 30 states. Bishop Reynolds was predeceased by his first wife Violet Appling, daughter Renda Abercrombie, son Fred Richard Reynolds, stepson, Lewis “Barney” Barnard and great-granddaughter Caitlyn LeeAnn. He is survived by his wife of 19 years Mae Bellew Reynolds of Rainbow City, son Randall (Sherry) Reynolds of Lafayette, LA, daughter-in-law Laura Hinton Reynolds of Senoia, GA, daughters Ronda Reynolds of Atlanta, Ramonda Reynolds of Gadsden, Renee Reynolds of Covington, LA, and step-daughter Sandra Peterson of Rainbow City; plus 15 grandchildren, 2 step-grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 2 step great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren. Visitation will be from 12:30 to 2:00 PM on Thursday, November 18, 2021, at City Church, 4017 Rainbow Dr. Rainbow City, AL 35906. Funeral services will follow at 2 PM. Pastor Doug Baker, Dr. Mark Williams & Bishop Don Glenn will officiate. Grandsons and Great-grandsons of Bishop Reynolds will serve as pallbearers. Village Chapel Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Bishop E.J. Reynolds

October 18, 1930 - November 15, 2021