OUR PASTOR
Bishop Wilfred Durrah, Jr., DD
Senior Pastor
Bishop Wilfred Durrah, Jr., was the first child of five children born to the late Deacon Wilfred Durrah, Sr. and Mother Julia (Dyer) Durrah. He was educated in the Atlanta Public School System. After high school, Wilfred enrolled in Marsh-Draughn Business College. Later, he enlisted into the U.S. Navy where he received an honorable discharge. After returning from the service, he gained employment with Sears and Roebuck Company and he recently retired (2011) from the City of Atlanta after 32 plus years of service.
Bishop Durrah was saved under the guidance of a strong prayer warrior called, Mama Linsey in a small prayer band. He later joined Smyrna United Church of God In Christ, under the direction of Elder Theodore Gray. From 1982 to 1984, he served as a minister in the Free Gospel
Interdenominational Church, in Atlanta under the leadership of Apostle James S. Prothro. Later he was confirmed and ordained as an elder in this ministry. Under the leadership of Bishop Gerald Hilson, he joined the Greater Fellowship Temple of The Apostolic Faith. He was later (1991), consecrated to the Office of Bishop by Bishop Hilson.
In 1986, he accepted the call from God to pastor a flock. He established a body of followers and found the present ministry Charity Truth Tabernacle United Church of God in Christ. In this ministry,
God has enabled him to provide numerous services to the community. His vision is to create small businesses through the church and to provide jobs to those who are coming out of sin and lower
the growth of unemployment in order to make a difference in the community.
Bishop Durrah is the recipient of numerous awards and honors. He received the United States Congressional Recognition Award from Congressman John Lewis for outstanding service in the Field of Religion. The Atlanta City Council honored him with the Community Service Award for his exceptional work with the youth in the community. Mayor Bill Campbell awarded him the Certificate of Merit for his service given to the Atlanta Public Schools. Also, the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Inc., Alpha Epsilon Chapter awarded him the Certificate of Special Recognition in the Field of Education. In March of 2008 he received an Honorary Doctorate Degree of Christian Missions. Recently in July of 2011, he received a Doctorate of Divinity Degree from the United Theological Institute and Seminary of Fairburn, Georgia.
In November of 2003, by the divine order of the Almighty God, and the leadership of Bishop Durrah, the congregation joined in unity with the United Churches of God in Christ, under the leadership of,
His Grace The Most Reverend Spencer Lackey, Sr., serving as the Presiding Bishop. While serving as Bishop-Elect in the United Churches of God in Christ he merged nine other churches into the organization and he continues to seek and unite other churches into this ministry. Bishop Durrah was featured in 2007-2008 edition of National Who’s Who of America for his outstanding work in the ministry. In February of 2010, he was elevated and appointed to the position of First Assistant to our present Chief Apostle, His Grace The Most Reverend, Bishop Aaron B. Lackey, Sr., of the United Churches of God in Christ, where he served until 2019.
Bishop Durrah is married to Bonita Gillespie Durrah and has two children, Wilfred Durrah, III and Amber L. Durrah, a daughter-in-law, Dorriann Durrah, eight beautiful grandchildren and countless
spiritual sons and daughters. Bishop Durrah believes in getting down to the nuts-and-bolts of life and earnestly believes that “Godliness with contentment is great gain,” and “for we know, all things work together for the good of them who love the Lord”.
OUR FIRST LADY
Evangelist Bonita Durrah
Evangelist Bonita G. Durrah is a native of Mobile, Alabama and the fourth child of the late Mr. Clint Gillespie, Sr. and the late Mrs. Ruth James Gillespie.
Dr. Durrah is the First Lady of Charity Truth Tabernacle Church. She serves as the church Chief Administrator. She is accredited for organizing many of the ministries and auxiliaries in her church. Some of the ministries she organized are the: C.T.T. Adult Choir, Wilfred Durrah, Jr. Inspiration Choir, Children’s Choir, Sunday School and Missionary Board. Some auxiliaries she is currently chairing in her local church are the: New Members Orientation Committee, Education Committee, Women’s Ministry and Missionary Board. She is an ordained evangelist.
Evangelist Durrah has served in many capacities in the district and jurisdiction levels of the United Churches of God in Christ. She was the first District Missionary and the first Jurisdictional Supervisor of Women for the Love and Truth Jurisdiction, (currently Georgia Central Jurisdiction). Presently, she is the First Lady of Georgia Central Jurisdiction of the United Churches of God in Christ. Upon 31 plus years of employment with the Atlanta Public School System, Evangelist Durrah retired in 2011.
Dr. Durrah has also served on the international level of the United Churches of God in Christ in various positions; she was the International Chairlady, International Advertisement Chairlady and Scholarship Chairlady. In July, 2010, the Presiding Bishop and Chief Apostle Aaron B. Lackey, Sr. appointed her as the United Churches of God in Christ International Supervisor of Women, where she supervised numerous ministries, auxiliaries and units on the international level. While serving
in this position (2010-2019), she organized the first international women’s convention and developed a handbook for the Women’s Department.
Dr. Durrah has held numerous elected offices, including the position of president for the National Sorority of Phi Delta Kappa, Incorporated, Alpha Epsilon Chapter. She is presently the Executive Advisor to Alpha Epsilon Chapter’s current president and she served from 2013-2017 as the National Conclave Coordinator appointed by the sorority’s National President.
Dr. Durrah was the Chairlady of the Committee on Political Education (COPE) for the America Federation of Teachers Local 1565 (Atlanta) where she wrote monthly news articles and lobbied for teachers’ rights. She has received numerous awards both spiritually and professionally.
Dr. Durrah is the wife of Bishop Wilfred Durrah, Jr., DD, the First Assistant Presiding Bishop of the United Churches of God in Christ, and the mother of two beautiful children: Wilfred, III, and Amber; the grandmother of eight and countless spiritual children. Her most treasured belief is, “Your Word is Your Bond!
