EPISCOPAL LEADERS
AFRICAN METHODIST
EPISCOPAL ZION CHURCH
DISTRICT LEADERS
Bishop W. Darin & Mrs. Devieta Moore
Our Church
Presiding Elder & Mrs. McDougald

Bishop Moore is a native of Mt. Vernon, NY and began his college education at Livingstone College, graduating from Purchase College, in Purchase, NY with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology. Theological studies were done at Yale University Divinity School obtaining the M.Div. from United Theological Seminary. 


He received his Doctor of Ministry Degree from UTS as well as an honorary Doctorate from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina. Pastoral assignments for Bishop Moore have included Clarksville and Morning Star A.M.E. Zion Churches, Monroe, NC, Mt. Olivet A.M.E. Zion Church, Greensboro, NC, and Jones Tabernacle A.M.E. Zion Church, Indianapolis, IN. 



While in Greensboro, he served on the Commission for the Greensboro Coliseum and the County Commission on Children and Youth. In Indianapolis, Bishop Moore served two terms as President of the Board of Directors for the Greater Indianapolis Church Federation and was the Presiding Elder of the Indianapolis District for the A.M.E. Zion Church. 


In July, 2012 Bishop Moore was elevated to the episcopacy from Greater Centennial A.M.E. Zion Church, Mt. Vernon, NY as the 99th bishop in succession. 


During his tenure as pastor of Greater Centennial the congregation grew from a few hundred to more than six thousand five hundred members.Bishop Moore’s service to the A.M.E. Zion Church has included Vice Chairman of the Harriet Tubman Board, Treasurer of the New York Conference, Chairman of the New York Conference Board of Trustees, Presiding Elder of the Bahama Islands-Nassau District, Chairman of the Budget Committee during the 2008 and 2012 General Conferences, Member of the Executive Committee of the Connectional Budget Board, Founding Chairman of YACM, and Chairman of the Restructuring Commission. 


He’s a member of the World Methodist Council, Board of Trustees for Hood Theological Seminary, and he is the treasurer of the Board of Trustees for Livingstone College. He is the Vice Chairman of the National Council of Churches. Bishop Moore served two consecutive terms as President of the Mount Vernon Board of Education. Additionally, he served as President of the United Black Clergy of Westchester, the Founding Chairperson for Save Our Seed Ministries, and a former member of the Westchester County African American Advisory Board. He is Founder and the past President of the Greater Centennial Community Development Corporation and past President of Greater Centennial Homes where he led in the construction of the James Varick Homes for 1st time home buyers, construction of the Zion Court Apartments, and a $12 million substantial renovation of Greater Centennial Homes.


Twice, Bishop Moore has been selected as the Morning Preacher for the Hampton Ministers’ Conference and his sermons have been published in The African American Pulpit Forum and the Balm in Gilead Journal. He is the author/editor of two books. Currently, Bishop Moore serves as the Presiding Bishop of the Eastern North Carolina Episcopal District.


A loving husband to Devieta C. Moore and devoted father to Daron (Elaina), Dana (Kevin), and Dion; Bishop Moore uses as his theme: “It’s our OUTREACH that validates our UPREACH!

The African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church professes the historical faith in God, who by Himself- outpouring, was manifest incarnate in Jesus Christ for our salvation. By God’s grace and the power of His Holy Spirit all believers become the new humanity. The incarnation having reached its completion in Jesus, who is the Christ, is continuing in the Church and is overcoming the calamity of the human predicament. 

 

We strive in the hope that the Church will grow from sinful existence through purification to oneness with God. Our Heritage in doctrine and our present theological task demands that we renew our faith and understanding of the love of God, our Father the Lordship of His Son, Jesus. We believe that all who have faith in Him will be empowered and invigorated by the Holy Spirit to risk all for the reconciling work and fulfillment of the Kingdom of God.

The Reverend Chalmers L. McDougald received the appointment of the Presiding Elder of the Laurinburg District at the 142nd Session of the Central North Carolina November 6, 2021. In May 1988, Reverend McDougald began his ministerial journey and in August 2001, he transitioned to full-time ministry. Rev. McDougald is an ordained elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He served as the Presiding Elder of the Sanford District, Central North Carolina Conference for three and half-year.  He pastored the following churches: Snow Hill-Fayetteville District, Davis Chapel-Dunn-Lillington District, Cameron Grove Dunn-Lillington District, and New Bethel-Fayetteville District. Rev. McDougald is a volunteer Chaplin at Cape Fear Valley Hospital in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

 

Rev. McDougald is a graduate of Fayetteville State University with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and he earned a Masters of Divinity from Campbell University Divinity School in Buie Creek, North Carolina. Rev. McDougald is a veteran of the United States Army.  

During his career journey, he was an insurance agent, a human resource manager for twenty-five years with Cumberland County and the state of North Carolina.   He is a former employee of the Employment Security Commission, Offender Aid and Restoration and the Cumberland County Workforce Development Division.  Rev. McDougald served two terms as a member of the Fayetteville City Council. 


Rev. Chalmers McDougald was born in Portsmouth, Virginia and raised by his grandmother in rural Harnett County, North Carolina. Rev. McDougald states, “She taught me to believe in God and to seek him through prayer”. 

Rev. McDougald and Mrs. Alice Bracy McDougald have been married for forty-nine years. Mrs. Alice McDougald is active in ministry with Elder McDougald. Mrs. McDougald is a dynamic missionary leader and served as missionary president for the Dunn-Lillington, Fayetteville and Sanford Districts. She is also a retired educator of the Cumberland County Schools.  They are parents of two daughters; Yimiya Pearson (Bernard) and Adia McEachin (James) and they have six grandchildren. Elder McDougald states; 

 

“I do what I do in ministry because I love God and humankind. My focus is to help others see the light of Jesus and become a light themselves to help others see Jesus”.