Bishop Linwood H. Lewis, Jr.
     

Bishop Linwood H. Lewis Jr. is the oldest child of the late Linwood H. Lewis Sr. and Lucy Lewis.  He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA where he graduated from Schenley High School.  Following graduation, he was trained to be a heavy equipment operator in Bristol, TN at the Jacob’s Creek Job Corps Center from 1973 - 1977.   He then graduated from the apprenticeship program of the Local 66, International Union of Operating Engineers and became a certified heavy equipment operator with the union for the next 23 years.

At an early age, Bishop Lewis became a willing, working vessel that God was able to work through, both in his home church, St. Mark A.M.E. Zion Church, Lawrenceville, and the community.   After working under the tutelage of Pastor A.A. Henderson, for many years, and accepting his call to preach in 1979, he was licensed to preach in 1981 by Bishop C.H. Foggie.  Bishop Lewis served as an associate minister at St. Mark from 1979 – 1984.  In 1984, after being ordained as a deacon, the A.M.E. Zion Conference assigned Bishop Lewis to his first church as a pastor, Caldwell A.M.E. Zion Church, McDonald, PA.  It was there that he developed a great respect and love for discipleship and as a result his congregation grew in leaps and bounds in comparison to years past.  In recognizing Bishop Lewis’ dedication to ministry, heart for discipleship, and effectiveness in evangelism, he was then assigned to St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church, Carnegie, in 1988, and ordained as Elder the following year.  The results of a growing congregation were mirrored at St. Paul as well.  Bishop Lewis became known in the communities of Carnegie as a pastor who cares about “the people”. 

This same sentiment held true as Bishop Lewis submitted to God and the vision that He had given him for the Solid Rock Foundation Ministries, still located in Carnegie.  The ministry was birthed in 1997.  Through his obedience to God’s clear call for the ministry and the work that God was setting before him to accomplish, Bishop Lewis vowed to remain a “touchable” pastor for “a community people in need”. 

While acknowledging what it took to bring the ministry as far as it had come, Bishop Lewis was once again obedient to God’s call to develop an association of pastors that would unite to build and support pastors, for the perfecting of the saints.  This union was to be called The Pastorate Association.  The Pastorate Association is a collaboration of senior pastors of various areas and denominations recognizing, through fellowship, the necessity for unity of leaders with like minds, passions, and most of all their love for Christ.  The association desires to be willing vessels in the restoration of the hearts of pastors and encouraging each other to stay focused, faithful, and fresh; furthermore, to be God’s servant leaders.  As of 2009, twenty-two pastors and their congregations make up The Pastorate Association.

The Lord has truly blessed and anointed His servant, Bishop Lewis, who is dedicated to praise, worship, and total commitment to the Lord.  In addition to being an enthusiastic pastor, he is a dynamic teacher of the Holy Word, an anointed singer, and a true servant of God being led by the Holy Spirit.  He is a devoted husband to his wife of 38 years, Pastor Denise E. Lewis, father of Natalie Stubbs and Aliela Lewis-Wilkins, proud-grandfather of six and godfather to many.