RUSH STATEMENT ON THE DEATH OF BISHOP ARTHUR M. BRAZIER

CHICAGO -- "Our city and our nation has lost a giant man of faith, today, as I learned of the passing of Bishop Arthur M. Brazier, the Pastor Emeritus of the Apostolic Church of God.

"Bishop Brazier was my mentor in the ministry, political advisor and lifelong friend.
 
"We shared each other’s joys and pains, trials and triumphs as we followed the course of life that God put before us.  Bishop Brazier was a national, and international, man of faith whose impact far exceeds the confines of the City of Chicago that he loved so much.  I have been singularly proud, for nearly two decades, to serve as the Congressional representative for the church he first began to lead in 1960.  We worked together on dozens of projects and public policy initiatives aimed at improving the quality of life for the people of Chicago, especially those in the Woodlawn community where his church is based.

"Brazier repeatedly earned his place in the pantheon of leading men and women in the church—from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. to my friend, the late Dr. Albertina Walker, to so many others whose legacy of service to Christ, their fellow man and to their community will endure for generations.  As a trusted confidant to the late Chicago Mayor Harold Washington and other national leaders, Dr. Brazier gave our nation a shining example of the brilliance, integrity and obedience to God’s word that I believe all men and women of God should emulate.

"On a personal note, my wife, Carolyn, and I will forever cherish the dozens of personal moments we enjoyed whenever we visited his church especially our frequent participation in Bishop Brazier’s annual Christmas concert.

"On behalf of a grateful nation and our Chicago community, I say "thank you" to Bishop Arthur Brazier for his dedicated service, for the legacy of family and fellowship that he leaves behind and for his obedience to God’s word.  My prayers are with his wife, Mrs. Isabelle Brazier, his son, Dr. Byron Brazier who carries on his father’s legacy as the Pastor of the Apostolic Church of God, and to all the family, friends and members of his church whose hearts are heavy at this moment. 

"I take comfort in the fact that right now he’s in the arms of our Heavenly Father and that his spirit lives on in the quality of life that thousands of men and women, from all walks of life, so richly enjoy because of Bishop Brazier’s service."

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