Our Pastor

Born the sixth child of Zack and Essie May Watkins of Mobile, Alabama, the Reverend Charles A. Watkins, Sr. was raised in the A.M.E. Zion Church. His parents were lifelong parishioners of Crockett Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church. They raised him and his siblings faithfully in the discipline and instructions of the Lord. Out of the six children, God granted Zack and Essie three Pastors. 

Following his lifelong passion for math and science, Reverend Watkins pursued an educational path in chemistry. After a brief stay in the US Navy, He worked for Hitachi Chemical, Cargill, Eastman Chemical, and Polynt Composites. He has an Associate of Applied Sciences from Bishop State Junior College and a bachelor’s degree from Mercer University.

In October 1987, he married the apple of his eye, Juanasha Lenetta Kirksey. They gave birth to three children together—Sinaid Patrice, who died shortly after birth, Charles II, and Javan Zahiar Watkins. Reverend and Dr. Watkins will be celebrating 39 years of matrimony this October. To God be the glory. 

Reverend Watkins professed his call to ministry in June 2015 and preached his trial sermon on May 29, 2016. He was ordained a Deacon by the Right Reverend Mildred B. Hines on October 13, 2018, and appointed the Pastor of that great church, Hemphill A.M.E. Zion Church, on October 14, 2018. Bishop Hines saw fit, by the guidance of the Holy Spirit, to ordain Reverend Watkins an Elder in the life of the A.M.E. Zion Church on January 17, 2019.

The Reverend Charles A. Watkins, Sr. has been telling the gospel story to anyone who has ears to hear from that time to now. He is a man who loves God, his family, and the people of God. Reverend Watkins's motivation is to grow the people's faith through Jesus Christ so they may be spiritually, physically, and financially equipped.