Our Pastor

 

Apostle Dr. Cecil G. Riley is the Pastor of Freedom Hall Church of God in Brooklyn. Apostle Riley also serves as General Overseer of the Freedom Hall Churches of God, currently operating in New York (Brooklyn & Queens), Florida, and islands of Jamaica (Clarendon & Boscobel) and St. Vincent, WI.  Dr. Riley is an anointed evangelist and teacher who builds bridges across denomination, generation, gender, race, culture and ethnicity.

FAMILY:

    Apostle Cecil G. Riley was born on May 13, 1944 and hails from the distant shores of Kingston, Jamaica West Indies. He is the youngest of five children born to Rosalyn and George Riley. On August 20, 1977 Bishop Riley married Eleanor Ridgeway, a licensed cosmetologist and bookkeeper. This union produced two beautiful and marvelously gifted daughters, Elizabeth and Esther.  A son-in-law, Duane Posey and grandson, Matthew are the newest addition to the family.

RENAISSANCE:

   At the age of 18, Apostle Riley was lead to the Lord under the dynamic ministry of Bishop Dr. Wilfred A. Shaw. In that same year, Apostle Riley joined the Jamaica Constabulary Force. He quickly moved up the ranks and was then the youngest member of the Force to achieve the prestigious position of Corporal. He migrated to the United States 1971 and in the outworking of history Bishop Riley finally acknowledged and yielded to the call of ministry in 1980 and was ordained an elder in 1981.With an urgent call and a vital message he organized Freedom Hall Church of God, Inc., at 438 Rogers Avenue in Brooklyn, NY. The total population of the church at its inception was 10. However with Apostle Riley's unique and exclusionary character, he blazed the trail of inclusion of various denominations, which transcended traditional religious barriers; denominational walls and spiritual stereotypes in an effort to reach God’s people everywhere.  His anointed presentation of the Gospel and his sense of civil and community duties have brought him to the attention and demand of many distinguished religious, civic and political organization.

   Cecil G. Riley’s story is a fascination yet, obviously, a predestined one. The idea that a young inner city boy, born in Jones Town, Kingston and enthralled by the world of entertainment in cycle acrobatics who later became a professional sign artist then a member of the Jamaica Constabulary Force with all indications pointing to the top, should be called and anointed of God to be overseer of His heritage. Certainly, God's history is working his purpose out as year succeeds to years in ministry. This proves that presumptions and claims to who might have been specifically chosen of God are essentially about man made mythologies. In July 1992, the Reverend Cecil G. Riley was consecrated Bishop by the late Dr. Wilfred A. Shaw and Bishop Riley proceeded to organize the Freedom Hall Church, Florida, followed by Jamaica, St. Vincent & The Grenadines, Queens and another in Jamaica. The Headquarters Church of the Freedom Hall Churches of God is located at 629 Albany Ave in Brooklyn, NY where it has become an integral part of the community.

    Apostle Riley is a humanitarian and philanthropic leader who cares for all. His latest accomplishment is the establishment of the Freedom Hall Bible Institute, an accredited bible school, based in Brooklyn, NY.

Listed below are clear indications of Apostle Riley’s versatility and sense of community in ministry:

  • A professional sign artist and a musician

  • President: Caribbean American Development Corp of East Flatbush

  • Chairman:  Caribbean American Clergy Coalition

  • Inducted in Who’s Who among Clergy Leaders

  • He organized and led delegation to Jamaica against nude weddings

  • Member: United States Chaplains Association

  • Regional Chairman: The American Clergy Leadership Conference (ACLC).

  • The recipient of many Proclamations and Citations from the City and State of N.Y.

 
 
Our First Lady