In 1964, Bishop Campbell served as Assistant Pastor at Holy Temple United Church of God in Staten Island, New York, under the pastorate of the late Pastor Grace Wilson. Over the years Bishop Campbell has been involved in extensive Bible Study receiving several certificates from Moody Bible Institute,Unity Brings the Anointing School of Ministry, Calvary University, and others.
Bishop Campbell has received commendations from Congressman Donald M. Payne, Sr., the House of Representatives in Washington, D. C., the Mayor, and Executive Committee of Union Township, as well as the President of the United States, Barack Obama.
Bishop Campbell has received several honors from the General United Church of God, the Northern District United Church of God, the Eagle District of theUnited Church of God, and from his local church for his many years of devoted, exemplary, and faithful service. He was honored and celebrated by ExodusOutreach Ministries, Inc. in August 2016, at the historic Newark Symphony Hall, receiving an Eagle Excellence Award for his over 50 years of pastoring.
Bishop Campbell began his tenure as pastor of St. Paul’s Calvary United Church of God, Union, New Jersey, in October 1965 with a very small congregation.God has truly blessed over the years, adding several hundred members to the church. There are numerous anointed ministries operating through the auspices of the church, including, but not limited to, the Minister’s Alliance, Marriage Ministry, Sister-to-Sister Ministry, Men of Excellence Ministry, and Outreach Ministries, such as the Prison Ministry, support church to the Family Promise Homeless Shelter, Caring Crocheting Hands. Bishop Campbell’s prayer and desire has always been that St. Paul’s Calvary truly serves as a beacon of light in the community, and God has answered his prayers. God gave BishopCampbell a Vision, he was inspired and wrote the Vision down; and made it plain, and the members vowed to run and not faint as God brought the Vision intofruition; praying earnestly and believing that “It Would Come to Pass”. Bishop Campbell’s vision to construct a brand new edifice has come into full sight, andwith his perseverance, commitment to the church and with God’s guidance, he and his wife were able to lead the members, friends, Union Township officials and community, up Springfield Avenue from the Union Township Community Action Organization building, which served as the temporary house of worshipduring the construction process, onto Vauxhall Road for the ribbon cutting and dedication of the new sanctuary building on Saturday, October 16, 2010.Through the continued blessings of God, the St.
Paul’s Calvary United Church of God Child Care Center has also been licensed and certified and is fully operational. To God Be the Glory for the Things Hehas done and for those things that He will do in the future! Bishop Campbell is known as a man of fine character and commitment, who is both kind and compassionate to all, and who is truly loved by the members, friends and especially the children of the church, of whom he is particularly proud.
In August 2001, Bishop Campbell was elevated to General Vice Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc. of America. In July 2005, Bishop Campbell was elected General Prelate and Presiding Bishop of the United Church of God, Inc. by the Council of Elders, and has been re-elected to this position in July 2013,July 2017 and most recently in 2023; making him the longest serving Presiding Bishop in the over 100 year history of the organization. In addition to serving asGeneral Bishop and Presiding Prelate of the United Church of God, Inc., Bishop Campbell is the Presiding Prelate of the Northern District United Church ofGod, Inc., a member of the United Church of God General Board of Directors, and member of the United Clergy of Vauxhall and Vicinity in Union, New Jersey.
His grace, The most Reverend Claude Lee Campbell
Bishop Claude L. Campbell was born in Raeford, North Carolina on October 6, 1931, the first of eleven children born to the late Deacon Ben Robert and Mother MaryBell Campbell. He attended Upchurch School in Raeford, North Carolina, and developed a great love for mathematics. He grew up in the Presbyterian Church untilthe age of 9 when his family became members of St. James Church of God Colored in Raeford, N.C., under the leadership of the late Elder N. N. Crone.
Bishop Campbell developed a love for music and singing at a very early age and became the lead singer for “The Junior Four”, under the direction of his aunt, the late Sis. Francis Purcell. The group included as its members, his brother Deacon Robert, his cousins the late Bishop Prince Jr., and the late Bishop Lorenzo Purcell, and later Overseer Arthur Ray, Sr. The group traveled throughout North and South Carolina, spreading the gospel through song. He later became a part of the St. James Chorus, which also traveled extensively throughout the south, and broadcasted on radio for many years.
Bishop Campbell accepted the Lord as his personal Savior in 1948, at the age of 17, under the pastorate of the late Bishop James A. Jackson. He moved to New Jersey in 1954 and became engaged to Dessie Mae Carpenter in September 1955. They were married on Resurrection Sunday,April 1, 1956, and recently celebrated 62 years of holy matrimony. Bishop Claude and Mother Dessie Campbell are the parents of four adult children, Rev. DessieJo-Anne Campbell Wakefield, M.Ed., Trustee Claude Andrew, Min. Vondella Elaine, RN and Rev. Jonathan Benton. He and his wife, have six grandchildren, Charmaine Arianne, Kenneth Justin, II, Esq., Alexis Alexandria, Jonathan Christian, II, Jordan Malachi and Jaxon Lee; and four great-grandchildren, Jazmyn MacKenzie, Paris Arianna, Gianna Gabrielle, and Cailar Christian. He became a member of Mt. Calvary United Church of God in 1955 under the pastorate of hismentor, the late Bishop James A. Leak. There he served as an Usher, Trustee, Ordained Deacon, Choir President, Sunday School Teacher, and was called into theministry in 1958, later becoming an ordained Elder. He organized a Boy’s Club at Mt. Calvary for young men from several churches so they could “stay out of the street and in the church.”
