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Central Church of Christ Leadership Team

"Where there is no vision, the people perish . . ."

Proverbs 29:18

…………Our Ministers …………….

Our Deacons

 

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On

The

Word

Under

The

Cross

 

Franklin D. Florence, I.

Senior Minister & National Evangelist

Founding Pastor

of

Central Church of Christ

Establishment Date: August 8, 1970

Clifford A. Florence, Sr.

Associate Minister & Media Evangelist

Faithful Assistant

of

Central Church of Christ

Over 25 Years of Dedicated Service

 

Senior Minister Franklin D. Florence, I. has committed his life to the task of preaching the Gospel. In his youth, he was one of the "boy preachers" who traveled extensively as teenagers with esteemed ministers such as Evangelist Marshall Keeble.

Prior to accepting the pastorate of the Central Church of Christ, he served as Pastor of the West Palm Beach Church of Christ in Florida, and for several years as the pastor of the Reynolds Street Church of Christ (now known as the East Henrietta Road Church of Christ).

Franklin D. Florence, I. is well known in the Rochester, New York community and nationally as "Minister Florence," the name that became synonymous with his social activism as the first President of the F. I. G. H. T. Organization (Freedom-Independence-God-Honor-Today).

His activism is fueled by his strong conviction that Christians and the church must be leaders in causes for social justice and equality. His conviction has not always been deemed favorable in many religious circles where the thought was (and often remains) that the church should separate itself from the social/political arena.

Minister Florence is a dynamic personality and a visionary pioneering leader. He has been blessed to see - and countless others have enjoyed - the rewards of his social justice efforts. The Rochester community and area communities owe him a debt of gratitude for the sacrificial work he has done in helping to open doors to fair employment and subsidized housing. He has also been a consistent voice and presence for quality academic and social education in our public school system.

Minister Florence has also been intricately involved in programs to improve correctional institutions, and he was one of the Ministers who labored so desperately to prohibit the massacre at the Attica Correctional Institution in the 1970's. His papers that document his involvement in this crusade and others are on file at the University of Rochester Library.

(Continued Below)

Associate Minister Clifford A. Florence has done much to nurture the spiritual growth of the Central Congregation and to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ wherever he goes.

Joining him in this important effort are his wife, Sister Felicia [Rochester City School District Teacher (RCSD)], and their two sons and two daughters.

Minister Clifford is very active in community outreach, particularly in the areas of evangelism, youth development, school reform, parental involvement, feeding the hungry, and other issues that affect the well being of families. He has served as the President of the Rochester City School District Parent Council, continues to be very active in RCSD affairs, and is a member of several civic organizations. He presently serves as the Chairman of Community Advocates for Educational Excellence (CAFEE).

Complementing the above, Minister Clifford exhibits an admirable zeal for doing the work of a pastor. He has answered the calls of several local and out-of-state Churches of Christ to bring a keynote message during their gospel meetings, workshops, conferences, and other church events.

In addition to being very involved in family affairs, in his role as CCOC Associate Minister, in the community at large, and within the Christian network, Minister Clifford also hosts Central's radio broadcast, "The Way of Truth." He has been involved with this very popular radio program for over twenty years. The program can be heard over the WDKX 103.9 FM Station every Sunday at 8:00 AM.

Through his radio program, Minister Clifford has spiritually touched the lives of thousands, bringing them the "Good News," expanding their knowledge of the Bible, offering prayers and petitions for others, and expounding on spiritual questions of the day. He reminds his audience "It is better to have God and not need Him than to need Him and not have Him." At the end of the hour, he bids all to hear, believe, and obey the Word of God!

Tune in to "The Way of Truth"

 

Minister Franklin D. Florence, I. is a spiritual man and a student of the Scriptures who is deeply committed to the Gospel of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He has made many sacrifices for its furtherance. He is a "Much-in-Demand" Preacher of the Gospel and has been called to preach for Gospel campaigns all over the United States of America. Untold numbers of people have committed their lives to Christ as a result of Minister Florence's "Scripturally Sound" preaching and teaching. Because of his knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, his spiritual insights, and his tenacity, he is frequently called to local and out-of-state congregations to help solve problems to bring about greater unity in the Body of Christ. In so doing, he heeds the words of the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 1:10: "Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment."

   On the Word - Under the Cross

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