FAITHFUL ZION
FIRST FRUITS MINISTRY
Rev. Darlene Y. Watley, Pastor
Rev. Carolyn Brown-Smith, Co Pastor
Rev. Margaret Rogers, Associate Minister
ACTS 2:42-47
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship,
to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
Acts 2:42-47
faithful zion first fruits ministry...
A SAFE PLACE
CALLED CHURCH
Faithful Zion First Fruits Ministry was birthed
from a whisper spoken to Pastor Watley and
Co-Pastor Smith by God.
The almighty instructed them and their team
to create a safe place for people to worship,
learn, and grow in Christ.
We are driven by a single goal; to do our part
in fulfilling the Great Commission, which is
going out to create disciples for Jesus Christ.
weekly events @FZFFM
Sunday Morning worship service
SUNDAYS* @ 11:30am
SPIRITUAL ENRICHMENT (HOLISTIC SUPPORT GROUP)
FACILITATED BY REV. COOKIE SMITH
MONDAYS @ 6:30pm VIA ZOOM
EVENING PRAYER, WORSHIP AND SUPPLICATIONS.
FACILITATED BY REV. DARLENE WATLEY
WEDNESDAYS @ 6:30PM
Rev. Darlene Watley
Rev. Darlene Watley was ordained in the AME Church under Bishop T. Larry Kirkland
of the Southern California 5th District Conference and is a daughter in ministry to
Rev. Dr. Clyde W. Oden, Jr. She is wonderfully married to Charles Watley and they are
parents of eight (8) children and sixteen (16) grandchildren.
Rev. Darlene Watley a phenomenal and gifted servant of God and an ambassador of the
Good News of the Gospel. Rev. Darlene Watley has demonstrated through the life she
lives what it is to be an ambassador for Jesus Christ. She is Pastor of the new Church:
Faithful Zion First Fruits Ministry. This Church was established in 2016 and already
has a membership of over 70 persons including 10 converts. This fast-growing, Spirit-led
congregation is filled with men and women who are hungry for and are being fed a
relevant Gospel of Jesus Christ.
In addition to her new ministry, Rev. Darlene Watley is the founder and President of
Chosen Gospel Recovery Ministries. This is a Christian shelter ministry for single
women and women with children who have experienced homelessness, domestic
violence, substance abuse and/or recent incarceration. This ministry currently houses
16 women, 13 children in 2 locations. All of the women are either working or in skills
development.
Chosen Gospel Recovery Ministries also has a powerful and anointed singing ministry
in which are recording artists and have fundraising concerts designed to raise funds to
support the ministries. They have performed all over Southern California and is featured
every year at the “Taste of Soul” Festival in the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles.
Pastor
Rev. Carolyn “Cookie” Smith
Identified at age 12 as a coloratura soprano, Rev. Carolyn “Cookie” Brown--whose
mother and grandmother also were ordained ministers--is a Los Angeles native. She
studied operatic voice at Louis
Pasteur Junior High School under the late Alta C. Dale, and in private training with the
late coloratura Armanda Chirot. She matriculated in music at Saint’s Academy, in
Lexington, Mississippi--performing throughout the United States with the Academy
Choir and band – and after graduating pursued collegiate music studies at Warner
Pacific College, Portland, Oregon. Rev. Cookie holds a Bachelor of Science degree in
business management from the University of Phoenix, and a graduate of the African
Methodist Episcopal School of Ministry in Los Angeles where she was licensed as
Itinerant Elder.
A veteran cabaret, gospel, and recording performer, ”Rev. Cookie” is a 40-year member
of Bryant Temple AME Church Choir, and has served her church as Associate Minister
and Itinerant Elder for 12 years. In addition, she appears regularly as member of the
Chosen Gospel Recovery Singers, a female Christian ministry whose performance
receipts are devoted to the support of Chosen Recovery Ministries for Women and
Children.
Rev Cookie as of to-date, is now serving as co-pastor of Faithful Zion First Fruit
Ministry and continues to sing in Chosen Gospel Recovery Singers raising funds for the
Ruby’s Housing for Women and Children. She knows that God has blessed her and will
continue to provide her with the skills she needs to follow the path the Lord has cut out
for her life.
Co-Pastor