“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

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.

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 trio whose performance receipts are devoted to the support of Chosen Recovery Ministries for Women and Children. The Chosen Gospel Singers also provided singing and preaching every Sunday with Bryant Temple AME Church at the Amistad Foundation Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles at 3pm for service.

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.