About Bishop Wright -
Bishop Charles E. Wright, Sr.—known by most as Dr. Wright, Dean Wright or Pastor Wright—was born in Orangeburg, South Carolina. He is the third child born to the late James and Mother Jessie Wright. He is a devoted husband of over fifty years to Mother Faye M. Wright and has two sons: Charles Jr. and Daryl.
He migrated to New York City in 1957. It was here he began to actively attend church. He started attending Refuge Temple where Bishop R. C. Lawson was the pastor at the time. February is very important in Bishop Wright’s life. It was in February of 1960, over sixty years ago, that he was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. Immediately, he became active in the work of the church. Within two years, he was appointed as a Junior Deacon and then President of the Brotherhood.
Bishop Wright enrolled in the Church of Christ Bible Institute in September of 1960, and graduated in 1962 with honors as Valedictorian of his class. He continued his education at the Institute after graduating and received the Bachelor of Theology (Th.B). He enrolled at Manhattan Bible Institute and received the Master of Theology (Th.M) in 1966—both degrees were awarded by the American Divinity College.
Bishop Wright received his call to the ministry in 1963 under the Pastorage of Bishop William L. Bonner. He rose through the ranks of the ministry and became the Junior Pastor of the Adult Church in 1966 through 1967. He was ordained to the ministry in the International Convention in Brooklyn, N.Y., at Refuge Church of Christ in 1967. Bishop Wright became an instructor at the Church of Christ Bible Institute in 1964 and continues until this present time. Seeing the need for additional training, he entered secular college. He enrolled in Bronx Community College and later transferred to Herbert H. Lehman College where he was a history major. He graduated with a Grade Point Average of 3.5 (Cum Laude) and received the Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in 1974. Bishop Wright was awarded a full academic scholarship to attend Columbia University. He began his studies at Columbia University immediately after graduating from Lehman College. He studied for his master’s degree while working full-time as a New York City school teacher of English and Social Studies and received the Master of Arts degree (M.A) from Columbia University in 1975. Bishop Wright was awarded the Doctor of Theology degree (Th.D) in 1976 from Southern Bible Seminary.
1975 was a major turning point in Bishop Wright’s life. It was at the International Convention held in Topeka, Kansas, that the late Pastor William L. Bonner, Presiding Apostle of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ at that time, asked Bishop Wright to accept the positions of Assistant Pastor of Greater Refuge Temple and Dean of the Church of Christ Bible Institute. Bishop Wright had other plans for his life. After much prayer and conferring with his wife, they felt it was the will of God to accept the positions. He remarks that those thirty-nine years were the most challenging and at the same time most rewarding years of his life.
On February 20, 2015, after the Lord called Chief Apostle and Pastor William Lee Bonner from labor to reward, The Greater Refuge Temple chose their faithful assistant pastor, Bishop Charles E. Wright, Sr., to be the next pastor of the church. Bishop Wright continues to serve with love, respect and concern for God’s people and continues to “add thou to it.”
He migrated to New York City in 1957. It was here he began to actively attend church. He started attending Refuge Temple where Bishop R. C. Lawson was the pastor at the time. February is very important in Bishop Wright’s life. It was in February of 1960, over sixty years ago, that he was baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and filled with the precious gift of the Holy Spirit. Immediately, he became active in the work of the church. Within two years, he was appointed as a Junior Deacon and then President of the Brotherhood.
Bishop Wright enrolled in the Church of Christ Bible Institute in September of 1960, and graduated in 1962 with honors as Valedictorian of his class. He continued his education at the Institute after graduating and received the Bachelor of Theology (Th.B). He enrolled at Manhattan Bible Institute and received the Master of Theology (Th.M) in 1966—both degrees were awarded by the American Divinity College.
Bishop Wright received his call to the ministry in 1963 under the Pastorage of Bishop William L. Bonner. He rose through the ranks of the ministry and became the Junior Pastor of the Adult Church in 1966 through 1967. He was ordained to the ministry in the International Convention in Brooklyn, N.Y., at Refuge Church of Christ in 1967. Bishop Wright became an instructor at the Church of Christ Bible Institute in 1964 and continues until this present time. Seeing the need for additional training, he entered secular college. He enrolled in Bronx Community College and later transferred to Herbert H. Lehman College where he was a history major. He graduated with a Grade Point Average of 3.5 (Cum Laude) and received the Bachelor of Arts (B.A) in 1974. Bishop Wright was awarded a full academic scholarship to attend Columbia University. He began his studies at Columbia University immediately after graduating from Lehman College. He studied for his master’s degree while working full-time as a New York City school teacher of English and Social Studies and received the Master of Arts degree (M.A) from Columbia University in 1975. Bishop Wright was awarded the Doctor of Theology degree (Th.D) in 1976 from Southern Bible Seminary.
1975 was a major turning point in Bishop Wright’s life. It was at the International Convention held in Topeka, Kansas, that the late Pastor William L. Bonner, Presiding Apostle of the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ at that time, asked Bishop Wright to accept the positions of Assistant Pastor of Greater Refuge Temple and Dean of the Church of Christ Bible Institute. Bishop Wright had other plans for his life. After much prayer and conferring with his wife, they felt it was the will of God to accept the positions. He remarks that those thirty-nine years were the most challenging and at the same time most rewarding years of his life.
On February 20, 2015, after the Lord called Chief Apostle and Pastor William Lee Bonner from labor to reward, The Greater Refuge Temple chose their faithful assistant pastor, Bishop Charles E. Wright, Sr., to be the next pastor of the church. Bishop Wright continues to serve with love, respect and concern for God’s people and continues to “add thou to it.”