CHICAGO | Bishop Arthur Brazier, of the Apostolic Church of God, has announced plans to step down as pastor of the Pentecostal congregation he has led for 48 years. His last official broadcast will air June 8 on WCIU-TV 26 in Chicago.

On May 4, Brazier, 86, told parishioners that he would preach his last sermon as pastor on June 1, and he informed them that the church's official board and congregation had named Byron Brazier as his successor. Brazier praised the foresight of his board and asked his congregation to embrace his son as its new pastor.

In 1960, 39-year-old Brazier was pastor of Universal Church of Christ when he was approached by Apostolic Church of God leaders who wanted him to fill its head pastor position. He accepted, and combined his church with Apostolic Church of God, which produced approximately 100 members.

Today, Apostolic Church of God has more than 20,000 members.

During his tenure, Brazier oversaw several expansion projects, including a 3,000-seat sanctuary; the addition of television control facilities; a 400-seat banquet facility; and a 37,000-square-foot youth and family center that holds a regulation-sized basketball court, classrooms, a music room and a dance studio. For 30 years, Brazier served as diocesan of the 6th Episcopal District of the Pentecostal Assemblies of the World, which entailed oversight of more than 80 churches in Illinois.

Brazier is founding president of The Woodlawn Organization, the Woodlawn Preservation and Investment Corp., and the Fund for Community Redevelopment and Revitalization. He also authored three books and many articles.

- THE TIMES