Special to SPEAKIN’ OUT NEWS
Reverend Dr. Randy B. Kelley, pastor of Lakeside United Methodist Church, Huntsville, Alabama, has completed his tenure of service and will be exiting his role in June 2025. In acknowledgement and appreciation of his services, the church would like to express its extreme gratitude for his contributions. His work spans five industrious years.
He is an activist pastor and a political organizer. He was born in Birmingham, Alabama, and graduated from Leeds High School, Leeds, Alabama. While serving in the United States Army, he specialized in race relations and combat infantry training. Kelley graduated at the top of his class as a Distinguished Instructor Training Graduate at Fort Benning, Georgia, and a Distinguished Leadership Academy Graduate in Wiesbaden, Germany. He received several awards for his leadership and teaching abilities in training combat soldiers in the Republic of Korea. While teaching in Korea, his classes were visited by 13 Generals and the Secretary of the Army. Dr. Kelley graduated from Jacksonville State University with a B.S. Degree in Sociology and Psychology. He obtained a master’s degree from Gammon Theological Seminary and a Doctorate Degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, GA, where he was elected student body President. Kelley has served as an advisor of the Jacksonville State University Masonic Order and as a former instructor at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, GA. Kelley’s accomplishments and achievements over the years include but not limited to the following: former Vice Chairman of the Democratic National Committee Black Caucus; Vice Chairman of the Alabama Democratic Conference; Inducted in the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College, Atlanta, GA; Former Talk Show Host of “Tell It Like It Is” radio stations in Gadsden, Birmingham and Anniston, AL; Former NAACP and SCLC President; Former Gadsden, AL City Council Member; and Convener of Race & Religion Team of the North Alabama Conference of the United Methodist Church. His leadership was featured nationally on TV ONE Divine Restoration Program. Before his present pastoral assignment at Lakeside United Methodist Church in Huntsville, AL, he served as pastor in Collinsville, Irondale, Gadsden, Birmingham, Anniston, Hobson City, Lanett, and Lafayette, Alabama. Dr. Kelley has been inducted into the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. International College of Ministers at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. He has received numerous proclamations and awards for his social justice activism. He currently serves as the Chairperson of the Alabama Democratic Party.
Since being appointed pastor of Lakeside United Methodist Church in 2020, Reverend Dr. Randy B. Kelley has been elected chairman of the Alabama Democratic Party and has been appointed Chaplain of the Democratic National Committee Black Caucus. In addition, he has served as the Social Action Chairman of the Greater Huntsville Interdenominational Ministerial Fellowship.
He launched the Greater Huntsville Juneteenth Freedom Festival, a coalition of more than 50 organizations. He hosted several town hall meetings, including a documentary on “The Rebellious Life of Rosa Parks”. He hosted a town hall meeting on the documentary “Ferguson Rising” with George Floyd, Sr. as the special guest speaker. In addition, he hosted a town hall meeting with the American Federation of Teachers, which disbanded and banned Black History Books.
At Lakeside, he launched various ministries, including Annual Easter Giveaway and Thanksgiving Giveaway, which served people as far as Athens, Alabama. He reduced the church’s financial obligations and addressed maintenance concerns. During his administration at Lakeside, the mortgage of Lakeside’s Ministry Annex was paid off by a generous donation from the estate of a Lakeside United Methodist Church member.
One of his most monumental contributions was ministering and sustaining the church through the pandemic with car-side worship services.
The church will forever be grateful for services rendered and a job well done. The Lakeside Family extends well wishes in his next chapter.
Dr. Kelley is married to Gelaine Kelley, and they are the proud parents of a son, Jabriel, and daughters, Jamillah and Jamaya.