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[[Westlawn Gospel Chapel, IL|Westlawn Gospel Chapel]], Chicago, Cook, [[Illinois|IL]] (AA-OB) +19631957-current
=Early Correspondents=
* Dr. LeRoy Louis Yates, Sr. ?+1957-2018
=Notable Families=
==Banks family==
Melvin was the founder of the "largest Black Christian publishing house in the United States". As per an article in [https://www.christianitytoday.com/2021/02/died-melvin-banks-urban-ministries-black-sunday-school/ Christianity Today] from 2021, he started [https://urbanministries.com/ Urban Ministries, Inc.] (UMI) in his basement in Chicago in 1970, "focusing on Sunday school curriculum and Bible study materials for African American Christians. The ministry grew to serve more than 50,000 black churches." As per the article, Melvin was given the Gospel at the age of 9 by a Black assembly planter from Detroit who gave him a lesson about Paul's answer to the Philippian jailer. He turned his life over to Christ the following week. When he was 12, the same itinerant encouraged him to share his testimony around his home city of Birmingham. He left for [[Moody Bible Institute]] in 1952, where he was one of only ten Black students at the time. A Bahamian brethren itinerant encouraged him to the South Side assembly where he met his wife Olive, married in 1956. They were among the founders of Westlawn. He then studied biblical archaeology at [[Wheaton College]], graduating with his M.A. in 1960, and was invited to work for [https://davidccook.org/curriculum/scripture-press/ Scripture Press], initially as a salesman to Black churches, but soon attempted to influence them to reform their packaging to be friendlier to Black constituents, which was only approved after he elected a white colleague to pitch the idea. He subsequently resigned in 1970 to start Urban Ministries, Inc. with the help of his wife Olive, and Henry Soles as the charter editor. Previous to founding UMI, he founded the [https://urbanoutreachfoundation.com/ Urban Outreach Foundation] dedicated to "rescuing families and communities by equipping pastors, leaders & churches". He is also one of the founders of [https://www.circleyranch.org/ Circle Y Ranch] in Bangor, [[Michigan|MI]] in the 1950's. Wheaton awarded Melvin an honorary doctorate in 1992, and Moody named him alumnus of the year in 2008. In 2017, he received the [https://rushtopress.org/edition/special-edition-may-4-2017/ Kenneth N. Taylor Lifetime Achievement Award] from the [https://www.ecpa.org/ Evangelical Christian Publishers Association] for "pioneering work in innovating and contextualizing Christian Education materials for the African American market". * Dr. Melvin Banks '''1965?+1957-2021'''(b. 1934 Birmingham, [[Alabama|AL]] - d. 2021 Chi., IL), * Olive Perkins Banks (m. 1956)
==Johnson family==
==Rollerson family==
* Harvey Rollerson '''+19651957?+'''
** Monte Rollerson - Monte hosted weekly gospel roller-skating parties at local rinks.
** Derrick Rollerson - Derrick founded an outreach ministry for urban teenagers in the mid-1990's.
Beverly's brother was Rev. Dr. William E. "Bill" Pannell (b. 1929 Sturgis, MI - d. 2024), who was [[Fuller Theological Seminary]]'s first Black trustee (1971-1974), professor of evangelism (1974-2000), dean of the chapel (1992-2000), director of the African American Church Studies Program. A feature-length documentary ''[https://fullerstudio.fuller.edu/feature/watch-the-gospel-according-to-bill-pannell/ The Gospel According to Bill Pannell]'' was released in 2024, accompanied by a [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6tc2X_uP0U farewell] message. Also see Fuller's [https://www.fuller.edu/posts/in-memoriam-william-e-pannell/ memorial].
* Dr. LeRoy Louis Yates, Sr. '''+19651957?-2018''' (b. 1929 - d. 2018 Chi., IL). Dr. Yates was listed 1980-2007 in ''Who's Who among Black Americans''.* Beverly Joanne Pannell Yates '''+19651957?-current''' (b. 1931 MI; m. 1951 Chicago, IL), daughter of William "Willie" R. Pannell (b. 1903 Chi., IL) Olive Gertrude Davison Pannell-Perkins (b. 1904 Sturgis, St. Joseph, MI - d. 1947 Battle Creek, Calhoun, MI). Willie's mother was born in [[Spain]], his father in [[West Virginia]]. In 1950, Beverly was employed as a nurse at the Cook County Nurse's Home, under the direction of George P. Roberts (b. 1891 [[Greece]]).
=Sources=
* Ancestry.com