Presiding Elder Ellis B. Louden
Reverend Ellis B. Louden was born in the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the late Barnell and Clarabelle Ellis Louden. Educated in the Philadelphia Public School System, he received his Bachelor of Arts Degree from Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio and a Master of Divinity Degree from Boston University School of Theology at Boston, Massachusetts. Rev. Louden was called to the ministry during the pastorate of the late Reverend Eustace L Blake at Jones Tabernacle African Methodist Episcopal Church in Philadelphia.
It is notable that Ellis enjoyed music in all its forms. During his elementary school years, he sang in the Philadelphia Boys Choir. In high school he sang in the Benjamin Franklin High School Choir and the All City (Philadelphia) High School Choir and Opera Workshop. At Wilberforce was a member of the Wilberforce University Choir and in seminary a member of the Boston University Seminary Singers. Of course, he enjoyed his tenure in singing at Jones Tabernacle in the Youth Choir, the Philadelphia (AME) Youth Conference Choir and finally the Jones Tabernacle Senior Choir. At times, he directed special choral music at Mount Zion, Dover and sang with the Delaware State University Choir and Union Associates on special occasions.
Rev. Louden served as an Associate at the St. Paul AME Church, Cambridge, Massachusetts when the Rt. Rev. John R. Bryant, 108th elected and consecrated Bishop (Retired) was pastor. He also served as Assistant Chaplain at Marsh Chapel, Boston University, when the Reverend Floyd H. Flake served as interim chaplain for the Chapel. He pastured Bethel AME Church Lynn, Massachusetts, and Bethel AME Church Bridgeport, Connecticut. While in Bridgeport, he led the congregation in the purchase of a parsonage at 25 Grey Rock Road and the church edifice at 110 Grove Street. He served the community in several capacities, including being the first African American appointed to the Civil Service Commission of the city. However, his most enjoyable serve was as president of the Ministerial Alliance of Bridgeport and Vicinity.
While pastor of Mount Zion AME Church in Norristown, Pennsylvania, he served as president of the Norristown Ministerium, member of the Executive Board Norristown Branch NAACP and member of the Community Liaison Committee for the Norristown Area School District. He led the congregation in a $750,000 project which included the building of a multi-purpose center, narthex, and general renovation to the church building. The Norristown congregation honored Rev. Louden by naming the multi- purpose center auditorium "Ellis B. Louden Hall". Also, during his tenure in Norristown, Rev. Louden served as president of the Religious committee for Community Justice in Montgomery County. The organization in collaboration with Habitat for Humanity won a $500,00 grant from the William Penn Foundation to deal with issues relating to crime, jobs, and the rehabilitation of houses in the Cherry Street area of Norristown.
In June of 1997, Rev. Louden was appointed to serve his "home" church, Jones Tabernacle. During his tenure Jones Tabernacle entered a major restoration project, in which the congregation through grants and monies raise was able to do $200,000 of work re-pointing masonry, repair to slate roof and flat roof of the church edifice. In the Philadelphia Annual Conference, Pastor Louden served as secretary of the Annual Conference, secretary of the conference Board of Trustees, member of the Board of Examiners and Dean of the Philadelphia Conference ministerial Institute. He formerly served on the Connectional Strategic Planning Team of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and was president of the African Methodist Episcopal Preachers' Meeting of Philadelphia and Vicinity. In addition, Rev. Louden served on the Advisory Board of the Urban Theological Institute, Lutheran Seminary at Philadelphia and served on the Board of Directors of Children's Service, Inc. of Philadelphia.
In June of 2008 Rev. Louden was appointed pastor Of Mount Zion AME church Dover, Delaware. Some accomplishments included major restoration of stain glass window at entrance of edifice, reestablishment of the Commissions of the Local church in addition to the Historical and Archives Commission. Expanding the Back to School into a Community Fair, which in the latter two years brought together John Wesley AME, Calvary Baptist and Solid Rock Baptist in a joint effort to provide a stronger presence in the community through educational, political, health, economic and social information. It was the first time such church cooperation happened in the immediate community; the purchase of Queen Street property. In the Delaware Conference, Rev. Louden served as an instructor for the Conference Ministerial Institute and later its Dean; member of the Conference Board of Examiners; chair, Delaware Conference Music Committee; president, Delaware Conference Ministerium. Rev. Louden formerly served on the Wilberforce University Board of Trustees He presently serves as Treasurer of the Annual Conference. In the greater Dover community Rev. Louden serves in the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Dover and Vicinity, Board of Directors for the Dover Interfaith Mission for Housing, and Chaplin for Dover City Council. Rev. Louden is member of Alpha Phi Alpha and life member of the Wilberforce University Alumni Association. He also proudly serves as president of his Philadelphia Family Reunion Club, which is one of three clubs, the others, in Cokesbury, Greenwood County SC, and Evanston, IL.
During the Founders' Day Celebration in Philadelphia, February 10, 2018, Rev. Ellis B. Louden was appointed Presiding Elder of the Dover District Delaware Annual Conference by Bishop Gregory G.M. Ingram, Presiding Prelate of the First Episcopal District.