PASTOR YVOMA BUTLER

Pastor Yvoma Butler was born in Mobile, Alabama and she is the third of five children born to the late Bishop Bryant and Mother Louise Robinson.  God was indeed the focal point of this closely knit family and her father spared no reservation of time to move his beloved family to Springfield, Massachusetts when she was four to elude the deep seeded prejudices of the South.  At the age of eleven Pastor’s father opened the Macedonia Church of God in Christ with his family and a few other saints.   In September 1953 she accepted the Lord as her personal Savior.

Growing up in Macedonia proved to be an excellent environment to nurture and encourage her development in the things of God.  It was during this time that she began to understand the meaning of the scripture “We walk by faith and not by sight.”

Pastor Yvoma Butler was always an attentive learner.  She excelled in all academic pursuits, which led to a degree in education from Westfield State University in Massachusetts.  Her professional career as an austere educator, which spanned a period of more than thirty-five years, began in Massachusetts and continued when she moved to Paterson, New Jersey. She was honored a Teacher of the Year while working as Public School Ten.  Aside from mastery as an exemplary teacher; she worked as a counselor in the CETA Program and served as Director of an INCA campsite.  Pastor has been involved in tutorial programs dealing with as-risk inner city children both in Springfield and in Paterson.

While attending the Youth Congress of the Church of God in Christ in Florida in 1966, she met and married Reverend William Howard Butler the following year, and to their union Michael David was born.  The Butler family represented an intrinsic part of ministry at Gilmore Memorial Tabernacle under the leadership of the late Bishop Clarence and Dr. Allene Gilmore for many years.  Specifically, Pastor served tirelessly as a Sunday School Teacher/Superintendent, choir member, Vacation Bible School teacher and program director.  Additionally, this phenomenal woman of God served as Secretary of Massachusetts State Youth Department, and the National Education committee of the Church of God in Christ.  While at Gilmore Memorial she served as leader of the Young Adult Fellowship that instituted the first young adult conference, an annual seniors’ picnic and a host of other community related activities.  Pastor was a founding member of IWC along with the founder, Dr. Allene Gilmore and served as the moderator and member of the Executive Board and is a recipient of the President’s Diamond Award (2010).

When her husband was called to open a church in 1982, she remained his greatest supporter throughout his awesome tenure of ministry.  Succumbing to a long battle with illness, Pastor Bill was called from earthly labor to his glorified heavenly home.  Nearing the close of his life on earth, God spoke to now Pastor Butler and called her to continue to lead the people of God in the vision that her husband began.

Pastor Butler has an abiding love for God and His people.  She recognizes the overarching importance of strong Christian families and Christian education.   Under her leadership, the ministry at Grace Gospel Church has developed a praise and worship team, dance ministry, Christian outreach team, Youth Conference, Step and Sign Ministry, Men’s/Women’s Conferences and a young adult/college ministry.   It is Pastor Butler’s heart desire to serve God in the beauty of holiness and to prove faithful for all He has done and continues to do in her life.  She recognizes that the Lord has been, is, and ever will be mighty and worthy of all glory.   

Pastor Yvoma Butler           2011