At the close of the Southern California Annual Conference on September 28, the Reverend Dr. Timothy E. Tyler was appointed as the pastor of First AME Church (FAME) in Los Angeles, California, by Bishop Francine A. Brookins. Rev. Tyler previously served as pastor of Denver’s oldest African American Church, Shorter Community African Methodist Episcopal Church. AT FAME, he succeeds Rev. Robert R. Shaw II.
Born on January 30, 1964, in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised in Los Angeles, California, Reverend Tyler is the son of the late Bishop Carolyn E. Tyler Guidry and Mr. Cary Bernard Tyler. Reverend Tyler earned a Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio; a Master of Divinity degree from Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Mass Communications/Journalism from Morris Brown College, Atlanta, Georgia. Dr. Tyler is a former adjunct professor of Homiletics at the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, California, and Eden Theological Seminary in St. Louis, Missouri.
Dr. Tyler’s former pastoral charges include Wayman AME Church in St. Louis, Missouri; Johnson Chapel A.M.E. Church in Santa Ana, California; Christ Our Redeemer A.M.E. Church, Kansas City, Missouri; and Wilkes Chapel A.M.E. Church in Atlanta, Georgia. As Senior Pastor at Johnson Chapel in Santa Ana, Dr. Tyler implemented a unique paradigm for community ministry, based on his Doctoral Dissertation entitled “Developing Hispanic Ministry in the African American Church.” He established a Spanish-language worship service, children’s church, and Bible Study.
Dr. Tyler helped to organize a Resist Forward Summit, bringing together over 52 progressive activist organizations for a day of activism training. Dr. Tyler continues to serve as convener of the Resist Forward Coalition. In addition to his community service, he was appointed to the Colorado State Clemency Board
Dr. Tyler was recognized as one of “Twenty to Watch” by the African American Pulpit Magazine. Other honors and awards include Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc. Citizen of the Year 2010; Denver Sertoma Club Service to Mankind Award 2010; Desert/Mountain Conference Lay Organization Outstanding Pastor of the Year 2010; Fifth District Lay Organization Outstanding Pastor of the Year 2010; Desert/Mountain Conference Young People’s and Children’s Division Pastor of the Year 2009-2010; Served as the Chaplain of the Colorado State House of Representatives 2008-2009; 2009-2010. He was also elected the youngest ministerial delegate to the A.M.E. Church General Conference from the 5th District in 2000; Community Service Award from the Orange County NAACP Clergy/Citizen Award 1997; selected as a Congress of National Black Churches Ministry Fellow in 1991. He was recently recognized for community service by the Urban League of Metropolitan Denver, the Epsilon Nu Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha
Sorority, Inc., the Denver Alumni Chapter of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc., the ACLU of Colorado, and the Sertoma Club of Denver. Dr. Tyler has served on a community advisory committee for the Denver District Attorney’s office.
Reverend Tyler was most recently nominated to the 2023 Morehouse College Board of Preachers. He was appointed in January of 2011 to the Colorado State Judicial Performance Commission. Dr. Tyler is also the Chairman of the Dean of Instruction for the 5th Episcopal District of the AME Church. Dr. Tyler is the founder of the Wayman Community Development Corporation. He is also a former board member of the People’s Community Development Corporation and the Missouri Foundation for Health. Dr. Tyler is a life member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.
Dr. Tyler is married to Dwinita Mosby Tyler, and they have three adult children: two daughters, Jasmine and Imani, and a son, Chinelo, an AME licentiate.
