ATLANTA, GA — At the 6th Episcopal District Planning Meeting on June 2nd, Rev. Dr. Anton G. Elwood, Sr. was appointed as the pastor of St. Philip AME Church in Atlanta, Georgia, by Bishop Reginald T. Jackson. He succeeds the Rev. Dr. William D. Watley, who retired from 60 years of service in active ministry at the 2023 session of the Atlanta-North Georgia Conference.
Elwood most recently served as the pastor of New Mt. Zion AME Church in Tallahassee, Florida. A native of New Orleans, Louisiana, Dr. Elwood is a graduate of United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, with a Doctor of Ministry degree; a graduate of The Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia, with a Masters of Divinity, Psychology of Religion, Pastoral Care and Counseling; and a graduate of Bethune-Cookman College, Daytona Beach, Florida with a Bachelors of Philosophy and Religion.
His keynote credits include but are not limited to: Job Corp Youth Empowerment Series, Atlanta, Georgia; Thurgood Marshall Scholarship Fund Leadership Summit, Manhattan, New York; Florida A&M University Commencement Speaker, Tallahassee, Florida; Florida A&M University Developmental Research School Baccalaureate Speaker, Tallahassee, Florida; Juvenile Transition Center Boynton Beach, Florida; Simpson Pen Center for Boys, Nassau Bahamas; to name a few. Determined to use every gift he has been given to the glory of God, Elwood also hosted a weekly FM radio show, The Capital City Power Lunch, which reached a myriad of audiences by taking the cool approach to hot topics that affect the church universally.
Elwood is married to Shawana Alicia Elwood. They are the proud parents of a daughter, Kaylin Alyse, and a son, Anton G. Elwood, II “Tony”. He is a member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc.