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Politically active pastor dies at 75
The pastor’s ‘love and mentorship will be missed.’
YOUNGSTOWN — Those who knew longtime pastor the Rev. Jay Alford say he led by example by staying active in politics and community affairs.
The Rev. Mr. Alford, 75, pastor of Highway Tabernacle Church in Austintown from 1973 to 2002, died Tuesday. Arrangements are by Lane Funeral Home in Austintown.
“He was a spiritual father to me,” is how the Rev. Rusty Wills, pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church in Poland, described Mr. Alford. “There is a void in my heart.”
The Rev. Mr. Wills said he came to know Mr. Alford through the Greater Youngstown Coalition of Christians, which Mr. Alford helped organize.
Mr. Wills praised Mr. Alford for his work in race relations. “He made a real commitment to demonstrate his beliefs through his own lifestyle,” Mr. Wills said, noting Mr. Alford moved to Youngstown to be involved. “He didn’t just talk about change, he lived it. And did what God called him to do.
“He wasn’t about building a mega church but building the kingdom of God,” Mr. Wills said, noting he thought Mr. Alford was instrumental in the founding of 18 area churches.
Mr. Alford was a local leader in the successful fight to stop two statewide gambling initiatives. Mr. Alford vocally opposed a 1996 ballot referendum to legalize riverboat gambling and a 2006 plan to have casino gambling in Ohio.
He also involved himself in Youngstown politics after retiring from Highway Tabernacle and moving to the city.
He is perhaps best known for organizing about 100 local pastors to publicly support Jay Williams, who successfully ran as an independent in the 2005 Youngstown mayoral election.
Mr. Alford created a political group in late 2006, Citizens for Public Service, that he envisioned would combine the voting power of minorities and the faith-based community to elect leaders who, he said at the time, “will recognize their responsibility to God and to the citizens who elect them.”
The organization endorsed candidates for Youngstown Council in the May 2007 Democratic primary.
Shortly thereafter, Mr. Alford had serious health issues that kept him away from politics and community activism.
The Rev. Gary Frost, formerly of Youngstown, now pastor of Evergreen Baptist Church in Brooklyn, N.Y., and director of Emerging Leadership for the New York Leadership Center, said he first was “inspired” by Mr. Alford when the pastor presented the television segment, “Five Minutes to Live By.”
The Rev. Mr. Frost, who served 18 years as pastor of Rising Star Baptist Church, and later as second vice president of the National Southern Baptist Convention, was co-chairman of the Spiritual Board of Overseers of Greater Youngstown Coalition of Christians with Mr. Alford.
“He was passionate in his actions,” Mr. Frost said. “He was not interested in being politically correct, but biblically correct. And he was not bound by denominational lines.”
Mr. Frost said the community now faces a loss. “But this a clarion call for someone to step up. No one can fill his shoes, but someone can take on his mission.”
Mr. Alford also was praised by the Rev. Lonnie Simon, pastor emeritus of New Bethel Baptist Church.
“He was interested in political and social action,” said the Rev. Mr. Simon, who also was actively involved in the civil rights movement. “Of all the Caucasian ministers I know, he was at the top,” Mr. Simon said. “He was a well-rounded person and very ecumenical. He was part of the interfaith movement.”
The Rev. Philip Imler, founder and pastor for 26 years of the former Christian Fellowship Tabernacle, said he and Mr. Alford became acquainted in the 1980s when Highway Tabernacle held Youngstown for Jesus events. “He believed the spiritual renewal of the faith community of Youngstown would lead to economic, political and social renewal.
“He was greatly concerned about racial reconciliation in the city,” Rev. Mr. Imler said, noting that Mr. Alford took on many challenges. “He would get on the phone, orchestrate things and take the initiative.”
Mr. Imler said his church began Jubilee Urban Renewal in 1990, and when it was ready to go to the next level, Mr. Alford and the coalition did just that.
Mr. Imler said he would describe Mr. Alford as an “intense and intentional person.”
“He was intentional in taking action,” Mr. Imler said, noting that Mr. Alford and his wife attended a different church each Sunday.
XDavid Skolnick, politics writer, contributed to this report