It has been over a year since the Rev. Otis Moss III took over as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.
It has been over a year since the Rev. Otis Moss III took over as pastor of Trinity United Church of Christ.
But Sunday, under the backdrop of a 150-plus voice choir, with a guest list that included clergy, churches and organizations from around the nation, and with a strong edict from his highly revered father, Moss was installed as the fifth spiritual leader of the church.
Trinity officially welcomed its “Joshua” with a bevy of speakers, choral selections, a pageantry of praise dancing and even a traditional African performance.
The new pastor held his head in his hands and wept as his father, speaking from biblical passages in the book of Joshua, told an often personal story of how God would keep the junior Moss through his pastoral journey. Moss Jr. reflected all the way back to the family’s slavery roots to offer his son poignant words of spiritual wisdom and epithets of encouragement.
“So God was with Moses, so God will be with you,” Otis Moss Jr., pastor emeritus of Olivet Institutional Baptist Church in Cleveland, said during Sunday’s installation service.
The father exuded pride.
“You are our beloved son in whom we are well pleased,” the Rev. Moss Jr. said, speaking also for his wife and the newly installed pastor’s mother.
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In photos: (Main photo) The reverends Otis Moss III (left) and Otis Moss Jr. (right) embrace Sunday at Moss III’s Trinity church installation service.
(Middle photo) Elders, ministers and other clergy leaders lay hands on the Rev. Otis Moss III, as the Rev. Wayne Croft of The Church of the Redeemer Baptist in Philadelphia, foreground, prays during Moss’ installation service Sunday at Trinity United Church of Christ.
(Bottom photo) The Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright speaks as he passes Trinity church’s mantle on to the new pastor, the Rev. Otis Moss III (seated right).
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