Our Spiritual leaders
Rev. Cromwell A. Handy
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Rev. Cromwell A. Handy, is the past pastor of Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church (2013-2022) and President of the Dexter Avenue King Legacy Foundation, Inc. He is currently the pastor of ‘The Church in Montgomery’ and is a native of Montgomery, AL and the son of the late Loyce Cromwell and Mrs. Dorothy Handy. He grew up in Mount Zion AME Zion Church in Montgomery, AL and is a past associate minister at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, Cincinnati, OH and Bethel Baptist Institutional Baptist Church in Jacksonville, FL. Rev. Handy attended ASU on a music scholarship and was a member of the symphonic band, brass ensemble, jazz band and the Mighty Marching Hornets.
Rev. Handy was selected ‘Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges’ and graduated with a BS degree in Accounting in 1980 from Alabama State University. He was employed by the US Department of Treasury for 30 years and retired in 2007. He held several senior level management positions which include: Branch Chief, North Florida District, Jacksonville, Florida; Special Agent in Charge, Cincinnati Field Office; and Director of Review & Programs Evaluation in Washington, DC, where he lead review teams of criminal investigation operations in the Boston, Charlotte, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Detroit Field Offices. As a collateral duty, he also served as an Equal Employment Opportunity Investigator.
While in Jacksonville, FL he attended Jacksonville (FL) Center for Biblical Studies, Jacksonville, FL. He has extensive training and experience in Executive Leadership, Team Leadership and Media/ Business acumen. He is currently the Director of Alumni Relations at Alabama State University and serves as a board member of the Alabama State University Foundation.
Rev. Handy has a true love for people, and he willing shares his gifts with the community. He was featured on WVAS- FM 90.7 each Sunday morning with the ‘Promises of God.’ Some of his achievements and servant-leadership activities include: recipient of a Certificate of Proclamation from the Mayor’s Office, City of Cincinnati, OH, proclaiming October 22, 2003 as “Cromwell A. Handy Day;” President, Association for the Improvement of Minorities (AIM-IRS), Birmingham Chapter; Board Member of LOVE Christian Academy (Charter School) Jacksonville, Florida; and President of Alabama State University-NAA, Cincinnati, OH, Alumni Chapter. He is a member of ‘100 Black Men of Greater Montgomery,’ the NAACP, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Inc and the Montgomery Baptist Ministers Union. He is the past President of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which was founded in 1955 to lead the Montgomery Bus Boycott. He also lead in the first ‘Rosa Parks Day Observance' in the State Of Alabama and the Centennial Birthday Celebration of the Honorable Judge Frank Johnson, Jr. He recently served on the host committee for the ‘World Council of Churches’ virtual tour 2022 and served as the guest lecturer for the 2023 NAACP Shelby Summit Ecumenical Service.
Rev. Handy was licensed for ministry at Bethel Baptist Institutional Church, Jacksonville, FL in 1998. He was ordained as a minister in 2003 and served as an associate minister at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church. His ministry and service to the Lord includes: Associate Minister Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, Cincinnati, OH; Congregational Leader for the Billy Graham Mission; Adam & Eve Marriage Ministry Leader & Workshop Presenter; Pre-Marital Counseling Workshops Leader; and organizer and teacher for weekly Bible Study, "Lunch and Live" in the Federal Building, Cincinnati, OH, for federal employees and the downtown business community (10/24/2001 - 2010); and numerous keynote addresses including the Emancipation of Proclamation – Talladega, AL, Alabama State Convention of NAACP – Mobile, AL and Alabama State Convention of SCLC – Tuscaloosa, AL.
Rev. Handy is married to Cynthia J. Handy, Director, Amazing Students Putting In Resilient Effort (ASPIRE) Mentoring Program- Alabama State University. They have two lovely daughters Candice Renee Handy, Actor (Cincinnati Shakespeare Theater) and Casey Christina Handy Smith, Esq., Houston, TX.
Rev. Handy’s favorite scripture is:
“For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
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Ephesians 2:10
Minister Cynthia Handy
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Cynthia J. Handy is a native of Montgomery, Alabama. She attended Montgomery Public Schools and received her high school diploma from George Washington Carver. Mrs. Handy is a graduate of Tuskegee University where she received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education. She is also a graduate of Alabama State University where she received a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education. Mrs. Handy has also studied at Ashland University, The University of North Florida where she received certification for teaching middle school English, and Miami University in Oxford, Ohio which enhanced her professional development as a lead teacher in the school system. Mrs. Handy has earned teacher certifications in Alabama, Georgia, Florida, and Ohio.
Mrs. Handy worked as a public school teacher for 30 years. In 2006 she was named teacher of the year for Mason City Schools in Mason, Ohio. In 2010 Mrs. Handy received the “Above and Beyond Award” from Mason City Schools Foundation for her work as creator of a Super Bowl style Black History Bowl for over 900 fifth grade students. In addition, she was selected to represent her school district as a member of the “Race Consortium” which focuses on the awareness of race and embraces differences in all people. Mrs. Handy is the Founder and Creator of ASPIRE,– Amazing Students Putting in Resilient Effort to stay in school – a tutoring and mentoring program. She currently serves as director of this program at Alabama State University. Mrs. Handy teaches ASU students how to be mentors to middle and high school students in the community.
Because of her love for the Lord, Mrs. Handy has worked with and served as a leader of several ministries within the church which include director of Christian Education, Sunday School Teacher, Women’s Ministry Bible Study Teacher, BEST(Bethel Enhancing Students Totally) Academy Teacher, and Vacation Bible School Director,. While at Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church, she served as Co – leader with her husband of the Adam and Eve Marriage Ministry and Annual Family Day.
Mrs. Handy is the wife of Rev. Cromwell A. Handy, Pastor of The Church in Montgomery. They have two daughters, Candice, who is the Director of Education for Cincinnati Shakespeare Company in Cincinnati, Ohio. Casey is a practicing attorney in Houston, Texas where she lives with her husband Wesley Smith. They have one son, Caleb, our grandson who is our pride and joy.
Meet Our Family
