ABOUT OUR FOUNDATION

 

Continuing a Legacy

Founded in 2017, The Charles and Etta Dudley Foundation has been working hard with the help of our members and volunteers to help individuals in our community. Our work is dedicated to funding and delivering charitable services, and we strive to inspire and improve the lives of those who need assistance. Get in touch to learn how you can make a difference at our Charitable Foundation.

The Charles and Etta Dudley Foundation has been newly established in an effort to continue the legacy ministry achievements of Elder & Mrs. Charles Edward Dudley specifically to the South Central Conference and generally to Black Adventism.

           Charles Edward Dudley, Sr., was born in South Bend, Indiana, on February 1, 1927, to Joseph and Julia Dudley. He was the last of eight children – Arthur, Clarence, Joseph Dudley Jr., A. Gaynes Thompson, Lucille, Alfred, Martha and Charles Dudley. His grandparents were among the original sixteen freed slaves who established the Thomas Chapel Colored Methodist Episcopal Church on the banks of the Mississippi River in Hickman, Kentucky at the end of World War I.  His parents moved to South Bend, Indiana and were among the founding fathers of the Grace African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church.

       After his father's demise, his mother became a member of the Berean Seventh Day Adventist Church in South Bend and reared their four children in the faith. The children were educated in the public schools of South Bend, however, Charles for a short period attended the Seventh-day Adventist elementary school in Kansas City, Missouri. His education was in the public schools of South Bend through the eleventh grade. He transferred to Oakwood Academy of Seventh-day Adventists in Huntsville, Alabama, and graduated in 1944. He attended Emmanuel Mission College (presently Andrews University) in Berrien Springs, Michigan during the mid-forties, but returned to Oakwood College to complete his college education.

       After graduation he served in the Seventh-day Adventist pastoral ministry in Knoxville, Jackson, Humboldt and Memphis, Tennessee; Clarksdale, Mississippi; Greenville and Montgomery, Alabama. He continued his pastorate in the Southwestern part of the United States in Baton Rouge and Alexandria, Louisiana; before serving in Dallas, Mosier Valley and Waco, Texas, and later in the office of the treasury of the Southwest Region Conference. He served the church for more than fifty years--nineteen years as a pastor and 31 1/2 years as Administrator for the South Central Conference in Nashville, Tennessee.  In 1962 he was elected president of the South Central Conference of Seventh-day Adventists. He owns the distinction of serving as an administrator for the denomination longer than anyone in the history of the Seventh-day Adventist Church. His capable leadership is felt around the world.  In addition to their three children, Bonita, Charles II and Albert, he and his wife adopted and helped to educate several children from other countries, particularly on the continent of Africa.

        Etta Mae Maycock Dudley was born May 30, 1922 in Atlanta, Georgia to Albert and Pauline Price Maycock, and grew up in Indianapolis, Indiana. She was the 7th of eight children - Leontine, Manley, Raulins, Ruth, Audrey, Mary, Etta, and Harold. She enrolled at Oakwood College (now Oakwood University) in Huntsville, Alabama where she graduated with an associate degree in Secretarial Science in 1947. On December 28, 1947 Etta M. Maycock married Elder Dudley. Dedicated to her husband and to the ministry to which they were both called, Etta accompanied her husband from Memphis to Montgomery, Alabama (where they met [then] Pastor Martin Luther King Jr.).  In 1955, Etta and Charles were called to the Southwest Region Conference to minister at Berean Seventh-day Adventist Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and then in 1958, at the City Temple Seventh-day Adventist Church in Dallas, Texas.  While in Dallas Etta began using her secretarial degree  as secretary to her husband and later as secretary to Southwest Region Conference officers Lee Paschal and James Merideth. When her husband Charles was called back to the South Central Conference in Nashville to become president in August 1962, she served as his personal secretary for thirty years.

         Etta's life was all about ministry–to the poor, to the rich, to the homeless, to the sick, to children and adults, and as first lady of the conference, to the wives of other ministers, individually and through the Shepherdess Club.  Her infectious smile was ever present, and her tender heart touched the lives of many.  She was a seamstress, pianist, artist, friend, mentor, children's story teller, bread maker, mother, wife, sister, and overall beautiful person–inside and out!

           During their travels they also served as ambassadors for the church when visiting many lands and continents around the world which included the United States, Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, Africa, Europe, China and the Far East, Hawaii and Alaska.

           During his years as president, phenomenal progress was realized.  The South Central Conference membership increased from an initial 4,300 to 23,000; tithe incomes increased from $210,000.00 to over $7,000,000.00; pastors increased from 19 to 67; the teaching staff from 13 to 68. Over 100 new congregations were organized throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Kentucky, Tennessee and Northwest Florida. More than 100 church and school buildings were constructed/purchased. Over 130 ministerial interns were sponsored to the Andrews University Seminary program. Seven federally-subsidized housing complexes for the elderly and needy were built.  Over $16,000,000 was given for the support of Oakwood College.

 

A stalwart lover of young people, Dudley had a deep commitment to the development of the Black Adventist church and ministries. He relentlessly advocated for equity and a just allocation of resources for the Regional Conferences and churches. He was very innovative and a student of church policy. These two traits uniquely equipped him to seek and execute strategies that fostered the growth of the Regional membership and workers.

 

                  Some of his lasting innovations are:

Founding member and first leader of The Caucus of Black Leaders in the NAD and The North American Regional Voice publication – 1979-1992; Creator of the Black SDA Archives Program for the South Central Conference – 1990; Established the only conference based The Supplemental Retirement Program of the SCC (forerunner of the Regional Retirement Plan) – 1984; Established The Annual Regional Evangelism Council (now PELC) at Oakwood College with Dr. E. E. Cleveland & Dr. Robert. L. Woodfork and George Earle; Instigated the establishment of the  Regional Scholarships for Black Medical/Dental and Graduate Students at the General

Conference of SDA – 1972; Monthly subsidies for education from the General Conference and Union Conference were enacted – 1972;Evangelism Blitz Program in Natchez, Mississippi – 1971; Infiltration Ministries in the NAD - 1968; Inner Cities Ministries and Friendship Camps with Elder Earl W. Moore – 1965; Black Adventist Medical/Dental Organizations of SDA for the North American Division – 1968;  NAD Black Presidents’ Council – 1962; Instituted a Student Intern Auditing Program for Black SDA Youth; Southwest Region Academy in Dallas, Texas – 1958;

 

              He was a mentor in church leadership to countless Black and White administrators. A sample of Pastors who served under his leadership and went on to stellar service to the SDA Church are:

The late Elder Jesse R. Wagner who became president of the Lake Region Conference.

Dr. Charles D. Joseph who became president of the Lake Region Conference.

The late Richard C. Brown, Sr. who served as president of the Lake Region Conference.

Dr. Norman K. Miles, former professor at the Andrews University in Berrien Springs, Michigan who served as president of the Lake Region Conference.

Elder Ralph P. Peay, former president – South Atlantic Conference.

The late Elder John A. Simons, former treasurer – South Central, Central States and South Atlantic Conferences.

Elder James M. Doggette Sr., former president, Southeastern Conference.

Elder Donald A. Walker, former treasurer, South Central and Southeastern Conferences.

Elder Gerald D. Penick, who served as president, Southeastern California Conference.

The late Dr. Donald L. Crowder, former president, Central States Conference and evangelist for the Caribbean Conference.

Dr. Sherman H. Cox, former president, Central States Conference and Student’s pastor at Oakwood College.

Elder Steven P. Ruff, former editor, Message Magazine.

Elder Robert L. Lister, former president, Southwest Region Conference.

The late Dr. W. J. Cleveland, former president, Southwest Region Conference

The late Dr. Harold L. Cleveland, former president, Allegheny West Conference.

Elder L. Chacha, president, Tanzania Union Conference- Africa.

The late Elder Randolph P. Stafford, union evangelist for the Eastern Africa Division.

Elder Henry M. Wright, former president, Allegheny West Conference.

The late Elder Fred N. Crowe, treasurer, Lake Region and South Central Conferences

Elder Joseph W. McCoy, former Youth Ministries Director, Secretary and President, South Central Conference

Elder Benjamin P. Browne, former Secretary and President, South Central Conference

Elder Dana C. Edmond, former Youth Ministries Leader, Secretary and President, South Central Conference.

Elder Benjamin E. Jones, President, South Central Conference

Elder Seth Bardu, former treasurer, South Central Conference, Columbia Union Conference.

Elder Hector M. Mouzon, Jr., Former Director of Regional Affairs, Washington Conference

  His numerous degrees and awards included:

Doctor of Laws – Union Baptist Seminary Birmingham, Alabama –      1969

Doctor of Divinity – London Institute of Applied Research – London, England – 1973

Doctor of Divinity – Andrews SDA University – Berrien Springs, Michigan – 1992

  He was a humanitarian, minister, church organizer, builder, promoter, innovator, writer, historian and world traveler.  His columns appeared in the Adventist Review, Southern Tidings, Ministry Magazine, Adventgechichte Magazine (German), the Harambee News Journal and the North American Regional Voice, He also served as Chairman for the Board of Directors and as a contributing editor for 13 years with the“Voice”.  Dr. Charles Dudley was the author and publisher of three historical books:“Thou Who Hath Brought Us…” (1997), “The Genealogy of Ellen Gould Harmon White” (1999) and “Thou Who Hast Brought Us Thus Far On Our Way” (2000) and he was totally committed to the service of mankind in all parts of the world. He had a deep interest in people on all continents around the globe consistently working to help build Christian relationships between every nation, kindred tongue and people. To God be the Glory!

 

 

The mission of the Foundation is to carry on the vision and legacy of Charles and Etta Dudley by enhancing the educational development of minority and disadvantaged students at the elementary, secondary and college levels.  The aim of the Foundation is to raise funds to build an endowment and provide resources for scholarships and capital improvements for education facilities in the South Central Conference and beyond.