Long Beach resident becomes first Black executive director of Baptist Peace Fellowship

Written in collaboration with JackieRaeTV.com.

In its 44-year history, Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America (BPFNA) has named five executive directors. On June 1, the Long Beach resident Rev. William Moses Summerville began his role as executive director, becoming the first African American to hold the position.

In his new role, Summerville said he is committed to helping people understand political landscapes and empowering them to take meaningful action that advances BPFNA's mission of advocating for peace and fostering acceptance worldwide.

According to its website, the nondenominational organization currently serves more than 4,000 members from a variety of ethnicities, cultures and gender identities in the United States, Canada, Latin America and Africa.

Working in ministry and service is nothing new for Summerville. He began his faith journey at Canaan Missionary Baptist Church in Urbana, Illinois, where he was dedicated as a baby, then saved, baptized and confirmed his call to ministry.

Ordained after his first year at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, Summerville began his ministry as an Air Force Reserve chaplain and youth minister, eventually expanding into spiritual care in hospitals, academia and churches. For nearly two decades, he has served as a hospital and hospice chaplain across Los Angeles and Orange counties, and is the founding pastor of Kingdom Come Community Church.

With faith as his foundation, Summerville has never shied away from addressing the systemic obstacles that continue to plague the Black community. During his campaign for the 42nd Congressional District, he explained how the church has always been the focal point for Black liberation.

"When it comes to the Black church, there's really no separation between church and state," he said. "Our spiritual expression demands that we have liberation and freedom."

With a mindset and ministry focused on equality, Summerville's road to BPFNA seems destined. He first learned of the organization after responding to its call for papers regarding racial justice and racism awareness.

"God has called me for such a time as this," he said. Although he is the first African American to hold the position, he believes his role was always part of the founders' vision.

"I don't feel like I'm breaking a glass ceiling," he said. Still, he feels it is essential to set an example. "We have to wash this standardization of witness off of us," he said. "We're also here to engage and dismantle white nationalistic theology, because it's not Christian. It's not even evangelical."

While the goal of the founders was to ensure people from all walks of life were accepted and included, Summerville said he knows he would be remiss if he didn't acknowledge that his becoming the executive director was not without some challenges.

"It is and was a fight," he said. Ultimately, he believes God revealed himself, and the process serves as a reminder to look for the good in others whenever possible.

"Change is hard," he said. "People are sincere. People do care. Some felt compelled and convicted to leave [the organization], just as much as some felt convicted and compelled to stay."

Summerville said his background uniquely prepared him for this chapter in his ministry. His parents, who came from the segregated South, were often the first to integrate different establishments. Instead of focusing on being the first, he is working to ensure he is not the last.

"If I'm going to be in this space, I'm going to make sure that I'm not just a Black face in a high place," he said. "I'm going to push for real Black progress."

He also understands that people will scrutinize him more harshly, even if unintentionally. But he said he views scrutiny as an opportunity rather than a hindrance. "I'm grateful for the lineage and legacy of my parents, Willie T. and Valerian Summerville, who trained me for this," he said.

The goal of BPFNA and Summerville is to help facilitate peace throughout the world. To do that, he said, public officials and leaders in the United States must stop funding wars and inflating the military budget.

“One of the scriptures that the Bible states — where your treasure is, there your heart will be also," he said.

Summerville said peace requires both Republicans and Democrats to stop showing a propensity toward violence and killing others. He encourages others to join organizations like BPFNA to gain political education and learn how to demand change.

Learn more about the Rev. William Summerville and the mission of BPFNA here.