Update: Rest in Peace: A.M.E. Pastor and L.A Civil Rights Icon Cecil “Chip” Murray Passes

By Bo Tefu, Antonio Ray Harvey, Lila Brown and Joe W. Bowers Jr. | California Black Media

The Rev. Dr. Cecil L. “Chip” Murray, former pastor of First African Methodist Episcopal Church (FAME) in Los Angeles, died of natural causes April 6 at his Windsor Hills Home. He was 94.

“Today, we lost a giant. Reverend Dr. Cecil Murray dedicated his life to service, community, and putting God first in all things. I had the absolute honor of working with him, worshiping with him, and seeking his counsel,” said Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass of the dynamic religious leader whose ministry inspired and attracted millionaires as well as former gang bangers and people dealing with substance use disorder (SUD). Murray oversaw the growth of FAME’s congregation from 250 members to 18,000.  “My heart is with the First AME congregation and community today as we reflect on a legacy that changed this city forever,” Bass continued. Murray served as Senior Minister at FAME, the oldest Black congregation in the city, for 27 years. During that time, various dignitaries visited and he built strong relationships with political and civic leaders in the city and across the state, as well as a number of Hollywood figures. Several national political leaders also visited with Murray and his congregation at FAME, including Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton. Murray, a Florida native and U.S. Air Force vet, attended Florida A&M University, where he majored in history, worked on the school newspaper and pledged Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity. He later attended Claremont School of Theology in Los Angeles County, where he earned his doctorate in Divinity. Murray is survived by his son Drew.

His wife Bernadine, who was a committed member of the A.M.E. church and the daughter of his childhood pastor, died in 2013

The Southern Truth

By Gloria Zuurveen, Editor-in-Chief 

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass today issued the following statement:  “Today we lost a giant. Reverend Dr. Cecil Murray dedicated his life to service, community, and putting God first in all things. I had the absolute honor of working with him, worshiping with him, and seeking his counsel. My heart is with the First AME congregation and community today as we reflect on a legacy that changed this city forever.”

Waking up this morning to the news about the Reverend Murray’s passing was heartbreaking and cause me to reflect on his lasting legacy of leadership for me as, after hearing the news, Mayor Bass above has reflected on Dr. Murray’s leadership and legacy. Truly we’ve lost a giant, a huge spiritual and cultural legacy of leadership in the Los Angeles Black community.  When preaching, Rev. Murray could make the Word of God healing by soothing the congregants with practical spirit-filled messages of hope and possibility and he provided tangible evidence with education, housing, economic empowerment and a host of other progressive and creative programs that would lift up the community of Los Angeles and especially after the 92 riots that wreaked havoc on so many people in the community. It was Rev. Murray with his message and movement for self-preservation programs to sustain the community itself from the inside. He was moved with compassion and it showed through the evidence around the city. Jobs were being filled for Disney, Television studios, and all manner of corporate entities. This is the kind of works happened under the leadership and Dr. Murray’s legacy. Dr. Murray would fight for his community and he fought for what was right. He showed others how to see the light and because of him and the message he carried was powerful and provocative and it opened many doors because he spoke the truth and he wasn’t afraid of those in power.  Whether he preached about David and Goliath or one of the New Testament books if you came to FAME you were hooked. Hooked on how Rev. Murray brought forth the power from the Word and made it so practical and plain. How did he do it? By doing it Jesus Way. He delegated the ministry and made all of his disciples important in their own way and this is why so many of us miss him as we hear the news of his passing today.

Well done thy  good and faithful servant now move on to greater heights leaving enough memories for us all to carry the Light like Rev. Murray and also to do what is right in God’s sight.

FAME has the history of having beheld the Legacy Leader, Rev. Murray and the flow of his powerful spirit that set FAME aflame with the power of his presence and that will always live on in the hearts and minds of, not just Black people, but all people, in Los Angeles. Rev. Murray demonstrated faith and power were contagious. Dr. Murray’s marks of success are shown by those who crossed his path and who are in esteemed leadership roles  today including Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, Dr. Rhonda T. Crawford, Director at USC Supplier Diversity Services, and a host of distinguished others who’ve benefited from Dr. Murray’s light and leadership. USC is an institution who can add to the claim. It was USC that Rev. Murray was instrumental in raising up a cadre of community leaders at the Cecil Murray Center for Community Engagement where ministers were molded and equipped to empower their communities replicating the power in duplicating success in building communities. Rev. Dr. Murray, as Mayor Bass said, dedicated his life to putting God first in all thing and today if we remember one thing about Dr. Murray and keeping his legacy of living and loving that would be to do as he did, “Put God first in all thing.” Dr. Murray lived the promise of the Scripture in Matthew 6:33 “ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” So too should we.  Thank you Rev. Dr. Cecil “Chip” Murray for leaving Los Angeles a Legacy of Leadership.

Stay tuned for updates.