WASHINGTON TEMPLE
CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST
REMEMBERING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF OUR FIRST LADY
EVANGELIST VERA A. MADISON
Vera Anthony a former resident of Matthews, Union County, North Carolina. Her initial religious experience was at the tender age of twelve. She continued as a faithful member of her local family church Liberty Hill Baptist Church where she was an Usher and dedicated Sunday School teacher. She was Godly proud to be a Sunday School delegate representing her church in meetings. Upon graduating, she received a very distinctive award, The Bronze Citizen Award, for being the Most Outstanding Leader in her church, school, and community.
Sister Anthony migrated to Brooklyn, New York after graduating and she began visiting and worshipping at Washington Temple Church of God in Christ, 1372 Bedford Avenue, Brooklyn NY, pastored by Elder Frederick D. Washington in June 1962. She joined that same year and shortly thereafter, she was truly saved, sanctified and received the baptism of the Holy Ghost with speaking in other tongues as the Spirit gave utterance. She then enrolled in the New Members Bible Class taught then by Minister Robert Madison. She studied the Scriptures systematically for two years as required for all new members. While growing spiritually she worked in cosmetics and other upscale retail locations in New York City.
Sister Anthony’s call to the ministry was humbly acknowledged in the early sixties and God began using her faith and expounding in the Word as a single young woman. She sang in the Celestial Choir and worked with the Youth Hospitality Committee, of which she became President and served for several years. She worked in the District and later in the State Young Peoples’ Willing Workers (YPWW) Department, serving in various positions. The year 1967 took her life to a new level; on December 2, 1967, she was joined together in holy matrimony to Elder Robert L. Madison; to this union were born two children, Robert and Angela. After the birth of her children, she asked her pastor to allow her to resign as she felt led to become more involved in ministry in a spiritual way, as well as, to focus on the duties of a wife and mother.
Sister Madison continued to serve when and wherever she was needed and could avail herself. She had been instrumental in many projects: chaired the first and second Presidential Luncheon Banquets held at the fabulous Le Cordon Bleu Catering facility; she was instrumental in raising the needed funds to purchase robes for the FD Washington Memorial Boys Choir; she organized the first “Mr. & Miss Teen Pageant”; she helped to organize the missionaries into Missionary Alliance Boards One and Two; she served as Co-Chairlady of the Women’s Department of the Church for 15 years. No task was too great or too small, be it helping to restore the pews or visiting the sick in the hospital, house to house ministry, or tarrying with those for the Holy Ghost. With great dedication, Sister Madison who served as a Missionary of the local church eventually received her Evangelist license under Jurisdictional Supervisor Mother Creola Wallace.
Within the home, she was indeed the epitome of the Proverbs 31 Woman. She spared no expense in assisting her husband and raising their children. She helped by praying with them and teaching them the Bible faithfully. She had prayer meetings in various homes and helped to witness in the streets and market places.
Evangelist Vera Madison loved the Word of God. She enjoyed teaching, learning in Bible Class or just reading her Bible. She made notations and has books of notes and sermons that are filled with gems for Holy Living. Even during this long illness, just knowing her Bible was near, regardless of the location made her feel better. She would say, “They know not to treat me wrong because they see my Bible with me.” This is because she knew there is power in His word!
Evangelist Vera Madison was also privileged to serve, for a period of time, as Jurisdictional President of the Pastors, Elders and Ministers’ Wives Alliance, under the Jurisdictional Supervisor, Mother Creola Wallace, Bishop Ithiel C. Clemmons, Jurisdictional Prelate. She also worked in that department and served as one of the Seminar Leaders of the Women’s Department and was given several opportunities to be the keynote speaker. Until her demise, she served as the First Lady of the North Shore District, which her husband is the Superintendent in the First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of Eastern New York, Bishop James Gaylord, Jurisdictional Prelate, Mother Marcell Harris, Supervisor; First Lady of Washington Temple Church of God in Christ, Brooklyn NY and Washington Temple Church of God In Christ of Brentwood, NY and Beloved by the People of Trinidad and Tobago. When the Brentwood Church was birthed, she spared no expense in assisting in the décor. Having carpeting in the aisles alone was not to her satisfaction and because she desired wall-to-wall carpeting in the House of the Lord she donated $5,000 to complete this beautification process. Additionally, she assisted in
witnessing to those in the Brentwood area.
Evangelist Vera Madison - A great Teacher, Counselor, Advisor, Example and a tremendous help to her husband/pastor. The Lord endowed this great Woman of God with an anointing to minister to the needs of all types of individuals. It was through her many gifts and yielding to the Lord that so many lives have continued to be encouraged and inspired to seek deeper depths, and maintain a closer walk with Jesus Christ. Truly she lived her life to be “Rapture Ready”.
Evangelist Vera Madison departed this earthly life on December 15, 2019, en route to her Heavenly Home.
First Lady Madison is truly missed and will always be held close and very dear to our hearts.
