As a church that is Growing for God's Glory, we are blessed to have a Pastor and First Lady who are rooted in the Word and possess experience and wisdom.

The Rev. William D. Watley has been the Senior Pastor of St James AME Church since 1984. A graduate of St. Louis University, Rev. Watley also holds a Mastor of Divinity degree from the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta and a Master of Philosophy and Doctor of Philosophy from the joint doctoral program of Columbia University and Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

The former college president is noted for the scholarly sermons and as the published author and co-author of many books. In the field of ecumenism, he has held offices in numerous organizations, including the National Council of Churches and the World Council of Churches. Presently, he is on the executive and theology committees for the World Methodist Council.

While Muriel Watley is the light of our Pastor's eye, she also uses her gifts and talents to help uplift the congregation and serve the community beyond St James AME. Since she was a teenager, Mrs. Watley has always had a commitment to service. Over the years Mrs. Watley has been the host of a weekly television talk show, a supervisor of marketing research and created and served as director of a teen pregnancy prevention program.

In the life of the church, Mrs. Watley is supervisor of the Women's Missionary Society.

All members of the Watley family play an active role in church leadership. Marian Watley, our Pastor's mother, has been a steadfast leader of youth ministries and is the coordinator of New Life Ministry.

Their daughter, Jennifer Watley Maxwell, has been a driving force behind the church's Youth Ministries and was a member of the Stewardess Board prior to relocating to Atlanta, GA.

Their son, the Rev. Mathew L. Watley, is presently Youth Minister at Reid Temple AME Church in Lanham, MD, and their son-in-law, Charles Maxwell, was a member of the St James AME ministerial staff prior to relocating along with his wife, Jennifer and daughter Madison.