Lane College announces guest speaker for baccalaureate ceremony

Lane College announces guest speaker for baccalaureate ceremony

Lane College is proud to announce the Rev. Peris J. Lester, I, will be the guest speaker at their

baccalaureate ceremony at 5 p.m. on Friday, April 28 in the William H. Graves Auditorium and

Chapel of the Chambers-McClure Academic Center.

The Rev. Lester is a native of Chicago, Illinois, and is the sixth child of the late T.C. and Lina M.

Lester. After his mother died, the Rev. Lester was raised by his aunt and uncle Rural and Donald

Andrews. The Rev. Lester was educated in the public schools of Chicago and is a graduate of

Chicago Vocational High School (CVS).

After completing high school, the Rev. Lester received a full scholarship to Southern Illinois

University in Mortuary Science. After submitting to the will of God, he turned it down to preach

the Word of God. He then attended Lane College and received a B.A. in English and also served

as the Administrator for Chapel Services and President of the prestigious Lane College Concert

Choir from 1991-1993.

On October 22, 1989 the Rev. Lester accepted his call to ministry at his home church, Carter

Temple CME Church in Chicago, under the pastorate of the Rev. (now Bishop) Henry M.

Williamson Sr. Since that time, God has blessed him to serve several CME churches across the

country: New Carmel CME, Jackson, Tenn., Farmer Chapel CME, Brownville, Tenn., Saint Paul

CME, Lone Oak, Ga., Lowes Temple CME, Grantville, Ga. and Jamison Memorial CME in St.

Louis, Mo.

From August 2002 through August 2010 the Rev. Lester served as the proud reverend of the

Lewis Metropolitan CME Church, affectionately known as “The Metro” in Los Angeles, Ca.

Also from 2008-2010 he served as the Presiding Elder of the Great Los Angeles District, while

continuing to serve as reverend of Lewis Metropolitan. While in Los Angeles, the Rev. Lester

led that congregation in restructuring its financial operations. By consolidating and eradicating

debt, the congregation was placed back on a solid foundation, members were added to the church

and new ministries were initiated.

Additionally, the KIPP charter school was established at the Lewis Metropolitan site, where 300

first to fifth graders are receiving a high quality education. After KIPP outgrew the space at

Lewis Metropolitan, the Rev. Lester worked to secure another school to assist in educating the

youth of Los Angeles.

From 2010 to 2012, the Rev. Lester served as pastor of Carter Metropolitan CME in Fort Worth,

Texas. While in Texas, the Rev. Lester served as the treasurer of the Dallas-Fort Worth Region

and was also a board member of Texas College. From 2012-2014, the Rev. Lester served as the

pastor of Saint John C.M.E. Church in Winston-Salem, N.C. Presently, the Rev. Lester serves as

the proud and immanent pastor of the Mount Olive Cathedral C.M.E. in Memphis, Tenn.

The Rev. Lester is a sought out preacher and teacher of the Gospel.

“We are excited to have Rev. Peris Lester as our guest speaker for our baccalaureate this year,”

Dr. Moses Goldmon, Lane College Executive Vice President and Chaplin, said. “The Rev. Lester

is a well-travelled CME preacher, a graduate of the college, now a member of the [Lane College]

Board of Trustees and we expect him to send our students out with a great message of inspiration

and hope that will inspire them to go on and continue their lives.”