Greater christ temple

Our Founder

Now In God's Arms, But Always In Our Hearts.

Bishop Curtis E. Montgomery

Bishop Curtis Edward Montgomery was born on December 27, 1932 to Henry and Ethel Lean Montgomery in Selma Alabama. He grew up in Beatrice, Alabama attending Monroe County Training School where he was cited as unusually apt and was thus promoted several grades in a short period-of-time.

During the war years, the family moved to Mobile, Alabama where Curtis attended Owens Grade School. He also attended Miller High School in Detroit, Michigan; Betsy Ross School in Chicago, Illinois, and graduated from Englewood High School in Chicago. While attending high school, he displayed outstanding athletic abilities, thus resulting in numerous scholarships to several colleges. Among the many offers, he decided upon Bradley University in Peoria. However, he later gave up this scholarship to accept his call to the ministry.

He was baptized in Jesus name and received the Holy Ghost in April 1951, under the Pastorate of District Elder Walter M. Clemons at the Apostolic Church of God in Chicago. It was in the year of 1952 that Curtis acknowledged his call to the “Ministry of the Gospel”. On September 13, 1952, he united in holy matrimony to Sister Elinor Elizabeth Miles. They are the parents of three daughters, Debra Elayne, Sharon Renee, and Lynda Ruth; and seven sons; Michael Curtis, Daniel Edward, David Henry, Stephen Kent, Phillip Curtis, John Curtis and Enoch Paul.

Bishop Montgomery began his ministry and served under District Elder Walter M. Clemons until he was inducted into the United States Army in 1953. His military career lasted for two years and took him from Camp Pickett Virginia to Fort Lewis, Washington. While in the Army he served as a Medical Aide Man, however, he finished his tour as First Cook with honors and was Honorably Discharged at Fort Lewis in September 1955.

After his discharge, he moved his family from Tacoma to Seattle, where he worked with District Elder Benjamin T. Moore at Bethel Christian Church. While at Bethel, Curtis served in many capacities until he moved his family back to Tacoma in 1959 where he founded the Greater Christ Temple Church.

The Greater Christ Temple Church grew considerably under the ministry of Bishop Montgomery. The pastorate, which began in 1959 with zero assets, has now grown to a significant value in the community of Tacoma. Bishop Montgomery was elevated to SFG Bishop in 1991 and elevated to Bishop presiding over the Pacific Northwest 17th Episcopal District in 1994. He orchestrated the building of a 20,000 square foot multiplex facility which houses a childcare and gymnasium. Bishop Montgomery gained respect of many, due to his many contributions to the community as well as his dedication to the up building of the kingdom of God.

Bishop Montgomery was called to a heavenly reward on April 27, 2015.


​Dr. Elinor E. Montgomery

Elinor Elizabeth Miles was born in Evanston, Illinois to James and Clara Miles. She was the fourth of seven children; three brothers and three sisters. Spending most of her childhood in Evanston, Sis Montgomery lost her mother at the age of eleven. When her mother passed away, it forced her to become a very independent young lady at an early age. At the age of fourteen, her family moved to Chicago. It was there at the age of sixteen that she gave her life to God, receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost.

As a young woman, she was very active in her church. She worked with several departments and auxiliaries including the Young People’s Auxiliary and the Sunday School. She also started the first junior choir. After graduation from Englewood High School, she attended the Chicago Teacher’s College, where she majored in English.

From 1951 to 1953, she served as secretary of the Illinois District Council Sunday School Department. In September of 1952, she married Curtis E. Montgomery, whom she was instrumental in winning to the Lord. To this union was born seven sons and three daughters. She is the grandmother of 22 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.


Having numerous responsibilities as a Pastor’s wife for 49 years, she was very active in her church. She served as the Christian Education Director, an honorary member of the Greater Christ Temple Church Board of Directors, Music Supervisor, and teacher of the Young Married and New Members classes. In 1990, she relinquished her role as church secretary; a position she held for over 30 years.

She was a member of the Pacific Northwest District Council’s Board of Directors, served as Assistant Secretary of the PNDC, Past President of the PNDC Ministers Wives and the Women’s Ministries.

In 1998 she was awarded an honorary Doctorate Degrees in Ministries from Apostolic University of Grace and Truth in Cincinnati, OH. Dr. Montgomery served as past President of the Tacoma Washington Chapter of the Washington Association of Ministers Wives and Widows. She was also the director of the Family Focus programs held in her church throughout the month of June, and has conducted numerous seminars, classes, and workshops on marriage and the family throughout the Pacific Northwest and beyond. Also, she served as Dean of Education for the Washington Association of Ministers Wives and Ministers Widow and also for the Pacific Region Ministers Wives and Ministers Widows. Dr. Elinor Montgomery was called to her heavenly reward on September 27, 2015.

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