Beloved Community Church
Staff & Leaders

  • LeNard Brown

    LeNard Brown
    Music Director

    Anyone who has been to one of Beloved’s services knows that the music rocks! Worshipers are treated to an eclectic mixture of jazz, soul, black spirituals and old-timey hymns with a jazzed up beat. Beloved’s music director, LeNard Brown, is responsible. LeNard is one of the founding members of The Controllers, a soul and R&B group that was formed in the 1970s. The Controllers scored multiple gold records and numerous top 10 hits. The group opened for famed star Anita Baker at Radio City Music Hall, and Stevie Wonder joined the group on one of their albums. LeNard came to Beloved as a founding member when Rev. Angie called him and asked if he would lead the music at the new church. LeNard had always told Angie that if he ever found the right church, the music would be something special – not your typical church music. And did he deliver! LeNard united some of the best musicians in Birmingham in Beloved’s orchestra. His star quality and music connections bring some of the best guest artists to our church every week. LeNard says that he chooses the music for each week’s service based on his spiritual insight and in consultation with the pastor. LeNard welcomes special requests and loves to hear from you about what you want to hear. Nowadays, you can hear LeNard interview some of the most famous soul and R&B artists on his weekly radio show on 98.7 KISS FM each Saturday morning from 8-10 a.m. You’ll hear LeNard trumpet Beloved on his show, which he calls the most loving and accepting church he’s never known. LeNard is a native of Fairfield and has lived in the Birmingham area his entire life. LeNard’s son, LeNard Gerron Brown, is a medic stationed in Okinawa, Japan in the U.S. Navy. We’re very grateful to have LeNard and his music as such an important part of our church!

  • Angie Wright

    Angie Wright
    Pastor

    Rev. Angie Wright is the pastor of Beloved Community Church, which she founded in 2000. A bi-vocational minister, she also serves as the Associate Director for Greater Birmingham Ministries and as Chairperson of Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice. For over thirty years, Angie has been a leader in community and faith-based organizing for racial and economic justice. She served as the Associate Director of the Birmingham Center for Affordable Housing from 2000 – 2011 and as the Executive Director for Leading Edge Institute, preparing collegiate women to be leaders in social change, from 2007 – 2009. Angie was the Director of the Katrina Resettlement Program of Alabama, creating and managing a $19 million program serving over 2,000 families. From 1995 – 2000, she served as the Program Coordinator for the BEAT community revitalization effort in the inner-city of Birmingham. She was the co-founder of Alabama Arise, a statewide coalition of organizations which lobbies on poverty issues. From 1989 until 1993, Angie was the founder of Good Work Self-Employment Project and founding Executive Director of the Durham Affordable Housing Coalition, both in Durham, NC. Angie received her B.A. from Davidson College (N.C) in 1978, and her Masters of Divinity from Duke Divinity School in 1995. She was ordained by the United Church of Christ in 1997.