Bishop Norman Nelson Quick

Bishop Norman Nelson Quick was born the ninth of ten (10) children to Dwight and Carlee Quick on March 27, 1933 in Passaic, New Jersey.

 

Norman received his early education in the New York City Public schools system.  He furthered his education at the City College of New York, where he graduated in 1973 with a Bachelor of Arts in Education.  He eventually went on to accomplish the completion of his Master of Science in Education in 1977 and also received an Honorary Doctorate from Friendship College of Rock Hill, South Carolina.

 

In advance of his time of public ministry, young Norman Quick was mentored and developed by great spiritual leaders and teachers.  He accepted Christ as his personal savior in 1956 after being brought to Faith Temple Church of God in Christ by his sister Anna Griffin.  He committed himself to the church and its ministries under the leadership of Bishop Alvin A. Childs, serving as choir member, youth leader and many other capacities.  It was during this time that Norman Quick noticed a beautiful young woman singing in the choir.  He began to court and later went on to marry Verline Nesmith in January of 1957.  To this great union were born two children, a son, Norman Nelson Quick Jr. and a daughter, Patricia Ann Quick.

 

Norman Quick was ordained as an Elder in the Church of God in Christ in 1957.  He served faithfully under his pastor, and learned the leadership skills that would serve to promote him during his long years of service to the work of the Lord.  In 1959, Elder Norman Quick heard the call of the Lord to pastoral ministry and founded the Grace Temple Church of God in Christ, initially housed in Brooklyn, New York.  As the congregation grew and developed and the vision for more ministries being birthed became apparent, God led Pastor Quick to move the congregation to Harlem, New York in 1973.  Pastor Quick also began to be active in the Church of God in Christ and came to the attention of the leadership.  Upon the death of Bishop Alvin A. Childs, Pastor Quick merged Grace Temple and Faith Temple to form the renowned Childs Memorial Temple Church of God in Christ.  Childs Memorial Temple flourished under the leadership of Pastor Quick and Mother Quick as a church in which the Word of God was preached mightily, ordinances administered; the doctrines of sanctification and Holiness have been emphasized as being essential to the salvation of mankind.

 

With the issues and struggles facing the urban community, Pastor Norman Quick was intensely committed to community based ministry, civic involvement and activism, to impact the lives of the downtrodden in the Harlem/Sugar Hill area.  He founded the Grace Temple Day Care Center to prove a quality education experience to young children and also to generate jobs for many in the Harlem community.  In 1982, he founded the Childs Memorial Temple Christian Academy with his wife, which provided religious and traditional education to the children of the community.  Pastor Quick was the co-founder of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement, Inc.  He also served as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the 15 million dollar Council Enterprises of New York.  Bishop Quick developed relationships with many of the active government and civic leaders in the Harlem community, including Congressman Charles Rangel, Councilman Wendell Foster and Assemblyman Herman “Denny” Farrell.  He also worked with Rev. Al Sharpton and became one of the founding members of the National Action Network.  Bishop activism in many organizations and projects of local and national consideration and commitment to faith-based community and civic partnerships led to his election as President of the Council of Churches of the City of New York.

 

The young Pastor Quick also was very active in the work of the Church of God in Christ and through the mentoring of Bishop Alvin Childs and Bishop O.M. Kelly and began to work with and come to the notice of key national leaders, including the Presiding Bishop J.O. Patterson Sr.  His faithful service to the work of the Church of God in Christ led to the signal honor of being consecrated to the Office of Bishop in the Church of God in Christ, appointed by the Presiding Bishop and General Board as the Jurisdictional Prelate of Rhode Island in 1986.  During the course of the years, Bishop served the national church in many capacities including as National Director of Urban Affairs, Parliamentarian of the General Assembly, Chairman of the Rules Committee of the General Assembly, Board member of the Missions Department, member of the Publishing Board and a member of the Constitutional Convention Committee.  Bishop Quick made a significant mark upon the life of the church when he was appointed President of the national Church of God in Christ Publishing Board and during his tenure was the author and publisher of wonderful topical books, “Preaching COGIC Style” and “With this Ring” and also was the Editor-in-Chief and key driver in the great project of publishing the first ever COGIC hymn book, the “Yes Lord Hymnal”.

 

As Bishop continued to build the work, he felt the call to be closer to home, leaving the Rhode Island Jurisdiction and in 1992 was approved by the Presiding Bishop and General Board to become the founder and appointed Prelate of the New York Southeast Jurisdiction of the Church of God in Christ.

 

To promote bible-based education, ministry preparation and personal development, during his tenure Bishop Quick founded the Childs Memorial Bible Institute (1976) which eventually was renamed the New York Southeast Religious Training Institute, where countless persons from various denominations have received sound biblical training as a foundation for the work of ministry.  During his tenure as prelate of New York Southeast, Bishop touched the lives of many, with his skillful and deft leader’s touch, mentoring many young men and women in ministry and giving opportunities for growth in the work of the church.  Throughout the years Bishop Quick has also always shown a passion for missions and the spreading of the gospel around the world, and has personally traveled and preached to masses in nations such as Ghana, Nigeria and Israel and has also supported many churches and preachers abroad with resources and assistance, especially upon the continent of Africa.

 

For all of his work across the nation, in the church, in the community and abroad, Bishop never forgot home and family.  Bishop Quick leaves all of us a rich legacy and heritage as a Body of Believers, strong in Faith, persistent in Praise, continuing in the work of the Lord.