Chicago's First Church Of Deliverance Bids Final Farewell To Beloved Rev. Jerome Chambers

CHICAGO (CBS) -- A landmark Chicago church known for its music sang a final farewell to a beloved reverend Tuesday.

Members of the First Church of Deliverance, at 4315 S. Wabash Ave. in Bronzeville, honored the passing of longtime Rev. Jerome Chambers, who died Saturday, Oct. 30, at the age of 77.

Chambers dedicated his life to the church. His obituary says in 1962, church founder Rev. Clarence H. Cobbs told Chambers that God had a calling in his life – and Chambers served in numerous capacities over the decades afterward.

Cobbs asked Chambers in 1967 to initiate activities for youth at the church and in the neighborhood, and Chambers thus founded the First Church of Deliverance Youth Organization.

Chambers also spoke at the groundbreaking for the Children's Church at the First Church of Deliverance in 1978, and he became one of the first to serve as a junior trustee for the children's church. He went on to be appointed senior trustee for the Adult Church in 1980.

Also in 1980, Chambers became the announcer for the church's weekly radio broadcast – a position he held for 35 years until he retired from the post in 2015.

Chambers was consecrated for the ministry in 1994 and became head minister for the children's church. He was ordained as a minister by the Metropolitan Spiritual Churches of Christ in 1996, and was appointed vice president of the ministers board of the Frist Church of Deliverance in 2003. He later became president.

Chambers served as interim pastor of the church from 2015 to 2016.

He is survived by Dr. Anna Chambers, his wife of 52 years; two adult children – Angela Hynes and Jerome Chambers Jr. – and five grandchildren.