Pastor Dr. C.E. Watkins Plants Roots As New Pastor of Cathedral Of Joy

Pastor C.E. Watkins, formerly of St. John Community Church is known for his outreach efforts to the Robbins community and surrounding areas. He had been a pastor at St. John for over six years and has seven previous years of pastoral experience, along with being a ordained minister for eighteen years. He is now taking on new leadership at Cathedral Of Joy Church at 20401 Western Ave, in Olympia Fields , IL.

We interviewed Pastor Watkins some time ago and he is a bright light and passionate man when it comes to helping people. 

  When talking to Pastor Watkins, it was clear that he has a mission to help and improve the community. Watkins said that his goal as a Pastor is to “build people” – he and the church want to see lives changed for the better. 

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Pastor Watkins’s reason for getting into church leadership was a calling for helping people. Watkins had been leading St. John with that same mission for helping the community. Lately, the church had given over 300 book bags to students and three cars to church members in need, while also using the holidays as opportunities to send aide to the Southland. Last Christmas, the church gave over 500 toys to children and hundreds of meals to community members for Thanksgiving.

One of several events he coordinated was an appreciation day for pastors in October of last year, in honor of Pastor’s Appreciation Month. Twelve area pastors were honored by congregation members who shared their thanks for the service of the church leaders. Dr. Willie Wilson, philanthropist and senate candidate in 2020, came to the event to remind the pastors how much their guidance helps the churches positively impact the community as a whole. 

Watkins appreciates the tight-knit community of the his Church family. The outreach ministry is Pastor Watkins’s favorite thing about a working church.

He believes in a working church. It is his mission.  Watkins said of his mission, “the Lord told me… that if you go after the people nobody wants, the Lord will give you the people that everybody wants.” He further explained by saying if you are helping out the people who genuinely need help, the Lord will bless you with the people who can give opportunities and resources in order to create an effective outreach ministry.  We wish him well in his mission at Cathedral of Joy and congratulate him on another opportunity for him to be a blessing to our church community members.