ALFRED SINGLETON was born October 18, 1928, in Montgomery, Montgomery County, Alabama, to Willie and Verona Singleton. After completing his elementary and high school education, he served a tour of duty with the United States Army during the Korean War, receiving technical training as a dispensary and medical technician and receiving an honorable discharge. He moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he visited Clinton Street Greater Bethlehem Temple Church pastored by Bishop Samuel N. Hancock. He received the baptism of the Holy Ghost in March 1949. In 1951, he married Elizabeth Hawkins and their union produced 12 children: Belinda, Ora, Patricia (d. 2016), Alfred, Terrance, Verona, Debra, Andrea, Aaron, Camilla (d. 2021), Frank, and Catrese. Bishop Singleton was preceded in death by his wife Elizabeth in June 2006. On February 16, 2008, he was united in marriage to Antoinette Halton of Buffalo, New York.

 

Bishop Singleton matured spiritually under the leadership of Bishop Hancock, serving as his assistant pastor for four years and readily engaging himself in the quest for Apostolic knowledge. Later moving to Los Angeles, California, he founded and pastored several churches there before moving back to Michigan in 1972 to pastor Bethlehem Temple Church (The Bread House) in Lansing. A historian at heart, he curated hundreds of documents and artifacts relating to the life of Bishop Samuel N. Hancock and created the S. N. Hancock Educational Institution to house his collection. A charter member of the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith (PCAFI), he was promoted to district elder in 1961 and to the office of bishop in 1964. He served as diocesan over several states including Michigan and served as general treasurer for a number of years before being elected as presiding bishop where he served from 2000-2008.

Viewed as a true visionary known for bringing about transition and change, Singleton was a man with many titles, accolades, and responsibilities and has been described in many ways—a spiritual father to the nations. A giant in the faith. A father, mentor, counselor, and covering. “But above all those things, I am a Christian,” he would say. Bishop Singleton died December 4, 2017, at the age of 89.