PASTOR GERALD A. COOPER

Pastor Gerald A. Cooper is dedicated to the ministry of spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ and developing Christian disciples through sound biblical teaching and Holy Spirit inspired preaching. He serves as the pastor of the historic Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Dayton, Ohio.

Before coming to Dayton in 2013, Pastor Cooper served as the pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church in Cleveland, Ohio. He has also served as the pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church in Erie, Pennsylvania; St. Paul A.M.E. Church in Zanesville, Ohio; and Mt. Pisgah A.M.E. Church in St. Clairsville, Ohio.

Pastor Cooper is a native of Cleveland, Ohio. He earned his B.A. degree from the College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio, where he majored in Economics. He earned the Juris Doctor degree, from Capital University Law School in Columbus, Ohio, where he graduated with honors and was inducted into the Order of the Curia. Pastor Cooper earned the Master of Divinity degree from Payne Theological Seminary in Wilberforce, Ohio, where he received, among other honors, the Senior Award for Academic Achievement.

While Pastor Cooper is committed to tending to the spiritual needs of the congregation for which he is blessed to serve as pastor, he has also had the opportunity to preach and teach in various regions of the country. Additionally, Pastor Cooper conducts workshops and seminars on various topics relating to pastoral conduct and legal issues that impact churches and ministries.

Pastor Cooper has taken an active role in the improvement of the communities in which he has pastored through his service in various civic and community organizations. He has served in various leadership positions on the connectional, district, and annual conference levels of the A.M.E. Church. Pastor Cooper is also an Associate Faculty Member of Payne Theological Seminary.

As an attorney, Pastor Cooper is a solo practitioner focusing primarily in the areas of nonprofit corporation law and contract negotiation. He previously practiced with the law firm of Thompson Hine in Columbus, Ohio, in the areas of telecommunications regulatory law and commercial law. While he still handles legal matters on a limited basis, he left the full-time practice of law to devote himself to the full-time service of God.

Pastor Cooper is married to the Rev. Dr. Mila P. Cooper and they are the proud parents of Nia Patrice and Mariah Nicole, and the grandparents of Grace.

THE REV. DR. MILA P. COOPER

Mila P. Cooper was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She comes from a large immediate and extended family that includes one brother, four sisters and close to twenty nieces and nephews. She is married to the Rev. Gerald A. Cooper, Pastor of Wayman A.M.E. Church in Dayton, Ohio. They are the grateful parents of two daughters,  Nia Patrice &  Mariah Nicole.

Dr. Mila is an ordained Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and serves in ministry with her husband at Wayman. Before relocating to Dayton, she served as the Co-Pastor of St. James A.M.E. Church in Cleveland, Ohio. Prior to this appointment Rev. Mila served as the Pastor of Mt. Moriah A.M.E. Church in Maple Heights, Ohio for five years. Rev. Mila is passionate about women’s ministry, youth ministry and community outreach.

She is the Founder and C.E.O. of 4 The Kingdom Ministries, a ministry dedicated to demonstrating the love of Jesus Christ in tangible ways including representing the Kingdom of God through service to others, equipping women for ministry and empowering women to utilize their God-given gifts. A major initiative is the Women’s Empowerment Experience that brings renowned preachers and teachers to minister to women of all ages.

Dr. Mila earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Communication Studies and the Master of Arts degree in Higher Education Administration from Indiana University of Pennsylvania, a graduate certificate in Non-Profit Management from the Cleveland State Levin College of Urban Affairs, the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Payne Theological Seminary. 

Dr. Mila is the Executive Director of Career Education and Community Engagement at Earlham College. Previously she served as the Vice President of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion, Vice President for Student Affairs & Dean of Students and Executive Director of the Coretta Scott King Center at Antioch College. Serious about serving God’s people beyond the church, Rev. Mila is committed to community service, advocacy and addressing social injustice. She teaches and preaches locally and throughout the country and has offered numerous service trips throughout the United States and three international service trips to southern Africa.