Bro. Levi Kennedy, Evangelist

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Michigan Avenue Church of Christ

(1931-1970)

Bro. Levi KENNEDY, JR., our 1st Minister, born on December 29, 1899 in Hickman County, Tennessee, was the son of Levi and Alice Kennedy.  His father was a Church of Christ circuit preacher.  Levi, Jr. was baptized into the Church of Christ at the age of twenty-one, and began his preaching career in Wheeling, West Virginia at the age of twenty-three.  After moving there in 1922, with his wife, Noveline Kennedy, he began to conduct worship services in their home because there was no Church of Christ in the area.  During his tenure there, church membership increased to twenty-three.  In 1926, Bro. Kennedy and his family moved to Gary, Indiana for a short period, and then to Chicago’s south side. In his search for a Church of Christ, Bro. Kennedy discovered that the closest one for Blacks was located on Chicago’s west side.

The West Side congregation was started in the home of Bro. J. T. Daniels after he moved to Chicago from Nashville, TN, in 1916..  They later worshipped in a funeral parlor on Lake Street and Oakley Boulevard, and in 1928 they purchased a two-flat frame building at 2538 West Maypole Avenue for a place of worship..  The “Old Maypole” Church of Christ became the “mother church” of the present Monroe Street Church of Christ and Michigan Avenue Church of Christ now known as Sheldon Heights Church of Christ.  Bro. and Sis. Levi Kennedy and their children worshipped with Bro. Daniels and the West Side congregation until 1931. Bro. Kennedy preached on a part-time basis, titling his first sermon “It Beat Me Up, It Ate Me Up.”

In 1931, the need for a congregation on the south side of Chicago became apparent to Bro. Richard N. Hogan, who was also worshipping at the “Old Maypole” congregation.  In a 1976 taped discourse, Bro. Hogan stated “I remember very well when I went to the leadership of the Maypole Avenue congregation and asked for Bro. Kennedy and his family—so that he and I could go to Chicago’s south side and get the church established over there.  The leadership agreed.  The first congregation on Chicago’s south side started at 51st and on May 21, 1931 in a funeral parlor.

The tradition of celebrating the beginning of the Church of Christ on the South Side has continued down through the years with the 4th Sunday in May being recognized as a special day for this congregation.  During the anniversary festivities, meals are served, former members  come back “home,” and special guests are

always invited to share our remembrances of  the legacies of our past.

From 1931 to 1943, the South Side congregation worshipped in different temporary locations.  It progressed and membership grew to 200. In order to accommodate the growing membership, the brethren purchased a plot of land located at 6228 South Michigan Avenue in 1941.  World War II was in progress, therefore, building supplies and money were scarce, but Bro. Kennedy was determined to see his vision of a church building fulfilled.  Therefore, after other efforts yielded few results, he wrote a letter to Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, wife of President Franklin Roosevelt in 1943 ; he requested assistance in obtaining building supplies. Mrs. Roosevelt’s intervention led to the authorization to purchase the $5,000 worth of building materials needed to begin building.

In 1943, Bro. Kennedy and the brethren dug the foundation and poured the concrete for the basement.  It was completed in May, 1943 and worship services were held there until the 250-seat auditorium was completed.  After the adjoining property at 6230 Michigan Avenue was purchased, in 1952, the church building was expanded.  Construction was done mainly by members of the congregation.  Expansion continued and by 1955, the church building consisted of a 650-seat auditorium, 10 classrooms, a kitchen, dining room, and lounge.  At that time the church was valued at $100,000, and it had a membership of approximately 400. The average Lord’s Day attendance was 350-400. 

The rapid membership growth can be attributed to aggressive evangelizing which resulted in newly baptized members as well as to the masses of Blacks who migrated to the south side of Chicago from the South during the 1930’s — 1960’s.  Many Christians who placed membership at Michigan Avenue were acquainted with Bro. Levi Kennedy because of the numerous revival meetings he conducted at Churches of Christ in the southern states.

The Michigan Avenue Church of Christ continued to grow spiritually and numerically, under the leadership of Bro. Kennedy and the brethren who assisted with the many ministerial duties.  The list includes the following: Bro. R. N. Hogan, first assistant minister, who “preached to the world while Bro. Kennedy preached to the church,”  Bro. Norris Foulkes, assistant minister, Bro. Owen Cathey, Bro. Booker T. Martin; Bro. Silas Legg, Bro. Duel Ghant who also served as an assistant minister, Bro. Samuel Jordan, who was designated assistant minister in 1967, and Bro. Norman Adamson who was appointed assistant minister in 1959.

Bro. Kennedy was also instrumental in encouraging Michigan Avenue’s ministers to begin congregations in other areas.  They included the following:  Bro. Norris Foulkes -- Robbins, IL;  Bro. Silas Legg -- Benton Harbor, MI;   Bro. Owen Cathey -- Champaign-Urbana, IL; Bro. Booker T. Martin --Gary, IN; Bro. Duel Ghant Sr. -- Maywood, IL; Bro. Charles Underwood, Foster Park, Chicago IL; Bro. Samuel Jordan accepted a ministerial position in Seattle, WA;  and Bro. Norman Adamson to name a few   Even though the above-mentioned ministers, their families, and a few members branched out and Bro. Kennedy was extensively involved in evangelism work, the Michigan Avenue congregation retained its stability, prospered, and became very influential locally, nationally, and internationally. Bro. Kennedy’s life is an illustration of the Great Commission in action.  He conducted over three hundred gospel meetings

throughout the United States, baptized more than fifteen hundred persons, and established twenty-seven congregations. His missionary work in Africa resulted in the conversion of more than 650 natives to Christianity, and the congregation monetarily supported the mission work in Nigeria for many years.  He was, also, one of the founders of Southwestern Christian College in Terrell, Texas.

Bro. Kennedy was assisted in carrying on the Michigan Avenue work by his faithful wife, Sis. Noveline Kennedy, their children, and dedicated members. They were involved in preaching, teaching, and various other efforts, to edify the congregation and spread the gospel.  Bro. and Sis. Kennedy always reached out to help those in need, whether the need was physical or spiritual.

Over the years, many exciting church-related events took place at the Michigan Avenue congregation on a regular basis, including hosting the 1st Annual National Lectureship in 1948 and being active participants in the Church of Christ National Youth Conference in the early 50’s.

In November, 1966, Bro. Kennedy, due to increasing concern about his declining health, as well as the congregation’s stability, spoke to Bro. Samuel Jordan about returning to Michigan Avenue from the church in Seattle, Washington.  He simply said, “Sam, I need you to come home.”  In the words of Bro. Jordan, “I felt like Timothy when Paul sent for him to come to him.”   As a result, the Jordan family moved back to Chicago in January 1967.  Bro. Samuel Jordan was appointed as Assistant Minister, and upon the death of Bro. Levi Kennedy on December 30, 1970, the mantle of ministry was passed on to his “son in the Gospel.”  At that time, he became Michigan Avenue’s 2nd full-time minister.