Superintendent Kennedy, Sr.

Superintendent Lamar Kennedy, Sr. was born in Monroe, Louisiana on July 14, 1938, the second child born to Hattie Lee Johnson Kennedy and Buster Kennedy. He often reminisced about growing up in the country, hunting and fishing, and he joked with the youth about the fact that "this generation never knew nothing about gettin' their own food, cleaning and cookin' it." Superintendent Kennedy was fondly known as "Tight" by his siblings, and his cousin, Mother Viola Pryor who was his best friend. Pastor Kennedy accepted Jesus Christ as a young man and was lovingly teased by his family about being saved. He was filled with the Holy Ghost at 14 years old and his family often told him "Boy, you ain't got nothing". Immediately, his textbook response was, "Well, I thank God for nothing!" In 1950, the Kennedy family relocated to Denver Colorado. Pastor Kennedy continued his education in the Denver Public School system and graduated from Manual High School in 1955. After graduation, Pastor Kennedy moved to Portland, Oregon upon the urging of his best friend Jerry. He attended college for a short time majoring in accounting. Amassing years of Christian service, under the tutelage of Superintendent H. F. Kelley, Pastor Kennedy was called to preach the gospel and was licensed in 1962, by the late Bishop J. C. Foster in Portland, Oregon. He received his Elder's ordination in 1965, from the late Bishop S. M. Crouch in Los Angles, California. He attended Emanuel Bible College also located in Los Angles, California. Elder Kennedy became a National Evangelist for the Church Of God In Christ and has preached "Jesus Saves" all over the United States. Elder Kennedy briefly pastored in California and subsequently returned to Denver. He had vowed never to return to Colorado because of the snow and cold, but God had navigated a different plan for him. After residing in Denver for nearly a year, Elder Kennedy was installed as the Pastor of Unity Church Of God In Christ on August 24, 1975. Soon thereafter, he married the women of his dreams, Missionary Odie Kennedy on November 21, 1975. Pastor Kennedy has never met a stranger. He looked beyond the person and saw a soul in need of a Savior. He has welcomed God's prodigals with open arms and has never condemned anyone for their transgressions, reminding us that we have all sinned and come short of the glory of God. With tenderness intended and no disrespect directed, he lovingly refers to nearly everyone as "daughter" or "son". Moreover, the endearment is reciprocated as many refer to him as "Big Daddy". He proudly accepts the title declaring that, "My children made me bigger than their own daddy." Pastor Kennedy's laugh was infectious and because he laughed, everyone around him laughed. His demeanor typified living life to its fullest and as the Bible says, "more abundantly." Even during the times when God gave him a stern admonishing message for the people, he was concerned that they were offended along the path to live righteously. His thunderous voice would resonate, "Can you say yeah? Can I hear you say yeah?" "Lift your hands and tell God, thank ya"; "Will somebody just dance for me?" "It's not what others do to you, God is looking at how you treat others"; "catch the fish, the money is in the fish's mouth", "Preach Jesus, just preach Jesus" and then he would march over to the wall and with a loud slap of the hand, belt out, "Amen walls!" Superintendent Kennedy's God-given mission was ministering to the "whole man", in spirit, mind and body, thus, Unity Church Of God In Christ is known as a church who seeks to meet the needs of people in all groups, embracing Pastor Kennedy's motto to "reaching the lost at any cost". Pastor Kennedy was elevated to office of Superintendent of the Central District in 2006 and installed by Bishop Jerry Macklin, General Board of Bishops, International COGIC. Superintendent Kennedy has worked in several arenas and served in many civic and religious capacities in the city and county of Denver. He is a former member of the East Denver Ministerial Alliance, was involved in the Mayor's Campaign for Global Awareness for Prostate screening. He served as the Chairman of the Central District with the late Superintendent J. L. Washington. Most notably, Superintendent Kennedy is recognized in the Jurisdiction of Colorado as one of several Pastors with extensive years of service, celebrating 40 years as Pastor of Unity Church of God in Christ in 2015. Superintendent Kennedy served faithfully at Unity COGIC until his health prohibited his regularity, but he continued to press his way on Sunday mornings to preach the gospel. Superintendent Kennedy is preceded in death by his mother, Hattie Lee Kennedy, brother Jesse Kennedy, son, Eric F. Green, and granddaughter, Azj'hanique Kennedy. Superintendent Lamar Kennedy departed this life to the Lords embrace on April 15, 2016, in Aurora, Colorado. Those left to cherish his memories and mourn his loss include his beloved wife, Evangelist Missionary Odie M. Kennedy, children, Lamar (Lydia) Kennedy, Jr., Angie (Calvin) Grigsby, Gerald, (Geraldine) Green, Sunjia Brown, Kalvin (Charika) Kenned; his sister, Missionary Margaret (Edward) Bereal; spiritual daughter, Venita O'Hara, spiritual son, Jerry (Andrea) Morgan; grandchildren, Gabriel, Kevin Jr. Nevin Grigsby, Crystal Green, Ashlie (James) Kirby, Brandon Green, Michael Grigsby, Alexis and Adrian Spencer, Brice Green, David Grigsby, Kalvin II, and Chahirrah Kennedy, Jeremiah and Joseph Grigsby, Kalvion, and Mariyah Kennedy, great granddaughter, Diamond Green, and great grandson, James Ray Lamar Kirby, sister Margaret (Edward) Bereal, Godchildren, Alisha Slaughter, Deidra Brooks, William McDuffie Jr, Desmond Allen, Natalie Jones, Nicole Jackson, Brandon Finnie, Kinishia Sneed, Aijana Underwood, Italia Brown, and Jeremiah Muniz, Unity COGIC members, and a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws, spiritual children, extended family and friends. The religious community and Body of Christ believers everywhere will miss this humble Man of God. Truly, he epitomized the heart of God and the character of Jesus Christ in all that he said and did. As the Pastor of Unity Church of God In Christ, Spiritual Leader of the Central District, and Jurisdiction of Colorado Board of Superintendents, Superintendent Kennedy demonstrated the faithful call on his life in ministry through this scripture: "The Elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder and witness of suffering of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed; Feed the flock of God which is among you, take the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly, not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind, neither as being lords over Gods heritage, but being ensamples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away," - 1 Peter 5:1-4

Funeral Home: Pipkin Braswell Funerals and Cremation - 2050 Uinta Street, Denver, Colorado
Visitation: 4/22/2016 at 6:00 PM - Unity Church of God In Christ - 2428 Ogden Street, Denver, CO
Visitation: 4/22/2016 at 3:00 PM - Unity Church of God In Christ - 2428 Ogden Street, Denver, CO
Service: 4/23/2016 at 10:00 AM - Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church - 1500 South Dayton Street, Denver, CO
Cemetery: 4/23/2016 - Following the Service Fairmount Cemetery - 430 South Quebec Street, Denver, CO
Family Gathering: 4/23/2016 - Following Interment Rising Star Fellowship Hall - 1500 South Dayton Street, Denver, CO