Elder

Charles L. Hendley

Motto

"To do all I can while I can."

God knew before he was formed in his mother’s womb that Elder Charles L. Hendley would be installed as pastor of the Greater Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church on Sunday, May 19, 1996.

Pastor Hendley was born to the late Robert and Mae Thelma Snead Hendley on January 17, 1950, in Ty Ty, Georgia. Later to join him were five siblings: Jerome Hendley, Marie Hendley Robinson, Dr. Leon Hendley, Rev. Roosevelt Hendley and Dr. Robert Hendley, III.

His formative years of schooling began in Georgia but he relocated at an early age, with his family, to Bartow, Florida, where he was baptized at Burkett Chapel Primitive Baptist Church in 1959, under the pastorage of Elder S. P. Kilpatrick. In 1963, his family moved again, to Melbourne, Florida, where he resided for one year.  His final relocation was to be Fort Pierce, Florida in 1964.  He attended Lincoln Park Academy for one year; then transferred to Dan McCarty High School where he graduated with honors, in 1968.  After graduation, Pastor Hendley attended Tampa Technical Institute and graduated with an A.S. Degree in electronics in 1970.  Desiring an even higher level of education, he enrolled at I.R.C.C.  and graduated with an A.A. Degree in 1972.  He continued his education at Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida where he graduated in 1974.  In 1985, he decided he wanted a career change and applied and was accepted at Southern University’s School of Law, Baton Rouge, Louisiana where he obtained a J.D. Degree in 1985.

Pastor Hendley was blessed when he married the former Gwendolyn Lorene Oliver on December 28, 1974. They are the very proud parents of four sons: Chauncy Hendley a retired military man, residing in Castroville California; Sean Hendley of Rochester,  New York; Quinn Hendley of Atlanta, GA; and Jason Hendley of Vero Beach, FL.

Initially, Pastor Hendley made all of the decisions pertaining to his life, but in 1986, God touched him and he had a higher calling.  He accepted the call and was ordained by the East Florida Primitive  Baptist District Association in 1988, and served as Chief Evangelist for two years.  He served under the pastorage of Elder S. P. Kilpatrick from 1959 until 1991; then moved his membership to Greater Bethel Primitive Baptist Church in Riviera Beach, Florida, and served faithfully as associate Pastor to Elder R. J. Hendley, Jr., until called to be pastor of Greater Mount Pleasant Primitive Baptist Church on Saturday, March 2, 1996.