Wave Staff Report
SOUTH LOS ANGELES — Funeral services are pending for Bishop Larry Kirkland Sr., the longtime pastor of Brookins Community AME Church, who died May 28 at the age of 84.
Rev. Kirkland was appointed the first pastor at Brookins on June 1, 1977. Prior to his appointment, he was pastor of Turner AME Church in Greenwood, Mississippi.
In his new assignment, he was given the task of growing the congregation, building a kitchen in the lower level, installing a choir loft, constructing the pastor’s office and study, purchasing a baby grand piano, and developing a recording studio.
After 19 years at Brookins he was elevated to the 114th bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church and assigned to Louisville, Kentucky. After four years of international service, the general conference of 2000 assigned Bishop Kirkland to serve as the ecumenical officer for the denomination. In 2001, he served as the president of the Council of Bishops.
Mayor Karen Bass issued a statement about Kirkland, calling him a distinguished leader in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and a deeply respected presence in Los Angeles’ faith community.
“Los Angeles mourns the passing of Bishop Theodore Larry Kirkland, Sr., a gifted preacher and spiritual leader whose work touched lives across our city and around the globe,” Bass said. “For him, the church and the community were never separate— they belonged together, working side by side to meet people’s needs and uphold their dignity.
“From his decades leading Brookins Community AME Church in Los Angeles to his consecration as the 114th Bishop of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, where he served in some of its highest leadership positions, Bishop Kirkland’s work reflected a lifelong commitment to service,” Bass added. “He helped bring computer literacy training, health care, and other vital resources to the communities he walked alongside. He was also a guiding light for business owners and entrepreneurs in the community, bridging what many saw as a divide between faith and the pursuit of generational wealth.
“I was fortunate to know Bishop Kirkland personally and will always be grateful for his wisdom, encouragement, and support,” Bass continued. “He had a way of bringing people together and making sure everyone felt included across cultures, races, and faith communities.”
He is survived by his wife, Mary L. Simon-Kirkland, his three children and one grandchild.
