Rev. Dr. Sylvester Williams is the last of three children born to Edward and  Georgiana Williams. Growing up in a small rural town in Hale County, Alabama, Rev. Williams was surrounded by a loving family who taught him values such as respect and caring for each other, honoring your word, being responsible, but more importantly to love the Lord. As Rev. Williams watched his family, particularly his mother and father, display these values, he became more keenly aware of his calling and how God partnered with them to shape him for ministry.

Rev Williams parents not only taught him social and spiritual values, they instilled educational values as well. Having received his early education in the Hale County School System. He continued his education by attending the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa, AL where he earned a B.A. degree in Health Care Management. Between this studies at U of A, he earned an A.A. degree in Mortuary Science from Jefferson State Jr. College in Birmingham, AL. Later, having accepted the call to ministry, he furthered his education at the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC) in Atlanta, GA where he received the Master of Divinity degree.  Desiring to be the best he can be, he obtained The Doctoral of Ministry Degree from ITC.
 
After accepting the call to ministry in 1981, Rev. Wiliams has served the Church and community in many capacities which included pastoral lleadership at Owens Chapel, Emory Chapel and Franconia CME Church from 1981-1988 in Alabama; Mt. Olive CME Church in Orlando, FL in 1988, and Southside CME Church in Birmingham where he served as pastor from 1989-2002.

Rev. Williams has served as the Chaplain of Brookwood Hospice in Birmingham, he was a member of the Joint Board of Finance for the Birmingham Annual Conference, a Member of the Board of Trustees at Miles College, and served as Chairman, Board of Directors, for the Commission on Religion in Appalachia.

Rev. Williams recently attended, along with 21 other ministers selected by the Interdenominational Theological Center, a dynamic 15-day Holy Land Pilgrimage for Pastoral Renewal where the Word of God truly came to life.  At present, Rev. Williams is the Chairman of the Joint Board of Finance for the Southeast Missouri, Illinois, and Wisconsin Region, Budget Director for the Third Episcopal District, and for the past six years, has been the proud pastor of Carter Temple CME Church in Chicago. 

Rev. Williams is married to the former Carmen Elaine Leonard. They have three children: Samantha, Sylvia, and Sylvester II.