Mary Alford, native of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, resident of South Bend 50 years.

She formerly served as President of Missionary Board, Sunday School Superintendent, Choir President, Vacation Bible School Director, Sunday School Teacher, Mothers Board, Founder and President of Kidz Club, which is now Youth Ministry, Noon Day Prayer Leader, State Fine Arts Director, Member of National Drama Guild, Churches of God in Christ and presently President of 1^st Ladies, Indiana North Central and Director of the Cathedral Fine Arts Department of Pentecostal Cathedral Church of God in Christ. 

The Cathedral Fine Arts Department consists of a Board of Directors and 13 functioning troupes, which include: The Poet’s Corner; Drama Guild; Rejoice; Daughters of Judah; Praise; Cathedral Chime Choir; Without Words; Daughters of Today; Cathedral Color Guard, The Spirit of David, Undignified Praise and True Praise.

The Fine Arts Department has presented Celebration of the Arts under the Stars; Music for the Soul; Easter and Christmas productions; a COMOL funded grant to promote healthy lifestyles through the arts along with many other activities.

Mary has written and produced plays and productions such as: I Am Not Ashamed of the Gospel; A Real Holiday; Celebrate Christmas; The Christmas Story Now; When the Devil Speaks; The Ten Who Went; Enough Square Stuff for Me; Sylvester Sarouge; I Saw the Light; and The Deacon’s Son.  For two consecutive years she teamed with her son, Elder Donald Alford Jr., to present a monthly soap series entitled, The Further Adventures of the Church Folks.  “The Gospel Wiz” was released and performed in 2011.  Christmas at the Cathedral 2012 was performed “Christmases Past and Christmases Present.”

For the past five years, the Fine Arts Board has awarded scholarships to graduating high school students majoring the in the arts.

Along with writing, Mary enjoys attending plays and productions and shopping.  She loves musical instruments of which her favorite is the piano.

Her greatest love after God is her family which includes her husband, Bishop Donald Alford; children, Elder Donald (Wilette) Alford Jr., Mary Cecilia (Kendall) and Rachel LeAnne (Marcus) Lipsey; 15 grandchildren; and 9 great-grandchildren that call her “Grammy”.