About our Women Leaders

Supervisor Gerald M. Denny is a native of Louisiana. She relocated from San Diego, CA to San Antonio, TX over 40 years ago with her husband of 42 years, the late Bishop J.W. Denny, Sr. She is the mother of one son, Elder J.W. Denny, Jr., and the proud grandmother of one grandson, J.W. Denny, III. She is the sixth child of seven siblings.

She attended college in San Diego, CA and later worked for the State of California supervising

a staff of 35 people. After moving to San Antonio, she was blessed to gain employment with

the San Antonio Independent School District where she worked with at-risk youth for twenty

years. This job proved to be a work of ministry, indeed. In both business and ecclesiastical

world, she served as a trainer, motivational speaker, seminar conductor, and teacher.

With over forty years of experience in ministry, she served in her home church as the First

Lady of West End Church of God in Christ, President of the Women’s Department, President

of the Family Education night, a Sunday School teacher, a member of the Mother’s Board, and will help anywhere she can. She served as District Missionary of the San Antonio District for 19 years. She served as Vice President of the Elders & Ministers Wives Circle and was

appointed July 27, 2013 as 2nd Assistant Supervisor to Mother Annie M. Cooper and also

served as 1st Assistant Supervisor to Mother Youlander Ford and President of the Examination Board at the Jurisdictional level.

On March 26, 2022 Bishop Maurice Green, Jr., Jurisdictional Bishop of Texas Southwest First

Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, selected Mother Gerald M. Denny to serve as Supervisor for the

Department of Women for Texas Southwest First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction. In November,

2022 Mother Denny was officially capped and installed by General Supervisor Barbara

McCoo Lewis during the Church of God in Christ 114th Holy Convocation in Memphis TN.

Supervisor Denny is a dutiful, loving person, patient, courageous, and has the ability to

accomplish any task that presents itself. She is someone who leaves no stones unturned to

help anyone. She is never too busy nor is too tired to offer help to anyone who really needs

her. Both wise advice and consolation can be obtained from her. When this world’s toils and

snares upset others, when life’s battles seem lost, when burdens are rocked and tossed,

Supervisor Denny is always calm, patient, and understanding.

Supervisor Denny loves God and the people of God. She exemplifies a life of prayer and

service to others. She walks in grace and love, speaking and teaching the Gospel Truth with

wisdom and sound doctrine. The women’s department is blessed under her leadership. She

is heavenly sent and earthly welcomed for such a time as this.

Mother Mary Ates is a native citizen of Texas, predestined to be born

to the parents of the late R. Z. Jones, Sr., and the Dearest Late District Missionary

Eleanor Jones. Mother Jones taught, sacrificed, exemplified, nurtured, and lived

always instilling in Missionary Ates and her siblings a passion for God and loving

God’s people.

She met and married Thomas E. Ates, Jr, from a local Builders Family. To this

union (2) sons were born that blessed them with beautiful families (5) Young

adult Grands and precious Great-grands. He served as a Deacon and eventually her

Pastor for (approx. 28) years. Both families worked diligently with volunteers and

beautifully renovated the edifice where they were assigned. He and Missionary

Ates are presently in fellowship with The Deliverance Temple COGIC, Supt.

Limmie. Collins/Lady Chris Collins. Austin, Texas, where they reside.

Missionary Ates served many years at the McKinley Heights Church of God in

Christ in Austin, Texas under the leadership of the Founder and Pastor, the Late

Superintendent R. A. Grant and Lady Mable Grant. Missionary Ates served in a

myriad of missions: Deacon’s Board’s Financial Assistant; Young Adult Choir

Secretary; Young Women’s C. C. member and secretary; Business and Professional

Women’s Federation; Jurisdictional assistant to 49 & Under Initiative;

Jurisdictional REBOUND Initiative to assist in strengthening our

Units/Auxiliaries/Bands/Boards/always for Love, Peace & Kingdom Building. 

She was Blessed to prayerfully communicate in the mission of (4) District

Superintendents and the precious people they served. She tutored English and GED

Prep. She challenges and inspires women everywhere to promote Ministry.

One of her favorite sayings is: “We have made a Kingdom start as we discover

daily that God is in charge! And continue to plant shade trees under which we

may never sit.” She enjoys her family, reading and journaling, Bible Study and

personal prayer time, and Always for Peace.