The Rev. Henry Allen Belin III is the 45th pastor of First AME Church: Bethel. He is an alumnus of Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc. He
attended the Vanderbilt School of Engineering and the Vanderbilt Divinity School. He is the son of Bishop Henry Allen Belin II and Mother Lucinda Belin, and the brother of the Rev. Roderick D. Belin
of Kairos Community A.M.E. Church and the Rev. Toni Belin-Ingram of Greater Smith Chapel A.M.E Church. After completing his studies, Pastor Belin served as a missionary in Ile-Ife, Osun State in
Nigeria, West Africa. In addition to his mission work at Ile-Ife, Rev. Belin was teacher/pastor at Christ's Love A.M.E. Church where he led the construction of the first A.M.E. church ever erected in
Nigeria.
After returning to America, Rev. Belin became pastor of Allen A.M.E. Church in Providence, Rhode Island where he led the congregation in the improvement and revitalization of the surrounding area in
an economic and community development project for housing. While serving in Providence, he became distinguished as the sole minority representative of the Rhode Island State Ethics Commission.
On June 15, 1997, Rev. Belin brought his deep concern and interest in youth and senior ministries to the People's Institutional A.M.E. Church in the Bedford Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn, New York
where he led the congregation in a spiritual revival. He also led the congregation in the completion of the renovation of the entire church, parsonage and community building which now houses the
Bridge Street- People's Institutional Technology Learning Center. He received numerous community awards and also served as a police clergy liaison for the New York City Police Department, 81st
precinct. In 1999, he completed the Summer Leadership Institute at the Harvard Divinity School for community development.
Since arriving in Harlem, Rev. Belin has been very active in the community. He currently serves as the chairman of the Board of Directors for the Bethel Manor Housing Fund Development Corporation,
Chairman of the Board of the Food Bank, and serves on the Board of Directors for the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. Rev. Belin is happily married to the former Rita Denise Sinkfield, a corporate
attorney in New York City; they have three wonderful little boys - Henry IV, and the twins, Richard and Blake. Reverend Belin was appointed to First A.M.E. Church Bethel on May 27, 2001 where he
proudly serves as Senior Minister and serves as the Dean of the A.M.E Institute of Ministerial Training.