Service Announcements

Rev. Rayfield Medcalf, Jr. 93, of Mint Hill,NC  passed away Tuesday, November 22, 2022 at Novant Health Mint Hill. Celebration of his life will be held Sunday, December 11, 2022 at Parkwood Institutional CME Church 802 Tom Hunter Rd. Charlotte, NC 28213. Visitation will begin at Noon and the Service will follow at 1:00 pm. MASKS ARE REQUIRED.

Rayfield Medcalf Jr was born on July 28, 1929, to Lillie and Rayfield Sr in Dawson, TX. who preceded him to glory. He was the fifth of six siblings all of whom preceded him in death. One sister Mae Lois four brothers Booker, Earl, Archie, and Urshel. Because of his ambition and studious nature Ray spent as much time during his childhood learning from his grandfather who was also a minister while his older brothers worked the cotton fields most of the time.
Although he was from meager means he left home and went to Huston Tillotson University where he met with the dean and explained he had no money but wanted to attend college. The dean led him to the head janitor and told him to hire him and he worked his way through school earning his BA in Mathematics. He left there and went to Sam Houston where he earned a second BA in Music. Afterwards he moved to Midland, TX with his wife Erma where they had one son Ray (deceased) and four daughters, Donna (deceased), Brenda (deceased), Marilyn and Sharí. In 1999 his fifth daughter, Angela was born to him and Eva Medcalf.
Midland, TX is where he secured his 1st teaching job at Carver High. It was there he created the band and taught mathematics. As he was teaching, he felt a calling on his life and resigned from teaching and became the Pastor of St. Paul CME church. In 1967 he was transferred to Porter Temple CME in Dallas, TX and attended Southern Baptist Seminary. He then followed up at Southern Methodist University earning a dual master’s degree in Theology and Mathematics.
In 1974, He was transferred to Israel Metropolitan CME in Greenville, SC. There he was a math teacher at Greenville High, he also hosted a segment on a Christian radio station (The Golden Nugget). It was on his heart to serve that community better, so he became the first black elected City Councilman for two terms.
He served in Greenville, SC until he was appointed to Parkwood CME in Charlotte, NC in 1982 until 2001. He served faithfully and was instrumental in purchasing the land to build a new church. The street Rayfield Medcalf Dr is named in his honor.
He was assigned to Winston Salem, NC where he was the pastor of Hanes Memorial CME until retired. He relocated back to Charlotte, NC and began teaching at Independence High and founded Water of Life Ministries where he served until, he got his final Promotion which he had been working for his entire life. He transitioned peacefully to His Mansion not made by man. As John 14:2 In my Father’s house there are many mansions….
Rev. Medcalf loved preaching and spreading the word of God, that he and family would travel hundreds of miles to many revivals. He impacted so many lives that people would travel from all over near and far to hear him in person. He was always Positive. That is Just The Way He Was… Even during the 2020 Pandemic, he was still spreading words of encouragement on Facebook “Live At Five” every Saturday evening.
He leaves to mourn his three daughters, Marilyn Medcalf-Holley (Ray Holley), Sharí Edwards, Angela Medcalf, three sons, Andrew Brown, Chris Brown, Ian Brown, three granddaughters, eight great-grandchildren, and a host of nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.