Camilla O. Sykes

Pastor Camilla O. Sykes is the granddaughter of the late Rev. Joseph Anthony Sr., Pastor of Moore’s Temple Church of God in Christ. While under his leadership unbeknownst to her she would carry the Pastorate mantle to serve as one of the Pastor’s at Deliverance Mission Christian Church (DMCC) for 12 ½ years. She entered a fresh new season in her life when she again endeavoring to start a new church that is under “God’s Construction.” As Pastor Camilla accepted God’s call to preach and teach the Word of God: this “call” birthed out several additional teaching abilities: she led a women’s ministry (and co-ed) as a mid-sized group facilitator. She has provided spiritual guidance, strength, and hope for married women, divorced, single and abused women. As a mid-sized group leader she was dedicated to providing a safe and sensitive environment geared for engaging discussions.

Camilla attended Alta Sita Elementary, Hughes-Quinn Junior High, Lincoln Senior High School, and Southern Illinois College at Carbondale and taught for many years in Belleville District #118, public school district that included Westhaven Elementary School, Belleville, Ill., and Franklin Grade School, Belleville, Ill.

In addition to Pastor Camilla’s preaching and teaching ministry, she currently served bi-vocationally as an educator. She has mentored adults and taught children in the field of education for the past twenty years. Because education was one of Pastor Camilla’s passions, she was founder and overseer of a Christian school in the future. She has also served DMCC’s children’s church program and nursery program, which serves children from age’s birth to 12 years of age. Pastor Camilla’s anointed bold preaching style has touched the lives of thousands of men and women at local conferences and church services.

Camilla was a hard-working, dedicated Pastor/educator/mentor/counselor that has taught many women to never, ever give up, and to serve God with all of your heart, mind and body. While serving as one of the Pastor’s at Deliverance Mission Christian Church her servitude has impacted the Belleville, Illinois local community in various ways, she has taken part in: a new car give-away; turkey give-away; tutoring illiterate adults; toy drives; yearly Christian school scholarships; organizing an adopt-a-family program; providing Thanksgiving gift baskets for the elderly and single women; provided donations of numerous gift certificates, a free food give-away and providing immediate housing for women and children who are rendered homeless because of violent situations.

Pastor Camilla was a true trendsetter and visionary. In the spring of 2007, she launched her “Words of Wisdom” platform on the weekly television broadcast “Delivering the Word.” The response was phenomenal! This program received tons of weekly calls and letters of support. It was clear that this program was needed in the lives of the faithful viewers that this gave birth to her very own television broadcast “Delivering the Word 2.” God has continued to pour into Pastor Camilla a wide range of Ministry undertakings. Her true passion will be the founding of her Trinity Home Project. This will be a women’s/children safe home, with a substance abuse deliverance program and work-study program designed for women who want to find God. In this season she has had numerous financial supporters that God has placed in her life to see this dream of women who have been forgotten and written off as worthless and non-contributors to society; to have a life-makeover. She will allow God to lead her lead them to these women and aid them in experiencing a saved, stable, spirit filled life where they are gainfully employed and reacclimatize into society as a BLESSED AND HIGHLY FAVORED WOMAN OF GOD.

God has given Pastor Camilla several mottos. This one she often uses for the future residents of the Trinity Home Project is “Step-on”/ “Step-off”… which means it does not matter where you are in your life or how bad you think things have gotten, your current situation does not define the rest of your life, especially when we are placed in an uncomfortable situation—Step-on/ Step-off!

Pastor Camilla has one daughter, Morgan Chinara whom she loves very much! Pastor Camilla is a truly worthy recipient of the Christian Service Award

Camilla Ozella Sykes, 42, of Belleville, Ill., born April 28, 1969 in Belleville, Ill., died on Monday, May 30, 2011 at Memorial Hospital, Belleville, Ill.

Camilla was preceded in death by her brother Frederick K. Sykes

Surviving are her loving daughter, Morgan Chinara Weatherall of Belleville, Ill; her parents, Earlie and Gloria Sykes of East St. Louis, Ill; her Dear Uncles, Charles Anthony of St. Louis, Mo., and Dr. Marvin Anthony of St. Louis, Mo., and her Uncle Joe Sykes of Chicago, Ill., two loving Aunts, Bertha Anthony and Martha Anthony both of East St. Louis, Ill; two siblings, Peggy Nichols and Rudy Smith both of California; and their spouses and children; two nephews, Gabriel Sykes of Hillsboro, Ill., and Giovonni Sykes of East St. Louis, Ill., and one great-niece Grace Sykes of East St. Louis, Ill., and a host of many cousins and relatives.

In lieu of flowers, the family’s request is to have memorials made in Camilla’s memory to a Trust Fund for Morgan Weatherall.

Condolences may be offered at www.lakeviewfuneralhm.com

Visitation will be held privately at Lake View Funeral Home, Fairview Heights, Illinois.

Funeral services will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Saturday, June 4, 2011 at Lake View Funeral Home with Pastor Bradley Miller officiating. Interment will be held at Lake View Memorial Gardens, Fairview Heights, Illinois