Lewis D. Reynolds

L. Dayton Reynolds was born in Charleston, WV on July 26, 1937, to James Shelby Reynolds and Sybil Catherine (Lanham) Reynolds, and raised in a devoted Christian household.

He went on to graduate from Marshall University (Huntington, WV) with a Bachelor of Business Administration. Having perceived a call of God on his life to ordained ministry, he attended Aurora University (Aurora, IL) and achieved a Bachelor of Theology and then obtained a Master of Divinity degree from Evangelical Theological Seminary (Naperville, IL).

In 1962, he married his beloved wife Ann Kathryn Combs and was ordained as a minister in the Advent Christian Church.

After serving faithfully in Advent Christian churches in Mendota, IL and Clendenin, WV, he took the pastorate of Penfield Advent Christian Church in the Rochester, NY area. The church became New Covenant Fellowship in 1977, and the Rev. Reynolds was instrumental in starting New Covenant Christian School, which the Lord blessed with much growth and spiritual impact on its region.

In 1989, the Rev. Reynolds was called to become the General Overseer of Elim Fellowship, a communion of Pentecostal and charismatic churches, where he had a blessed and fruitful ministry in the United States, Canada, Britain, Latin America, Africa and India.

After serving as General Overseer, the Rev. Reynolds became Pastor of Faith Christian Fellowship (Clarksburg, WV), where he helped the church set a fruitful new course for its future.

In 2004, the Rev. Reynolds was ordained to the Priesthood of the Charismatic Episcopal Church where he assisted in church planting efforts in Charleston, WV and Warrenton, VA. In 2007, he was received into Orthodoxy and became Subdeacon Elias, assisting in the ministry of churches in Virginia, California, and Texas, and having a pivotal role in the establishment of the Saint Constantine Schools and College (Houston, TX). He passed away on June 26, 2025.

He was known around the world for his anointed ministry, wise counsel, faithful integrity, hospitality and godly leadership. He also was a great storyteller and had a tremendous sense of humor.

L. Dayton Reynolds was preceded in death by his father and mother, his sister and brother-in-law Jeanne Harris and the Rev. Charles Harris. He is survived by his beloved wife Ann Reynolds, his son Dr. John Mark Reynolds and his wife Hope Reynolds, his son Daniel A. E. Reynolds, his grandchildren Lewis D. Reynolds III, Mary Kathryn Yniguez and her husband Solomon Yniguez, Ian C. A. Reynolds and his wife Emma Reynolds, and Jane V. A. Reynolds. He is also survived by two great-grandchildren Emilia and Genevieve Yniguez.

A funeral service will be held at St. Joseph Orthodox Church, located at 10644 Hammerly Blvd, Houston, TX 77043, United States. The service is scheduled for July 1, 2025, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am.