Charlotte church official celebrates her 104th birthday

PHOTO | KEN KOONTZ

Mary “Chick” Thompson, who has spent more than 80 years as general secretary of the Charlotte United House of Prayer For All People of the Apostolic Faith, celebrated her 104th birthday on March 3.

Mary “Chick” Thompson, general secretary of Charlotte’s United House of Prayer For All People of The Apostolic Faith, kicked off Women’s History Month by celebrating her 104th birthday and more than 80 years in church leadership.

More than 30 mostly family across five generations treated Thompson to a dinner party at a local fish specialty restaurant to celebrate the milestone anniversary of her birth on March 3, 1919, in Spartanburg, S.C. An only child, it was Thompson’s father who nicknamed her.

“He said I was his special little chickadee and that stuck with me all these years,” she recounted. “Most all people call me ‘Chick’ even now because of the name my daddy gave me.”  

Thompson was raised in the church from early childhood when her family joined the House of Prayer. She participated in virtually every youth organization in the church and as a young adult, House of Prayer founder Bishop C.M. “Sweet Daddy” Grace appointed her general secretary.

Though her voice isn’t as strong and she uses a cane to steady her still-brisk walking pace, Thompson still holds the title and works with an exclusive office spot in the Charlotte Mother House on Beatties Ford Road.  

When she began her leadership – long before today’s computers and office high-technology – Thompson ran all office procedures and practices. Now, her duties are pretty much restricted to signing checks.

“I do whatever I want to do, and nobody better not mess with me,” she said with a raised fist of defiance. “I will knock them out,” she added with a laugh, waving an imaginary punch.

Thompson is known for her wit and strength of character. She can be flirtatious and feisty one minute and next put on a shy demeanor flashing her aged but still soft eyes in humility. Retirement is nowhere in her plans.  

“I have tried to retire or step down for years,” Thompson said, “but none of the bishops would let me. I have served every leader we have had from Sweet Daddy Grace through all of his successors including the one we have now, Bishop [C.M.] Bailey.”  

Thompson lives in Charlotte with her great-grandson Maurice Roseborough and his wife LaToya, who was United House of Prayer general secretary in her hometown of Savannah, Ga. 

“Nobody is willing to challenge her in any way,” says Roseborough. “And nobody is going to try it.”  

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