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Watts Named Chief Chaplain for State Corrections

CHICAGO, IL (March 11, 2004) - Ordained Covenant pastor William Watts Sr. of Gospel Way Covenant Church in Chicago has been appointed chief chaplain for the Department of Corrections in the State of Illinois, the first African American to hold that position.

Born in Chicago, Watts was raised in North Chicago and graduated from North Chicago High School. He was a member of the U.S. Air Force reserve, serving much of his time on the island of Crete in Greece. He graduated from Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and later completed studies at North Park Theological Seminary for ordination and certification into the Evangelical Covenant Church.

A Covenant pastor since 1983, Watts founded Gospel Way Covenant in 1977 when it was a bible church. He worked at Sears Roebuck for 11 years and was deputy director of chapter development for Operation Push from 1983-89. In 1989, he joined Prison Fellowship Ministry. Watts retired from Prison Fellowship Ministry (PFM) last June after serving as the Northern Illinois director for 14 years. To learn more about Watts and his work with Prison Fellowship Ministry, read Watts Honored for Service, published in the Covenant online news report on May 14, 2003.

A former worker for Rev. Jessie Jackson, Watts has built many strong relationships among ministers in Illinois and his recommendation came from other ministers in the Chicago area. He was appointed by Gov. Rod Blagojevich in February and will work in Chicago, where he and his wife, Marva, reside.

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