Motley Receives the Isaiah V. Williamson Award

Dr. Al Motley, head pastor of the Way Thru Christ Community Fellowship in Chester, PA, received the board of trustee’s Isaiah V. Williamson Award at the Founder’s Day celebration in the Clara Schrenk Memorial Chapel on Feb. 3.

The award honors those who exemplify in their life and work the ideals of the founder of Williamson College of the Trades, whether they are alumni or not.

From 1994-97, Motley worked at Williamson as assistant director of student affairs and admissions, working hard to bring about diversity sensitivity among the campus community and recruiting students.

He has been serving on the school’s Diversity Council for 26 years and for the last three years has provided cultural diversity seminars to freshmen during the First Year Experience, a 4-day program designed to help freshmen get assimilated into Williamson’s lifestyle before classes begin. He also has brought these seminars to faculty and staff. Most recently, he joined the Chaplaincy Program Advisory Committee.

As head pastor at his church, Motley shares his faith with many and does much to help his community, including counseling, providing food for people during the COVID-19 pandemic, helping people in recovery, and helping people find employment and housing.

He also is a bishop for the Lancaster Mennonite Conference, which oversees several churches throughout Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. Earlier in his career, he was a pastor at several churches.

After graduating from Chester High School he served seven years in the Marines and then worked ten years at Witco Chemical Co.