E.L. Chamblee Faith and work made a life and a man TEXT BY g.r. mattox By me knowing, and trusting, and working toward the scriptures, what you want may not come today or tomorrow, but it will come if you work toward it long and hard enough. God will give you the answers. You can’t really be successful with the little you have unless you exercise your faith in Him.
Rev. E. L. Chamblee
he sometimes uses a cane to get around. A native of North Carolina, Chamblee has no knowledge of his parents. He took Chamblee as his surname from the people with whom he lived on a sharecropping t 3 a.m., when many of us are in the middle of farm. With no real family and even less encouragea good night’s sleep, Reverend E.L. (Ernest ment to succeed at anything growing up, life was Lee) Chamblee is starting his day with a peri- hard. Nevertheless, around 1959, he headed to New od of prayer and contemplation. He says he gets his York to experience life up north, and found himself best ideas during that time, when all around him is in Newark. “Because I didn’t know anybody here, I still and quiet. Then he sets out to work as executive basically lived outside,” he recalled. He slept behind chef at the restaurant that bares his name on a street an abandoned building on South Orange Avenue corner also named for him. At Chamblee Square and Newton Street. Rising very early in the morning Restaurant, assisted by a small staff, he prepares so people would not know he was there, he ate the some of the most flavorful food in the city of Newdiscarded food from the Father Devine Peace Misark, cooked with skill and love, and served in a warm sion, eventually landing in what was then Newark’s atmosphere that can be casual for the drop-in diner, City Hospital, laid low with food poisoning. That led or formal for larger groups in the separate banquet to his first job in the city, working at the hospital for rooms. room and board until he found his first paying at a Rev. Chamblee is also pastor of Promised Land company in Nutley, NJ. Missionary Baptist Church. Both the pastor and the This marked the beginning of a long, slow climb restaurant receive rave reviews. “Pastor Chamblee is toward ministry and a varied and impressive record a man who loves God and people, which he express- of entrepreneurship and work experience. Chames to the public through his food... Love that Mac blee has been a licensed plumber, owned a meat & Cheese!” said one patron. market, a deli, a furniture store, and a top-of-theAnother diner raved, “This line charter bus fleet of eight. A thirst for learning little place has some of the led him to study at various seminaries and Hampton best soul food in Newark. The Institute in Virginia, as well as perfecting his cooking workers here are polite and skills by gathering whatever he could from people friendly.” Some say it’s one of willing to teach him. Newark’s best kept secrets. In 1966 he began a small mission on 16th Avenue Simple, modest, and with five members including himself, his wife Delosoft-spoken, Pastor ase, his two daughters, Stephanie and Alicia, and his Chamblee is a quiet organist, the late Mrs. Francinner Stokes Moorer. and forceful presence A year later it became Promised Land Missionary even though, at 76 Baptist Church, Inc. A move to Watson Avenue came before they settled at their current location on the corner of Hunterdon Street and Madison Ave. From five members, the church has grown to the current church roll of 900. Many still remember Pastor Chamblee’s radio programs, most notably on the now silent WNJR/
Photos: Marc Williams
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L-R: Sous Chef Flower Samon and Daughter Lisa
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The Positive Community
June 2016
www.thepositivecommunity.com