Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer shown above addressing the audience assembled at Jamaica's National Day of Prayer in Kingston, JA in 2019. 

Her Bio

Archbishop Mary Floyd Palmer, also affectionately known as Bishop Mary, is the eldest daughter of the late Rev. Dr. Melvin & Mrs. Elizabeth Floyd, one of Philadelphia’s legends best known for his impactful street ministry of 45 years, done with his unusual van that carries the coffin & dummy on top. A lifelong resident of Philadelphia, Archbishop Mary is a family woman of five adult children, seven grandchildren and one great-grandson.  A Suma Cum Laude graduate of The Philadelphia High School For Girls, she excelled in her studies, in athletics and in music.  She is an excelled academician with a conferred Doctor of Ministry and Ph.D. degrees.  Publicly, she is a Special Deputy Lieutenant of Philadelphia Sheriff Office, Clergy Division, and presently holds several positions with the United Nations as a certified International Chaplain, Peace Ambassador, and is, Her Excellency, the Deputy Chief Governor of the Department of Northeastern USA division of the International Consulting Council.  

Archbishop Mary grew up in a family where Ministry was the family mantle. She began singing at age three and served faithfully in every ministry and official position in the Church that spans over 56 years. Her love for music began at: age three singing in the children choir, at age eight as a pianist, and continued as a passionate gospel singer who has sung with great choirs and greats Directors led by Mattie Moss Clark (COGIC), Bernard Pinder (Women In White), Rev. Ernest Davis (Wilmington-Chester Mass Choir), Joyce Drayton (MLK Community & Citywide Revival Choirs), Harold Thompson (Mainline Interdenominational Choir), David Winslow (Winslow Singers), Carol Antrom (Afternoon of Songs Choir) and Daren Miller (Sweet Fellowship Inspirational Choir).  These experiences, along with being a Minister of Music and avid musician of four instruments, has only enhanced her excellent directing and choral teaching skills to be the Lead Director of  The MET Community Choir, the House Choir for the newly MET Philly Opera House.  Adding to her talents, she is an On-Air Personality and Host of the award-winning “The Bishop Mary Show”, now featured on WWDB 860-AM each Monday mornings from 8:00AM – 9:00AM.  Relevant and relational topics, whether secular or spiritual, are discussed with sensitivity and truth. Because of her integrity and stellar reputation, she has interviewed prominent and prestigious persons locally, nationally and worldwide.  

Despite a flourishing career in the public sector in Law Enforcement and private sectors as an Executive Assistant, Training Officer and Division Manager, she yielded and accepted the call on her life for full-time ministry. In 2004, she was licensed and ordained into the gospel ministry by her late Father/Pastor; and with his blessing, was ordained and consecrated to the Holy Office of Bishop in McDonough, GA in 2009 and the Arch-episcopacy at the historic Bright Hope Baptist Church in 2019. Her latest elevation made her historic as the first female Archbishop of any denomination in her home City of Philadelphia and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Archbishop received public honor ceremony by Mayor James Kenney in May 2019, City Council in June 2019 and entered in the Congressional Record in September 2019. Archbishop is also the first woman President & Presiding Prelate of The Philadelphia Council of Clergy, Inc.  

In August 2019, The Tourist Board of Jamaica invited and embraced Archbishop Mary in Montego Bay for her first historic trip to the Caribbean.  She was warmly welcomed by its Mayor, The Honorable Homer Davis; the Costos (Governor) of the St. James Parrish, The Honorable Conrad Pitkin; and the Prime Minister of Jamaica, the Most Honorable Andrew Holness in Kingston, along with the faith, civic, commerce, community leaders and the citizens as well. She accepted the invitation to return to Jamaica in January 2020 to witness the official declaration by Prime Minister Holness that the Day of Prayer is now a National Holiday in Jamaica. While there, she visited the hospital, nursing home, “skid row”, food kitchen, and a vocational school where she prayed for and blessed many.   

Passionate about souls, Archbishop Mary has been voluntarily teaching for over 25+ years in prisons until the pandemic, and promptly resumed once access was granted.  She created and instructs a weekly class for the male inmates at SCI-Chester since its opening in 1998.  Additionally, she has revised her father’s impactful Evangelism course into a two-hour Master Class course that is taught in schools, churches and the community at-large resulting in more than 5,400+ receiving Jesus Christ.  As a Motivational Speaker, she shares common sense principles with wit and candor to any age group, male or female in any environment (much like her father in the public schools) and is an evangelical Preacher who delivers the Word of God in a direct, practical and common sense manner without compromise or apology!

 Archbishop Mary’s passion for outreach in the community was impassioned and strengthened through the early ministry work of her late Father.  Founder of Neighborhood Crusades, an urban street ministry geared to save the lives of the youth in the city, she worked side-by-side in the streets with her Dad for over 45 years and saw many souls saved by his powerful and impactful message illustrated in his photographic presentation.  He realized that collaboration was necessary to provide alternatives to those who wanted to make a change in their lives, so he formed partnerships with the leading community organizations such as House of Umoja, Crisis Intervention Network, etc. whose programs were able to give that support. These efforts resulted in the cessation of gang violence and the premature deaths of young people citywide. Archbishop’s personal passion for youth began when she volunteered at age 13 with her late maternal grandmother at Women’s Christian Alliance, the oldest adoption and foster care agency in the world. To honor her father’s great work and continue his legacy of collaboration, Archbishop Mary established the Community Healing Project 4 All, Inc. in August 2019.  Its purpose is to promote healing through communicating with and restoring your neighbor, one at a time, block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood, reaching all communities. This only extends her experience and adds to her legacy as well. 

Her public and civic duties are vast locally, nationally and internationally by current service as, but not limited to: 

·        Lifetime Alumni Member, Philadelphia High School For Girls

·        Member, NAACP Philadelphia Branch

·        Board Member, Alliance for Progress Charter School 

·        Member, Mayor’s Commission of Faith-based & Interfaith Affairs

·        Member, Pennsylvania Re-entry Committee (PARC)

·        Member, RSVP Montgomery County

·        Member, Governor’s Trauma-Informed Care Committee

·        First Vice-President, National Congress of Black Women, Philadelphia Chapter

·        Executive Board Member & Parliamentarian, Black Clergy of Philadelphia & Vicinity

·        Member, Baptist Pastors & Ministers Conference

·        Member, Fellowship of Women Clergy, Inc.

·        Member, Rose of Sharon Preachers Conference

·        Presidium Member, ECOBAL

·        Member, Kingdom International Consortium

·        Spiritual Mother, Ruth Sisters Fellowship International (Continent of Africa)

·        Member, Royal Biographical Institute; HRH Yomi Garnett, Chancellor

 

On October 6, 2019, Archbishop became the Overseer for Heavenly Hall Church in West Philadelphia where her congregation, The Samaritan Temple, united as One Body in Christ to continue the worth and do the work of ministry.  Leading and giving guidance to a small congregation and its Founding Bishop, Archbishop did not hesitate to provide support of presence and share her gifts and talents. This is not only epic, but necessary for times like these when her compassion for struggling faith congregations is so needed.  It is also one of the driving reasons that the Philadelphia Council of Clergy will become a giving/grant organization to those in need, in spite of membership affiliation or denomination. Their greatest achievement has been to lead 1,163 souls to Jesus Christ in 2019 through the unified effort of evangelism. In June 2023, under the Lord’s leading, Archbishop ended the partnership with Heavenly Hall and re-opened her own Church ministry, The Samaritan Temple, to further the vision God has given to her.  Heavenly Hall was left in a much better financial and ministry state for which she is most proud of. 

Archbishop Mary has received over 65+ citations, resolutions and awards of honor for her consistent work in both the Kingdom and in the public & private sectors of society. Recent honors that have recognized Archbishop’s life of service: 

·        Inducted as a Centennial Honorary Member of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc., Alpha Omega Chapter, along with her fellow honorary members — Actress Vivica Fox, R&B Legend Chaka Khan and Major General Linda Singh—on November 8, 2020.

·        Recipient of the prestigious U.S. President’s Lifetime Achievement Award and pin from President Joseph Biden on December 5, 2021.

·        Recipient of the prestigious U.S. President’s Volunteer Service Award from President Joseph Biden on May 20, 2022

·        Recipient of State House and Senate Resolution as the First Female Archbishop in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania on May 25, 2022

·        Recipient of City Council Citation as Community Advocate Against Anti-Violence on    June 2, 2022

·        Recipient of Inspirational Gospel Singers Award by Barnes Boy Music Group on          June 10, 2022

Archbishop Mary has served faithfully in Ministry spanning 56+ years and is well-versed, well-trained, yet a humble and approachable Lady who is ready to serve at any time.  Her Ministry verses are Eph. 6:19 & 20, Philippians 1:6 and I Cor. 15:58 (paraphrased): “God does not begin anything in you that He doesn’t equip and anoint you to speak boldy and complete in Him. Therefore, remain steadfast--no matter what!” 

A world traveler, auspicious communicator, and sought afer speaker, you can hear Award-winning 'Bishop Mary Show' of the Beasley Media Group at any time on the Bishop Mary Podcast at www.BishopMary.com

For scheduling, appearances or bookings, email at Prelate.PCCGlobal@gmail.com or by calling 833-722-4748.