Join us Sundays at 10:30 AM
3330 South King Drive, Chicago, IL 60616
SENIOR PASTOR, D. Josiah Montgomery
Rev. D. Josiah Montgomery is a native of Chicago’s south side, having grown up in the Grand Crossing neighborhood. His formative years were spent in the Holiness & Lutheran churches, and he attended Lutheran grade school. Hartzell is his second appointment, having served for three years as pastor of East Side United Methodist Church (Chicago), and prior to his appointment at Hartzell, in campus ministry at North Central College (Naperville).
An organist by trade, Rev. Montgomery saw a calling to ministry in 2015, while serving at First UMC-LaGrange, IL. During grad school, Montgomery served as organist at the Episcopal Church of the Heavenly Rest, in Abilene, Texas. He graduated from Perkins School of Theology at SMU in 2018, having concentrations in moral theology & African American religious history. In 2020, he became a certified candidate for ministry. In 2022, he was officially recognized as a licensed local pastor. In 2025, Montgomery was recommended for commission as a Provisional Elder.
Rev. Montgomery is better known as a theologian that is very vocal on social justice issues. Montgomery’s undergraduate thesis entitled: “The Metropolitan Spiritual Church Movement,” focused on the issues of injustice in Chicago and how that injustice began a new genre of music – Gospel! This work was expanded in August of 2012 and titled: "Lux Mundi - The Black Liberation Gospel of Chicago,” and was subsequently expanded upon in his Master’s Thesis at SMU.
Rev. Montgomery is a 2012 graduate of Elmhurst College and alumnus of the college's Pi Iota chapter of Phi Mu Alpha Sinfonia Fraternity. He is also a 2018 graduate of Perkins School of Theology at SMU. He holds membership with the Chicago Chapter of the American Guild of Organists (Former Board Member), BUMP, and BMCR. Rev. Montgomery also serves as the Assistant Conductor of the Chatham Choral Ensemble here in Chicago.
Rev. Montgomery comes from a long succession of Methodist/Holiness ministers, including his Great-Great-Great Grandfather, Rev. Robert Montgomery (Lexington, MS), and his Grandmother, Rev. Barbara Montgomery who serves as an assistant pastor at a local Pentecostal church.
ASSISTANT PASTOR, Rev. Melvin Travis
Rev. Melvin Travis is a native Texan, and has been with Hartzell Church since 1989, upon the merger of the former St. Luke United Methodist Church into Hartzell. Rev. Travis has also held two pastoral charges, one at St. Luke, and the other at Markham. Before being called into ministry, Rev. Travis worked in child welfare and advocacy.
Rev. Travis serves as the visitation pastor, and pastoral assistant to the senior pastor, in addition to keeping in contact with our sick & shut in members, and supports the Class Leader ministry.
Rev. Travis attended Wiley College, in Marshall, Texas for undergraduate studies, and Gammon Theological for graduate studies. He is husband to the late, Carol Travis, has one son, a daughter-in-law, and three grandsons.