Memorial services for Prophetess Leona Glenn from Center of Attraction Outreach, will take place at 11 a.m. Saturday at World Outreach Campus Church. She passed away Dec. 15 at age 69, known as the “Preacher of Fire” and the “Lioness of Saginaw.
Her husband, Apostle James Glenn, will officiate, with Dr. Anthony Revis presiding.
Leona Aldridge of Saginaw met James Glenn of Detroit at Eastern Michigan University, and their wedding was one week after they graduated. The young couple headed to Saginaw, and James landed a startup job at the newly created Good Neighbors Mission while Leona started the family with three babies, all in a row, which inspired her devotion to organizing activities for all children.
“Even when we were struggling ourselves, we would share whatever we had,” she said in a Michigan Banner interview two years ago. “We would feed the children.”
The couple launched Center of Attraction in 1983 at the Saginaw YMCA, then at a converted house on Emerson behind St. Mary’s Hospital (now Greenhouse Gathering Place), conducting event giveaways and community picnics. Finally, they found an isolated but affordable building out on South Washington near Sheridan, tackled the task for expanding it, and opened the doors in 1997, which gave Leona her own space to organize a full children’s summer and after-school program.
At the same time, she became the first female to join panelists on TCT’s “Ask the Pastor” program and served as local chairwoman of the National Day of Prayer, conducted at City Hall.
Visitation is from 2 to 7 p.m. at Evans & Browne Funeral Home, and also Saturday at 10 a.m. prior to the service.
