Rev. Dr. Lanel D. Guyton

Presiding Elder Lanel Demetrius Guyton was born on February 11, 1965, in Stockton, California, to Melvin and Awanda Guyton. As a young boy, he relocated to New Jersey to live with his father and stepmother, Bernadette Guyton, before returning to Stockton during his middle school years. He graduated from Amos Alonzo Stagg High School in 1983, where he played varsity football and basketball.

Elder Guyton graduated from Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina, with a degree in Sociology. While at Allen he crossed as a member of the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. He also attended Turner Seminary at I.T.C. in Atlanta, Georgia, where he earned a Master of Divinity Degree. He later earned his Doctor of Ministry Degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He also studied at Wilson College in Pennsylvania and held teacher certifications in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

After completing his studies at I.T.C. and returning back to New Jersey, Presiding Elder Guyton’s first pastoral assignment was at St. James AME Church, Mays Landing, New Jersey. Elder Guyton always talked about how the church was small in numbers but mighty in spirit.

In 1999, he was then assigned to Bethany AME Church, where Elder Guyton met the love of his life, Tanzania Francis. They married in 2001, and launched a 24 year long adventure of love filled with faith and happiness. Prior to their union, Elder Guyton was already a proud father to his daughter, Lashon, and together with Tanzania, they expanded their family with the births of their son, Lloyd, and daughter, Gisselle.

In 2001 he discovered his passion for teaching and became a teacher at Harrisburg School district. This passion led Elder Guyton to pursue further studies toward becoming a principal, demonstrating his commitment to leadership in education and to making a lasting impact on the lives of young people. In 2004, Elder Guyton was appointed to Bethel AME Church, Asbury Park, New Jersey.

In 2005, Elder Guyton was assigned to St. Paul AME Church in Bermuda, arriving at a pivotal time in the church’s history, which was in need of refurbishment. He quickly emerged as both a spiritual leader and community activist on the island. In 2009, he was the keynote speaker for Bermuda’s largest union (Bermuda Industrial Union). Elder Guyton's belief in traditional family values resonated in his speech “We are family and family sticks together through thick and thin.” Presiding Elder Guyton completed $4 million in renovations, for the church, the church parsonage (a new building) as well as major improvements to Centennial Hall, and the Stone Hall properties.

In his final pastoral assignment, Elder Guyton served as the 10th pastor of St. Matthew AME Church in Orange, New Jersey–a role that marked another pivotal moment in his ministry. When he arrived, the church was in need of restoration, and he took on the challenge. During his tenure at St. Matthew, he formed St. Matthew’s Non-Profit 501(c)(3), Community Improvement Association of the Oranges (CIAO), an organization that focused on the Socio-Economic needs of the community and the United Clergy of the Oranges, an organization geared towards raising awareness on issues affecting people in the Orange, New Jersey community. Elder Guyton curated many community outreach events including yearly “Bridging The Gap” 3 on 3 Basketball Tournaments and many more. Additional boards include the Superior Court of New Jersey-Essex Vicinage Advisory Committee on Minority Concerns and the Orange Coalition for Healthier Students and a Better Orange. He was also a chaplain of the Orange Police Department.

Presiding Elder Guyton was appointed as Presiding Elder of the Brooklyn-Westchester District in 2018, and in November 2024, was assigned to the New Brunswick District. Presiding Elder Guyton has served on the Board of Examiners for the New Jersey and Philadelphia Annual Conferences; as the Dean of the Ministerial Institute, and as Chairman of Finance/Treasurer for the Bermuda Conference, the First EpiscopalDistrict Self-Help Board, and the New Jersey Conference Board of Trustees. At the time of his passing, Presiding Elder Guyton was serving on the Board of Trusteesfor Essex County College, a position he had held since 2017, and had also served as its treasurer from 2017 to 2021.

Presiding Elder Guyton had a strong passion for teaching and educating students. He taught as a 5th Grade Language Arts Teacher at Whitney E. Houston Academy in East Orange, New Jersey, from 2022 to 2024, and at Leonard V. Moore Middle School in Roselle, New Jersey, from 2024 to 2025. His dedication to education left a lasting impact on his students. He spoke life into them beyond the classroom and always embraced them, offering encouragement and unwavering support at every opportunity. He found great joy in helping the students discover the power of words and he cherished reading and the power of education. Although he had begun pursuing principal certification years earlier, his pastoral assignment to Bermuda in 2005 temporarily placed those plans on hold. Now, nearly two decades later, he returned to complete what he started, a testament to his lifelong commitment to growth, leadership, and education.

On Friday, May 9, 2025, God called His servant home, and a host of angels welcomed Presiding Elder Guyton with God’s words, “Good and Faithful Servant, well done.”

Rev. Guyton was preceded in death by his father, Rev. Melvin L. Guyton, and his brother, Clinton F. Brownlee. His legacy will live on through his beloved wife of 24 years, Tanzania; mother, Awanda Brownlee; stepmother, Bernadette Guyton; son, Lloyd Melvin; and daughters, Lashon (Benjamin) Guyton-Allotey and Gisselle Marie. Brothers: Kevin (LaVaughn) Guyton, Frank Quarles, and Rev. M. Lloyd (Lauren) Guyton; sisters: Denay (Carl) Wells, Yvette (Sherman) James, Theresa Guyton, Tamiko (Eric) Guyton- Pruett, and Leah Guyton; three grandsons: Cameron, Princeton, and Houston; mother-in-law, Beverly Francis; brothers-in-law: Butchie (Trish) Francis and Nikkimo (Celeste) Francis; and a host of extended family members and friends.