Reverend Orlando Chaffee Biography

Rev. Orlando Chaffee is starting his first year as Superintendent in the North Coast District of the United Methodist Church in the Cleveland, OH area.  Previously he had served as Superintendent for the Mahoning Valley District in the Youngstown, OH area.

Rev. Orlando Chaffee was born in Detroit, Michigan and grew up in Cleveland in its southeastern suburbs.  He attended school in Garfield Heights and Warrensville Heights in 1974.  He went on to complete undergraduate studies at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, and seminary studies at Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary studies  in Evanston, Illinois.  While in Seminary, he spent one year as an intern at Adrian College in Adrian, Michigan, serving as assistant to the Chaplain, Black Student Advisor and Freshman Resident Hall Director.  He also served as a student pastor at Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church and co-president of the Garrett Evangelical Black Seminarians during his third year.

Following his graduation from Garrett Seminary with a Master of Divinity degree, Rev. Chaffee returned to Cleveland for his first appointment, a two-point charge as Associate Pastor part-time at Cory United Methodist Church, and full-time at Willson United Methodist church.  He left Cory in 1985 to become a full-time pastor at Windermere United Methodist Church in East Cleveland, Ohio.  After serving Windermere for five-and one half years, (December 1986 to June 1992), he was appointed to Cory United Methodist Church as Senior Pastor on July 1, 1992. 

Extremely active in the life of the greater church and community, Rev. Chaffee has served the East Ohio Conference of the United Methodist Church as a member of its Council on Finance and Administration; Transitional Church Task Group; Congregational Development Team; Black Methodists for Church renewal; the executive committee of the Black Methodists for Church Renewal; and Board of Ordained Ministry.  He also served on the Cleveland District Committee, United Methodist's Churches Finance and District Superintendency and Ordained Ministry Committees.

He has also served as a chair of the Religious Relations Committee, and member of the Executive Committee of the Board of Trustees of the Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland; President of the Greater Cleveland Methodist Ministerial Alliance; a member of Cleveland Clergy United for Juvenile Justice; and Board of Trustees of Ohio Wesleyan University.  In addition to serving as Superintendent of the Mahoning Valley District, Rev. Chaffee also served on the boards of trustees at the United Methodist Community Center of Youngstown and Copeland Oaks Retirement Center in Sebring, OH.  At the recent Jurisdictional Conference he was elected to the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry.

Rev. Chaffee is married to Velma Elaine Chaffee.  They have one daughter, Ondra, and two sons, Orlando R. (Buddy), and Omar.