Rev. Marvin Chandler

Rev. Marvin Chandler

(October 3, 1929 - September 23, 2023)

Marvin Chandler first played piano at the age of four in his hometown of Bloomington, Indiana, and since that time has never stopped sharing his gift of music as well as his commitment to justice and passion for ministry.

He received his bachelor’s degree from Indiana University School of Music and served as pastor of Bloomington’s Second Baptist Church from 1954-1955. After leaving Second Baptist Church in 1955 to continue studying music and theology, he became a community organizer, lending his skills to employment contract negotiations for Kodak, reconciliation discussions at Attica Prison in New York and many other activities, speaking on behalf of underrepresented members of the community.

The Reverend Chandler has also served as an executive with the San Francisco Council of Churches. He is considered to be a leading expert on the life of Howard Thurman, the noted theologian, philosopher and civil rights leader. 

Later, Mr. Chandler served as Pastor of the Church for the Fellowship of All Peoples (which Dr. Thurman co-founded in San Francisco). From 1978-1984 Mr. Chandler was Executive Director of the Howard Thurman Education Trust. Mr. Chandler was a visiting professor at Linfield College, McMinnville, Oregon, and he served as a Visitor for a semester at Oxford University, England. Mr. Chandler has received a number of awards in his lifetime including an Honorary Doctor of Divinity from Franklin College, Franklin, Indiana, and The Luke Mowbray Award for ecumenical work from the American Baptist Churches/USA in 2008.

Film Freeway did a documentary about him called “Rev. Marvin Chandler: Open to the Moment”. Molding together his gifts of music and ministry, Reverend Chandler continues to be active in musical and spiritual circles with both musical performances and sermons.  He is an accomplished jazz pianist.