|PIC1|Hundreds of mourners paid their respects Saturday to the man many came to know as the “Godfather of Gospel”.

The Rev Timothy D Wright died on April 24 at the Bronx Veterans Hospital in New York, aged 61.

Friends, family, congregants and colleagues of the preacher and gospel music artist gathered pver the weekend at the church he had founded and ministered to – Grace Tabernacle Christian Center Church of God in Christ in Brooklyn – singing the songs that Wright himself had composed and sung.

Bishop James Gaylord, pastor at Kelly Temple Church Of God In Christ in New York, told the congregation that the gathering was "a time of celebration" to honour Wright.

"This great man of God has been called to a higher place," he said.

Nine months ago, Wright was critically injured in a three-vehicle crash that killed his wife and 14-year-old grandson. A drunk driver had hit his car head-on as Wright and his family were returning from a Church of God in Christ conference in Detroit on July 4, 2008.

Since the accident, the beloved Brooklyn pastor was paralysed from the chest down but vowed to return to the pulpit at the church he and his wife Betty started nearly two decades ago.

“He had the determination that he’d walk again, that he’d preach again. But the body has its own clock, and he couldn’t carry on,” commented the Rev. Andrea Vereen of St Mark’s Holy Church in Brooklyn, according to the New York Times.

As an artist, Wright released more than a dozen gospel music recordings and was twice nominated for a Grammy for best traditional soul gospel album. His latest album, Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, came out in 2007.

A memorial musical concert was scheduled for Sunday night as a tribute to Wright. It was held at Pilgrim Renaissance Cathedral in Brooklyn, where a homegoing life celebration will be held Monday morning.