"Amen" (1986-1991)

Sherman Hemsley ("The Jeffersons") scored another hit with this sitcom about the members of a Philadelphia church produced by Johnny Carson's production company. Hemsley was Ernest Frye, a lawyer who was also a deacon of his church. Frye was also a widower who had single-handedly raised his prim and proper daughter Thelma (Anna Marie Horsford). Frye's dad had founded the church, so Frye felt he had a right to control it. His attitude clashed with Reuben Gregory (Clifton Davis), who was the pastor. Chatty sisters Casietta and Arnelia (Barbara Montgomery and Roz Ryan) were members of the church board, and Rolly (Jester Hairston) was another member who didn't hesitate to speak his mind.

Frye's pushiness kept him in trouble with everybody, but he appeared to seldom learn lessons from his antics. His attitude was evident in the opening credits, which saw a sign above Frye's parking space that read, "Don't even think of parking here!" Romance challenged Thelma and Rev. Gregory slowly fell in love, and eventually married.

Clifton Davis is a Seventh-Day Adventist pastor is real life. He also wrote the song "Never Can Say Goodbye" which was a big hit for the Jackson Five back in 1971. Jester Hairston was no slouch in the music department himself, having wrote many sacred hymns.