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Cheryl Harris November 2009

1

Cheryl HarrisCandidate for Ordination

Personal narrativeNovember 20 2009


2

Faith journey and call to ministry

The theologian Ireneaus said ldquoto give glory to God is to be a human fully aliverdquo A

balanced life of faith family fun friendship prayer worship laughter love work

study dance and community liberates me to embrace Godrsquos beautiful gift of life Fully

alive

My name is Cheryl Harris I serve as an associate minister and member of the

ministerial staff at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton MA My role allows me to work

in a variety of capacities and ministries including leading the womenrsquos and community

ministries preaching regularly teaching Bible Study weekly and helping lay leaders

and congregation members discover their spiritual gifts

I was born on May 23 1955 in Boston MA I am the devoted mother of Craig (37

years old) and Aleisha (32 years old) and the proud grandmother of my grandson

Okera (14 years old) I am one of ten children

My journey to ministry has been influenced by three important elements of my life I

have been blessed by the wonderful example of praying grandmothers I have been

seared and tested by traumatic events and I have been nurtured by communities of

faith Through it all I have learned the power of forgiveness the abiding presence of

God and the truth of Psalm 3418-19mdashldquoThe lord is close to the brokenhearted and

saves those who are crushed in spirit A righteous person may have many troubles but

the Lord delivers her from them allrdquo


3

Treasures in Earthen Vessels

My faith has been shaped by two extraordinary women my two grandmothers each

of them ldquotreasures in earthen vesselsrdquo They showed me how to be strong in myself

and strong in my faith

My paternal grandmother Leola Thrower was a devoutly religious woman who

rarely missed weekly worship at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Portsmouth VA During our

summer visits to her house Sunday mornings were events We started out the day with

a fortifying breakfast of fried fish grits collard greens and biscuits to ensure our

endurance for the day long worship experience On Tuesday and Wednesday evenings

we spent a shorter time at prayer service and Bible Study

Every morning and night my grandmother would get on her arthritic knees and pray

to the unseen God I thought it was the strangest thing Intrigued I would press my

ear against her closed bedroom door and listen to her earnest prayers Just as she

finished I would dart away without notice Often after ldquohavinrsquo her talk with Jesusrdquo she

would declare to no one in particular but to everyone that God had shared a mystery

with her or told her about someonersquos personal need Frequently she would share with

my brothers and me that the Lord directed her to pray for someone or make a home

visit Many times she would pick fresh vegetables from the garden and deliver them to

a neighborrsquos house sometimes leaving them on the stoop other times ringing the bell

and praying with the person who answered the door


4

Strangers knew they could get a meal at Ms Throwerrsquos house and they would come

in various states of sobriety Accordingly they would ldquohappen to pass byrdquo just about

the time that Grandma would be in her metal rocking chair digesting the evening meal

Invariably I would be nearby and she would announce ldquoCheryl go fix Mr Jim1 a

plate a man-size plate of foodrdquo

I never forgot those talks with Jesus Nor did the peace and joy that my

grandmother exhibited leave my memory My faith journey began during those summer

visits and the marks were indelible

My maternal grandmother Geneva Peebles migrated to New York City from the

cotton fields of South Carolina at a young age Upon her arrival she was diagnosed

with typhoid fever and after a three month stay at Bellevue Hospital and barely

escaping death she recovered and began work as a cook and domestic Acting upon

her personal plan she lived on little and saved enough money to finance each one of

her six siblingsrsquo transportation to the North They called her Big Sister and we called her

Big Mama The nickname indicated more than her physical size She laughed little

worked hard read her Bible diligently and spoke when necessary She was an advocate

of quid pro quo As a case in point upon ldquogivingrdquo my oldest brother a bureau for his

new apartment she required that he pay ten dollars for the gift When he objected she

explained that ldquoif you donrsquot pay nothinrsquo for it you wonrsquot think nothinrsquo of itrdquo I cherish

Geneva Peeblesrsquo lesson that everything costs something and we value what we pay for

From her I learned that perseverance is an essential life quality

1Not his actual name


5

These ancestral maternal giants instilled three life lessons in me The first is the

resolve to overcome obstacles The second is that through faith in God impossibilities

can become realities Finally the third life lesson is that a committed prayer life is

essential for living

More than Conquerors

My faith has also been shaped by a series of traumatic life events I briefly

record these events because an authentic account of my life and faith must include

them The lessons I learned from my grandmothers about resolve faith and prayer

helped me to survive the challenges with deepened faith

I have found a great source of comfort and encouragement in Romans 828-39 As

I consider Jesusrsquo nail scarred hands and how they dually signify the tragedy and victory

of the cross I know that it is important to show onersquos character developing scars Lifersquos

scars serve as reminders of the trials of life as well as testify to what one has overcome

I am comforted with the knowledge that I am more than a conqueror through Christ

who loves me

My dad was severely burned in a fire and subsequently died when I was 2 years old

My mom was thrust into single parenting 5 children at 22 years of age Eventually our

family grew to 11 children Poverty placed us in substandard housing and on three

occasions we were chased out of our home in the middle of the night to escape fast

moving flames that threatened to engulf us Gratefully my mom improved our quality

of life by obtaining independence from government assistance achieving her GED and


6

securing employment moving up to a supervisory position Through her perseverance

she purchased a single family home in Dorchester and we were no longer plagued with

the night terror of raging fires

However I was not free from danger and suffered assault and an early loss of

innocence That violation catapulted me into a sense of worthlessness intense anger

and low self esteem

My eventful youth additionally included the deaths of my 4 year old brother and

murder of my momrsquos partner Subsequently I was blessed with the birth of my son

Although I was a teenage mom Craigrsquos entrance softened me and restored me I

experienced the joy of motherhood again when my daughter Aleisha was born four

years later

Despite the darkness of my early life experiences God always pointed me to angelsrdquo

who showed me the light of kindness laughter joy and hope There were a host of

teachers family members mentors preachers Christians and one highly skilled God-

sent psychotherapist who affirmed me as a lovable person and guided me through a

journey of emotional healing I learned from these ldquoangelsrdquo that God always provides

hope and comfort no matter how dire the circumstances I came to understand that life

is full of ebbs and flows good times and bad times and that just as good times donrsquot

last nor do bad times The apostle Paul helps a great deal with the following passage

ldquo 8We are hard pressed on every side but not crushed perplexed but not indespair 9persecuted but not abandoned struck down but not destroyed (2Corinthians 48-9)


7

From these combined angels I discovered that I had a choice I could stay bitter

resentful and angry or I could forgive as I have been forgiven through Jesus Christ and

live in liberty Instead of being bound by my past I could use it as a launching pad for

my future ldquoforgetting what is behind and straining toward what is aheadrdquo (Philippians

313) I chose to forgive and to develop understanding By Godrsquos grace my early

experiences created deep compassion and empathy for the underdog and the weak in

society

I discovered that I had God-given gifts of leadership teaching encouraging

administration and wisdom to help others By encouraging others and sharing what I

learned from my own life Scripture and the Holy Spirit I found a way out of despair

and disappointment I developed a consistent prayer life and saw a direct correlation

between prayer and peace prayer and faith prayer and hope and prayer and

strength Thus I rely on the power of prayer and Godrsquos leading to help others My

eventful early years produced within me a zest for life enduring optimism and a

generous sense of humor

The Household of God

My faith has also been nurtured by the faith communities I have called home and it

is through these churches that I have become aware of Godrsquos calling me to ministry My

first experience of church was at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Portsmouth VA which I

attended every summer with my grandmother Upon returning home to Massachusetts

from those transformative summer worship experiences I sought Godrsquos presence in


8

local neighborhood churches I can remember walking at the age of nine to the nearby

St Cyprianrsquos Episcopal Church on Sunday mornings

Through the years I visited a number of churches and joined some But my first

true acknowledged encounter with the Holy Spirit occurred at Concord Baptist Church

in Boston MA Pastor Owen C Cardwell preached relevant practical and spirit filled

sermons that stirred my soul I found a haven of spiritual growth and development

among the membership of Concord Baptist Church My hunger and thirst for Christ

increased and I sought more of God After three years of committed and faithful

attendance at Bible Studies and worship services I accepted Jesus Christ as my

personal savior and was baptized by immersion in 1983 My love for God grows as I die

daily and God reveals Godself to me When Pastor Cardwell founded Faith Tabernacle

with the commitment to teach the Word line by line and precept upon precept I

became a member and remained there until 2003 Godrsquos calling upon my life became

more evident during the fifteen years at Faith Tabernacle where I served in leadership

roles of Sunday School Superintendent Adult Bible Study teacher youth leader

preacher and womenrsquos ministry leader

Most of the preachers I knew were men However increasingly I saw and heard

women preach and teach Godrsquos word with conviction and authenticity I was inspired

On several occasions I received invitations to preach at my own church and other

churches Faith Tabernacle licensed me as a minister in the early 1990s

After several leadership changes and membership decline to my surprise God

guided me as he did Abraham to leave Faith Urban Assembly (formerly Faith


9

Tabernacle) At the time I had no idea where I was going I prayed fervently for

direction and eventually left in search of a new church home

I found a nurturing church family and home at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton

Thus I returned to my Baptist roots and fully blossomed into Godrsquos call upon my life

Each time that anyone preached I would take copious notes and pepper Pastor Walker

with numerous questions I thirsted for more revelation and understanding I would

repeatedly declare that I was going to attend seminary But I didnrsquot do anything about

it I talked to friends who were in seminary and they encouraged me to apply I didnrsquot I

requested catalogues and pored over them but my heartrsquos desire did not merge with

my rational thinking Women preachers were not the norm Plus I was a single person

and I couldnrsquot reconcile how I could swing it financially Despite the copious note-

taking independent bible study and exegesis I still felt like I was missing key elements

I yearned to know more One day while in one of our lengthy conversations I said to

Pastor Walker Irsquom going to seminary and he encouraged me with one word- ldquoGordquo His

encouragement has never yielded He is a good friend who supports my call into

ministry My license was transferred to American Baptist and I stepped onto the

ordination track Since then I have experienced the deep satisfaction that only comes

with being aligned with onersquos purpose It is a labor of love and a joy to be a servant

leader among the courageous inspiring and beautiful people of Messiah Baptist Church

and the broader church community

Over the years I remember singing the song ldquoyou canrsquot beat God giving no matter

how you tryrdquo and I witnessed that first hand so many times in my life none more


10

poignantly than when I applied to Boston University School of Theology To my

astonishment in the middle of the admission interview Dean Bean specified the

financial package for me that culminated in a scholarship award that covered 90 of

the tuition In the Fall of my second year I was one of 8 students chosen to preach in

Marsh Chapel to my peers faculty and administrators There I stood shaking thinking

about how I was standing in the same pulpit from which Martin Luther King Prathia

Hall Howard Thurman and many other historic figures preached In that moment the

affirmation of Godrsquos call to proclaim the gospel was clearer to me and I felt a deep

satisfaction that I was doing exactly what God required of me

Through the years family members friends my former pastors and other spiritual

leaders also affirm that God uses me in ministry Additionally I have served as a

supply preacher at other congregations and experienced the trust of shared joys and

sorrows

In 2008 I led more than thirty women of Messiah Baptist Churchrsquos womenrsquos

ministry to the American Baptist Womenrsquos Retreat The retreat represented the first

time that such a large number of women from Messiah enthusiastically joined together

to attend a spiritual retreat Many were first-timers and we had a glorious time Upon

our return many of the women reported a renewed prayer commitment and

consistency

Under Godrsquos divine guidance I have been blessed to develop sermons that are

holistic and reach youth adults men and women Ultimately I want to share the

message of Godrsquos love and the Gospel as far and wide as God will allow


11

Theological Views understanding of

God

ldquoGod said to Moses I am who I amrdquo (Exodus 314)

God is Holy invisible transcendent immanent immutable loving creator

redeemer sustainer almighty and quoting from Augustinersquos threefold vestigial

trinitatis ldquoGod is Lover-Beloved-Loverdquo I must confess that as a consequence of human

finitude and the limitations of our language I am at a disadvantage to fully

communicate who God is God is everything the air we breathe ldquoa lamp to our feet

and a light for our pathsrdquo (Ps 119105)

What is most prominent for me is that God is relational and surpasses what can

be communicated through words or analytical ability The Trinity symbolizes Godrsquos

relationality The three are one and that oneness is reinforced as God Jesus Christ and

the Holy Spirit commune one with another The Father and Son are one in their

ldquoinnessrdquo and they are three because ldquoinrdquo represents the Spirit the inner connecting

principle which cannot exist by itself (Jung Young Lee) Godrsquos relational quality extends

to the community of believers because without relationship it is impossible to have

community We are assured of Godrsquos relationality as we acknowledge God in

relationship with Christ and the Holy Spirit and God in relationship with you and me

Jesus Christ

ldquoBelieve me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in merdquo (John 1411)


12

Jesus Christ is an equal member of the Trinity As a result of Jesusrsquo ultimate

sacrifice he redeemed humanity through his life death and resurrection The cross was

an abominably violent death which causes some persons to believe that suffering is

required to gain a closer relationship to God Jesus fully human and fully divine

provides a more expansive non-violent salvation story Not only did Jesus pay for

humanityrsquos sins with his death but the historical Jesus modeled how we are to live as

Christians Throughout his short human life Jesus healed the sick spoke truth to

power confronted injustice restored relationships embraced change and died on the

cross and rose again

Jesus Christ not only teaches us how to die but how to live I am inspired by

Jesus Christ to take the traditional view and look at it from many different angles and

perspectives to consider the voices that are silent the unrepresented and to examine

the voices of authority Similar to the Reformers where the traditional view no longer

holds up then the way we see Christ and honor Christ needs to be challenged open to

question and change As we are treasures in earthen vessels (2 Cor 4) I recognize that

our structures systems perspectives need to change while understanding that Jesus

Christ is the same yesterday today and forever (Heb 138) Jesus Christ did more than

die on the cross Jesus Christ lived in a reforming and transforming way which also has

salvific value

Holy Spirit

ldquoGod is spirit and those who worship God must worship in spirit and truthrdquo Jn424


13

As an equal member of the Trinity the Holy Spirit God and Jesus Christ are

intertwined and interrelational I see the Holy Spirit as the sustaining and continuous

presence of God in the earth realm Sedmak asserts that ldquothe Holy Spirit assures us

that our lives are part of a larger contextrdquo When we witness humble selfless acts of

compassion they indicate that the Holy Spirit is present Our hope overflows by the

power of the Holy Spirit which fills us with joy and peace as we trust God more and

more (Romans 1513) The Holy Spirit teaches us all things helps us remember who

we are and whose we are When words fail the Holy Spirit ldquointercedes for us with

groans that words cannot expressrdquo (Romans 826) God sent Godrsquos son Jesus Christ to

redeem humanity God through Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit to sustain humanity

and God oversees all of creation The Holy Spirit is barrier breaking identity making

and open to all

Humanity and Sin

ldquoSurely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save nor his ear to dull to hearrdquo (Isaiah 591)

Humanity is the imago Dei and despite humanityrsquos tendency to choose pride and

isolation over love and relationship by Godrsquos design we are Godrsquos divinely created

partners Humanity is complex paradoxical capable of love finite and fickle Yet God

chose to give humanity responsibility over Godrsquos creation to care for watch over and

tend to Godrsquos creation Serene Jones said ldquoTo be a human being is to be a gift of God

we exist in the space of a continued act of divine givingrdquo God continues to give breath

sustenance and our very existence Humanity is not only the recipient of Godrsquos love

humanity is the distributor of Godrsquos love It has been proven through the ages that


14

humanity is able to love and care for one another We need only look to the historical

figures of Mother Teresa Adoniram Judson and missionaries across the globe to see

Godrsquos loving working through others

In the words of OWS McCall ldquosin is anything that impedes our progress to

fulfill what God has called us to dordquo Sin causes the believer to separate from God but

through confession God provides a way to close the gap ldquoIf we confess our sins God

is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousnessrdquo

(1 John 19) Because we are made in the image of God we have the potential to

improve and move more toward the Good and the Beautiful

Salvation

ldquoBear in mind that our Lordrsquos patience means salvationrdquo (2 Peter 315)

Salvation is freedom The acquisition of freedom is continually evolving Salvation

makes it possible for us to live out of our unique personalities to access our individual

gifts Salvation frees us to live a life of abundance rather than lack It reinforces that we

have everything we need to live life without fear guilt or despair

Scripture

ldquoAll scripture is God breathed and is useful for teaching rebuking correcting and training inrighteousnessrdquo (2 Timothy 316)

The scripture is comprised of the 66 books of the Hebrew Bible and the New

Testament The two sections of the Bible are the inspired Word of God and the primary

authority for faith and practice The Holy Scripture is to be interpreted responsibly

under the guidance of the Holy Spirit As an American Baptist I believe in the

priesthood of all believers and thus know that each believer can under the leading of


15

the Holy Spirit receive Godrsquos direction and interpret scripture for herhis own life As

the poet Rilke said ldquowe must live the questionsrdquo I thank God for Godrsquos invitation to

vulnerability When doubt seems to overwhelm us we can cry out ldquoLord I believe help

my unbeliefrdquo (Mark 924)

Gratefully we have a community of believers to test affirm and strengthen our

interpretations and to keep us from forming an individual perspective based on a

myopic view Just as Job grappled with his untenable position friends helped him clarify

his time of trial In relationship with others we get to know God better

The Church

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles teaching and fellowship to the breaking

of bread and the prayers 43 And awe [1] came upon every soul and many wonders and signs

were being done through the apostles 44 And all who believed were together and had all things

in common 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the

proceeds to all as any had need 46 And day by day attending the temple together and

breaking bread in their homes they received their food with glad and generous hearts

47 praising God and having favor with all the people And the Lord added to their number day by

day those who were being saved(Acts 242-47)

The church is the bride of Christ with the responsibility to be a lover of souls

The Church is a gathered fellowship of regenerated believers and a manifestation of

Godrsquos realm As such it isnrsquot enough for the church to stay among believers the church

must spread out into all walks of life to re-present Christ in the earth The

responsibilities outlined in Acts 242-47 are still needed and modern day Christians must

share the gospel to all in a vernacular that can be understood

The church of the 21st century has to be a verb We must be a community of

action God established the church through Jesus Christ with the power of the Holy


16

Spirit to continually recreate itself to meet the needs of humanity We need a church

that is active open innovative and sensitive to Godrsquos voice a voice that is courageous

prophetic and speaks truth to power And therersquos more the church is also a sanctuary

a place where the weary find rest Consequently the church has the dual responsibility

to ldquocomfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortablerdquo (Finley Peter Dunne)

Role of the pastor and laity in ministry

The role of the pastor is to equip the saints for the work of ministry for building

up the body of Christ (Eph 412) The pastor accomplishes this through worship

preaching teaching counseling and administration Pastors must exhibit integrity

humility self-control and a commitment to moral and spiritual values The pastor is a

servant-leader who comforts the troubled preaches teaches the word baptizes

believers and serves the Lordrsquos Supper As a Baptist I believe in the priesthood of all

believers and fully support a body ministry ie the responsibility to serve and lead is

shared by all

The Ordinances Baptism and the Lordrsquos Supper

Holy Communion the Lordrsquos Supper and Baptism are two events that American

Baptists universally recognize These sacred observances expand beyond ordinance

which convey obedience and include a combination of Godrsquos grace and the human

response of faith The ordinances of Baptism and the Lordrsquos Supper make the preached

word visible They represent the now-ness of conversion and Jesusrsquo presence while

simultaneously anticipating the future event of Jesusrsquo resurrection ldquoCommunion is the

medicine of immortality the antidote that we should not die but live forever in Jesus


17

Christrdquo (Ignatius 2nd C) Believers share in the common meal of the Lordrsquos Supper as a

sign of unity in worship affirming hope for Jesusrsquo return The Apostle Paul referred to

the Lordrsquos Supper as supernatural food typified by the manna and water from the rock

that God provided for the Israelites in the wilderness The meal serves as recognition

of Godrsquos providence redemption and promise of a coming kingdom

The Lordrsquos Supper sees all human beings in common ie in covenantal

relationship with God and with all humanity through Jesus Christ by the power of the

Holy Spirit Covenantal relationship is not determined by race gender social status

wealth or poverty but is based on a common faith that Jesus is the son of God who will

return again The beauty of Communion is that every one is treated the same receives

the same amount and all are served Consequently all believers share the ldquonow-nessrdquo

of Jesus Christrsquos death burial resurrection and future return together as One Body

Baptism by immersion in the name of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit is

the public expression of onersquos faith conversion to Christianity The believer goes down

into the watery grave and comes up in the newness of life The ability to confess onersquos

faith is an essential element among American Baptists Therefore we do not administer

infant baptisms since infants are unable to make a confession According to the

Baptism Eucharist and Ministry document of the World Council of Churches ldquobaptism

upon personal profession of faith is the most clearly attested pattern in the New

Testamentrdquo


18

Understanding of American Baptist Polity

I am an American Baptist because I respect and uphold the beliefs and values of

the denomination American Baptist is an inclusive denomination that recognizes the

diversity of gifts in human vessels without respect of gender or race American Baptists

polity is comprised of several organizing principles that allow American Baptists to be

and do what God expects The principles include six covenantal beliefs

1 We believe in the priesthood of all believers

2 We believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God

3 We believe in local church autonomy

4 We believe in the separation of church and state

5 We believe in soul liberty

6 We believe in ecumenical dialogue

Attitude toward the American Baptist Churches USA and its ecumenical

witness and Code of Ethics

The ecumenical witness that the American Baptists hold is representative of our

willingness to consider similarities and differences between Baptists and other

denominations and to engage in dialogue As an American Baptist minister I abide

by the American Baptist Ministerrsquos Council Code of Ethics I fully intend to uphold the

views of the American Baptist Denomination and maintain relationship with member

churches and pastors


19

Other Issues ndash a narrative of other issues which are not included in the

above for which you have compassion as a minister of the gospel

When I was two years old the Little Rock Nine were televised nationally for their

courageous integration of the Arkansas school system During my childhood Bull

Conner gave the order for fire hoses to be used against peaceful black protestors

Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr gave their lives to liberate America from racial

terrorism Billie Holiday sang social commentary in ldquoStrange Fruitrdquo and Judge Garrity

signed the school desegregation court order that placed me and other Boston students

in the nasty throes of ldquobusingrdquo Sensitivity to racial equality and the quest for racial

justice are in my DNA Giving voice to the voiceless standing up for social justice living

a committed life of prayer are all of the ways that God has called me into ministry

As a child of the 1960s my young heart was stirred by the social justice

preaching of Martin Luther King Jr His message of hope in the midst of obvious and

blatant racial discrimination and inequality inspired me to take a stand for the weak and

invisible in our society From my perspective then and now social justice and equality

are directly linked to Godliness The prophet Micahrsquos words resonate with me ldquohellipO

mortal and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice and to love kindness

and to walk humbly with your Godrdquo Micah 68 (NRSV)

We have all heard the adage that Sunday at 1100 am is the most segregated

time of the week Despite our historic presidential election our country is still plagued

with division along racial lines I seek a unidiverse faith community God is a God of

diversity and love I envision a future church that thrives on unity within diversity My


20

hope for the church is that we will develop relationships across differences that go

beyond the superficial level I envision a church where love is palpable and the counter

cultural behavior of Christians extends into the broader society breaking down barriers

that are based on irrelevant characteristics such as skin color or gender Studies show

that when people worship in multiracial congregations they are more open to live in

heterogeneous neighborhoods befriend people of different races and foster more

inclusive workplaces (Emerson Michael)

The church has persevered through religious battles apathy postmodernism

and has developed the spiritual muscle to take on the behemoth ndash racial injustice ldquoDo

Justice love mercy and walk humbly with your Godrdquo (Micah 68) I am passionate

about the church taking a leadership role in healing racial divisions in society As the

countercultural agent to society the church bears responsibility for leading social

justice

I believe that one of the ways we can move further along in regard to racial

healing is through transformative dialogue It is not up to society to infuse love into the

world that work is set aside for Godrsquos representatives In other words Godrsquos re-

presentatives (we present God again through our acts of love and compassion) must

demonstrate a harmonious coexistence of diverse people groups who are capable of

building relationships across racial differences At the end of my seminary education I

completed a workbook for the faith community to help leaders facilitate dialogue

among Christians to equip the saints with the tools for transformative dialogue My


21

passion is to foster a more diverse and inclusive faith community and to foster a

beloved community


2

Faith journey and call to ministry

The theologian Ireneaus said ldquoto give glory to God is to be a human fully aliverdquo A

balanced life of faith family fun friendship prayer worship laughter love work

study dance and community liberates me to embrace Godrsquos beautiful gift of life Fully

alive

My name is Cheryl Harris I serve as an associate minister and member of the

ministerial staff at Messiah Baptist Church in Brockton MA My role allows me to work

in a variety of capacities and ministries including leading the womenrsquos and community

ministries preaching regularly teaching Bible Study weekly and helping lay leaders

and congregation members discover their spiritual gifts

I was born on May 23 1955 in Boston MA I am the devoted mother of Craig (37

years old) and Aleisha (32 years old) and the proud grandmother of my grandson

Okera (14 years old) I am one of ten children

My journey to ministry has been influenced by three important elements of my life I

have been blessed by the wonderful example of praying grandmothers I have been

seared and tested by traumatic events and I have been nurtured by communities of

faith Through it all I have learned the power of forgiveness the abiding presence of

God and the truth of Psalm 3418-19mdashldquoThe lord is close to the brokenhearted and

saves those who are crushed in spirit A righteous person may have many troubles but

the Lord delivers her from them allrdquo


3






















4
























5















who loves me








6






and low self esteem





years later











7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


3






















4
























5















who loves me








6






and low self esteem





years later











7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


4
























5















who loves me








6






and low self esteem





years later











7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


5















who loves me








6






and low self esteem





years later











7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


6






and low self esteem





years later











7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


7







society
















8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


8
























9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


9
























10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


10













sorrows






consistency





11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


11


God

















Jesus Christ



12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


12



















salvific value

Holy Spirit



13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


13












and open to all

Humanity and Sin











14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


14










Salvation






Scripture








15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


15









The Church


















16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


16














shared by all










17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


17




















Testamentrdquo


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


18






















19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


19
























20













justice










21


beloved community


20













justice










21


beloved community


21


beloved community

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