Lynn Marcus Hargrow was born in Chicago, Illinois. He was born to Mrs. Laschelle Wallace and Rev. Dr. Lynn Hargrow. He found his first Church family in the Bray Temple CME Church where he was baptized by Bishop Dotcy Isom. He matriculated in the public schools in Wichita, Kansas and Miami, Florida, eventually graduating high school from North Miami Sr. High. He earned a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in History from Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia before moving to back to Chicago to pursue his PhD in American religious history at the University of Chicago. While in Chicago, he found a new church home at the Carter Temple CME Church under the leadership of Rev. Allen Page, III.
Mr. Hargrow has been active in ministry and administration for years in the CME Church. He has served in the local church in ministries ranging from music ministry to Christian Education. He currently serves on the executive board of the Connectional Young Adult Council, a member of the Task Force to Revise the Articles of Religion, and as a consultant to the Commission on History and Archives.
His academic research currently examines the intersections of race, religion, and southern politics. He is working on his dissertation entitled: The Origins of Southern Gospel Music: How Segregation Made and Unmade the Modern Gospel Music Industry. He also engages independent research and teaching with Chicago's Black Youth Project and the University of Chicago's Hillel Justice Shabbats.
More recently, he directed and wrote the first documentary of the CME Church entitled "The Summer of 2014: a case study in rotation and revolution" which was released in July of 2015. He is a sought after lecturer and speaker on matters of history, religion, theology, and education.
Rev. Dr. Logan Hampton is the president of Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee. He
became the 10 th president of the college on June 12, 2014. Dr. Hampton has a doctorate in higher education from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, received a master's degree in student personnel services from Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, La., and a bachelor's degree in biology from Arkansas Tech University. He also is a graduate of the Harvard Institute of Management and Leadership in Education.
Prior to coming to Lane College, Dr. Hampton served in numerous student services
capacities at UALR. His most recent appointment at UALR was Vice Provost for Student
Affairs. In this position, Dr. Hampton served as the chief student affairs officer and led
the student development and student life programs, including judicial affairs, budgetary
and administrative services. In addition to working as a higher education administrator,
Dr. Hampton was a member of the Board of Trustees for Arkansas Baptist College.
In addition to his passionate service in higher education, he serves in many capacities
within the church. He is also a traveling elder in the CME Church, serving in the
1 st Episcopal District. He and his wife, Susan, are the parents of three children: Elise,
Crystal and Logan III.
Amber Jackson
Reverend Amber Renee’ Jackson was born May 25 in Chicago, Illinois. She accepted Christ at the tender age of four years old at Carter Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Chicago, Illinois. She later attended Paul Cuffe Elementary School and graduated from Calumet Career Preparation Academy on the Southside of Chicago where she excelled in Science and sports. She received her Bachelor’s degree of Arts in Sociology with a minor in Religion from Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.
Reverend Amber Renee’ Jackson is a graduate of the Interdenominational Theological Center at Phillips School of Theology where she pursued a dual Masters Degree -- a Masters of Divinity with a concentration in New Testament and a Masters of Arts in Christian Education. She just completed her Master’s Thesis entitled Re-villaging Gang Culture: A Model For Becoming An Essential Church That Answers Its Call to Ministry.
She is an ordained Elder in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and a member of the First Episcopal District. She has served at several churches as an associate minister. She comes to ministry with great concern for the people of G-d because she has adopted the mentality of John Wesley who once said, “The world is our parish.” This is the line of thought that drives her to follow the guidelines of the Great Commission.
She brings to ministry an overwhelming passion to serve the people of G-d as we all strive to go to a higher level in G-d. She seeks to utilize her G-d given gifts and graces for the ministry as she strive to create an environment conducive for worship. It is with this dedication to the work of the ministry that facilitates change in the life of the churches membership. Most importantly she is a child of the Almighty who has been entrusted with a ministry to the misery of the masses. She is also a member of Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Incorporated as well as, several other service organizations.
Jennifer Leath
Jennifer S. Leath joined the Iliff faculty in 2015 as assistant professor of religion and social justice. Leath’s research concentrates on the intersection of sexualities and religions in sacred communities and spaces of African Diaspora. Her scholarship also engages the intersection of Afro-Diasporic women’s spiritualities and social activism. Bridging concerns of religious ethics and African American studies, much of her current writing and teaching focuses on the sexual ethics and economies of historically Black churches and Afro-Diasporic religion in the United States.
Committed to interdisciplinary scholarship, Leath is preparing her first monograph, “Childcare Activists: Reframing Afro-Diasporic Faith from the Home to the Streets,” which actively engages the intersection of the spiritualities, activism, and secular childcare work of Afro-Diasporic women in the United States. She has also begun work on a second monograph, titled “From Black to Quare (and then) to Where: Ethical Trajectories of Black Sexualities.”
Professor Leath’s other research and teaching interests include the metaphysics of womanism, African and Afro-Diasporic approaches to sexualities in political economies, ecumenisms of the “global south,” the intersections of Buddhist and womanist thought, and interdisciplinary approaches to interreligious dialogue. Prior to joining Iliff’s faculty, Dr. Leath was a 2014-15 research associate and visiting lecturer at Harvard Divinity School’s Women’s Studies in Religion Program. She also helped to establish the Center on African American Religion, Sexual Politics & Social Justice at Columbia University, working as the assistant director of research after completing her doctoral work. In addition to her research, she is an active member of various academic communities, including the Society for the Study of Black Religion, the American Academy of the Religion, and the Society for Christian Ethics.
Dr. Leath is also an Itinerant Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Church where she has served as pastor in White Plains, New York and in Media, Pennsylvania, and she has served as an associate pastor at churches in Philadelphia, New York, and New England.
Tashion Macon, PhD, MBA is a culturalist and expository teacher who integrates her training and experience in psychology, marketing, and popular culture, as well as her fervency for faith to help individuals and organizations live their purpose to achieve successful outcomes.
Tashion was behind the branding of multi award-winning artists such as Usher, Pink, and Dr. Dre, and major corporations including the USOC Winter Olympics, Burger King, the World Cup and the Oprah Winfrey Show.
She specializes in moving others to see where culture and the consumer is headed, because both have tremendous implications on faith, business, and the sacred collision of the two. Take note of this new state of being—a state that will positively influence and affect the very epicenters of culture.
Across the nation, Rev. Freeman McKindra, II shares his profound belief in the transformative potential of teaching and preaching. Pastor McKindra incites hearers to encounter an immanent yet transcendent God, recognizing that same spirit in themselves and their neighbor. This empathic worship experience, one to another, challenges his audience to reflect on the human condition, to study and exalt our Creator, and to see the potential God has writ in each of our lives.
Often requested throughout the connection to offer his fresh voice, he transforms sites into opportunities for hearers to share and celebrate the word. This mission has propelled Pastor McKindra's ministry from pulpits in Washington, D.C. to Atlanta, GA. From Little Rock, AR, to Riverside, CA, he has exhorted worshipers to see themselves in God's Divine image.
Rev. Freeman McKindra, II serves as Senior Pastor of the Christ Temple Christian Methodist Episcopal Church located in Oxford, MS. A graduate of Morehouse College, Rev. McKindra studied at Phillips School of Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, GA, where he received distinctions for theological scholarship--the Bishop Thomas L Hoyt, Jr. Theological Scholarship Award, and the Taggart Honor Award. His theological grounding at Phillips prizes liberation and justice; he calls worshippers to develop relationships with Christ in two tongues: one trained on discerning the will of God in our lives right now, the other on communicating that Divine will in ways that might resound with others.
A servant to a living God, one who is actively moving and responding to the challenges of a post-modern world, Rev. McKindra encourages all that would hear him to recognize and react to cultures both high and low, to strive toward intellectual curiosity and soundness, and to see those dreams placed on our hearts fulfilled.
Reverend Allen Page III was born and raised in Columbus, GA. He is a graduate of Carver High School, Columbus, GA, and Morehouse College in Atlanta, GA. After graduating he began employment at Bank of America, Atlanta, GA. He held various positons of leadership with regional and nationwide responsibility. He completed his 15 year banking career in August 2000 as Vice President and Business Manager for the Partner Relations Division, Atlanta, Georgia. Pastor Page is a 2004 honor graduate of the Phillips School of Theology at the Interdenominational Theological Center, Atlanta, Georgia. Pastor Page has also completed four units of Clinical Pastoral Education, thereby satisfying ACPE Standards for levels one and two.
He answered the call to preach in November 1991, and was licensed in December 1992. He has served the Butler Street Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Atlanta, GA as a youth counselor; and pastor of the Whites Chapel Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Barnesville, GA for seven years; the historic Holsey Chapel Christen Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbus, GA for nine years; and the Carter Temple Christen Methodist Episcopal Church of Chicago, Illinois for four years. Pastor Page is a member of Who’s Who Among American College and Universities, and the International Honor Society of Theta Phi. He has participated in various community projects sponsored by Habitat for Humanity, Leadership Georgia, Battered Women’s Shelter of Columbus, GA & Chicago, Illinois, and Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America. Pastor Page is also a 2006 alumnus of Leadership Georgia, sponsored by the Leadership Georgia Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. While serving in Columbus, Georgia, he served on the Board of Directors of the Liberty Theater, One Columbus, Inc., Columbus South Revitalization, Inc., and also a member of the Advisory Council for the J.D. Davis Elementary. He also served with the Ministerial Alliance of Columbus, Georgia and Chicago, Illinois.
Pastor Page has served as senior pastor of the Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Houston, Texas, since August 2014. He enjoys reading, writing and most of all playing golf. He is married to the lovely Gail Page of Columbus, Georgia. Rev. and Mrs. Page serve the Metropolitan CME Church as a couple seeking to serve the Lord with principle centered leadership that is guided by the love of God, and service to His people. Pastor Page would just like for you to know that he is a child of God; and a servant in the vineyard.
Kelcy Steele
Pastor Kelcy Steele is a native of Rock Hill, SC and began his college education at York Technical College graduating from Belmont Abby, in Belmont, NC with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Religion & Psychology. Pastor Steele was awarded a Certificate from Emory University for completing the course From Freedom Rides to Ferguson: Narratives of Nonviolence in the American Civil Rights Movement. Theological studies were done at Shaw University Divinity School and completed his required work for the Masters of Divinity at United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.
Pastor Steele’s service to the A.M.E. Zion Church has included the West Central North Carolina Conference, and the Concord District in the following capacities: Elected Delegate to 2012 General Conference, Concord District Treasurer, Chairman of the Concord District Budget Committee, Advisor to the Concord District Lay Council, Board of Apportionment of the West Central North Carolina Conference, Episcopal Leadership Training Board of the Piedmont Episcopal District, Southeastern Region YACM Steering Committee Member -at- Large.
Pastor Steele serves as the following for the Western Episcopal Area as the Western Episcopal Treasurer, Dean of Finance for “The Encounter,” Facilitating Agent for the R.C.A. & A.M.E.Z Church Planting Initiative, Treasurer for the Board of Bishop’s Preaching Institute Planning Team, Board Member of the Connectional Council Publication Board, Chair, SWRMC Finance Committee, Chair, SWRMC Conference Studies/Examiners, Chair, Los Angeles District Finance Committee, Member, SWRMC Admission Committee, Member, and SWRMC Holy Orders Committee.
An inductee of the 2015 World Methodist Council Order of The FLAME and a sought after evangelist, revivalist, and workshop facilitator. Pastor Steele is the author of the book “The Sound of Revival” exploring prophetic preaching in the Wesleyan Tradition, hosts a weekly radio show sponsored by Roscoe's Chicken & Waffles at the RMC Media Center called "Inspirational Moments with Pastor Steele." Pastor Steele has a worldwide presence and provide leadership in World Methodist Evangelism by serving as an assistant to the Director of World Methodist Evangelism. Pastor Steele is married to Natasha Ford Steele and uses as his theme: “Do all the good you can. By all the means you can. In all the ways you can. In all the places you can. At all the times you can. To all the people you can. As long as ever you can.” ― John Wesley
Daniel W. Thomas is an acclaimed chef, cookbook author, and philanthropist. Chef
Thomas is a graduate of the World's Premier Culinary College, The Culinary Institute of
America. He is a native of Washington, DC and has spent much of his career serving
culinary creations at restaurants, hotels and dining rooms inside and around the
Beltway to residents, tourists, politicians, entertainers, athletes, celebrities and the
President of the United States. Currently, he is Private Chef to Washington D.C.’s power
elite, his clients include numerous U.S. Senators and other elected officials, many of
whom were introduced to his creative treats when he served as a Head Chef for the
United States Senate Executive Dining Room and the Head Banquet & Catering Chef for
the United States Capitol.
His Capitol Hill tenure included direct meal planning and preparation for President
Barack Obama and Vice President Joseph Biden during their visits to the Capitol. As the
Head Banquet and Catering Chef, he successfully prepared lunches, dinners, official
meals and meetings for international diplomats and foreign heads of states and
countries.
One of the highlights of his career was serving with the team of chefs at the Annual
Kennedy Center Honors Awards Program. On the day of the 2009 Presidential
Inauguration, he had the honor to cook and serve brunch to our nation’s 44th President,
Barack Obama, The First Lady, and Vice President Joseph Biden. He has had the honor
in cooking for some of the world's most powerful families. He has cooked for the King
family, Kennedy family, Reagan Family, Clinton family, Obama family, Dick Gregory
family and many more.
Chef Daniel was the Executive Chef of the Leadership for the 2012 Democratic National
Convention in Charlotte, N.C. where he prepared delectable meals for numerous US
Senators and Celebrities. In addition, he focuses on healthy nutrition and serves as
Regional Executive Chef for the American Diabetes Association and has partnered with
the Department of Health and Human Services, Federal Occupational Health, the
National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control and farmers’ markets
on various issues related to health and diet. Chef Daniel is on a national and
international tour to promote healthy cooking, healthier eating, healthier living and
peace with food. His cook book has received national attention as he participated as a
featured author at the Library of Congress 2014 National Book Festival where he
performed a standing room only cooking demo & sold out book signing. He was named
the first African American Male Chef in history to be a part of the prestigious National
Book Festival.
Reverend Tilope Joyner White accepted her call to preach in August 2009 and first received her license to preach in April 2010. She was ordained as a deacon in the 2012 Annual Conference and ordained as an elder in the 2014 conference. She is a third generation C.M.E. Preacher and is currently the proud pastor of Washington Chapel C.M.E. Church.
Rev. White attended Middle Tennessee State University where she received a Bachelors of Science degree in Advertising and Marketing. She went on to receive a Masters Degree in Business Administration from Christian Brothers University and a Master of Divinity degree from Memphis Theological Seminary.
There are many other things that could be said about Rev. White, but above all else she is a servant of God who is honored and humbled to be chosen by God to be a part of his ministry in the world.
Jeremy Williams
Keenan K. Winters
Jeremy L. Williams is a millennial preacher, thinker, and writer. He serves as pastor of the West End Tabernacle Christian Methodist Episcopal Church in Bridgeport, CT. He is a native of Huntsville, Alabama, and he received all of his ordinations in the North Central Alabama Region of the CME Church. At a young age, the fire of God lit his soul ablaze with an inescapable call that left him answerable to none other than the voice of the Almighty. He responded affirmatively to that divine summons and has been proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ for over 14 years.
He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University with Highest Honors in Religious Studies and Economics. He is currently a New Testament and Early Christianity Ph.D. Candidate at Harvard University. He has served in ministry at Acklin C.M.E. Church in Berkley, AL, Phillips Chapel C.M.E. Church in Nashville, TN, Gurley C.M.E. Church in Gurley, AL and as the Conference Evangelist for the North Central Alabama Region. He is currently a member of the Society of Biblical Literature.
Rev. Jeremy recently earned the Master of Divinity degree at Yale University where he received the Henry Hallam Tweedy Prize, which is the highest award given to graduates. Prior to moving to Connecticut, he served his native community in Alabama in a uniquely created role at the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama. He continues to act civically in Bridgeport as an Executive Committee Member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Bridgeport and as a founding board member of FaithActs for Education.
Jeremy is also the published author of two books Can I Have This Dance?: Finding Peace in the Tune of the Divine and Wireless Discipleship: Investing in a Strong Connection to the Source of Everything. Last, but certainly not least, he is a proud member of that most Noble Clan of Achievers, none other than Kappa Alpha Psi for which he served from 2011-2013 as the National Vice President. He also is a recipient of the Guy Levis Grant Award, which is the most prestigious honor that an undergraduate can receive in the Fraternity, and it is granted for meritorious service.
Rev. Keenan K. Winters is a native of Chicago, IL. He graduated from Elementary school in Birmingham, AL at Ephesus Jr. Academy and graduated high school from Chicago S.D.A. Academy. Keenan was licensed as a local preacher in the C.M.E. Church in December 2008, admitted on trial in July 2009 in the 3rd Episcopal District by Bishop Paul A.G. Stewart Sr., ordained a traveling deacon in July of 2010, traveling elder in 2012 and admitted into full connection in 2013. Rev. Winters worked as the Lay Activities Director and served as supply pastor at the Greater St. Paul CME Church in Bessemer, AL. He was a regular bible study teacher, Youth and Young Adult Vacation Bible School Instructor, as well as Youth & Young Adult Day Speaker at numerous churches during his collegiate years in the 5th Episcopal District.
He is a graduate of Miles College (Fairfield, AL) with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Political Science, and attended Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, MO. Rev. Winters served as pastor of Bowers Memorial CME Church (2011-2014) . On July 4th 2012 in Orlando, Fl. Rev. Winters was elected President of the Connectional Young Adult Ministry of the C.M.E. Church. He is a member of the Pan-Methodist Commission and the World Methodism Evangelism Institute. In 2014 he became pastor of First CME Church in Montgomery, AL. He has been recognized as a Pre-Law Undergraduate Scholar by the Chicago-Kent School of Law and was the first recipient of the New York Life/ Push Excel Scholarship.
Pastor Winters is a proud member Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Incorporated. He also engages his local community civically as a Steering Committee member of Faith in Action Alabama - a federation of the PICO Network. He is married to Natalya B. Winters. May 28, 2015 they became the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl named Gray Elle Winters. Above all other accolades and commendations, Rev. Winters is a humble servant of the living God.
Reverend Amber Lowe-Woodfork is the youngest daughter of Terry Lowe, Jr. and Faye Lowe. Her journey in ministry officially began just before graduating from the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) in May 2012. There she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature. After discerning God’s calling to labor in ordained ministry, Rev. Lowe enrolled in the Master of Divinity program at Phillips School of Theology (Interdenominational Theological Center) in Atlanta, GA.
Since she’s been in Atlanta, Rev. Lowe has served at Good News CME Church with Bishop Marvin Frank Thomas, West Mitchell CME Church with Dr. Lisa Allen-McLaurin, and currently serves as pastor of St. James CME in Perry, GA.
On May 9, 2015, Rev. Lowe-Woodfork graduated from ITC Summa Cum Laude with the Master of Divinity and concentration in Ethics. After graduation, Rev. Lowe-Woodfork was ordained Travelling Deacon in the CME Church. She is also newly married to Jerry Woodfork, Jr.—a faithful inner city public school educator and licensed exhorter. The couple married on April 3, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Rev. Lowe-Woodfork plans to continue her education in both religion and African American literature.
CONFERENCE SPEAKERS BIOS
