We are grateful for these fabulous women who will be providing leadership for us during our time together.
Rev. Danielle L. Bridgeforth
Senior Pastor
Danielle L. Bridgeforth is an ordained preacher, writer, and encourager. She serves as the Senior Pastor of the Church at Clarendon located in Arlington, Virginia. She accepted the Lord’s call on her life and was licensed to preach in 2007 and ordained in 2012. Both occurred at Shiloh Baptist Church in Alexandria, VA, under the leadership of the late Rev. Dr. Lee A. Earl. She later graduated magna cum laude from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University with an M.Div.
Before entering ministry full-time, Danielle practiced law, specializing in Plaintiff’s personal injury law, medical malpractice, and pharmaceutical litigation. She earned her Juris Doctorate cum laude from the Howard University School of Law in Washington, DC, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Economics from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. She is a member of the NAACP, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, and serves as a Community Chaplain in Fairfax County.
In 2013, Reverend Bridgeforth founded Joy4Life Ministries, LLC. This emerging ministry empowers believers to live the abundant life Jesus spoke of when He declared in John 10:10 “I have come that they may have life and have it to the full.” Joy4Life Ministries educates believers on God’s perspective for living, advocating a practical application of faith to our daily lives. To this end, in 2018 Danielle published her first book, a devotional entitled, Vantage Point.
With a visible joy for life and a genuine love for God’s people, Danielle truly lives what she preaches. She is enjoying her journey one season at a time, using her ministry and her life example to encourage others to do the same.
Rev. Martha Dixon Kearse
Pastor
Martha Dixon Kearse was called as pastor to Peakland Baptist Church in April of 2018 and moved there with her husband. In Lynchburg, she has joined the Interfaith Clergy group, the Interfaith Leaders for Progress Team, and works through Peakland Baptist Church to support many of the other wonderful organizations at work in the city, including Interfaith Outreach Association and Food for Thought.
A native Virginian, Martha graduated from high school in Lynchburg, then in 1985 got a BA in English and Education at the College of William and Mary. She moved to Charlotte, NC in 1985 to teach high school English, and taught full-time for Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools until 1997. In 1991, she married Henry Montjoy (Monty) Kearse, and completed her Masters in English and Rhetoric from UNC-Charlotte in 1992. In 2001, Martha joined the staff of St. John’s Baptist Church in Charlotte, where she and Monty were members, as the Minister to Children and Families. In 2012, Martha became the Associate Minister at St. John’s. Monty and Martha have three children: Mattie, 28 and a graduate of UNC-Wilmington; Conner, 26, a graduate of UNC-Greensboro; Anna, 23, a student at UNC-Charlotte.
Martha has sermons published in three anthologies: This is What a Preacher Looks Like, The World is Waiting for You, and And Your Daughters Shall Prophesy. In 2019, her first book, The Sun is Up: One Minister’s Awakening to Racial Reconciliation, was published by Smyth & Helwys Press. She has also contributed articles to Baptist News Global.
In pursuit of sanity, Martha likes hiking in the mountains with family and/or friends, reading books, watching movies, taking walks with friends, binge-watching Netflix, dogs, happy music in most categories (except jazz), riding a bike in the country and chocolate—in other words, she likes Lynchburg. She likes jeans over dresses, flats over heels, blue over orange, Jesus over Paul, and chocolate over just about any other food you could mention.
Rev. Dr. Jenny Call
Wellness Professional
Jenny Call is an ordained minister and National Board Certified Health & Wellness Coach who works as a Wellness Professional at the College of William & Mary. She previously served as chaplain at Hollins University and HopeTree Family Services. A graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary (D.Min), Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond (M.Div), and the College of William & Mary (B.S.), Jenny is passionate about supporting people through their journey to holistic well-being using spirituality as a resource for resiliency, connection, and healing. She has contributed to two books: A Divine Duet: Ministry and Motherhood and The Modern Magnificat: Women Responding to the Call of God. She is married to John Call, and they have two kids; Brady and Maryn.
Minister Joslyn Henderson
Gospel Singer, Worship Leader
Joslyn Henderson is the Director of Worship Arts at Christ City Church in Northeast Washington D.C. As a nationally celebrated gospel singer and worship leader, she infuses her performative ministry with her scholarship on Black sacred music. Joslyn is a recent graduate of Baylor University, having earned her Master of Divinity and Master of Music in Church Music. She is a Deborah Carlton Loftis Ambassador of the Hymn Society in the United States and Canada, having led multiple workshops on the subject of Black hymnody.
Minister Susan Deal
Musician
Susan Deal has recently retired after 30 years as a Minister of Music, serving in three churches, the most recent was at First Baptist Church, Dalton Georgia. Prior to that she served at College Park Baptist Church (now Church on the Drive) in Orlando, Florida. Susan’s first place of ministry was at Mount Hermon Baptist Church, Danville, Virginia.
Susan has a Bachelor of Music Education (piano principal) from Samford University in Birmingham, Alabama, and a Master of Music (conducting concentration) from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas. Currently, she is the accompanist for Fluvanna County High School Chorus, as well as Voces Laetae, a newly formed community youth chorus in Charlottesville.
Susan and her husband, Tommy, feel as if they have returned home to Virginia, readily admitting that the primary reason they now live in Virginia is to be closer to their three grandchildren—Thomas, who is 2 years old, and his twin cousins, Adeline and Dorothy, who are 6 years old. When you see her, be sure to ask her for some photos. She just MAY have a few to share.
Friday, May 6, 2022
University Baptist Church, Charlottesville, VA
Address: 1223 W Main St
Times: 1:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Costs:
- In-person (includes dinner): $45 regular, $20 student
- Online only (Zoom meeting): $20 regular, $0 student
- Scholarships are available. Please do not hesitate to contact us.
Registration deadline: April 22, 2022
Pre-event workshops begin at 1:30 pm (doors open 1:00 pm). General check-in begins at 3:30 pm.
