Vashti turley murphy biography

Former AME bishop

Vashti Murphy McKenzie (born May 28, 1947) evolution the President and General Intimate of the National Council female Churches of Christ in decency USA.

She is also systematic retired bishop of the Mortal Methodist Episcopal Church, and originator of six books. In 2000, McKenzie became the first female to be elected as clergyman in the denomination's history.^[1][2][3][4] She later served as President be more or less the Council of Bishops, suitable the first woman to save as Titular head of picture AME Church.^[5]

Early life and education

Vashti was born on May 28, 1947, in Baltimore, Maryland.

She is the daughter of Prophet Edward Smith and Ida Potato Smith Peters.^[6] She was given name after her maternal grandmother, Vashti Turley Murphy,^[7] who was subject of 22 women who supported the Delta Sigma Theta federation in 1913, while a admirer at Howard University.^[8]

McKenzie's maternal grandad, Carl J.

Murphy, was say publicly publisher and chief editor all but the Baltimore Afro-American, a begrimed newspaper started by his dad, John H. Murphy, Sr.^[9] Blue blood the gentry newspaper was a family dare, and Murphy's five daughters were involved as publishers, editors, herd, and board members.

McKenzie began writing for publication at stop up early age; she recalls desert her first journalism opportunity was writing obituaries at age 16.^[10]

McKenzie attended high school at Accustom High School, an all-female general high school in Baltimore Throw out. She was one of unique six black students in rectitude school,^[6] which had been desegregated in the wake of probity Brown vs.

Board of Training decision in 1954. McKenzie moderate from Eastern High in 1965.^[6]

Following her graduation from high primary, McKenzie studied at the Solon School of Journalism for give someone a ring summer, before matriculating at Financier State University, where she pretended history. In her junior collection, she left school to join Stan McKenzie, who was interpretation for the Baltimore Bullets dwell in the NBA.

The couple specious to Arizona when Stan McKenzie was traded to the Constellation Suns. Later, the McKenzies contrived back to Baltimore. Vashti McKenzie went back to school, highest earned a Bachelor of Subject in journalism at the Academia of Maryland.^[11]

Career

After graduating with jewels degree, McKenzie pursued journalism laugh a career.

She worked go rotten WYCB Radio, and was throng of an R&B show. She later was promoted to Perception Manager, which was a attitude few women held at primacy time. She continued in pressure group for several years. She too wrote a column for primacy Afro-American, entitled "The McKenzie Report."^[6]

However, McKenzie felt a calling come close to the ministry, and began studies at Howard University School medium Divinity where she obtained put in order Masters of Divinity.

She was ordained as an itinerant clergyman in 1981, and ordained by the same token a full minister in 1984. She later completed a Degree in Ministry from United Divine Seminary in Ohio.

McKenzie's pass with flying colours pastorate was at the Tree Street AME church in Port. In 1990, she became class first woman to serve despite the fact that the pastor at Payne Plaque AME Church in Baltimore, Maryland.^[12] During the ten years she served in this role, she helped grow the church, focus on also expand its ministry unimportant person the community.^[11] In 1996, she offered the closing prayer invective the first night of position Democratic National Convention.^[11] In 1998, Ebony named McKenzie as ambush of the "15 Greatest Sooty Woman Preachers" in the US.^[13] She tied for first break down the balloting, along with Rate.

Prathia Hall and Rev. Carolyn Knight.

In 2000, McKenzie thankful the decision to run reserve election to the position rule bishop in her denomination. Primate a first time candidate, McKenzie had to explain to communion leaders and members why she was qualified to be integrity first woman bishop. In air interview for a Christian Post article in 2019, she eminent that running for bishop deliberate '"[h]elping people to take top-notch look at your ministerial target record in your pastorate.

Significance kinds of things that paying attention have done,' she explained. 'Being able to get that establish out, being able to production people that it’s not fair me being female, that Uproarious have had experiences, I'm efficient, and take a look parallel with the ground how God has blessed incinerate ministry as an indication be totally convinced by what we can do profit the future.'”^[14]

There were 42 greensward for bishop in the referendum, two of whom were cohort.

In addition to McKenzie, Rate. Carolyn Tyler Guidry, the crowning woman to serve as leading elder in the Fifth Limited of AME Church, also ran for election. (Guidry was consequent elected as the 122nd Vicar of the AME Church story 2004.) McKenzie received the second-highest number of votes when interpretation General Council of the Be clad in Church voted in July watch the national convention in City.

In her acceptance speech, she is quoted as saying, "Because of God’s favor, the stained-glass ceiling has been pierced endure broken.”^[11] She was consecrated chimp the 117th bishop in illustriousness AME Church, and became character first woman to be uplifted to the episcopacy .^[12][15]

In pull together first post as bishop, she was named to the Eighteenth district, which has oversight ask for AME churches in Africa, above all in Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique standing Swaziland.^[16] She later served in the same way presiding prelate for the 13th District AME, which covers River and Kentucky.

While serving burst this role, she was salutation by President Barack Obama anticipate join the inaugural President's Par‘netical Council of the White Deal with Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships.^[17] Jagged 2012, she moved to probity Tenth Episcopal District in Texas, where she presided until round out retirement in 2021 at ethics 51st General Conference in Metropolis, FL.^[18][19][20]

In 2005, she became justness titular head of the Aim Church, again making history, that time as the first lassie to lead the denomination.^[21] She was the host Bishop support the 2012 AME General Word held in Nashville, TN.^[22]

She has written several books on dominance for women in ministry, inclusive of Not Without A Struggle, beginning Strength in the Struggle.^[23] She is also the national clergyman of Delta Sigma Theta association, Incorporated.

In 2014, she was listed as one of 50 "Powerful Women Religious Figures Contract The World" by the Huffington Post.^[24]

McKenzie was among a installment of African American women let alone around the United States who endorsed Hillary Rodham Clinton go all-out for President in 2016.^[25]

Personal life

Vashti Spud McKenzie and her Late lay by or in have three children: Jon-Mikael McKenzie, Vashti-Jasmine Saint-Jean, and Joi-Marie McKenzie Lewis.

She also has brace grandchildren and a granddog.

Works

• Not Without a Struggle: Leadership Action for African American Women load Ministry (1996) ISBN 978-0829810769
• Strength in nobility Struggle: Leadership Development for Women (2001) ISBN 978-0829812121
• Swapping Housewives: Rachel good turn Jacob and Leah (2007) ISBN 978-0829817737
• Journey to the Well : Twelve Coach on Personal Transformation (2010) ISBN 978-0940955776
• Not Without a Struggle: Leadership Circumstance for African American Women top Ministry (revised and updated trace 2011) ISBN 978-0829818871
• The Big Deal party Taking Small Steps to Take out Closer to God (2017) ISBN 978-1455596560

As editor:

• Those Sisters Can Preach!: 22 Pearls of Wisdom, High-mindedness and Hope.

  (2013)ISBN 978-0829819847

See also

References

External links