The Rev. Dr. Jennifer L. Carner is the daughter of Pastor J.W. Carner and Brenda Carner. She served in ministry with her father for several years. Under his leadership, she was licensed to preach and bring authentic transformation to the Kingdom and the world in August of 2000. She was later ordained at Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church, in 2008. Jennifer has served as the first female Executive/Lead Pastor of The Greater Travelers Rest Baptist Church in Decatur, GA, where Dr. E. Dewey Smith, Jr. is the Senior Pastor. She currently provides preaching and teaching support to the Senior Pastor.
Dr. Jen has recently accepted a position as the Director of Preaching in a Post-Christian Age Initiative and Assistant Professor of Homiletics, at Pittsburg Theological Seminary in Pittsburg, PA. This initiative aims to resource pastors, new faith community leaders, and preachers to address the challenges of presenting the gospel in our nation’s current cultural, social, and political contexts. Jennifer has also published her first book entitled, 31 Days of Winning, a Devotional Journal.
Jennifer has a passion for Homiletics, Communications Theory, and higher learning and has earned a Ph.D. in African American Preaching and Sacred Rhetoric from Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis, IN. Dr. Jen has been inducted into the esteemed Morehouse Board of Ministers and Laity for her commitment to preaching, teaching, and ministry through a Christocentric and liberationist lens. She continues to live out the words of the first song she learned to sing, “I’m just a nobody trying to tell everybody about somebody who can save anybody.”
Rev. Dr. Antoinette G. Alvarado is the Co-Pastor of Grace Church International, Founder of My Sister’s Keeper Foundation for Women and President of Targeted Living Coaching & Consulting, LLC. Dr. Toni, as she is affectionately called, is a dynamic preacher, teacher, and workshop presenter, serving in national and international conferences.
Dr. Toni is the author of Run and Not Be Weary: The Pursuit of Purpose and Destiny, Stoking the Fire of Your Dreams, Harmonize Your Life: A Journey Toward Self-Care and coauthored Let’s Stay Together: Relationship Strategies for Successful Marriages with her husband, Dr. Johnathan E. Alvarado. She is the Founder of the Harmonize Your Life Women’s Self-Care Network, the Retreat Leader of the Harmonize Your Life Women’s Self-Care Retreat, and the host of the Harmonize Your Life: Conversations on Self-Care for Women of Color Podcast.
Dr. Alvarado has studied at various seminaries and universities and has been awarded several earned degrees and professional certificates to include a Master of Divinity, Church of God Theological Seminary; Doctor of Ministry, Regent University School of Divinity; Master of Theology, Columbia Theological Seminary; and Graduate Certificate in Women’s Studies, University of Georgia.
Dr. Toni is an active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. Chi Tau Omega Chapter in Covington, GA, and the National Council of Negro Women - Rockdale-Newton Section. She is passionate about fitness training, reading, writing, and spending time with her husband, children, and girlfriends. Her years of experience as a community servant, leader, pastor, professor, speaker, coach, and trainer imminently qualify her to empower others.
Dr. Alicia Britt Chole has often been compared to a velvetwrapped sword: her voice is soothing and her messages are piercing.
She loves to study and teach less than trendy themes like what grows in barren seasons, the discipline of decrease, the use and abuse of spiritual authority, doubt as a growing pain of faith, and habits of a truly healthy soul.
An intriguing wordsmith, Alicia is a skillful mentor, an awardwinning writer, and an international speaker. Men and women, learners and leaders, across ethnically diverse groups agree: In a culture obsessed with all-things-new, Alicia brings ancient truth to life.
Alicia holds a doctorate in leadership and spiritual formation from George Fox Seminary and serves as the founding director and lead mentor of Leadership Investment Intensives, a nonprofit devoted to providing customized soul-care for leaders in business and ministry.
Along with her husband, Dr. Barry Jay Chole, and their three amazing children (all Choles through the miracle of adoption), Dr. Chole lives in the Ozark countryside and enjoys thunderstorms, jalapenos, #LOTR, thorny questions, wild woods, and pianos in empty rooms.
Rev. Carmi Washington Flood, just celebrated her 6-month anniversary as the newly installed Pastor of St. Timothy’s Christian Baptist Church in Baltimore Maryland. She serves there under the leadership of her Senior Pastor, Rev. Dr. Minnie R. Washington and by God’s power and grace they are working together to move the church forward.
Rev. Carmi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Michigan State University, a Master’s degree in Ministry Leadership Administration from Lancaster Bible College and a certificate in Christian Counseling from Faith Theological Seminary. She is a licensed and ordained minister and serves as the first Vice-President of the Baptist Ministers Conference of Baltimore and Vicinity; Co-Chair for the Evangelism and Missions Team for the United Baptist Missionary Convention of Maryland; Faculty for the National Baptist Convention Congress of Christian Education; and Regional Assistant on the Board of Evangelism for the National Baptist Convention, USA.
Carmi’s favorite scripture is John 1:12, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
Rev. Mariah Crews has a heart for the young, the healing, and the ones rebuilding. She operates at the intersection of ministry and media helping people see that God writes beautiful stories - no matter how broken the beginning. Known to many as Rev. Mimi, she boldly serves as both a minister and digital content creator, with a heart for students and a gift for media.
A proud graduate of Hampton University in 2014, Rev. Mimi brings a standard of excellence to everything she does. She currently serves as Minister to Students at Kingdom Fellowship A.M.E. Church in Calverton, MD, a vibrant ministry of over 8,000 members. Ordained an Itinerant Deacon in the A.M.E. Church in 2017, her passion for preaching, mentoring, and reaching the next generation has taken her across the globe and into print, contributing to devotionals for Urban Spirit’s books for women of color.
Before ministry became her full-time lane, Rev. Mimi spent years in the television industry, beginning at C-SPAN and later working the NBC Olympics in Sochi, Russia. Today, she merges media and ministry, producing content, hosting, editing, and building moments that move people—on screen and in spirit.
Rev. Mimi is also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, where she serves at National Headquarters as an Arts and Letters specialist, committed to promoting powerful Black imagery in community and culture. Her life is a declaration of faith, rooted in Ephesians 3:20: “Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine…”
Min. Jordan DeVeaux is a fourth-generation minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church, carrying forward a rich legacy of faith, service, and justice. At just 24 years old, she brings both youthful energy and seasoned leadership to her ministry, having begun her public ministry journey at the age of 14.
A proud graduate of Towson University in 2022, Min. DeVeaux earned her Bachelor’s degree in Psychology with minors in Gerontology and Family and Human Services. While at Towson, she served with distinction as President of the Student Government Association and is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
Jordan’s ministry extends across the pulpit and the public square. She has served as a hospital chaplain in emergency medicine and cardiology at the University of North Carolina Medical Center, and as a Spiritual Care Intern at Lawndale Christian Health Center on the west side of Chicago, providing compassionate care in settings ranging from substance abuse recovery to senior services.
In May 2025, Jordan earned her Master of Divinity from Duke University, with concentrations in theology and medicine, Black Church Studies, and Homiletics. Rooted in the AME tradition and passionate about the intersection of faith, healing, and social impact, she envisions a bi-vocational ministry that includes both pastoral leadership and chaplaincy, while contributing to scholarship in preaching and the Black religious tradition.
Jordan stands firmly on the shoulders of those who came before her, yet she also carves her own path—one that bridges generations, honors legacy, and embraces the future of ministry with courage and creativity.
Rev. Krystle Virginia Nelson is the exception--her desire to see change is just as intense as her desire to become the change.
The eldest of two children, Krystle is the only daughter of Pastor Anthony and First Lady Peggy Maclin. She worked diligently in several ministries at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square, located in Capitol Heights, MD. In the fall of 2015, Krystle was appointed as the Director of the Women’s Ministry & served as the Coordinator of the Public & Media Relations Ministry. She actively taught a weekly women’s bible study entitled “Having a Mary’s Heart, In a Martha’s World.”
In April of 2016, she was licensed to preach the gospel at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square. Krystle has a B.A. in Public Relations from Hampton University. Krystle is an employee of Greystar, the largest Multi-family Real Estate company in the world. She serves as a property manager in Washington, DC, where she has managed over 432+ units in residential and commercial space, along with national retailers such as Starbucks, Petco, Farmbird, and Buredo. She has earned a CPO property management certification and is pursuing her CPM.
Rev. Krystle recently graduated from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University with a Master’s degree in Theology. Currently, she holds the position of Executive Administrator at The Sanctuary at Kingdom Square and serves as the Executive Administrator for The Elevation Assembly of Pastors.
In June, Rev. Krystle married Bishop James D. Nelson Jr., her best friend and the love of her life, marking a second chance at love in Baltimore, MD. They currently serve together in ministry at the Destiny Christian Church. Their family has grown to include three children, two grandchildren, and one affectionate pet named Koby. When asked what excites her about life, Krystle emphatically responded that seeing others happy inspires her to continue striving for excellence.
Rev. Carolyn C. Cavaness is the daughter of the late Rev. Harold Cavaness and Ms. Karen Cavaness. A fourth-generation AME preacher, Rev. Carolyn embarked on her ministerial journey at Israel Memorial AME Church, Newark, NJ, where she answered her call to preach at the age of 14, rendered and received her license to preach at the age 15. At the age of 16, Rev. Carolyn was admitted on trial in the AME Church. She was ordained an Itinerant Deacon in the AME Church on April 17, 2010 and on April 14, 2012 an Itinerant Elder in the AME Church.
Rev. Cavaness is a graduate of Barnard College of Columbia University in New York City, with a major in Urban Studies with a concentration in Economics. Rev. Cavaness graduated in May 2011 from Union Theological Seminary in New York City with a Master of Divinity degree. In her second year, she was awarded the Hudnut Preaching Award. This award is conferred annually by the faculty to a student who, in their judgment, has made the best preparation for the preaching ministry.
Prior to enrolling in seminary, Rev. Cavaness was deputy finance director for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton’s historic campaign for President. She was employed by Barnard College as Officer to the Barnard College Annual Fund. She was also Finance Director for New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins.
On November 9, 2024, Rev. Cavaness was appointed by Bishop Samuel Lawrence Green, Sr., the 53rd Pastor of Mother Bethel AME Church, the first woman to lead the birthplace of African Methodism, which sits on the oldest parcel of land continuously owned by African Americans in the United States purchased in 1791 by the founder of the AME Church, Bishop Richard and Flora Allen.
Prior to her historic appointment, she served for ten years as the Pastor of Bethel AME Church of Ardmore, PA the first female pastor in that church’s 130-year history.
Rev. Cavaness desires to use all of her God-given talents and gifts to reach and help all that she can. She lives by the statement, “Only what you do for Christ shall last.”
Greetings Sisters,
These reflection questions aim to guide you deeper into God’s presence and help you carry the refreshing you’ve received into your everyday life. Take your time with each question, allowing the Holy Spirit to speak to your heart.
May these reflections draw you closer to the heart of God and renew your spirit for the journey ahead.
In
His Service,
Rev. Kendra Smith Minister to Women
1. What insights or moments from this weekend do you want to hold in your heart? Thank God for the insight, write them down and share them with a trusted friend.
2. What is God inviting you to carry forward from this weekend into your everyday life? Prayerfully consider how God wants to transform your daily walk.
3. What spiritual tools can you implement to stay connected with God, the source of our refreshing? Consider prayer, scripture reading, worship, fellowship, and other practices.
4. Who can you encourage this week from the refreshing you have received? Think of specific people and ways to share God’s love with them.
