Deacon nominations for 2024

I have worshipped as an active member of Central Baptist Church for more than 23 years. I have served in numerous positions at Central: usher, deacon/trustee, chairperson of the Senior Ministry, coordinator of Men's Ministry, Personnel Committee member, By-Laws and Endowment Committees, homeless shelter and other CBC community outreach programs.

The COVID-19 virus pandemic has ignited an increase desire for me to serve and to share the gospel of Jesus Christ and his love with my sisters and brothers. I am humbled by this opportunity to once again serve as a deacon. I solicit your prayers for God's wisdom and guidance.

Michelle D. Newkirk joined Central Baptist Church in 2018, although Michelle and her family have been regular attendees since 2013. In that time she has served as a Deacon/Trustee, Sunday School Teacher and headed the Youth Scholarship Committee. She has also participated in the Women’s Discipleship Groups, Married Couples Ministry and enjoys learning and growing in her faith through Bible study and URBACAD courses. Michelle is trusting in the Holy Spirit to guide her path on her journey in her Christian walk. She recalls first being aware of God in her life as a 5 year old child being told to pray about a stomach ache. With an open heart that child got on her knees and prayed and trusted and immediately felt better. Michelle was then baptized at 9 years of age at Springfield Baptist Church, her family’s church in Georgia. Later in NYC she joined Union Baptist Church where her grandmother was a longtime member. At Union, she began to mature and develop as a Christian through fellowship as a praise dancer and by serving meals and going on retreats. After marrying her husband Lawrence Newkirk, they joined Central Baptist Church together.

Michelle earned her bachelor’s degree in liberal arts from Utica College of Syracuse University and is employed with the global investment firm Morgan Stanley as a Restricted Securities Specialist. During her tenure at Morgan Stanley she has volunteered at food banks and other community outreach programs as well as helped with programs like financial coaching to Girl Scouts working on mock business plans and judging essays by students for contests.

Michelle resides on the Upper West Side in Manhattan with her wonderful and supportive husband Lawrence and their two beautiful daughters Maya and Tianna.

I was raised in traditional Baptist churches in Athens, Georgia; Jackson, Mississippi; and Birmingham, Alabama. I attended religious elementary and high schools and grew up in an environment where most of the people I knew were church-attending Christians. It wasn’t until I moved to New York City as a young adult, that I made a conscious, life-changing decision to follow Jesus and seek His face for myself. I can truly testify that through many ups and downs and abject failures on my part, He has never left me. For the past 20 years, He has given me the honor of serving Central Baptist Church, primarily in the Women’s Ministry and Youth Ministry. I look forward to continuing to serve the body in whatever capacity He sees fit.

I began tutoring children when I was in the 4th Grade at Holy Name School of Jesus (W. 96th & Amsterdam Avenue) and helping teach Sunday School (bilingual classes – Spanish/English) at 14 years of age and would visit the sick and elderly at home, the hospital, or the hospice with my Mom or other believers in Christ Jesus. I started going on short-term mission trips in 1990 once I learned that I, too, could participate in GOD’s plan to share JESUS with all who did not know HIM, yet. Throughout the travels with several local churches, youth organizations, and missions organizations, I assisted with evangelism (street, home, hospital, schools, prisons), children’s ministry (VBS, visiting orphanages, teacher trainings, puppet shows, Olympic-style games, etc.), and prayer walks. I have been blessed with the opportunity to serve in the following areas: Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, North America, South America, and USA.

I firmly believe in making a positive contribution in my community, the nation and world. I continue to volunteer at different organizations on the local, national and global level, and employ the same level of professionalism, creativity, and commitment. I served as a volunteer in East Harlem (Spanish Harlem) for more than fifteen years where I tutored children, teenagers and adults to bridge the gap in educational disparities, taught Sunday School classes and Vacation Bible School classes. I serve as a volunteer at Central Baptist Church in the Christian Education Department (Sunday School Teacher to Grades 1 – 5, UrbAcad), Missions Committee, Women’s Discipleship Group, and outside of CBC at other denominational and non-denominational organizations. I have served on the following committees: Pastoral Search, Personnel, Nominating, 170th Church Anniversary and volunteered as an English as a Second Language (ESL) Teacher and Tutor at the Tutor4Life After School Program at CBC. I aim to live out John 15:5-8 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in Me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from Me you can do nothing. If you do not remain in Me, you are like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. If you remain in Me and My words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. This is to My Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be My disciples. “ as I share GOD’s Good News (Romans 10:15b). [bold font used for emphasis] GOD does great things in our lives. Every believer can do great things for GOD!

I was baptized when I was 18 years old at Central Baptist Church in the summer of 2006. I’m a member of Central Baptist Church for over 10 years. Jesus came into my life during a Sunday Service when I was 25 years old. Then I built my personal relationship with God and with CBC church.

God called me through the members of Central Baptist Church to be a part of a missions trip to Haiti in December 2016. Then is when I received my calling to be a missionary. This gave me the burning fire to learn more of who Jesus is that is still burning today. I’ve served under CBC Missions Committee since then. I’ve also served as a Choir Member, Theatrical Holy Week under Sharrata Hunt, CBC Knight’s Coach, Men’s Discipleship, CBC Summer Picnic Committee, Four Missions Trips. I completed URBACAD September 21st 2021.
 
Currently I’m enrolled in URBACAD again as a refresher with Pastor Robert Casteline and Esther Romero and serving as CBC Missions Committee Chair.

Myrna Phillips Gibson is a native new Yorker who moved to 97th street when her father opened a Carvel ice-cream store nearby. She attended P.S. 163 and P.S. 75 elementary schools and skipped the 8th grade at J.H.S. 104.  Growing up, Myrna took piano lessons and participated in yearly recitals at Cami Hall which was directly across the street from Carnegie Hall; the goal being to one day play there.  She auditioned for both Performing Arts and Music & Art high schools but sadly did not make the cut. However, she was accepted into all three specialized high schools and graduated with a Regents diploma from the Bronx High School of Science. It was during this time that Myrna accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior at Child's Memorial Church of God in Christ.

The summer before leaving for F.A.M.U. she was baptized despite her fear of drowning and getting her hair wet. After one year in Tallahassee, she returned to NYC determined to become a CPA and a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Both goals were accomplished and while she no longer practices accounting; Myrna has been an active and financial member of the sorority for over 43 years.
 
Public service was and still is a big part of her life. Professionally, after accounting, Myrna received an MBA in finance from Columbia University after many years working on Wall Street at various banks she now is in her dream retirement job at the NYC Department of Education where she is a Project Manager overseeing finance-related IT projects which help to keep the world's largest school system running smoothly.

Myrna officially became a member of Central Baptist in 2018 after being a frequent visitor during Pastor Faulkner's tenure and then coming back during Pastor Fils-Aime's tenure. She has served as President of the Personnel Committe since 2019 and chaired the 180th Anniversary celebration in 2023. In her leisure time, Myrna can be found in Bermuda visiting friends and family with her husband Ray, playing the piano or enjoying a competitive game of pickle ball - also with Ray. She is delighted and tickled pink to be considered for the position of Trustee and looks forwards to using her gifts, talents and abilities in the furtherance of His kingdom.