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About Our Aspirant
The Reverend Doctor Erika D. Crawford
The Reverend Doctor Erika D. Crawford, a disciple whom Jesus loves, is a Proven Leader, Trusted Servant, and Kin-dom Citizen. She is a daughter of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Stamford, CT. She embraced the work and call of the itinerant ministry having served God through Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Stamford, Connecticut, Reid Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Columbia, SC, and Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Harlem, NY before receiving her first pastoral appointment.
Dr. Crawford is blessed to have led the Believers at Allen Temple AME Church of Mt. Vernon, NY in liquidating all the church’s indebtedness and several renovation projects; at African Methodist Episcopal Ebenezer Church of Rahway, NJ she led the Believers in erecting an edifice for Ebenezer AME Church in Malawi, Africa (20th District), the premature liquidation of a $1.3 million mortgage, total renovation of the parsonage, and the purchase of two additional properties including the former Rahway School for Colored Children (1840-1870) all while becoming a total tithing congregation. Since 2018, she has faithfully and joyfully served the Believers at Mt. Zion African Methodist Episcopal Church, Dover, DE where she led the congregation in the pre-mature liquidation of the parsonage mortgage, the purchase of additional property, and more than $250,000 of renovations, equipment, and upgrades to their facilities and properties while becoming a debt-free total tithing congregation.
Instead of a traditional transactional benevolence model, Dr. Crawford has led the Believers at Mt. Zion-Dover to fund and embrace a transformative benevolence model, rooted in seven annual $3,000 grants available to one family from every elementary school in the Capital School District (Dover, DE). This grant allows members and supporters to work with families over a one-year period on budgeting, long-term planning, and academic excellence while providing financial support for clothes, youth activities, and everyday living expenses. Concerned about the youth and seniors, Dr. Crawford is actively collaborating with the congregation, local officials, community leaders, and agencies to establish The Mountain Top Center, a senior citizen orphanage, with hopes of a 2024 groundbreaking date.
In addition to Pastoral Ministry, Dr. Crawford is blessed to have served as Coordinator of Ecumenical and Interfaith Ministry at Fordham University (a Jesuit-Catholic University); Team Chaplain and Consultant for the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA); and Director of the Pastoral Care Department at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital (Rahway, NJ).
Before serving in a “fully funded/full-time” pastoral capacity, Dr. Crawford worked extensively in management positions in the health insurance industry. She completed a Bachelor of Science in Organizational Management at Voorhees College (Denmark, SC), a Master of Divinity at New York Theological Seminary (New York, NY), and a Doctor of Ministry in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Fordham University (Bronx, NY). She has also done postgraduate work at Regent’s Park College at Oxford University (Oxford, UK).
Other ministerial and community responsibilities and assignments held by Dr. Crawford include two terms as Connectional (International) President of AME Women in Ministry; Director of Stewardship for the First Episcopal District; Dean of the Ministerial Institute (Delaware and New Jersey Annual Conference); Conference Trustee (Delaware and New Jersey Conference); President of The Village: An Educational Advocacy Group; member of the Trauma Delaware consortium; a life member The NAACP; Founder of the ToolShed: A Racial Dialogue Forum, The City of Dover (DE) Ethics Commission, and a plethora of other religious, civic and social organizations.
Dr. Crawford is also a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. and the Links Incorporated. She is EXCITED about the Lord’s PLAN for her ministry as she works for God’s Glory and Our (collective) Good.
