Rev. Dr. Michael Edwards was called as Minister of the Word and Sacrament to the DeWitt Reformed Church, New York, New York, where for him the challenges facing a community in the Lower East Side of Manhattan. DeWitt is known as the first immigrant church founded by the New York City Mission Society in 1869. DeWitt is known as the little church in lower Manhattan with one of the largest Headstart and Pre K Educational programs, as well as one of the largest food pantry organizations in the City of New York. Rev. Edwards is known by his colleague as a phenomenal person, aggressive energetic and dynamic member in the Reformed Church in America. From his early life in Harlem, USA to the present, Rev. Micheal Edwards has sought to apply his faith in Christian witness, administration and discipleship in the Reformed Church in America.

Family:

Rev. Edwards is married to Elder Pamela Maria Edwards. They have three children and eight grandchildren. He is blessed to have a loving mother (Ms. Thelma Owens), a loving family, church mothers, and friends.

Education:

Rev. Edwards is a Howard University/CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice with a BA in Government and Public Administration; New Brunswick Theological Seminary with a Master of Divinity; Fordham University with a Master in Education and a Master in Human Services; and a Doctorate Degree from NorthCentral University in Education.

The Christian Ministry:

The Rev. Michaal Edwards is an ordained minister of the word and sacrament in the Reformed Church in America. He was licensed (1984) and ordained (1986) by the Classis of New York – Reformed Church in America at the Elmendorf Reformed Church in New York, New York. He served in other ordained offices of the Church as a Deacon and an Elder. As the first African America Minister – Homegrown, he has served as minister for the First Reformed Church in Mt. Vernon, in partnership with the Bronxville Reformed Church. Rev. Edwards has been grateful in his service as interim minister at the Dewitt Reformed church (1990-1992, & 1994-1998) and the New Lots Community Church for several years. He also served successfully in assisting churches faithfully without pastors in past years at Brighton Heights, Grace, Mott Haven, Union of Highbridge, First Astoria, First Jamaica, Sunny Side, and other non Reformed Churches. Currently, he serves as the Senior Pastor for the DeWitt Reformed Church in America.

Rev. Edwards was reared in the Baptist, Methodist, AME and Reformed traditions. Since childhood he has attended both the Elmendorf Reformed Church and the People’s Baptist church. He presently is a member at DeWitt Reformed Church. His culture and faith roots are firmly planted in the African American Christian community, Harlem, USA…

He is presently the Stated Clerk of the Classis of New York. He is a member in good standing. He completed, and was the first member of the Classis of New York to serve as president for more than two terms. He chaired the Classis’ life and Congregational Planning Development and other special committees. At the Regional synod of New York he served as member of the Synod and the past chair of the Planning, Development and Revitalization committee. In his early years of Classis, he represented the Classis of New York on the Council of Churches of the City of New York. He represented the Classis at General and Regional Synods for several years. He served on the General Synod Council. He has represented the RCA at the General Assembly and committees of the National Council of Churches, the Latin American Conference of Churches (2005) in Cuba, and the World Council of Churches (2006) in Brazil.

He has served in many other RCA capacities. As youth representative of the RCA Black Council (African American Council). He served as a member of the Black Council. He advocated youth leadership programs and activities in the Reformed church. He served as a member of the RCA Black Christian education committee for several years. He participates

in Multicultural caucuses in the RCA and other protestant denominations. He is an active member of the CERCA, a minister of Christian Education in the Reformed Church and participated in APCE for the past three years.

Rev. Edwards is a Christian Educator, where he works closely with churches and engages in building pastoral leadership capacity, learning opportunities for churches and Congregational Discipleship Services. For the past eight summers, he oversees and coordinates the Summer VBS Programs and the Afterschool Programs for the Regional Synod of New York, Reformed Church in America. The Regional Synod of New York funds over 40 churches to promote summer Christian experiences for more than 5,000 children in urban, rural, and suburban areas and in the U.S. Virgin Islands to learn about Jesus Christ in a fun and meaningful way.

Other Vocations:

Rev. Edwards has worked bi-vocationally as a high school administer in New York (he has served in the school system for more than 30 years) and recently retired as a hospital chaplain for 22 years. He served as a Federal Law Enforcement Chaplain for the past six years.