Church leaders to deliver, serve holiday dinners in West Rehoboth

West Rehoboth Children and Youth Program under the leadership of Executive Director Brenda Milbourne and Program Director Diaz J. Bonville will host the Rev. Dr. Peggy A. Johnson, Episcopal Area bishop (Eastern Pennsylvania and Peninsula-Delaware Conference); the Rev. Dr. Vicki Gordy-Stitch, Dover District superintendent; and Denise Snyder, Dover District lay leader, at 11 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 20, at the West Side New Beginnings Community Center in West Rehoboth. They will be paying it forward by serving and delivering dinners to residents in West Rehoboth. This will be Johnson’s first visit to West Rehoboth. She is a native of Baltimore, Md., and serves as the episcopal leader of the Philadelphia Area of the United Methodist Church, which includes the Eastern Pennsylvania Annual Conference and the Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference. She received a bachelor of science degree from Lebanon Valley College, a master of divinity from Asbury Theological Seminary and a doctor of ministry degree from Wesley Theological Seminary. Prior to her election to the episcopacy in 2008 she served as pastor in the Baltimore-Washington Conference since 1980. Her churches included a four-point rural circuit in Frederick, Md., a suburban Baltimore congregation, and a campus ministry of Gallaudet University. For 20 years, she was the pastor of Christ United Methodist Church of the Deaf. Johnson has a particular passion for ministry with people with disabilities, and her years as pastor of an all-deaf congregation led her on paths of experience with not only the deaf and deaf-blind communities but also with those who have mobility, intellectual, and mental health challenges. She is married to the Rev. Michael C. Johnson, a United Methodist pastor, and they have two adult sons, Peter and Gabriel.

Johnson’s publications include “Make a Joyful Silence: Deaf Ministry (2006).” Johnson is a member of the United Methodist Congress of the Deaf, Sigma Alpha Iota (Music Fraternity for Women), and Association of United Methodist Ministries with Disabilities. Johnson has also served as a general and jurisdictional delegate, board member – GBHEM, consultant – GBGM (Health and Welfare), Conference BOOM, board member – COSROW, and Volunteer In Missions trips: Jamaica, Kenya, Cuba, Dominican Republic, and Democratic Republic of Congo. Johnson’s honors include Circuit Rider of the Year – United Methodist Publishing (1990), Pillar of Faith Award – Howard Divinity School (2008), John Wesley Award – Wesley Theological Seminary (2009), and Alumni of the Year Award – Asbury Theological Seminary (2010). For more information call Diaz J. Bonville at 302-645-7544.