Rev. Dr. Hicks is an anointed teacher and preacher of the gospel of Jesus Christ, led and inspired by the Holy Spirit, and teaches out of her passion to fulfill the call of God to “Blow the Trumpet In Zion.” Discipleship is at the heart of her ministry.  

Dr. Hicks has been ordained, and in ministry for over 30 years and has a corporate background in financial management as a business leader in both “for profit  and not for profit corporations

Dr. Hicks  helped to create a new brand “OurPrayer” at Guideposts. She was instrumental in leading and mobilizing over 3,000 volunteers to pray for over 1 million people by “Name and Need” around the world. Dr. Hicks was the Pastor of Discipleship at New Life United Methodist Church where she developed and trained individuals to lead education series for adults and children .  

As pastor of the Naugatuck United Methodist Church, Dr. Hicks led the congregation  through one of the toughest times in the church, when people were discouraged as to the future of the ministry.  She encouraged congregants to work together and developed a three year plan to healthy finance and spiritual growth, which led to a vibrant ministry. Prayer, Bible Study and tithing was a major game changer. Just before the pandemic, the church had implemented many of her recommended changes to cut cost by upgrading the sanctuary worship experience, and online giving options. When the pandemic hit, Naugatuck UMC was already on the cusp of becoming savvy in their use of technology limiting paper and administrative costs. Rev. Dr. Hicks is a collaborative leader and is always looking for ways to move her team forward.

Rev. Dr. Hicks developed a model combining faith and personal money management as her Doctor of Ministry Project entitled “Blow The Trumpet in Zion: Sound an Alarm”  A Community-Based Ministry For Financial Literacy was established to support this project.. The project emphasizes a biblical understanding of God’s economy, and our responsibility to end all forms of bondage, and be faithful to God. Rev. Dr. Hicks teaches that believers should exemplify faithfulness to God in every area of life, including their finances. She has authored a book entitled “Establishing and Building Upon a Solid and a Firm Foundation.” This book is written as a handbook for every believer who takes seriously the command of Jesus “to make disciples.”  

Rev. Dr. Hicks holds a Doctor Of Ministry Degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology, at Virginia Union University, in Richmond, VA,  a Master of Divinity Degree from Iliff School of Theology at the University of Denver, in Denver, CO, an MBA from the Hagan School of Business at Iona College, in New Rochelle, NY, and an undergraduate degree in Accounting from Johnson C. Smith University in Charlotte, NC. 

Dr. Hicks is married to retired IBM Senior Executive Wilbert A. Hicks, together they have two daughters Kimberlee and Sarah, a son-in law Rev. Lemuel Blackett, and three grandchildren, Brendan, Sasha, and Noah.

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Amber began working for Mamaroneck United Methodist Church in 2022.

She is a 2010 graduate of Buffalo State College (now University) with a BS in Hospitality – Restaurant and Institutional Management. She has over 5+ years of retail management experience and began her admin career in the United Methodist Church in 2016 as the Administrative Assistant to the Pastor/ Office Manager for First Hollis UMC in Hollis Queens, NY. In March 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, Amber was hired for the positions of AAtP/OM at New Rochelle UMC. When the city of New Rochelle was mandated to shut down, she helped NRUMC to transition to the newly needed world of virtual meetings.

In 2022 New Rochelle and Mamroneck UMC were blessed with the appointment of their current Pastor, The Rev. Dr. Peola C. Hicks. In the fall of that same year Amber was hired in the position of Office Manager for Mamaroneck United Methodist Church. She currently splits her days between NRUMC and MUMC.

Amber grew up and currently resides in the Bronx, NY with her 2 boys Jeremiah (13) and Marcel (6). She is currently the Audio/Visual director for New Rochelle UMC and a small business owner. She enjoys spending her time with family and friends and being the best example she can be for her boys and niblings.

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Karina has been sharing her musical talent and experience at MUMC for several years. For this reason, the Choir sings in different languages such as German, Hebrew and Swahili. Also, because of her eclectic musical background, Karina believes in providing a variety of musical styles at MUMC. One can hear the Choir, Solo instrumentalist/Vocalist, Bell Choir or Praise Band being featured at any given time of the month.

Karina was known as the “Church Mouse” as a child because she lived in an apartment at St. Luke’s Lutheran Church in New Rochelle with her parents who were Sextons there. During that time, she was involved in the Church Choirs, formed her own Vocal Groups and directed Musical Shows. She attended Capital University in Columbus, Ohio as a Voice Major and went on to earn a M.A. in Music Performance at NYU which included study abroad in Munich, Germany.

Karina has been a performing artist for most of her professional career. As a Coloratura Soprano, she has sung in several Opera Houses in Germany and Switzerland and has performed various roles in Musical Theatre, such as Maria in “West Side Story”. She has toured and cruised around the world as the Vocalist for the Sammy Kaye Orchestra and has appeared on TV and in Film, including the role of the Opera Singer in the hit movie: “Pretty Woman”.

Ten years ago, Karina was asked to be the Music Director at Resurrection Lutheran Church in Mt. Kisco, NY. She was pleasantly surprised to sense that this is what she should be doing with her life. To improve her skills as a Church Music Director, she went back to school… this time to a Seminary! She has since earned a MACM (Master of Arts in Church Music) Degree at Trinity Lutheran Seminary in Columbus, Ohio and is currently working on an additional degree in Theological Studies with a focus on Interreligious Relations.

In recent years as an Interfaith Music Director, Karina has had many wonderful opportunities, such as accompanying Cantors from Synagogues throughout the U.S. on a Healing Mission to Germany, being asked to be part of a group of 300 Singers from around the world to perform in a Gospel Music Festival in Prague, being invited to be the Music Leader for a Congregation of African Seventh Day Adventists on a trip to South Africa, and assisting the Bet Torah Cantor of Mt. Kisco on a tour of Israel. (One of her biggest thrills was singing a Duet in Hebrew with the Cantor at the Wall of Jerusalem.)

Karina also enjoys Ballroom Dancing, Foreign Film and Traveling. She volunteers at various Animal Shelters and Sanctuaries across the U.S. and has her own little “Menagerie” in her apartment at the MUMC Church House, where she is, once again in her life, known as the Church Mouse.

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Anner has been the church’s caretaker for many years. He is responsible for cleaning and caring for the church facility, His dedication and hard work is evident in the beautiful and clean condition of the buildings on our church campus.

Anner is married with children.

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