 |
Rev. Willette A. Burgie-Bryant is a native of Queens, New York City. She began preaching in 1978 while at Boston University working on her Bachelor of Science degree in elementary education and special education. Subsequently Rev. Burgie-Bryant also earned the Master of Social Work degree from B.U., and then went on to earn her Master of Divinity degree from Colgate Rochester Divinity School in New York. She also holds a Master of Theology. degree from Princeton Theological Seminary.
In addition to preaching, Rev. Burgie-Bryant has ministered the Gospel of Jesus Christ through worship, counseling, teaching, and workshop/retreat leadership throughout the eastern United States. Her ministerial travels abroad include a Plowshares Institute seminar in South Africa, and serving as a facilitator for a World Council of Churches convention in Sao Paulo, Brazil. After occupying a faculty position in Christian Ethics at Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC, she was engaged in full-time ministry on the staff of Triumph Baptist Church in Philadelphia. Subsequently, for several years she served as the founding Pastor-Teacher of Living Water Christian Tabernacle, Inc. in Philadelphia.
In 2003, the Lord opened the door for Rev. Burgie-Bryant to become the Director of Student Formation & Seminary Chaplain at Palmer Theological Seminary of Eastern University, where she continues to serve.
Rev. Burgie-Bryant is featured in the book Messengers: Portraits of African American Ministers, Evangelists, Gospel Singers, and other Messengers of the Word by David Ritz, and contributed to the forthcoming (May, 2009) More Power in the Pulpit: How Effective Black Preachers Prepare Their Sermons edited by Dr. Cleophus J. LaRue.
The delighted mother of two adult daughters, Jalyce and Nia Hope Gipson, and the completely smitten new grandmother of baby Isaiah Kadin Gipson, Rev. Burgie-Bryant is blessed to be married to Michael E. Bryant. She and her husband worship together at Enon Tabernacle Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where she is an Associate Minister, and the Rev. Dr. Alyn Waller is the Senior Pastor. |