Greetings in the name of our risen Lord Jesus Christ! 

 

Welcome to Lawrenceville United Methodist Church where we are:  Following the teachings of Jesus to serve God and others in all that we do and in all that we can.

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I am a native of Richmond, VA, sinner saved by grace who God has shown and is still showing favor and mercy in the faith journey.  Grace has blessed me to be sought-out to preach the gospel and to service the good of all people.  Accepting the call in 2006 – as a third vocation--, being determined through discernment, obedient in service servicing all people in nurturing, teaching, and social injustice has equipped me and awarded me the gift of grace to be an Elder with Full Connection in the United Methodist Church.  Served on the United Methodist Church’s Virginia Conference Board of Directors for the Bishop’s Foundation and the Board of Higher Education Ministries and the Board of WATTS, Winchester Area Temporary Thermal Shelter, a mission to aid the homeless and a member of the Winchester District’s Clergy Association.  These missional acts of Christ’s works continued in Danville as being a part of an ecumenical group of clergies concerned with economic, hunger, and homelessness deficiencies.  Being led by the Holy Spirit I moved in grace establishing a street ministry that blessed me more than those served which included restarting the tutorial program for two years with association to two neighboring elementary schools.

 

Academic Education: Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA, Master of Divinity program.  Certified in Religious Studies from Evans Smith Leadership Institute at Virginia Union University.  J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College, Cum Laude, Computer Operations, Phi Theta Kappa National Honor Fraternity, Evans-Smith Leadership Training Institute Level I and II (Certified in Religious Studies and Pastoral Care, and Level III Advanced Theology) in Richmond, VA; Cortez Peters Business College Washington, DC, Attended University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and graduated from Armstrong High School.  

 

Retiree of Reynolds Metals Company as a Computer Hardware/software Technician and as a Network Administrator and Computer/Software support for the Reynolds International Division.  In retirement I was employed as a Business Instructor at the Centura College West campus in Richmond, VA, which was a vocational school-Beta Tech and by God’s grace became an accredited 2-year college.

 

Fruits and gifts are shown in leading, preaching, teaching, pastoral care and mission in the church.  These extend beyond the walls of the church by way of advocating for social injustice by starting a camp migrant mission ministry and serving as pastor in cross cultural and cross racial relations church appointments to enhance bridge connection and true Kingdom building. My steps have shown they have been and are ordered by God and that God has use for all, even someone that said to no more than once to ministry due to spiritual immaturity; and especially after Bishop Leontine Kelly tapped me saying “God has a call on your life in the ministry.” “So you, too, must show love to foreigners, for you yourselves were once foreigners in the land of Egypt”  (Deuteronomy 10:19 NLT)

 

I feel blessed to be appointed to serve as a retired elder in the role as senior pastor here at Lawrenceville United Methodist Church doing what I love.  Here is indeed a gift where there is church focus on serving a diverse community in need and offering the Word of God, education enrichment, and encouragement to excel to youth from a neighboring elementary school by way of hosting a LifeWise Academy here on site.

“Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God” (1 Peter 5:2). 

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Rev. Barbara Cousar