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2nd President: Dr. Rendella Lucas Gayton
Upon the death of our founder, the mantle for leadership fell upon, Dr. Rendella Lucas Gayton, who
served our organization as the second president from 1957 to 1978. She was
a very capable leader, a hard worker and carried on the work of Dr.
Elizabeth Coles Bouey in an excellent manner. As
a woman of faith, wisdom and intellect, she took the initial steps in
developing a well-balanced Education Department. A hallmark of her
administration was the liquidation of the mortgage of the property in
Richmond. We are blessed to have this beloved woman of God, who walked with
our founder, continue to play an active role in the International
Association of Ministers' Wives and Ministers'
Widows, Inc. She is indeed a role model to all who come in
contact with her, she continues to
enthusiastically work in the IIAMWMW, Inc. to keep the founder's vision
going.
3rd President: Dr. Julia F.
Keaton McCormick
Dr. Julia Frances Keaton McCormick served as our third president from
1970-1978. She was a woman of valor and strength and dreamed, as our
founder did, of a better place for keeping our records, a library for study
and a facility for seminar, retreats and classes were developed. With much
prayer and foresight, she began the process of establishing a national
headquarters facility in 1972. Knowing that our young people were striving
for excellence and in need of assistance, she helped our youth by providing
much needed scholarships and financial assistance in the form of gifts, not
loans. With her wisdom and foresight, the vision of our Founder continued.
4th President: Dr. Muriel Lemon
Johnson
Dr. Muriel Lemon Johnson, now Dr. Muriel Johnson Providence, served as our
fourth president from 1978- 1986 and was also diligent in pursuing the
dreams of our founder. As a hard-working, industrious and visionary leader,
she located a spacious and elegant 15 room mansion at 609 South Davis
Avenue, in Richmond, VA and led the organization in purchasing this
building and liquidating the mortgage. This headquarters building was
dedicated in November, 1981. Under Dr. Muriel Johnson Providence
's leadership and vision, the organization became International and
in June, 1981, she held the first convention outside of the United States
in Barbados , West Indies . After the convention, a chapter was organized
in Trinidad . Dr. Providence initiated the
Endowment Fund and established Regional Conferences as a means of
introducing and taking the organization to the people. This concept has
been instrumental in motivating many local and state members to attend the
International conference.
5th President: Dr. Shirley
Alexander Hart
Dr. Shirley Alexander Hart served as our fifth president from 1986-1994.
Like our founder, she, too, was a woman of vision and charisma. The dreams
of our founder continued as Dr. Hart established a Commemorative
Scholarship Fund in honor of our founding President, Dr. Elizabeth Coles Bouey, and raised over $60,000
for this initiative. Dr. Hart sought toward focusing upon the needs of the
entire clergy family, thus expanding the focus of the Husband's Committee
by obtaining knowledgeable individuals who addressed the issues such as
health which confront our clergy. She also addressed the needs of the
preachers' kids by introducing the "PK" Seminars. Dr. Hart
established the Continuing Education Program in conjunction with Virginia
Union Graduate School of Theology which has allowed conference attendees to
earn college credits. Dr. Hart inaugurated the Annual Education Retreat as
well as a mid-winter conference held aboard a luxury liner.
6th President: Dr. Celeste Ashe
Johnson
Dr. Celeste Ashe Johnson served as our sixth president from 1994-2002. She
was a woman of foresight, wisdom and quiet strength. Dr. Johnson developed
and implemented "Six Standards of Excellence" and spent a lot of
time, energy and effort on the infrastructure of our organization as she
"Chartered the Course to Excellence in the Twenty-first Century."
She launched the "True Love Waits" Program with our PKs which
promotes chastity and abstinence among teenagers. Dr. Johnson introduced
"Project '96" to refurbish our International Headquarters after
major losses resulting from a break-in. She also focused on the needs of
clergy-husbands by bringing them innovative and informative plenary
sessions. Dr. Johnson was cited and honored by the Black Revolutionary War
Patriots foundation for exceptional and outstanding service to the
Foundation. Several new millennium projects were initiated by President
Johnson, among them was the publication of the Minister's Wife Devotional
Bible. The C.A.Johnson/Wheeler Scholarship was
awarded in Spring 2002 and will support one student for four years. Dr.
Johnson envisioned and implemented the first Ministers' Wives and Widows
Conference on the continent of Africa, in Capetown,
South Africa.
7th President:
Dr. Janie Charles Holmes
Dr. Janie Charles Holmes was elected seventh president in 2002. She came to
this position well-equipped and prepared to lead the women of this great
organization to an even higher level. President Holmes' over-all theme has
been: "Keeping The Vision Going: Reaching Out, Reclaiming, and
Retaining". The focus and emphasis during the first two years of her
tenure has been on planning and implementing strategies which will
increase, strengthen and diversify the organization's membership base. One
of her goals is to have a viable chapter in every city, state and nation to
build BRIDGES that will connect the world to Jesus Christ. Dr. Holmes has
also emphasized the importance of service, both at home and abroad. In one
year, with the aid of the Holy Spirit and through the generous giving of
the membership, President Holmes has raised a record $60,000 for the
building of a bakery and training school in Haiti .
She says, "To God Be The Glory, and it doth not yet appear what we
shall be."
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