The Rev. Gary L. Meekins, MDIV.

 

Rev. Meekins, a native of Cambridge, Maryland, is a 1970 graduate of Livingstone College, Salisbury, North Carolina.  There he received his Bachelor of Arts degree. He began his ministry as a member of the Peninsula Conference of the United Methodist Church. Ordained a Deacon in 1971, Rev. Meekins received his Masters of Divinity in 1974 from Wesley Theological Seminary. He was ordained an Elder at Annual Conference in 1974.

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While a member of the Peninsula Conference, Rev. Meekins served as pastor of various churches on the Eastern Shore of Maryland and in Delaware. During his tenure, Rev. Meekins achieved several accomplishments. During his first appointment at Janes and Emmanuel UMC, he played an instrumental role in having a new church erected, Emmanuel UMC, Chestertown, MD. Rev. Meekins went on to serve the Lewes Charge, Lewes, DE. and the Bridgeville Charge, Bridgeville, DE. In 1980 while serving the Berlin Charge in Berlin, MD., he helped to erect an educational facility at St. Paul’s UMC which bears his portrait and plaque acknowledging his leadership. He served as Campus Minister at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 1984 while also serving as Pastor of Metropolitan UMC, Princess Anne, MD. In 1985, he was named to a cross-racial appointment as the first African American to serve as Senior Pastor in the history of Silverbrook UMC in Wilmington, DE.

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In 1988, Rev. Meekins transferred to the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference and served in Philadelphia as Associate Pastor at the nationally known Tindley Temple United Methodist Church in Philadelphia, PA. From 1989-1995 Rev. Meekins was appointed Senior Pastor of Mt. Zion UMC; 1995 – 1999 Wharton Wesley UMC; 1999 – 2004 Camphor Memorial UMC. In 2004, Rev. Meekins was appointed by Bishop Peter Weaver to Pocono Lake UMC in Pocono Lake, PA., where he was the first African American to serve this congregation.

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He has received many awards and commendations in his years of service to God and community.  He currently serves on the Conference Sessions committee.

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In 2008, Rev. Meekins returned to the Peninsula Delaware Conference where he served until 2010 as the first African American pastor at Chester Bethel UMC, Wilmington, DE.  Rev. Meekins served as pastor of Coleman Memorial UMC and Brandywine Community UMC in Wilmington, DE. from July 1, 2010 to July 1, 2011. On July 1, 2011 when Brandywine and Coleman separated he was appointed to Coleman Memorial United Methodist Church.

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On October 1, 2012, Rev. Meekins officially retired from full time ministry. Also on October 1, 2012, Rev. Meekins was asked by the Dover District Superintendent if he would agree to Pastor Mt. Calvary and Bethel on the Bridgeville Charge. Rev. Meekins agreed and was assigned as Pastor of Mt. Calvary United Methodist Church in Bridgeville and Bethel United Methodist Church in Federalsburg MD. This would be his second time as Pastor of the Bridgeville Charge, as he was previously assigned to the Charge from 1978 to 1980.  As of July 1, 2022, Rev. Meekins was appointed to serve the congregation and community of Harmony United Methodist church, Millsboro, DE.

He is married to the former Fonda L. Burton of Lewes, DE and they are the proud parents of two sons, Sean and Mark, four grandchildren, Shyrain, Rita, Shatir and Taylen and two great granddaughters, Sarai and Torian.

  
  

                                  

                                                                                                   Revised July 24, 2024