WomanPreach!, Inc.

08/10/2026

Rev. Carla Jones Brown is the Dean of the WomanPreach! Jarena Lee Preaching Academy. Over the weekend, she was installed as the Designated Pastor of Oxford Presbyterian Church. A few WomanPreach! Nation folks showed up to celebrate.

If you’re a alum, drop “congrats Dean” in the comments! Preach Woman, Preach!

07/31/2026

Congrats are in order for one of our own! Let’s hear it for Rev. Tierney C. Ridley! She has just been appointed the Interim CEO of Powering Institutions Toward Pride.

Hear what the organization has to say about Tierney:
Powering Institutions Toward Pride is pleased to announce the appointment of Tierney Ridley as Interim Chief Executive Officer during Founder and CEO Don Abram’s planned sabbatical this August.

This appointment marks a historic moment for the organization. For the first time in Toward Pride’s history, the Board of Directors has appointed an Interim Chief Executive Officer. Tierney will be the first person to hold the role and the first Black q***r woman to serve in it.

As Interim Chief Executive Officer, Tierney will oversee the organization’s day-to-day operations, provide leadership to staff, and work closely with the Board of Directors to ensure Toward Pride continues advancing its mission of helping institutions better serve Black LGBTQ+ communities.

Tierney’s appointment is more than a leadership transition. It is the result of years of intentional investment in people, shared leadership, and the belief that strong institutions prepare leaders long before they need them.

07/06/2026

! Today we honor the hard work of succession planning. Congratulations are due to Auburn Theological Seminary who has successfully modeled succession planning through their outgoing president, Rev. Dr. Emma Jordan-Simpson & their incoming president, Rev. Dr. Patrick Reyes!

As their press release names: “Rev. Dr. Patrick B. Reyes will become Auburn's 12th President on October 1, 2026, and Rev. Emma Jordan-Simpson will step into a new role as Senior Advisor on that same day.

As Senior Advisor, Rev. Dr. Simpson will help ground Rev. Dr. Reyes in the relationships and rhythms of New York City, continue her public thought leadership with a new book arriving in Spring 2027, and work alongside Rev. Dr. Reyes to secure Auburn's long-term success and resilience. She is not stepping away. She is stepping into a role only she can hold.”

07/03/2026

PREACH WOMAN, PREACH! We join the chorus of celebration. Rev. Dr. Shareka Newton is the Pastor-Elect of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York!

We are excited to announce that on June 30, 2026, the members of Emmanuel Baptist Church elected Rev. Dr. Shareka N. Newton as our next Senior Pastor!
Dr. Newton will become the 14th Senior Pastor, the 4th Black Pastor, and the 1st woman pastor in our church’s 145-year history.
“Great is your faithfulness.” — Lamentations 3:23
We give God glory and look forward with joy, faith, and expectation for the future of EBC!

06/26/2026

The Jarena Lee Preaching Academy is special for many reasons, but a primary reason is because we LIVE together for a full week.

We don’t attend sessions & then drive off to separate hotels for the day. We live in dorms, eat in the cafeteria, host game nights, write sermons together, study together, laugh together, cry together…

It’s a part of the special thing that makes a real tribe. If you’ve ever been to a JLPA experience with WomanPreach!, tell us your favorite memory!

**All pics in this carousel were captured during Jarena Lee Preaching Academy 2026 by Dr. Ty Harris.

06/25/2026

This time last week, our 2026 Jarena Lee Preaching Academy gathered. Hear these reflections from one of our participants, Meg Mason.

06/20/2026

At the end of the week, we love to reflect! Hear these words from our 2026 JLPA participant, Rev. Britney Zanders.

06/20/2026

It’s the last day of The Jarena Lee Preaching Academy! Hear directly from our participants regarding what will stick with them!

Thank you for sharing your reflection with us Rev. Isis!