Rev. Dr. G. Gerald Demarest:
The congregation welcomed Gerald and Cindy Demarest on Sunday, March 25, 2018. Gerald and Cindy are excited about serving alongside the wonderful, growing Christians who call UDCC their church home and all of those who will come to worship with the UDCC church family in the future.
The Rev. Dr. Gerald G. Demarest holds a Doctor of Ministry Degree from Phillips Theological Seminary in Tulsa, Oklahoma; a Master of Divinity Degree from Oral Roberts School of Theology in Tulsa, Oklahoma; and a B.S. Degree in English Bible and Interpersonal Organizational Communication from Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Dr. Demarest was ordained in May 1985 in the 41st Street Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and is in his 33rd year of ordained ministry. He and his wife, Cindy, will celebrate their 31st wedding anniversary this year.
Pastor Gerald is also a DOC-UCC ministry partner with dual standing in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the United Church of Christ. As he considered ministry in both the United Church of Christ and the Christian Church (DOC), he understands and appreciates the breadth of theological perspective common among both. He has served churches in Oklahoma, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
Gerald was dedicated as an infant and grew up in a Disciples congregation where, later, he was baptized by immersion and joined the church. While in junior high, he discerned a call to prepare for ministry and ultimately affirmed the call while attending a Christian Church (DOC) regional summer youth church camp held at a United Church of Christ facility. Because of his deep, abiding faith in Christ Jesus, he is grateful for the gift of salvation and the opportunity to share his journey of faith in God’s service among God’s beloved people.
Modeling Christian behavior, encouraging others, and providing pastoral leadership and care are high priorities. Pastor Gerald is passionate about leading others into God’s Word, helping them to experience God’s love, nurturing their spiritual development, allowing them to discover their spiritual gifts, and encouraging them toward effective ministry and service. Through meaningful and relevant sermons, he shares from the Scriptures in a teaching style of preaching and emphasizes where the faith is applied to life today.
He is enthusiastic about teaching workshops and small group studies, working with ministry teams to maximize each person’s gifts and calling, and enhancing and fulfilling the ministries of the congregation. Pastor Gerald is energized when leading church members and friends in outreach activities including short-term mission trip ministry opportunities as part of encouraging them toward ministry and service both locally and globally. His pastoral leadership remains guided by the hope that “all might reach unity in the faith…and become mature” (Ephesians 4:13) on the work-in-progress journey toward growth “in the grace and knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Peter 3:18).
Pastor Gerald says that he continues to learn and to grow, and in the midst of contemporary challenges of Christian pastoral ministry in a pluralistic, anti-Christian world, he remains committed to sharing the gospel story in a loving fashion both in manner and content. Further, he believes that with the ever-changing world situation, the Church must continue to help to meet the growing needs of humanity and the rest of creation because of knowing and loving Jesus Christ.
Gerald enjoys music, sports, photography, and travel. He values participation in community activities, the local ministerial association, and in local, district, and general manifestations of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
Copyright 2013-2019. United Disciples Christian Church. All Rights Reserved.