Pearson and New Dimensions are committed to ‘reconciling our differences, celebrating our diversity, acknowledging our oneness in worship.’

Carlton Pearson served for 15 years on the Oral Roberts University Board of Regents, of which he is also an alumnus, where he majored in Biblical Literature/English Bible and minored in Theology/Historical Studies.  In 1978, Bishop Pearson founded Higher Dimensions Ministries (now New Dimensions), which grew from a traveling evangelistic team in 1977, to a multi-faceted ministry, which included a local church in Tulsa, prison and nursing home outreaches, a national Purity With Purpose Discipleship Program for men and women, with graduates nationally and internationally.

Bishop Pearson was recognized as one of ‘America’s 10 Most Influential Black Ministers by Gospel Today and has received several honorary doctoral degrees.  He is also the author of The Gospel of Inclusion. In his book, Bishop Pearson reaches beyond religious fundamentalism to the true love of God.

REV. DEBORAH L. JOHNSON

Rev. Deborah Johnson is the founding minister and president of Inner Light Ministries, an Omnifaith outreach ministry dedicated to teaching the practical application of Universal Spiritual Principles to all of life’s circumstances. She is also the founder and president of The Motivational Institute, an organizational development consulting firm specializing in cultural diversity serving the public, private, and non-profit sectors.

Her clients range from Fortune 500 companies to community based organizations. She is a dynamic public speaker, known for her ability to bring clarity to complex and emotionally charged issues. Wherever she goes, her message is always one of possibility, inclusion, empowerment and transformation. 

As an advocate for continual and lifelong learning, Rev. Deborah is a faculty member at several institutes of higher learning: UCLA’s Anderson Graduate School of Business Executive Leadership Diversity Training Institute; Holmes Institute of Consciousness Studies; and the Agape University of Transformational Studies and Leadership. She is also a faculty member of The Omega Institute and an Advisory Council member in the Women’s Studies Department at Brandeis University. She holds a BA in economics from USC, an MBA from UCLA, and a ministerial degree from the Holmes Institute.  Rev. Deborah is an inductee into the Board of Preachers of the Martin Luther King Jr. Chapel at Morehouse College which honors clergy for their lifetime work in social justice.

Her groundbreaking work has been featured in numerous books, magazines, radio, and television programs including Conversations with Neale (Neale Donald Walsch) radio show, Shambhala Sun magazine, Showtime TV’s Black Filmmaker Showcase production Jumpin’ the Broom, major motion picture God and Gays: Bridging the Gap, and ABC Nightline. Rev. Deborah is the author of the The Sacred Yes and Living the Sacred Yes: Affirmations for Action. She is co-writer of several songs on Singing the Sacred Yes by Valerie Joi.
A voice for compassion, equality, and reconciliation, her primary focus has been on coalition building, conflict resolution, public policy development, and cultural sensitivity awareness. She holds a vision of Oneness, beyond creed and doctrine, and feels particularly called to heal the sense of separation between those adhering to conservative and progressive ideologies. 

Dr. Renee McCoy is currently the Director of HIV/AIDS Programs for the Detroit Department of Health and Wellness Promotion. She was formerly the HIV/AIDS Behavioral Surveillance with the Michigan Department of Community Health where she conducted research focused on HIV/AIDS risk behaviors. She has worked in HIV/AIDS since the disease first surfaced and has been involved in care, prevention, education, and research for more than 25 years. She holds a Ph.D. in Anthropology and teaches Anthropological Research Methods, Business and Organizational Anthropology, and Introduction to Anthropology at Wayne State University.

Renee McCoy served as first Chair of the Department of People of Color for the UFMCC for over ten years. She was ordained as UFMCC clergy in 1981 and went on to found Harlem Metropolitan Community Church where she remained as pastor for over five years. Under her leadership, UFMCC hosted the first international Christian conference focused on the spiritual needs and concerns of LGBT persons of color in 1983. McCoy is also the founding pastor of Full Truth Fellowship Church in Detroit, an independent ministry that has provided spiritual support and HIV/AIDS services to African American LGBT persons for over 18 years. She is a founding board member and past executive director of the National Coalition for Black Lesbians and Gays. She has received numerous national and local awards for service to the LGBT community. After over 20 years of service in New York, Washington, D.C., and Detroit, MI, McCoy retired from active ministry in 1995. Dr. McCoy lives in Detroit, MI with her two dogs and is a member of MCC Detroit.

Ellen “Denise” Junious is a professional speaker, certified life coach, and college professor.  She is the author of Unleash the Power of Personal Advantage, and founder of Personal Advantage Resource Group, a coaching and consulting firm based in Sugar Land, Texas. As a member of Resurrection MCC, Denise has served in a number of ministries, such as the Gospel Ensemble, Re-Vision Task Force, Community Partners, Wellness Ministry, and coach of the Resurrection Angels softball team.

Prior to launching Personal Advantage Resource Group, Denise worked in Information Technology for more than twenty years in the fields of health care and financial services. Her experience includes serving as VP of Technology Infrastructure at a leading financial institution, where she led several national and global initiatives, including diversity, employee recognition, and performance management.

Denise earned an MS in Management from Houston Baptist University, and a BBA at University of Houston. She is a member of a number of professional associations including the International Coach Federation, National Black MBA Association, Women in Technology International and the Texas Diversity Council. In 2007, Denise was selected as a Leadership Houston candidate. She joins the 26 year lineage of Houston Leaders including Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee.

Denise believes that her call is to promote positive self esteem, balanced living, and healthy life choices.  Her ministry accomplishments include co-facilitating a 6-week book study on "The Purpose Driven Life", written by Rick Warren, and more recently hosting a community forum to promote positive outcomes for adult survivors of childhood abuse. 
Her community involvement includes sponsoring the “Race Against Domestic Violence” and serving on the Board of Cornerstone Association, a counseling service.   She is an avid sports fan and enjoys attending WNBA games.

The Reverend Belva Y. Boone was born in Norfolk, Virginia and grew up in "the peanut capital of the world," Suffolk, Virginia. She completed her undergraduate studies in History/Social Science Education and graduated, Summa Cum Laude, from Hampton Institute in 1984.  For nine (9) years, she was employed as a Teacher and Student Activities Coordinator with the Virginia Beach City Public Schools.

In 1993, Reverend Boone moved to Northern Virginia and entered Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C., to begin formal study for the professional ministry.  Reverend Boone graduated, Magna Cum Laude, from Wesley Seminary in 1996 with an emphasis in preaching and worship.

A member of the UFMCC since 1983, she has held active memberships in New Life MCC of Tidewater (now Hampton Roads) in Norfolk, Virginia, MCC of Northern Virginia (NOVA) in Oakton/Fairfax, MCC-Washington in Washington, D.C. and St. John's MCC in Raleigh, North Carolina.  She has served in several District and Fellowship ministries through the years, including fifteen (15) years on the Mid-Atlantic District Committee where she also served as the District Clerk. 

In 1997 Reverend Boone was called to serve as the Assistant Pastor for Education and Training at MCC-Washington, a position she held until 2000.  Following her time of service at MCC Washington, Reverend Boone was a much sought after guest preacher, teacher and workshop leader both in and outside of the UFMCC.  In July of 2001, with 98% of the votes cast, Reverend Boone was called to serve as the fourth (4th) Pastor (second [2nd] African-American and first [1st] African-American female) of St. John's MCC in Raleigh, North Carolina.