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Reverend Dr. Barbara R. Chisolm was born in Dorchester County, South Carolina. She was the final-born child of the Reverend Regina Capers and late the Mr. Jerry Capers, making her a third generation of women in ministry. She was raised in Ridgeville, SC, being reared under strong female leadership. The Mt. Pisgah AME Church family and community provided her foundation of a strong, charismatic faith, and she has maintained lifetime membership. Her activities at Mt. Pisgah included choir directing, YPD’ers, church school teacher, youth congress delegate, among other ministries. In 1981, Dr. Chisolm graduated from Cross High School in Cross, South Carolina. She enrolled at Regent University in Albany, New York, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management. She later earned a Master of Divinity degree from Erskine Theological Seminary in Due West, South Carolina. By May 2015, she received a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, District of Columbia. Related to ministry work, by 1993 Dr. Chisolm was ordained as a deacon. Within the next two years she became an ordained Elder in the AME Church. As of today, Dr. Chisolm has 27 years of serving in ministry with the AME Church.
PURPOSE
Her first charge to serve as Pastor occurred at Bethel AME Church in Denmark, SC. She remained pastor of Bethel AME Denmark, SC until 2002. During her time in Denmark, the membership of the congregation doubled. There was a complete revitalization of membership and remodeling of the church and fellowship hall. She added technology, enhanced the music ministry, and developed relevant ministries for the vitalization of church and community. Her trademark was created, which had a focus of building the Lay Organization through training, Christian education, and creating a strong team through appreciation factors.
Dr. Chisolm created a ministry serving the students at Voorhees College in Denmark, where she became a pivotal support for students away from home and a religious representative within the chapel ministry to the student body.
With all of her creating, building, and renovations upon her leaving Bethel AME, the church was debt free and financial solvent. At the request of the late Bishop John Hurst Adams, Dr. Chisolm was assigned to Bethel AME in North Charleston, SC. Her ministry work expanded from 2002-2008. Bethel North Charleston achieved financial stability, revitalization and training within leadership, the lay organization, and young adult and youth ministries.
While working at the Citadel College in Charleston, the attendance doubled, and active ministries included feeding the hungry, youth development, and regaining of property the church had lost by partnerships with North Charleston City council and Mayor Keith Sumney. Dr. Chisolm led the new congregation into building a new sanctuary and fellowship hall after the city condemned the former church. The dedication was done by Bishop Henry Allen Belin, and the church prospered and continues as a strong, vibrant organization.
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