Announcements

about Our Staff

March 17, 2024

We celebrate with Rev. Carrie Veal who will be on sabbatical this summer and we offer our sincere gratitude to the Hunter family for their generous gift to our endowment that helps make sabbaticals possible for all our full-time staff members for every five years of service. In Carrie’s absence, we are excited to welcome back two of our former seminary interns, who were ordained by MPBC, and who will be serving as Interim Associate Ministers this summer: Rev. Marina Luckhoo and Rev. Katie Hambrick. 

Rev. Marina Luckhoo, Interim Associate Minister
Marina was raised in England and Guyana and worked as a Registered Nurse for 25 years before she felt called to ministry. As a student at Union Presbyterian Seminary, Marina served as an intern at MPBC during a time of Supervised Ministry with Rev. Joe Aldrich and Rev. Dr. Ben Boswell. During the height of the pandemic, Marina was a key leader of our Health and Wellness team that provided regular updates on the rate of infection and direction on how best to respond to keep our community safe. Marina was ordained at MPBC in 2021, began working as a Hospice chaplain, and is currently working on a doctorate at Union Presbyterian Seminary. Marina is married to Kent and has two daughters, Ella (24) and Eva Rose (19.)

Rev. Katie Hambrick Suddeth, iNTERIM aSSOCIATE mINISTER

Katie was born and raised in Dallas, Georgia, but considers Charlotte, NC her home. Katie got her Bachelor of Arts in English at Kennesaw State University. She also received her Master of Divinity from Wake Forest with concentrations in Ecofeminism and Race Reconciliation. During her seminary years, Katie served as an intern at MPBC, beginning as a children's ministry intern, then as a youth ministry intern, and was eventually ordained by MPBC. Katie's time at MPBC helped her develop into a well-rounded minister, which served her well when she graduated from Seminary and accepted a position at First Baptist Church of Colorado Springs, CO as a Pastoral Resident. That residency quickly evolved, and Katie was called to become their Associate Pastor of Spiritual Growth. Katie and her husband Graham, who grew up in MPBC, are returning to Charlotte in May with their corgi Ralph to be closer to family and they are excited to reconnect with everyone at MPBC.

Please join me in welcoming our new staff members.

Rev. Dr. W. Benjamin Boswell
Senior Minister 


February 15, 2024

Children’s Ministry and Congregational Care are two of the most important areas of life in our community. The education and development of children is the core focus of all three organizations on our campus (MPBC, Cornwell Center, and Through-The-Week School), and caring for each other through all life’s joys and struggles is synonymous with what it means to be a church. Our church is deeply committed to the growth of our children and their families as well as providing attentive pastoral care for the entire congregation. 

I’m writing to share the news that we are making investments in human resources to support and enhance these critical areas of ministry. We are excited to announce the hiring of new staff members who will help us bridge our current gaps and build a strategic plan for the future of Children Ministry and Congregational Caregiving at MPBC. 

Please join me in welcoming our new staff members.

Rev. Dr. W. Benjamin Boswell
Senior Minister

Introducing Rev. Tyra Bethea as our Children’s Ministry Intern

Tyra was born in Winston-Salem and accepted her call into ministry at the age of 11 years old. It was at that time that she began to actively serve in many different leadership roles such as Public Relations Representative, Youth Department Board Member, Worship & Arts Leader, and many more. 
 

In 2014 Tyra received a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Religious Studies from UNC-Greensboro and upon graduation, Pastor Tyra moved to Orlando to pursue a career as a Guest Experience Manager at Walt Disney World Resort before accepting her call into full-time ministry. Tyra was ordained in 2018 and has served as a children’s minister, chief operations officer, chief of staff, and children’s ministry consultant. 
 

Tyra is currently a student at Wake Forest University School of Divinity, author of Dear New Mom: Letters of Encouragement from Moms Like You and is the mother of Minnie (5yo) and Mason (3yo).

Introducing Shaina Hinds as Interim Director of Children’s Ministry

Shaina Hinds is a native Charlottean who lives in Mount Holly and joined MPBC with her partner Ashely in 2022. She was raised in a Lutheran family and decided to come to MPBC when she was kicked out of her home church for being part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
 

Shania has an associate degree in early childhood education and is currently in the last semester of her Bachelor’s Degree in Child and Family Development at UNC-Charlotte with a license in birth through kindergarten. 
 

Shaina has a deep love for our church, a strong passion for children, and loves connecting and advocating for them and their families. She is excited to join our staff team as the role perfectly combines her two loves: children and God. 

INTRODUCING REV. SHARON DOAR AS INTERIM MINISTER OF PASTORAL CARE

Sharon was raised in Chicago and attended Bowling Green State University in Ohio where she received a BS in Education. She taught 4th grade in Norwalk, CT and Lexington, MA. 
 

After receiving a Master's Degree in Religious Education and Pastoral Ministry from Boston College in 1991, she went on to earn 5 units of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) while working as a chaplain at Baptist Hospital in Winston-Salem and Carolina's Medical Center, now called Atrium Health Main. 
 

Sharon and husband Gene Doar joined Myers Park Baptist Church in 1991 and in 1994 she was called to be the elementary children's minister where she, with the help of many others, created and directed the Sunday morning program called God's Garden. She was ordained by MPBC in October 2000 and currently serves on the Board of Deacons. 
 

Sharon and Gene have been married for 55 years and have two grown children and two grandsons. Son Brett and daughter-in-law Heather live in Los Angeles and daughter Ashley and son-in-law John live in Charlotte with Liam age 12 and Evan age 9.

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