Meet Our Pastor
Dr. Calvin Jerome McFadden, Sr.
Dr. Calvin Jerome McFadden, Sr. is a native of Tampa, Florida. He accepted a call to ministry at the tender age of 15 and pastored his first church - the St. Joseph United Methodist Church in Deland, Florida - at the age of 18 while a student at Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, Florida. Later, Dr. McFadden was appointed to serve Emmanuel United Methodist Church in Palatka, Florida. In June of 1998, Dr. McFadden was appointed to launch the first-ever African American United Methodist Church in Tallahassee, Florida, Ray of Hope United Methodist Church. Under Dr. McFadden’s leadership, Ray of Hope grew from a small core group of 5 people to an active congregation of over 1,000 ‘Hopemakers.’
Upon receiving direction from God, Dr. McFadden felt led of the Lord to start a non-denominational ministry in Tallahassee, the Community of Faith Church. Community of Faith Church held its first worship service on Sunday, October 3, 2004 and formally received over 350 persons in membership. At this departure, Community of Faith Church had an active membership of over 800 ‘Faithwalkers.’ For two years, Dr. McFadden served as Executive Pastor of the Fellowship Bible Baptist Church in Warner Robins, Georgia. Dr. McFadden has taught at both Florida A & M and Florida State Universities.
On August 8, 2010, Dr. McFadden began serving as the 13th Senior Pastor of the historic St. John’ Congregational Church in Springfield, MA. St. John’s is a thriving, 1,200-member congregation in an urban area of Springfield and serves the community through a variety of ministries that include a daily food pantry, weekly meal for the needy and is preparing to break ground for an $8 million dollar ministry complex.
Dr. McFadden is an honors graduate of Bethune-Cookman College, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology. Upon graduation, he attended the Interdenominational Theological Center, Gammon Seminary, in Atlanta, Georgia and earned a Master of Divinity degree with a concentration in Sociology of Religion. Additionally, Dr. McFadden graduated from Florida State University’s College of Human Sciences and was conferred the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Dr. McFadden is a member of various civic, social and professional organizations which include:
- Southern Region Chaplain, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.
- Chairman, Priss & Frank Family Center Board of Directors
- Member, National Council on Family Relations
- Member, Board of Associate Trustees, Bethune-Cookman University
- Member, National Kidney Foundation Board of Directors
He is also the recipient of numerous awards. They include, but are not limited to:
- Man of the Year Award, Gamma Mu Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., 2008
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Civic Leadership Award, Iota Delta Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., Florida State University, 2006
- National Association For Equal Opportunity in Higher Education (NAFEO) Outstanding Alumnus Award, 2006
- Community Light Award, Jackson County Drug & Alcohol Prevention Partnership, Marianna, FL, 2005
- Esprit de Fraternite Award, Gamma Mu Lambda Chapter, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., 2004
- Outstanding Cleryperson Award, Board of County Commissioners, Tallahassee, FL, 2004
- National Young Alumnus Award, United Negro College Fund, 2003
- Outstanding Alumnus Award, Bethune-Cookman College, 2002
- Community Service Award, Department of Juvenile Justice, 1999
Dr. McFadden is married to the lovely Jamina Scippio-McFadden, a native of Lake City, Florida and a graduate of Bethune-Cookman College and the University of Florida. Mrs. Scippio-McFadden is employed as an Assistant Professor of Mass Communication/Journalism at Fort Valley State University. Together, they are the proud parents of a daughter, Catherine Yolanda, and a son, Calvin “Jerome”, II.