REV. DR. BENITA LIVINGSTON

Rev Dr Benita Livingston is an ordained minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church She has over 30 years of experience in ministry She completed her BS in Communication from Arkansas State University and worked in various Radio and TV Stations in Arkansas and Tennessee She received her Master of Divinity, Cum Laude, from Memphis Theological Seminary, where she also received the Alston Award for most outstanding African-American female student She also received her Doctor of Ministry in Faith & Health from Memphis Theological Seminary

She completed her Clinical Pastoral Education Residency at the VA Medical Center in Memphis, Tennessee, where she received the Patterson Award for Excellence in Pastoral Care While employed at the VA Medical Center, she served as the Chaplain to MICU, Palliative Care, and the Women’s Clinic, where she provided ministry and pastoral counseling to women veterans, including women who have experienced sexual trauma while in the military (MST) She was also assigned to serve as a member of the Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraq Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Team and provide spiritual support to its various facets

She retired from the VA after 20 years of service and is currently the pastor of St Paul-Agnew AME Church in Pulaski, Tennessee

After retirement, Rev Benita started Living Ceremonies, a wedding officiant business, where she creates memorable, meaningful, and marvelous custom wedding ceremonies

She is the mother of Aisha (Andre) Fayne, Nonjala Brister, and Justin Gladney and the proud grandmother of Charlie London and Sloane Embry Fayne.

You have been a minister for over 30 years Can you take us back to the moment you first accepted your calling into the ministry? Can you tell us about that experience?

I have been a member of the AME Church (African Methodist Episcopal) all my life At the time of my calling, I had become restless and unsatisfied with my career I was working for a local TV station in Memphis, TN I knew there was something more I was supposed to be doing I knew I was supposed to be doing something to help people, so I decided to go to nursing school I got the application and filled it out, and the Sunday before I was going to submit it, I was sitting at church, the preacher extended the invitation, and a young lady accepted her call into ministry I was excited for her, and in my left ear, I heard God say, Well, Benita, what are you going to do for me? I slightly turned my head because I thought someone was behind me, but I knew there wasnt

So I flipped off an answer, “Well, it sho ain’t gonna be preaching” I then realized who I was talking to and began seeking God I had so many objections as to why I shouldn’t do this, but God answered them all

Do you remember the church where you served and the pastor who poured into you at that time?

I was a St Andrew AME Church member, and my pastor was Rev Dr Kenneth Robinson, MD I was at my home church in Arkansas when I heard God speaking I accepted my calling at St Andrew

You spent several years in seminary perfecting your craft and gaining knowledge A lot of ministers say that seminary school is life-changing. Can you tell us a key takeaway you took from this experience?

Going to seminary was the best thing that could have happened for me Although I didn’t want to at first, I had to go to become a hospital chaplain, which is what God again said in my ear Knowing the purpose of why I was there made things more interesting I always say my brain kicked in in seminary because I played around and barely graduated during my undergraduate time, but seminary was exciting and challenging Seminary helped me look beyond the text to examine, question, and research It opened my eyes and showed me some of my biases, helped me care for people, and gave me a deeper understanding of who God is

You have spent many years working in the workforce and accumulated several awards What would you say was the overall highlight of your career?

God called me to be a Hospital Chaplain, and I worked as a Chaplain at the Memphis VA Hospital for 20 years It was the most rewarding ministry I could have had I am so grateful to God for allowing me to be present with men and women who served our country My whole career at the VA was a highlight I am grateful for every handheld, every prayer prayed, every veteran who touched my life, every life that was changed, every family I had the opportunity to minister to during a time of grief and loss, and the staff I worked with The awards were not the highlight There were times when I just sat in silence with a family who had just lost a loved one; those are the moments that mattered to me

You are now a Pastor of an amazing congregation in Pulaski, TN How do you balance ministry and your demands of life and motherhood?

St Paul-Agnew AME Church is a wonderful congregation, and I love being their pastor Any pastor knows that caring for the needs of a congregation or ministry can cause burnout, especially if you have a family, and trying to balance it all can be stressful At this time in my life, my children are grown and have lives of their own I have two precious granddaughters I moved from Memphis to Nashville to be close to, so I try to balance my time to be present in their lives One thing I try to do is have a Sabbath day of rest when I’m not doing any church or business work

What do you hope your congregation takes away from your ministry as a whole?

I hope the congregation will feel loved, encouraged, inspired to serve, and healed

What is next for you?

I retired from the VA in November 2021 and took some time to rest and listen for my “what’s next?” answer In November of 2022, I started Living Ceremonies, a wedding officiant business Weddings are happy and joyous occasions, and I wanted to do something that was fun and uplifting Being a wedding officiant is so much fun I love meeting new couples, learning about them, and creating a wedding ceremony that is all about them I take their love story and incorporate it into the wedding ceremony It can be traditional or non-traditional, religious or non-religious, and include any rituals they might want. It is my mission to make their wedding ceremony memorable, meaningful, and marvelous

What is your definition of a Pretty Woman Who Hustles?

She is someone who knows who she is, what she can do and then does it trusting in the One who called her to do it wwwlivingceremoneiscom

Written By: India K Easley