Pastor Michael Harrison brings community organizing skills to board

Pastor Michael Harrison said he believes his community organizing skills and sensitivity will serve him well as a member of the board of directors of The Raymond John Wean Foundation.

Harrison, currently the Pastor of Union Baptist Church in Youngstown, began his career in ministry in 1985 as Christian Education Coordinator for United Baptist Church in Akron. From there, he went on to serve as Pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church in Midland, Pa., for nearly six years before accepting his position with Union Baptist Church.

“In the last few years, the Foundation has become much more community organizing savvy and is really focusing its efforts on groups that effect change in our community. Thanks to Joel Ratner, this new direction has really taken off, and I think that my past experiences will lend itself well to the mission of the Foundation,” Harrison said.

Harrison has served as a member and past president of ACTION, the Alliance for Congregational Transformation Influencing Our Neighborhoods and is a past Chairperson of the Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative’s Sponsoring Committee where he has been actively involved since the organization’s beginning.

Harrison is also a Past National Chairperson of the Oasis Network of African-American Leadership Commission, the President of the Ohio Baptist State Convention and was chosen as “One of the World’s Most Loved Pastors” by Gospel Today Magazine.