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Greetings
PGC Family & Friends! |
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Reverend Dr. Classy Preston
has served as Senior Pastor of
Pleasant Grove Church in Cary,
North Carolina since May, 1998. Pastor Classy has led the
church through a spiritual transformation resulting in
tremendous church growth and relocation.
She answered her call to ministry in 1988 while a
member of Third Baptist Church, Toledo, Ohio. She was
ordained in February 1992 by the American Baptist Churches,
USA. In 1996 she had a sermon published in Volume three of
"Those Preaching Women,” Rev. Dr. Ella Pearson Mitchell,
editor. Reverend Preston has served as assistant to the
pastor of Third Baptist church, Toledo, OH; Minister of
Youth and Young Adults at the Calvary Baptist Church,
Norwalk, CT and Minister of Family Ministry at Christian
Faith Baptist Church, Raleigh, NC. Dr. Preston has traveled
to South Africa with Bishop Cynthia L. Hale to serve in two
missionary endeavors.
She hails from Mobile, AL, was reared in a Christian
home and is the oldest of eight children. She holds a
Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Ottawa
University, Ottawa, KS; a Master of Divinity degree from the
New York Theological Seminary, NY, and a Doctor of Ministry
Degree in Pastoral Care and Counseling from the Graduate
Theological Foundation, South Bend, IN. Dr. Preston’s
corporate career includes eighteen years with Bristol Myers
Squibb, New York City where she was awarded the top
leadership award The Lee H. Bristol Award, in 1987. |
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She spent six years with Progress Energy Company, Raleigh,
NC and made tremendous contributions in the corporate
supplier diversity initiative. She also served as
President/CEO of Communities in Schools of Wake County for
four years where she expanded community based learning
centers for children and families in public housing. |
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Dr. Preston has served on the Boards of Triangle
Family Services, North Carolina Business and
Industry and Tourism Committee, the Raleigh Housing
Authority Self Sufficiency Board, the Capital Area
Soccer League, The InterFaith Food Shuttle, The
Family Place, a Junior Achievement Consultant for
inner city youth, an adjunct professor in the
Philosophy Department of St. Augustine College,
Raleigh and a participant in the Urban League Black
Executive Exchange Program for college students. She
has also served on the faculty of Apex School of
Theology.
Currently she serves on the Board of Triangle
American Red Cross and a Champion for WakeMed
Foundation. Dr. Preston is active with the NAACP,
faith based initiatives and other community projects
that attempt to improve the quality of life for all
citizens. Dr. Preston is an active member of
the Minister’s Mentor group of Elah Pastoral
Ministries, Inc. convened by Bishop Cynthia L. Hale,
Pastor of the Ray of Hope Christian Church, Decatur,
GA.
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Dr Preston has been honored as “Tarheel of the Week”
by The News and Observer, Raleigh, North Carolina
and was celebrated as a "Women of Note" by the
African American Cultural Complex in Raleigh, NC.
She served on the panel for Women in Ministry at the
95th Annual Hampton University Minster's Conference.
Dr. Preston was a presenter in 2009 for the Women in
Ministry Conference in Atlanta, GA and she served as
a keynote Speaker for the 2010 National Executive
Forum. In 2011, Dr. Preston was presented the
Women of Vision Award of Excellence "Spiritual and
Corporate Leadership Award" by the Durham Alumnae
Chapter of Bennett College for Women. |
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Dr. Preston has been married to Deacon Jay Preston
for 35 years. They strive to build up the Body of
Christ by modeling Christian character and showing
genuine love for God’s people. |
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