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Pastor Justin W. Nick

Justin W. Nick is an ordained itinerant elder, Pastor of St. Paul AME, Dickerson, Community Organizer, and Faith-Based Civil Servant.

Justin received his education from the Anne Arundel County School System, but his most influential education was from the private Christian academy, Book of Life Academy. Justin learned to recite scripture, understand the Bible, and write in the academy. He graduated from Albright College in Reading, PA, with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Religious Studies. Justin is also a proud Wesley Theological Seminary graduate with a Master of Divinity, where he specialized in African American Church Studies.

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Our Pastor

Justin was ordained an Itinerant Elder on March 30, 2019. Justin has a passion for the community. He embraces the principles of Richard Allen and the Free African Society by seeking to serve people in need. By pastoring beyond the four walls of the building, Justin co-labors with members to build a beloved community. Justin's first appointment, Sand Hill African Methodist Episcopal Church in Burgaw, North Carolina, suffered severe flood damage from a hurricane that caused over 13 feet of water to flood into the community. The community was spiritually and physically decimated because this was the second time a hurricane had flooded the community. A sky cam showed the church's steeple while everything else was underwater, illustrating the dire situation. Once the waters receded, the graves exhumed themselves and had to be reburied. Fish were found in the sanctuary, and the force of the flood pushed all the furniture toward the front of the sanctuary. 

But by God’s grace, the circumstances and predicament of the church were not permanent. During Justin's tenure (two years), community partnerships were developed, enabling Pastor and people to raise over $178,000 to restore the church and assist homes and families to rebuild in Whitestocking. The church doubled in its church attendance (45 members to 82 members), the sanctuary and fellowship hall were restored, and the homes of eight members were restored and rededicated. All of this was completed in just two years. Justin extended the church's ministry beyond the four walls by serving as the Pender County Long Term Recovery Group (PCLTRG) communications chair. As the communications chair, he developed a system to communicate with county residents if the infrastructural communication systems failed. Justin also brought government resources into the Whitestocking Community because of his position within the PCLTRG.

At Justin's second appointment, Gaskins Chapel AME Church in Onancock, Virginia, a 153-year-old historic building on Savagville Road. The church installed an air purification system that protects members against the coronavirus, encapsulated the basement to protect the historic building's foundation, and reinforced its ramps to comply with the ADA Code. In November of 2022, after realizing the severe hindrance of the church's mortgage, Justin launched the 108-2-Great Campaign with the slogan, "$108 thousand, Two years to pay it off, and Greatness on the other side." The church responded with overwhelming support, raising almost $47,000 in 14 months. The church has raised over $75,000 to retire the mortgage and plans to retire the mortgage by the year of the 2025 Annual Conference. In addition to repairing the historic sanctuary and retiring the nearly 20-year-old mortgage, Justin also implemented policies and standard operating procedures that bolstered the church's ministry. The church has accounting software with accurate expenditures and income backed by auditable financial statements and clear cemetery and funeral policies for the first time. Justin also pastored beyond the church walls by becoming the Second Vice President of the Accomack County Branch NAACP and a community organizer. In these capacities, Justin has helped community members fight wrongful evictions, receive emergency funding for families struggling with heating costs, and stop the opening of a poultry growing facility that would have severely affected the health of residents in Savageville. He is organizing to get justice for the Accomack County School Board Superintendent, who was unlawfully terminated without cause.

His favorite scripture is Psalm 119: 9-16, "How can young people keep their way pure? By guarding it according to your word. 10: With my whole heart I seek you; do not let me stray from your commandments"—and his motto is "If I can help somebody as I travel along, just ask me, and you'll get none other than Justin W. Nick, a servant of God."

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