Barton College’s Light of Life Series to Feature Bishop Valerie Melvin on March 5

Barton College’s Center for Vocation and Rural Ministry has announced Bishop Valerie Melvin as the featured speaker for the spring 2024 Light of Life Series Lecture. The event, scheduled for Tuesday, March 5, will take place in Howard Chapel on campus. Bishop Melvin, Regional Minister for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in North Carolina, will address the topic of “Building Community.” The lecture is open to the public at no cost, with an invitation extended to the broader community, particularly ministerial leaders serving in small, rural churches in eastern North Carolina.

Bishop Melvin, an ordained minister in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), currently serves as the Regional Minister of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of North Carolina, headquartered in Wilson. Her career began with a Bachelor of Science degree in Music Education from Barton College, then known as Atlantic Christian College. Early in her professional life, she worked as a music educator before transitioning into ministry. She later earned Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees from Duke University Divinity School.

Bishop Melvin is dual ordained in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Church of Christ, Disciples of Christ, International. She has held various leadership roles, including past Associate Minister of the Christian Church (DOC) in North Carolina and former pastor of the First Christian Church (DOC) in Reidsville. Her musical talents continue to be a significant part of her ministry.

In addition to her pastoral roles, Bishop Melvin has served on numerous ministry boards at local, regional, and national levels. These include the International Association of Certified Church Administrators, Christian Church Extension Board, and the Disciples Home Missions Board. She also served on the Barton College Board of Trustees from 2019 to 2023 and currently sits on the Board of the Disciples of Christ Historical Society in Bethany, W.Va. She is also the adjudicatory representative for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) for the North Carolina Council of Churches in Raleigh.

Bishop Melvin has led Victory is Inevitable Ministries, a mobile Christian education ministry that brings college and university professors into local venues to expand the professional development of students. This ministry has provided training for several denominations and reformations, including Disciples of Christ, Full Gospel, Presbyterian, Methodist, and Interdenominational.

In 2014, Life Changing Ministries International Fellowship conferred the title of Bishop upon Reverend Melvin in recognition of her influential work in ministry. Her leadership and service reflect a commitment to community building and educational outreach, aligning with the values of the Restoration movement.

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