Rev. Rodella Burns Rivers
Reverend Rodella Burns Rivers is a widow and mother of six. Three boys and three girls, three sons-in-law and two daughter-in -law, 13 grandchildren. Born to Lewis and Anna Porcher in the town of Awendaw, South Carolina. She is the second eldest of 9 children. She was called in the ministry when she was 19-year-old and preached her initial sermon on June 11, 1987 in Miami Florida with her husband (a member of the 12th Episcopal District).
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Upon moving back to South Carolina, she became a member of Emmanuel AME Church (Marysville) in Charleston, SC. She was accepted into the South Carolina conference under Presiding Prelate Bishop Fedrick C. James. She was ordained as an Itinerant Deacon on September 12,1989 and ordained as an Itinerant Elder in September of 1991. She is the current pastor of Bishop’s Memorial AME Church under the appointment of Bishop Preston W. Williams on March 17,2007.
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She has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Human Services from Southern Wesleyan University and a Masters Degree of Divinity from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. She is a certified Therapeutic Crisis Counselor, Crisis Intervention Specialist, Lead Supervisor of Group Homes for children, and a Licensed Cosmetologist for 34 years. Her favorite Scripture is Psalm 91:1-2.