| |
 |
Rev. Dr. Sheila Ann Gipson was born in Panamá, the second child of identical twins. Sheila moved with her family to New York City. |
| |
|
|  |
Rev. Sheila's academic journey included studying languages like Russian, Hebrew, Greek, Italian, Polish, and
Portuguese, alongside
computer languages like COBOL, Pascal, C, and Assembly. She earned four advanced degrees: a B.A. in mathematics from Hunter College, an M.S. in computer science from Purdue University, a Master of Divinity from Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry from Drew University.
|
| |
|
|  |
Her career transitioned from the telecommunications industry to ministry, becoming an ordained minister and serving as Associate Pastor at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey. Here, she excelled in organizing, connecting, and mentoring while also offering comfort as a chaplain at St. Peter's Hospital, fluently in English and Spanish.
|
| |
|
|  |
Drawn to her genetic heritage, she visited Ghana seven times between 2007 and 2022. Rev. Sheila's extraordinary journey led her to six continents for various foreign missions, preaching in South Africa and Brazil, counseling in China, combating human trafficking in Australia, overseeing well construction in Haiti, aiding leper communities in India, and assisting African college student refugees in Poland. Her gifts of humor, mentorship, and love of languages made a profound impact.
|
| |
|
|  |
Rev. Sheila, remembered for her wit, vivacity, and
boundless compassion leaves a legacy of faith,
wisdom, and love that continues to inspire all who were fortunate enough to know her.
|
| |
|
| |
You did not leave a conversation without Sheila persuading you to follow your dreams or to join her on a trip. There are many other things that Sheila did, "...which the world itself could not contain in the books that would be written," (John 21:25). Sheila went from here to Eternity in May 2023.
|
| |
|
| |
|
