Rev. Nikita Giselle McCalister
Rev. Nikita Giselle McCalister was born to the Rev. Robert, Sr. and Rev. Deborah Shumake. Rev McCalister accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior in 1980. In 2001, she received her license to preach the into the Gospel ministry and was ordained in the Gospel in 2005, under the leadership of Rev. James C. Perkins, Pastor of Greater Christ Baptist Church (Detroit, MI).
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Central Michigan University (1993), a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy (1999), and a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology (2005).
She currently serves as the Financial Administrator for the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI) and Associate Minister of Calvary Baptist Church, Providence, RI. She was previously the Assistant Pastor of Ministry Development at Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit, MI and the co-youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Randolph, MA. Rev. McCalister has served in management at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as well as the Sustaining Urban Pastoral Excellence Program in Boston, MA a two million-dollar Lilly Endowment Fund project.
She has been a NCAA Women’s Division I basketball player and track and field athlete, guest preacher, workshop leader, liturgical dancer, and singer at various conferences and churches throughout the nation, such as the religious speaker for the 2013 Young Professionals Forum at University of Botswana, Botswana Africa, United Methodist General Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, Brown University's, Martin Luther King Jr. 2013 Panelist in Providence, RI; Brown University's, Sankofa Preaching Series: Sistahs in the Spirit, in Providence, RI; Boston University School of Theology, Martin Luther King, Jr. Service in Boston, MA; 2007 Freedom institute Religious Leaders Breakfast in Detroit MI; the 2007 98th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Annual Convention Council of Presidents Luncheon in Detroit, MI. Her publications include: 2012 Women’s Day Lectionary article in The African American Lectionary (www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org ) & the 2012 spring issue of The Academy of Homiletics Journal (www.homiletics.org).
In addition, Rev. McCalister currently serves on the America Baptist Churches USA Transformed by the Spirit Journey Team Task Force, and Volunteer Chaplain the University of Rhode Island (URI). She has served on the Board of Directors for the Robert S. Shumake Foundation, the Metropolitan Detroit Association of American Baptist Churches, the Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy, and treasurer of ABC-MI Ministers Council. Her other organizational ties include(d) past President of the Black Seminarians, Boston University School of Theology, Roothbert Fellow, Boston University Woman's Graduate Club, Boston University School of Theology Seminary Singers, and the National Black MBA Association Incorporated, Central Michigan University Women’s Basketball, and Magni-Beigan Scholar Athlete.
Rev. Nikita McCalister is married to Rev. Jabulani McCalister, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Providence, RI. They are the proud parents of two children Jaden Gabriel and Azriel Jordan McCalister.
She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Human Resources Management from Central Michigan University (1993), a Master of Business Administration from the University of Detroit Mercy (1999), and a Master of Divinity from Boston University School of Theology (2005).
She currently serves as the Financial Administrator for the American Baptist Churches of Rhode Island (ABCORI) and Associate Minister of Calvary Baptist Church, Providence, RI. She was previously the Assistant Pastor of Ministry Development at Greater Christ Baptist Church in Detroit, MI and the co-youth pastor at First Baptist Church in Randolph, MA. Rev. McCalister has served in management at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) as well as the Sustaining Urban Pastoral Excellence Program in Boston, MA a two million-dollar Lilly Endowment Fund project.
She has been a NCAA Women’s Division I basketball player and track and field athlete, guest preacher, workshop leader, liturgical dancer, and singer at various conferences and churches throughout the nation, such as the religious speaker for the 2013 Young Professionals Forum at University of Botswana, Botswana Africa, United Methodist General Conference in Pittsburgh, PA, Brown University's, Martin Luther King Jr. 2013 Panelist in Providence, RI; Brown University's, Sankofa Preaching Series: Sistahs in the Spirit, in Providence, RI; Boston University School of Theology, Martin Luther King, Jr. Service in Boston, MA; 2007 Freedom institute Religious Leaders Breakfast in Detroit MI; the 2007 98th National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) Annual Convention Council of Presidents Luncheon in Detroit, MI. Her publications include: 2012 Women’s Day Lectionary article in The African American Lectionary (www.theafricanamericanlectionary.org ) & the 2012 spring issue of The Academy of Homiletics Journal (www.homiletics.org).
In addition, Rev. McCalister currently serves on the America Baptist Churches USA Transformed by the Spirit Journey Team Task Force, and Volunteer Chaplain the University of Rhode Island (URI). She has served on the Board of Directors for the Robert S. Shumake Foundation, the Metropolitan Detroit Association of American Baptist Churches, the Benjamin E. Mays Male Academy, and treasurer of ABC-MI Ministers Council. Her other organizational ties include(d) past President of the Black Seminarians, Boston University School of Theology, Roothbert Fellow, Boston University Woman's Graduate Club, Boston University School of Theology Seminary Singers, and the National Black MBA Association Incorporated, Central Michigan University Women’s Basketball, and Magni-Beigan Scholar Athlete.
Rev. Nikita McCalister is married to Rev. Jabulani McCalister, Pastor of Calvary Baptist Church in Providence, RI. They are the proud parents of two children Jaden Gabriel and Azriel Jordan McCalister.