WARREN — Saying he looks forward to getting to know not only members of the congregation, but also the Warren community, the Rev. Quentin White has been named the new minister at Grace AME Church.

White began at the church Nov. 1, replacing the Rev. John McCants, who was reappointed as presiding elder in the Cleveland district. White, a Cleveland native, had been in Virginia for more than 30 years and then moved back to Cleveland in 2019.

“I served in Virginia as a Navy chaplain, a pastor, a VA hospital chaplain, and a presiding elder at an AME Church,” he said, explaining that with the AME churches, there is a an appointment system.

As for the Grace AME Church in Warren, White said it is the largest congregation he has served.

“It is a very solid congregation. They have maintained their building well. They are very organized and maintained their congregational system well. I am very impressed what they have done here,” he said.

White said while the congregation is a “mature” one, there are plans to reach out in the future to others who desire to become members.

White said he had a calling to the ministry.

“I grew up in Cleveland and early in my life after joining the military I felt a sense of calling. That was during my enlistment period in the Air Force. As soon as I got done with the Air Force, I moved forward to enter the formal ministry,” he said.

White later returned as a Navy chaplain after his enlistment with the Air Force.

Serving as a chaplain is very different than serving as a parish minister, he said.

“It is very institutional. One of the things the chaplain does is go wherever the congregation goes which is the troops and military personnel. The chaplain goes with them. The parish minister is appointed to one place,” he said.

White said being a military chaplain can be challenging at times.

“You are under command as a staff office. The commanders in the military place a high value on the work of the chaplain. They see you as a very essential and important person,” he said.

White said the coronavirus pandemic caught everyone off guard when it first began in March.

“At the time I was working for Ashland University and was not appointed to a pastoral position but working as a facilitator at the Thrivent ministry program in Ashland. My wife and I were part of a local congregation and the reality of the coronavirus just hit us,” he said.

White said since then, all churches have had to adapt to the situation the best they can.

“I think everyone is hoping that it will be over soon. Congregations have come to accept it to worship God in their settings,” he said.

After high school, White started at Cleveland State University but graduated from Wilberforce University near Dayton.

White then attended Duke University Divinity School, graduating from there in 1983 and then 10 years later pursued a doctoral degree at United Seminary in Dayton. He also later earned a master’s degree in Christian education at Virginia Union University.

Since starting in November, White has been evaluating the needs of the church.

“I want to learn more about Warren and the community here and the ministries we can pursue here. I want to help the congregation develop spiritually so they will be prepared for the mission ahead,” he said.

Besides ministry, White worked at the Salem Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salem, Virginia as a VA chaplain.

White said he hopes he can be of service to the community and welcomes anyone to reach out to him.

“I look forward to serving the church and the community,” White said.