Bishop Lawrence A. Ward is the Senior Pastor of Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts, a position he has held since June 1994. He also serves as the Bishop and Presiding Elder of the New England District of the United Pentecostal Council of the Assemblies of God, Inc. As a minister, teacher, and trainer, he is involved with various organizations, including Cambridge Black Pastor’s Alliance and the Black Ministerial Alliance of Greater Boston. He currently serves on the board of Vision New England.

Rev. Dr. Virginia Ward is a native Bostonian and daughter of the church. Virginia has always had a love for youth. In February 2001, she became a licensed minister. In September 2003, she became an ordained minister.

Virginia is the Dean of the Boston Campus and Assistant Professor of Youth Ministry and Leadership at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Boston Campus, where she teaches classes in urban youth ministry, leadership, and directs mentored ministries.

Pastor Kenneth Hite, Jr. grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts and is the oldest of two children. Since his ordination in November 2021, he has been serving as an Associate Pastor at Abundant Life Church in Cambridge, MA.
 
Pastor Hite earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Management from the University of Massachusetts at Boston. He received a certificate for participating in the Boston cohort of the DeVos Urban Leadership Initiative. He holds a Master of Arts in Urban Ministry Leadership from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston, MA.
 
Prior to attending Abundant Life, Pastor Hite served as the Assistant Pastor of his home church, Emmanuel Temple Pentecostal Church in Dorchester, MA. His prayer is to be all that God has called him to be and see others live a life for God.

Kadeem’s passion for the Lord started at an early age. He was heavily involved in mission trips preaching the gospel in Jamaica, Barbados, Haiti, Dominican Republic and countless US cities. Kadeem had the pleasure of serving faithfully in ministry at Abundant Life Church where Bishop Lawrence Ward is Pastor. During this time, he served as worship leader, youth leader, children’s church worker, usher, armor bearer, and anything else the house needed. It is his passion for the local church and sonship that kept him so driven to serve the house. He credits his life success to his dedicated mother and the power of the local church. Upon graduating high school Kadeem attended Boston College majoring in Human Development and theology with a Spanish minor. During his four years in undergrad Kadeem’s love for college ministry grew as he became the vice president of the Multicultural Christian fellowship his sophomore year. Transitioning to President his junior year the ministry experienced immense numerical and spiritual growth under his leadership. With his leadership included newly implemented five o’clock in the morning prayers, leadership retreats, a partnership with black campus ministries intervarsity, and Boston College’s first gospel concert with nationally acclaimed recording artist Mali Music.

Prayer Leader, Children's Church Leader, Minister

Originally from Buffalo, NY, Devon A. McCarley was licensed in the Church of God In Christ in 2009, although she has served in ministry since 2005, preaching and teaching, conducting workshops, hosting seminars, being guest panelists and preaching for several churches and youth programs in the New York and Massachusetts area.

Devon is a graduate from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary, where she obtained her Masters of Divinity degree. She is also a graduate from Cazenovia College and has received her MBA from Medaille College in Buffalo, New York.

Professionally, Devon has worked for almost twenty years in the business world, with a passionate call to marketplace ministry. Her desire is to continually cultivate a space of learning and development for those called outside of the four walls of the church; bridging the gap of faith and work in our churches and communities. Currently, Devon is the Director of Internal Systems for the Emmanuel Gospel Center where she oversees the internal operations of the organization and works to develop and implement strategies to grow and support organizational effectiveness.

Tonia joined the Abundant Life Church in September, 2019 as the Business Administrator. She was promoted to Business and Operations Manager in January, 2020, and was recently reassigned to head up the Media and Communications for ALC. Tonia oversees media production for ALC Sunday Service and other production projects as well as serving as project manager for the new ALC workflow system, including management of the website, church app and giving platforms.

Sharon joined Abundant Life Church in January, 2022 as the new church administrator. Sharon is responsible for communications for the church as well as supporting the pastoral team.