...ministry beyond the four walls
5111 Telegraph Avenue #241
Oakland, CA 94609
cheryl
Rev. Cheryl Denise Ward celebrates 34 years in ministry and officially retired from pastoral ministry in 2008. She is the author of two non-fiction titles and in 2004, she released her first fiction book entitled, If You Don’t Know Me By Now. In December 2005 the sequel, Love Don’t Love Nobody was released to national acclaim. Her third novel, Love On A Two-way Street is scheduled to be released this summer. She is currently completing the screenplay for a movie based on the novels. Rev. Ward’s writing and publishing accomplishments earned her the distinguished “Kiplinger’s 2006 Who’s Who Among American Business Professionals Award.”
Rev. Cheryl Ward’s sermons have been published in The African American Pulpit Preaching Journal; The Women of Color Study Bible; and Those Preaching Women Volume IV. by Ella Pearson Mitchell. She has served as the founding pastor of one church in Oakland, CA and as interim pastor of several churches over the past decade.
She holds a Master of Arts Degree from Pacific School of Religion at the Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, CA., and is completing a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Human Services Administration at Walden University in Baltimore, MD.
For three consecutive years, she was a featured author at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, LA. Rev. Ward serves as a guest speaker at various churches, conferences and women's symposiums and is known for her inspiring and empowering sermons. Her candor and ability to speak openly on issues such as sex and relationships has made her a highly sought after speaker across denominational, gender and generational lines. She believes that the traditional churches lack of discussion on the aforementioned issues directly contributes to many contemporary crisis in the African American Community. In 2005, her message entitled “Living Passionately” was purchased by the producers of the show 7th Heaven on the WB Television Station and aired on the second episode of the season. In 2008, she was featured as a commentator on Black Entertainment Television’s (BET) show, Exalted, discussing women in the church and domestic violence. She has just written and produced her first documentary, entitled, Too Many Left Behind: An Inside Look at the CA High School Exit Exam.
Rev. Ward's hobbies are traveling, reading, writing, golf and fishing. She is the proud adoptive mother of four children, three of whom are college graduates and she is the grandmother of three beautiful children, Frederick (age 7), Jordan (age 5), and Jonique (4).
5111 Telegraph Avenue #241
Oakland, CA 94609
cheryl