Rev. Lillian Gail Moore was born in High Point, Mississippi, to the marital union of Helen Clark and Handsol Thompson. Shortly after Rev. Moore’s birth, she and her mother were relocated to Trenton, New Jersey. Later, Rev. Moore returned south to live with her grandparents until school age. At this time, Rev. Moore returned to live with her mother and a God sent new dad, John Harris, Senior. The Lord blessed Rev. Moore to have five other sisters and brothers from the latter union between Helen and John.
Rev. Moore was educated in the Trenton Public School System. When she completed her formative education, she went on to further her education at Shaw University in Raleigh, NC. There, she received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Behavioral Science.
As a part time student, Rev. Moore has completed more than one year of a three year Master’s Program at the New Brunswick Theological Seminary, in New Brunswick, NJ. With hopes to return to school, somewhere in the near future, Rev. Moore’s goal is to finish with a Master of Divinity Degree, with a concentration in Urban Ministry.
Rev. Moore, more affectionately known as Gail, has completed nearly every goal she has set for herself in life. She has been a Mental Health Worker, a Case Worker, and a Social Worker. She is currently working for the New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services in the Division of HIV/AIDS Services, as a Public Health Epidemiologist.
Rev. Moore was an Associate Minister at Shiloh Baptist church in Trenton, NJ, for slightly over 12 years. In that time she served under the late Rev. S. Howard Woodson, Jr., and her present pastor, Rev. Darrell La Rue Armstrong. While at Shiloh, she served as the Christian Education Director for 5 of those years. Her other activities included being a Sunday school teacher, the Women’s Bible Study founder and teacher. She occasionally worked with the youth and Shiloh’s Youth Church. She was also a member of two choirs, the Voices for Christ, and the Women’s Choir. Rev. Moore was a long time member of Shiloh’s Anna Louise White Missionary Ministry as well. Rev. Moore continued to go forth in Shiloh and asked LeQuita Porter to be her administrative arm in bringing about Shiloh’s fist annual women’s retreats. She has worked with the General Baptist State Convention of New Jersey, and the Middlesex Baptist Association. She has also been a participant of the American Baptist Churches of NJ. Rev. Moore has taught and preached in both the Association and the Convention at various times.
Through the years Rev. Moore has partnered with two ministries on the radio. The first radio ministry was the Caring and Sharing Ministries, which was hosted by Jeanie Sandiford. The second, being the Love of Christ Ministries, with the late Dorothy Flowers. For many years, Rev. Moore also volunteered monthly at a nursing home with the late Dorothy Flowers.
Rev. Michael B. Gerald, pastor of the Macedonia Baptist Church in Newtown, PA invited Rev. Moore to come over and become the Assistant Pastor of the church. She accepted the move and was voted in as the official Assistant Pastor of Macedonia just a few months later. From the beginning, she was appointed over the area of Christian Education as its Director and the first thing she did was revive the Sunday school program. Her second appointment was to be an advisor to the women of the church. Rev. Moore worked closely with Janet Robinson, the president of Light of Life Ministries (a woman’s ministry). Together they have enjoyed experiencing the women at Macedonia becoming one in Christ and watching their healing take place in the Lord. Thus far, the women have enjoyed having two retreats, working on their issues, and becoming revitalized at the same time.
Earlier in the year of 2007, Rev. Gerald accepted a new pastoral office and recommend for Rev. Moore to become the new pastor of Macedonia. Almost immediately, Rev. Moore took on the leadership of the church while a search committee was formed. On October 14, 2007, God moved in Rev. Moore’s life once again. Macedonia Baptist Church members unanimously voted her in as the new pastor. At that moment two things were recorded in history at the church. Rev. Moore became their first female pastor and it was the first time any pastor had been elected by a unanimous vote.
Rev. Moore would also like everyone to know she’s been blessed with two daughters, Helisha and Baptista and three grandchildren Jade, Josiah and Peyton.
Rev. Moore has been and still is grateful for everything God has done for her in her life. In her travels in the Lord, she has learned how important it is to help people see God for who He really is and what He has stored up for us, as His children. It is her desire to help everyone see God the Father, receive His son Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and experience the power of His Holy Spirit for themselves. When this happens change takes place. She really believes that changed hearts bring about changed behavior, which positively influences our families, communities and world!
Rev. Moore also believes she’s in a place where she and the members of Macedonia can unite together and see healing, and church growth. The church is also looking for spiritual, social, political, and economic empowerment for all who seek the Lord in our church, our homes and our communities.
