Asbury's Pastor
Updated: July 9, 2025
Originally posted on July 9, 2025
Reverend Dr. Jimelvia Pettiford Martin
Rev. Martin is a pastor, educator, counselor, and director of ministries. She is a native of Belhaven, North Carolina. Rev. Martin earned a Bachelor of Science degree from East Carolina University in Early Childhood Education and Language Alts, an Honor Graduate with a Master of Divinity degree from Interdenominational Theological Center—Gammon Seminary, and a Doctor of Divinity degree from the International Overcoming School of Religion and Spirit of Truth School of Religion. Pastor Martin was a certified Pastoral Care Specialist recognized by the American Association of Pastoral Counselors and served as Chaplain at Mayo Clinic Hospital, Phoenix, Arizona. Rev Martin was a participate in the pilot
mentoring cohort of diversity and inclusion Pastoral Leadership in the North Alabama Cross-Racial/Cross-Cultural Cohort for Cultural Competency, Diversity, Inclusion, and IDI under the direction of April Casperson and Harris Tay.
She is in Coaching Training with a focus on Mentor Coaching, with completion of 60 hours of coach-specific education developed and delivered based from the International Coaching Federation Core Competencies.
Pastor Martin is an ordained Elder in the United Methodist Church (UMC) and has served in the capacity of pastor for thirty plus years. She served as Pastor for fourteen years in the South Carolina Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church beginning Father's Day, June 1994, where she became the first female African American pastor for the Greenville District of the United Methodist Church. In 2008, answering the call of God to cross-racial/cross-cultural ministry, Pastor Martin began serving the Desert Southwest Conference (DSC) as the first African American Pastor at Hope United Methodist Church, Bullhead City Arizona. July 1, 2014, she was the first African American lead pastor at Sedona United Methodist Church, Sedona, Arizona. In 2016, Pastor Martin has served Calvary United Methodist Church, a revitalization in a multi-cultural community. In her tenue at Calvary, the congregation transformed into a multiracial, multi-culture, multi-generational place of worship which reflected the community in which it served. During COVID Pastor Martin served in the North Alabama Conference. In 2022 she served The University Church in Toledo, Ohio, a congregation that focused on multi-outreach social ministries. During the past conference year, she has served as the Regional Missional Specialist for the Greater Miami River District specializing in Cross Racial, Cross Cultural, and Urban Ministries and a resource for the historical Black Churches in the West Ohio Conference.
God has opened many doors for her to speak and teach. Pastor Martin has served as an adjunct professor in the VCMI Program at Voorhees College. She has conducted workshops on the Black presence in the Bible, church development for small churches, the Pentecostal experience in mainline denominations, intercessor prayer, and presently facilitates conferences and seminars for Leadership development which are designed to empower clergy and lay to reach their potential and destiny.
Pastor Pettiford Martin is the recipient of several awards and honors including the Joseph Benjamin Bethea Academic Achievement Award, the James Costen President Award, United Methodist Crusade Scholar, and community award for partnership with Pendergast Elementary
School District in Phoenix, AZ. She has been a member of Theta Phi Honor Society, American Academy of Religion, Society of Biblical Studies, Black Women in Church and Society,
Church Women United, National Educational Association, National Adult Education Association, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an alumna of Leadership West—the diverse decision makers who enhance the quality of life in the West Valley of Phoenix and throughout Arizona. In 2011, Pastor Martin had sworn in as a Human Services Commissioner for the City of Phoenix representing the South Phoenix area. She served on the City of Phoenix Faith Initiative Advisory Work Group, and the Human Services Advisory Committee. Pastor Martin had also been recognized in December of 2012 as the Human Service Commissioner Representative on the Community Development Block Grant citizens' review committee. In February of 2013, she provided the opening prayer at the Arizona State Capitol for the Eleventh Annual African American Legislator Conference. In March of 2014, she delivered the invocation for Mayor Greg Stanton's third state of the city address. She served on the Maryvale Faith and Justice Project where faith leaders and the Maryvale Police Precinct met to find solutions to issues that plaque the community, the Attorney General African American Task Force and executive board member of the Southwest Prostate Cancer Foundation.
Rev. Martin is married to an incredibly supportive husband, Mr. Billy Martin, Jr. They share their love with their dogs Chiefy and Angel and Billy's three adult children Billy Ill, Kristy, and Kierra and three grandchildren.
Her vision of ministry is built upon Romans 1:16-17, for in the Gospel the righteousness of God is revealed from FAITH TO FAITH.
