RACIAL ETHNIC MINISTRIES

141 SOW Instructor

Rev. Dr. LaRita Hand

Rev. Dr. LaRita Hand accepted Jesus Christ in her life at the age of eleven and was baptized. She obtained a Bachelor’s degree in 1981 from Cleveland State University in the area of Social Work.She worked with families in crisis intervention. She met and married, Rev. Willie Hand in 1983 and they started the  journey together with their children in ministry. In 1985, she received the call to ministry toevangelize and do missions locally and internationally.  Dr. Hand was licensed as an evangelist and Christian Missionary in the Baptist denomination. Dr. Hand was a missionary to Africa, Australia, Philippines,England, West Indies, China, North Carolina and New York. She prepared herself for ministry throughmatriculation at Ashland Theological Seminary and Drew Theological Seminary. Dr. Hand obtained herMaster’s of Divinity Degree in 1998 from Drew Theological Seminary and was ordained itinerate elder in the
First Episcopal  District of the New York Annual Conference in the African Methodist Episcopal church.

Dr. Hand traveled extensively as the founder of Mercy Missions, Inc. in 1999. She spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ through short term mission trips, retreats, women’s conferences, and women's retreats. She provided pastoral counseling to pastoral leaders as well as families in crisis in the local church. She also organized and facilitated leadership conferences. Dr. Hand enhanced her knowledge of transformational leadership by obtaining a Doctor of Ministry degree in 2003. Her passion for ministry to the local church was fulfilled through accepting an appointment to a local church in the United Methodist Church in 2004 in Cleveland, Ohio. She continues to serve Christ in the local church while pursuing a PH.D in Organizational Management.