Rev. Vickey Gibbs

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the death of Rev. Vickey Gibbs. Our hearts are broken and in shock. We extend our love and condolences to her wife, Cassandra, their children Cara and Ariel, and beloved grandchild, Xavier. Our love and comfort surround the staff and members of Resurrection MCC in Houston, Texas, USA where she served so faithfully and to all who knew her, worked with her and loved her. To the best of our knowledge, Vickey is the first MCC Clergyperson to succumb to COVID-19.

Rev. Vickey’s long relationship with MCC is noteworthy and distinguished. Known for her planning, innovation, and attention to detail, she had a passion for justice and equity. She worked tirelessly to invite, push and pull others into conversation and action surrounding justice for all, especially those on the margins. At the time of her passing she was serving as the Associate Pastor of Resurrection MCC in Houston Texas, USA, having started this work in November 2015.

Always the go-getter on her journey in ministry she completed the LEAD Program in record time (because she had completed many of the items on the LEAD Action Plan for her Ministry Action Plan) completing her certificate requirements in March 2012. She answered her call to ministry by serving in numerous capacities in the MCC community (see below). Ultimately, her ministry path led to a different call to ministry and Rev. Vickey was ordained on December 8, 2014.

Rev. Vickey had a special gift for training and education. She served on EXCEL local and international teams as well as the Soulforce retreat team. As an instructor for the MCC course, Creating a Life that Matters, she invited dozens of people to explore and dig even deeper to nurture a relationship with the God of their understanding.

She had come a long way, theologically, from her Baptist home church in Beaumont, TX, USA. Her life, growth and development led her to Resurrection MCC in December 1981 where she served in a variety of ministries including Jubilation (Southern Gospel Quartet), Gospel Ensemble (African American Gospel), JustUs (African American Women’s Ensemble), Mass Choir, Board of Directors, Pastoral Search Committee, Building Committee, Ministry Coordinating Council, Lay Delegates, Anniversary Committee, Pride Committee, Pastoral Care Committee, Children and Youth Teaching Committee, Vacation Bible School Team, Care Callers Team, Budget Committee, and the Capital Campaign Team only to name a few. She also worked as the Confidential Administrative Assistant for the Resurrection MCC Pastor, Rev. Elder Dwayne Johnson from December 1997 until February 2007.

Recruited due to her skills and personality, she started work with the denomination to provide administrative and coordinating logistics support as the Confidential Assistant for the Rev. Elder Darlene Garner. She served as an MCC staff member until October 2, 2015. During that time, she also worked to provide resources to MCCers globally as a Curriculum Specialist and Office of Emerging Ministries, then as Diversity and Inclusion Program Coordinator. She supported numerous People of African Descent (PAD) conferences, and in 2017 was awarded the Rosa Parks Award. More recently, she was the Worship Coordinator for the 2019 General Conference.

In her time in Houston, she was engaged in the community as a member of the Houston Coalition of Black Affirming Pastors, Houston Faith Leaders Coalition, Planned Parenthood Faith in Action Cohort and Texas Advocates for Justice. Rev. Vickey served on the Board of the Montrose Center Women’s Programming Advisory Committee. She loved living in the most diverse city in the USA as it afforded her the opportunity to immerse herself in the cultures of people from around the world. She loved learning new things.

Rest in Power.

You may read in Rev. Vickey’s own words her poem she wrote for a recent Transgender Day of Remembrance.

God,
of all the vast varieties of humankind,
Help us to move beyond
the exclusiveness
of an either / or mentality
to the inclusiveness
of an all and every
way of thinking.
Move us beyond binary definitions
to the mystery and complexity of
Your infinite creativity
and creation.
As we pause to remember those
senselessly
Murdered
because of their
all encompassing humanity
open hearts that need to hear
souls that need to know
and minds that need to see
that there are
no limits
to You
nor Your creation.

Rev. Elder Darlene Garner (Retired)
I have known the Rev. Vickey Gibbs for over 20 years. As I recall, we met in the late 1990s at an MCC Conference for People of African Descent (PAD Conference). In 2005, I recruited Vickey to serve as my Confidential Assistant. She continued in the same role for the former Office of Emerging Ministries (OEM) until becoming the OEM Resource Specialist. A thorough researcher and prolific writer, she compiled the MCC Treasurer’s Manual and a myriad of diversity and inclusion resources that are still available on the MCC website. A woman of great compassion and insight, Vickey supported the OEM program officers for HIV/AIDS, women, people of African descent and of European descent, trans/gender non-conforming people, and people with disabilities, as well as the OEM Latinx ministry programs. She was gracious with a strong sense of humor, gentle spirit, keen observer of human behaviors, and passionate overcomer of obstacles. Even more than a colleague, Vickey Gibbs was a friend. We stood and fought together on the frontlines of injustice, speaking truth to power while doing and saying what we could where we could. We were two strong Black women standing arm-in-arm with other justice warriors facing a world overcome by guilt, shame, and denial. Vickey Gibbs, my sister-friend, I miss you.

Rev. Elder Cecilia Eggleston (Moderator)
Rev. Vickey Gibbs has touched so many lives with her ministry and will be sorely missed. My main experience of her was as a powerful preacher. I heard Rev. Vickey Gibbs preach twice. The first time was last May when I was visiting Houston, USA and attended Resurrection MCC for Sunday worship. I was struck by Vickey’s presence, the power of her message and her ability to relate scripture to everyday life. The second time was watching a video of her sermon preached after Pentecost this year. It was a sermon full of righteous anger, lament and prophecy, skilfully unpacking and articulating the intersections between Covid 19, poverty, racism and white supremacy in a deeply spiritual way. I wrote to thank her for her powerful message and shared it with others. I didn’t know Rev. Vickey well and this sermon taught me so much about who she was as a person, as a community activist, as a faith filled pastor. My heart and prayers go out to Cassandra and family, to Rev. Troy Treash and all at Resurrection MCC and to all who have been blessed to have Rev. Vickey Gibbs in their life.

Rev. Elder Dr. Nancy Wilson (former Moderator)
When I remember Vickey, I think of a shy, brilliant, gifted, deeply spiritual woman who blessed those of us who worked for MCC Globally. She was the kind of staff person that made me proud to be MCC Moderator. Vickey was a living library of resources, always willing to support and create, to help pastors and churches. She gave “over and above” for our People of African Descent conferences and movement. Of course, she loved the people and ministry of Resurrection MCC where she served with grace and excellence. Thousands of people have been impacted by her quiet competence and her compassionate spirit.

Rev Elder Héctor Gutiérrez
(Team Lead for Community Development/Network Co-ordinator)
Rev. Vickey Gibbs was an angel in person. She touched a lot of lives among our churches in Latin America, and in MCC in General. I always felt the presence of God through her friendship; great memories are present deeply in my heart working, and laughing with her. Vickey is one of our MCC saints in heaven. Thank you Rev. Vickey for your life, and for being part of us.