Rev. Aqueelah As-salaam, Pastor 
Rev. Aqueelah As-Salaam has served as the pastor of the First Church of North Miami since December 2006. Prior to her accepting this call she served as the Associate Pastor of Pembroke Manor the United Church of Christ in Virginia Beach, Virginia.
Rev. As-Salaam has served as the Executive Director of several non-profits, to include the Richmond Peace Education Center and the Institute for Southern Studies. Her call to serve has included an eleven year stint as an officer in the United States Army. During her military career, she served as the Assistant Brigade Intelligence Officer and as the Battalion Logistics Officer. She also volunteers as a chaplain with the North Miami Police Department and serves on the board of the Counseling Ministry of South Florida. As member of the Board of the Florida Conference she serves as the Assistant Treasurer for the conference.
She completed her undergraduate studies at Virginia State University in Ettrick Virginia. After accepting her call to ministry, she attended the School of Theology at Virginia Union University. She also completed a residency in Pastoral Care and Counseling at Emory University. In addition she received a certificate in Health Care Ethics, from the University of Virginia in Charlottesville’s, Virginia. She has continued her education by receiving certification in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Critical Incident Stress Management, and Church Management.
Rev. Mark Goforth, Minister Of The Contemporary Service
Reverend Mark Goforth was born in Buffalo, New York. While in High School Mark accepted God’s call on his life. He attended a local church and eventually became a licensed minister.
College shortly followed, where he attended Alfred University in upstate New York. Mark majored in Religion and Ethnic Studies.
Soon he felt the call to further prepare himself for God’s ministry. He graduated from college in 1995 and began his seminary journey in Atlanta, Georgia at the Interdenominational Theological Center.
During seminary is where he was ordained a minister in the Methodist church.
After seminary is where Mark discovered the ministry of hospice and soon completed clinical preparation to become a chaplain. He worked at VistaCare Hospice in Macon Georgia. Soon thereafter he completed a one year clinical pastoral residency at Portsbridge Hospice in Atlanta, Georgia. Currently, he works as a full-time chaplain and bereavement counselor at Vitas Hospice in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
During this time Mark was introduced to the United Church of Christ, where he has enthusiastically found his spiritual home.
Today Reverend Goforth heads up First Church’s Contemporary Service on Wednesdays at 7:00pm. This vibrant, energetic service has become one of the most popular new ministries in our church.
Life to Reverend Goforth means enjoying the fulfillment in serving God and helping to lead others to their highest purpose. He is blessed with a loving and understanding wife named Laverne who is also his best friend.
Music Ministers:
Lydia Richardson - Musician/Choir Director 
Lydia Richardson received her early training in Douglas, Georgia. She graduated from Morris Brown College in Atlanta, Georgia where she received a degree in Music Education.
She continued her training at the Teacher’s College of Columbia University in New York, earning a Masters’ degree in Music and Music Education.
Lydia came to Dade County in 1957 to work in several Elementary schools. She also participated in several Church Music ministries including Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church, St James A.M.E. Church, St Matthews Missionary Baptist Church and finally here at the First Church of North Miami, UCC (2000 to the present time).
In addition to her dedication and hard work with the First Church of North Miami UCC, her post-retirement from the Dade county school system activities include groups such as: Church Women United (North), Aerobics class, Dade County Retired Educators, SAMS Ministry, Feeding the Homeless and Zeta Phi Beta Sorority.
