Honoring the Past. Embracing the Future
Welcome to Holman Homecoming 2026!
Join us on Sunday, August 23, 2026 at 11:00 am as we gather for worship in thanksgiving for 81 years of ministry as the people of Holman United Methodist Church.
Homecoming Guest Preacher: Rev. Dr. Vance P. Ross
The Reverend Dr. Vance P. Ross is a retired clergyman in the United Methodist Church whose most recent appointment was as Discipleship Pastor of Impact Church (United Methodist), East Point (Metropolitan Atlanta), GA. Ross formerly served as the Senior Pastor of the Historic Central United Methodist Church in Atlanta, GA, and the Director of Annual Conference Relationships for Discipleship Ministries. From 2011-2015, he was the Senior Pastor at Gordon Memorial United Methodist Church, Nashville, TN an 1100-member urban congregation; 2004-2011, Associate General Secretary and the first-ever Deputy General Secretary for Discipleship Ministries, Nashville, TN; 1998-2004, Senior Pastor, First United Methodist Church, Hyattsville, MD, at the time the denomination’s largest multicultural/international church in the Northeast jurisdiction.
In 1999, Ross founded the Convocation for Pastors of Black Churches, the premier training event for UMC Black pastors. He led the Design Team from 1999-2019. He served as a General and Jurisdictional conference delegate in 1992, 1996, and 2004, attending as a General Church staff member in 2008 and 2016.
Ross serves as a Doctor of Ministry Mentor for the “Rooted” Doctor of Ministry cohort at United Theological Seminary and is a UTS trustee. He coaches and consults with pastors, churches, and conferences across the denomination. A contributor to several publications, his first book is “Oh Bless His Name: Sermons, Sayings and Such.” 2027 will see the publication of “Why We Are Still Here.”
Ross received numerous seminary, local church, and community awards including the Gammon Distinguished Alumni Award; Copher/Branch Old Testament Award; two-time recipient of the ITC Isaac R. Clark Preaching Award; two-time recipient of Vision Awards from the Convocation of Black Churches; Simpson Memorial UMC Man of the Year Award; servant leader award at Clark Memorial Church, Nashville; Citizen’s Award from Hyattsville, MD city council.
A member of the North Geogia Annual Conference, Ross presently chairs the Conference Commission on Religion and Race and is a member of both the Committee on Nominations and the Board of Trustees. He serves the first ever Reparations Task Force, continues as a member of the Atlanta’s Concerned Black Clergy.
A native of Bluefield, WV, Ross has a B.A. degree in Government/Youth Services from West Virginia Wesleyan College. He is an honor graduate of Gammon Seminary (ITC) with the M.Div. degree. In 2015, he graduated from the United Theological Seminary with a Doctor of Ministry degree.
He is married to the Rev. Bridgette D. Young Ross, former Dean of the Chapel and Spiritual Life, Emory University, Atlanta, GA. He has three adult children: Kristina (deceased), Alyssa, and Bryant; two grandchildren: Christopher and Jaylie; and one great-granddaughter, Phoenix.