Our Pastor
Pastor Narcisse (Cherie) Philips 
A native of Jamaica, West Indies, Rev. Philips received her Bachelor of Laws Degree from the University of the West Indies, followed by the Certificate in Legal Education from the Norman Manley Law School in Jamaica. She was admitted to the Bar in Jamaica, and was engaged in a vibrant criminal/civil law practice before migrating to the United States of America. In 1985 she was further admitted to the First Judicial Department of the Supreme Court for the State of New York as an attorney and counselor at law and currently specializes in the practice of Probate and Administration of Estates and Real Estate Law. One of her favorite sayings when asked about her transition into servant/leader ministry, is "Being a pastor was never on my things to do list, but it was certainly on God’s."
In the year 1994 after having a Christ changing ‘conversion’ experience, her life’s direction changed dramatically. It was for her a 360 degree turn around, from a life devoted to secularism to a life devoted to Christ. In response to God’s later ‘unequivocal and clarion’ call to ministry, she obtained a Masters of Divinity from Drew Theological School, Madison, New Jersey in 2004.
Rev. Philips is married to Locksley Philips and they live with their two sons, Aronn and Jordan, 18 and 15 respectively, in Cortlandt Manor, Westchester County, New York. A candidate for ordained ministry Rev. Philips was commissioned at the 2008 New York Annual Conference and pastors both the Wiccopee Community UM Church and the UM Church of Peekskill.
Rev. Philips heart is in God’s ministry, and the sharing of the gospel and the teaching of God’s word are her passions. She is committed to uncompromising preaching and fidelity to God’s word which she finds fresh, exciting, transforming and relevant. In the past she has written and produced plays, one of which "The Prodigal Daughter," was taken on the road performing at four locations.
She is a member of the South Hudson Tres Dias Chapter and has served as a team leader and spiritual director. She has also served on the Kairos Prison Ministry at the Taconic Women’s Correctional Facility in Bedford, and participated in a two-week missionary trip to the Ukraine in July 2003. After visiting Ghana in 2004 and seeing a wealth of needs, Rev. Philips along with two other contemporaries, founded Project Dorcas Ministries. This ministry was birthed to address the paucity of medical care in Northern Rural Ghana and is committed to raising funds for the building and support of a medical clinic in the Village of Yippala. The clinic is now 99% completed and is scheduled to start operation early in 2009.
Bio from the Wiccopee Community UM Church web-site.
