GRAND RAPIDS, MI – Bishop Dennis J. McMurray was named the 2022 GIANT Amongst Giants on Saturday for his contributions in shaping the historical past, tradition, and high quality of life within the Grand Rapids group.
McMurray, who’s the founder and senior pastor of Renaissance Church of God in Christ, was honored on Oct. 1 throughout the thirty ninth annual GIANT Awards and Banquet ceremony on the J.W. Marriott Resort.
“Bishop McMurray’s mental depth, unwavering love of household, pastoral service, and advocacy for justice exemplifies the core ethos of servant-leadership,” stated B. Afeni McNeely Cobham, Ph.D, Grand Rapids Group School’s chief fairness and inclusion officer, in a information launch. “His contributions to the Grand Rapids group are immeasurable.”
Eleven others had been honored on the occasion, hosted by Grand Rapids Group School, which celebrates Black leaders within the Grand Rapids group for his or her achievements and efforts to make life higher for others.
Every award is called after a historic native “large” whose devoted service, advocacy, and activism are memorialized by honorees. GRCC has hosted the occasion since 1983.
McMurray was saluted Saturday as “a religious visionary who brings an array of theological, enterprise, administration and monetary experience to his ministry,” the discharge stated.
McMurray established Renaissance Church 30 years in the past along with his spouse and three kids. Since then, the church has since grown right into a “progressive twenty first century ministry that influences believers regionally and world wide by weekly worship, tv and radio ministries,” based on the church’s web site.
The pastor additionally serves as a outstanding social activist in Grand Rapids, having been “a catalyst for a lot of social change actions and organizations,” based on GRCC.
McMurray was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to the Clergy Job Drive for the state, and is a member of the Group Board of Administrators for Spectrum Well being, the information launch stated.
He additionally served on the state Group Corrections Board, the Nationwide Board of Bethany Christian Providers, Kent County Group Psychological Well being and Spectrum Well being Govt Affected person & Advisory Board, based on the discharge.
McMurray obtained the Non secular Life GIANT Award in 2019, and has additionally beforehand been honored with the Who’s Who Award in Black Grand Rapids by the Black Chamber of Commerce of Detroit Michigan.
In his skilled profession, McMurray has been praised for his success within the company areas of gross sales, advertising and marketing, finance and administration, based on the discharge. He beforehand labored within the areas of aerospace and industrial gross sales, finance and administration and entrepreneurship.
The ceremony returned after a two-year COVID-19 hiatus. The final GIANT Amongst Giants named in 2020 was the Rev. Nathaniel Moody.
Listed below are the opposite 2022 GIANT honorees acknowledged Saturday night time:
- Floyd Skinner Justice Award: Adam C. Sturdivant, accomplice, Drew Cooper & Anding.
- Walter Coe Public Service Award: Shellie Cole-Mickens, founder and government director, Our Home of Blessings.
- W.W. Plummer Humanitarian Award: Nikeidra Battle-DeBarge, CEO and co-founder, New Future Pathways, Inc.
- Ethel Coe Humanities Award: Henry Sapp, CEO, Higher, Wiser, Stronger Inc.
- Milo Brown Enterprise Award: Daryl D. Reece, proprietor, Inventory Da Bar & Inventory Da Bar Vodka.
- Phyllis Scott Activist Award: Grand C.I.T.Y. Sports activities, Inc., Chris Sain, Jr., co-founder and CEO, and Preston Sain, co-founder and government director.
- Raymond Tardy Group Service Award: Raynard Ross, president, Grand Rapids Public Colleges Board of Training, and affiliate dean of pupil success at GRCC.
- H.C. Toliver Non secular Life Award: Julian S. Newman, CEO and founder, The FutureCast Basis.
- Hattie Beverly Training Award: Lorenzo Bradshaw, principal, Brookwood Elementary.
- Martha Reynolds Labor Award: Kevin L. Clemens, president, Kent County Court docket’s union, an affiliate of the Technical, Skilled, and Workplace Employees Affiliation of Michigan.
- William Glenn Trailblazer Award: Jermale Eddie, co-owner and CEO, Malamiah Juice Bar & Malamazing Juice Co.
The 2021 and 2022 Junior GIANT scholarship recipients are:
- Ashyah Patterson, Georgetown College
- Christian Baty, Michigan State College
- James M. Baker, Grand Rapids Christian Excessive Faculty
- Alexandria Vaughn-Earvin, Prairie View A&M College
- Zhaniya Robinson, Michigan State College
- Summer time R. Brown, Howard College
Every year, the GIANT Awards choice committee undertakes the duty of choosing honorees based mostly on the benefit of their nomination and stellar achievements, based on the discharge. The committee is made up of former GIANT honorees: Larry Johnson, Tempy Mann, Darius Quinn, Faye Richardson-Inexperienced, and Shannon Wilson.
The committee is now soliciting assist to plan and facilitate the fortieth celebration. Any inquiries relating to the nomination course of, sponsorship help, and volunteer alternatives needs to be emailed to [email protected].
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