Cerena Browne, approved for Ordained Minister, Dec 6, 2022
“Preaching makes me incredibly happy! This is what I’m meant to do. I desire to see broken people come to know and accept Jesus as Lord and experience the joy and fulfillment that comes from God!”
Cerena is Co-Pastor at Trinity EMC in Waterloo, Ontario. She hails from the Caribbean Island of St. Kitts. “I was a nurse, but I’d tell people, ‘This [nursing] isn’t it for me. I don’t belong here. There is something else I am meant to do.’ I had always known that there was more to my life, but I didn’t know what.”
When in her early twenties, Cerena avoided attending church because she always felt convicted whenever an altar call was given. In 2009, her father died tragically, and in her deep grief, she felt led to church. “I heard a voice sending me to church, says Cerena, and out of my grief came destiny and purpose.” While sitting in church listening to a sermon one Sunday, Cerena realized she was preaching in her head along with the pastor and was enjoying it. I heard God say, ‘One day, preach for me.’ I laughed. I’m not doing that.” But she shared this with her pastors, who encouraged her to pray about it and directed her to Scriptures. They gave her opportunities to give talks. “My calling intensified, and I began looking into Bible School. Through prayer and fasting, she came to believe Emmanuel Bible College was the place for her. In 2013, she made a huge sacrifice. Cerena resigned from her nursing career, bid farewell to family and friends, and leaving her son in the care of her sister, she arrived in Kitchener and began four years of study, returning home to St. Kitts after the second year to bring her son, Ajani to join her.
After graduating with a Bachelor of Theology Pastoral Ministry, Cerena became Children’s Pastor at Bethany EMC in Kitchener for a year and a half. In 2020, she was offered a six-month, half-time interim position at Trinity, along with another pastor. Cerena used her spiritual gifts of preaching, teaching and pastoring while learning to share ministry responsibilities with the other pastor. The church leadership discerned that the female/male co-pastor team was right for them and hired both as full-time co-pastors.
Cerena boldly admits to giggling whenever it snows. She enjoys drives in the country, walks in the park, playing video games, and watching movies with her 15-year-old son.
