Meet Our Interim Pastor

The Reverend Andre Cortez Gilford Jr. (affectionally known as Rev. Andre) is an organizer, educator, creative and innovator dedicated to tackling social problems facing Black young people using education and faith as a medium. Rev. Andre believes in doing the work of justice to move the world towards beloved community, particularly for those who have been systematically oppressed. Through his vocation as a teacher and administrator in public high schools for several years, he has worked to make this a reality starting with the most precious of us, youth. Ordained to Christian ministry at the Mt. Pleasant Missionary Baptist Church as the Minister of Social Justice and Young Adults, he is committed to preaching the good news to and making space for the disinherited to exist and thrive. He attended Morehouse College and graduated Cum Laude from Wayne State University obtaining a Bachelor of Arts degree in History and African American Studies. Also, he received a Master of Arts in Teaching from the University of the District of Columbia. Andre has developed an acumen for developing young people as conscious global citizens through various trainings including the Religious Literacy Summer Institute for Educators Program at Harvard University Divinity School. Furthermore, his love for Black lives activated him to organize with friends to found the BYP 100 and Black Lives Matter chapters in Detroit, MI at the peak of the Movement for Black Lives in 2015. There, he contributed to developing a coalition-based structure to build power among young people in Detroit using coalition-building across various stakeholders including higher-ed institutions and grassroots organizers.

Having served in multiple roles as an interim associate pastor, youth and young adult pastor, and educator, Rev. Andre is committed to doing ministry that is holistic and community-focused, but considers himself most passionate about making space for young people to recognize and activate their place in the world while developing their relationship with God and loving themselves.

A native of Detroit, MI, Andre currently lives in New Haven, CT. Recently, he graduated with a Master of Divinity degree in Practical Theology from Yale University Divinity School in New Haven, CT where he served as the president of Yale Black Seminarians, the oldest and largest student organization at the Divinity School. Previously, he worked as the Pastoral Intern of Children and Youth at Trinity United Church of Christ in Chicago, IL and Assistant to the Executive Director of Boys and Girls Club of Greater New Haven. His biggest passions are working out, pancakes and singing Gospel music.