Rev. Ayanna Johnson is First Vice Moderator of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). As First Vice Moderator, she will be responsible for leading worship at the 2009 Indianapolis General Assembly and will lead the Assembly in prayer and reflection at the beginning of each day.
Johnson has been a new church planter since September 2004 and is pastor of Family of Hope Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Blue Island, Ill. She also is church pastor-in-residence at Disciples Divinity House, where she works with University of Chicago ministry students. In addition, she has served her community’s youth in a variety of ways, including serving as youth minister at Park Manor Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Chicago, and as project director for a Chicago youth-centered community development group, the Southwest Youth Collaborative.
Johnson is an ordained Disciples minister and a frequent preacher at regional and congregational events. She holds a master’s of divinity and social work degrees from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Yale University. She also has found time to be a social worker, community organizer and motivational speaker and has spent time in Ghana, Africa. Johnson resides in Chicago.