Rev. Dr. Lorenza Ricardo Meekins, Pastor (Dr. Rick)
The Rev. Dr. Lorenza Ricardo Meekins is a native of Richmond, VA., and the second son of Mr. Vincent Navarro and the Rev. Gladys Marie Meekins (both deceased). He has three brothers, all who are preachers of the gospel of Jesus Christ. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree in History with honors from Livingstone College, Salisbury, N.C., a Certificate in Pastoral Counseling, The School of Allied Health Professions, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA., a Master of Divinity degree, from the Samuel Dewitt Proctor School of Theology (STVU), Virginia Union University, Richmond, VA., and a Doctor of Ministry degree, Howard Divinity School, Howard University, Washington, D.C.
He served as an intern minister at the Hood Temple AME Zion Church, Richmond, Va. He was pastor of the St. Thomas AME Zion Church, Dewitt, VA., and the Patterson Asbury AME Zion Church, Baltimore, MD., where he served for 3 years before entering the United States Air Force Chaplaincy in March of 1983.
He has traveled extensively the world over, preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ on 4 continents. Dr. Meekins was retired honorably from the United States Air Force after serving 16 years on January 1st, 2000, in the grade of Major.
In October of 1999, he was appointed Pastor of the St. Joseph African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Chesapeake, Va. Under his leadership souls were saved, the choir loft was renovated, new carpet and a sound system was installed, a new van was purchased, and the budget increased from less than $90,000 to over $200,000 practicing God’s principle on giving, TITHING. Following a successful pastorate there, he was assigned to the St Paul AME Zion Church, Salisbury, MD., in July 2005. There, souls were saved, and by the grace of God, during an economic period that former President Barack Obama declared, “the worst economic crisis since the depression”, he led the congregation to retire a $277,000 mortgage in less than 4 years.
Dr. Meekins was appointed Pastor of the Zion Chester A.M.E. Zion Church, Chester, VA, on June 26, 2011. Under Dr. Meekins’ leadership Zion Chester grew spiritually, numerically, and financially.
Dr. Meekins was appointed pastor of the Brighton Rock A.M.E. Zion Church, Portsmouth, VA, on June 25, 2017, where he served faithfully his church and in the community. He was a member of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Leadership Steering Committee, serving as Chaplain, a member of CCIA, Church and Community in Action, a member of Pastors for a More Progressive Portsmouth, and Faith Behind the Badge. During Dr. Meekins tenure he led the congregation to get involved in the Portsmouth Homeless Shelter Ministry and joined 32 other churches in housing and feeding the homeless for a week at a time (November-April).
On September 19, 2020, Dr. Meekins was appointed pastor of his home church, the historic Hood Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, in Richmond, VA. His mission is the “Great Commission”, Jesus, said, go make disciples…, Matthew 28:19, he believes through preaching, teaching, and practicing the 5 Practices of Fruitful Congregations (Radical Hospitality, Passionate Worship, Intentional Faith Development, Risk Taking Mission and Service, and Extravagant Generosity, Robert Schnase), Hood Temple will grow spiritually, numerically, and financially. His favorite scriptures are Proverbs 3:5-6, Romans 8:28, and Philippians 4:6.
Dr. Meekins is an ordained Deacon and Elder in the African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church. He is married to in his eyes, the incredibly beautiful and vivacious Dr. Shawn Patrice Vinson-Meekins.