Morgan Park United Methodist Church Pastor
Reverend Beverly Dukes has joined Morgan Park United Methodist Church as the new pastor in July 2024. Before being called into the ministry, Rev. Beverly Dukes spent over 25 years in public and social services. She worked particularly with children and families involved with the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. She further worked extensively with people living in marginalized communities. Rev. Beverly Dukes earned her Master of Science in Public Service Management at DePaul University and a Bachelor of Science from Eastern Illinois University in Family and Consumer Sciences. She has completed various training in family systems, leadership, and managerial effectiveness. After consulting with her St. Mark United Methodist Church pastor regarding expanding her gifts and talents, she enrolled in Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary. She earned her Master of Divinity from Garrett Evangelical Seminary in May 2019.
Rev. Beverly Dukes is an ordained Elder in the Northern Illinois Conference of The United Methodist Church and is in Full Connection. Rev. Beverly Dukes has served at East Side United Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois, St. Andrew United Methodist Church in Homewood, Neighborhood United Methodist Church in Maywood, and Faith United Methodist Church in Lombard, Illinois. Rev. Dukes has recently been appointed to Morgan Park United Methodist Church in Chicago, Illinois, and Christ United Methodist Church in Alsip, Illinois.
Rev. Beverly Dukes is committed to spreading the love of Jesus Christ through the work of the Holy Spirit into a broken and suffering world. She is dedicated to local churches’ ministries and the communities they serve. She enjoys empowering the youth in ministries, meeting the community’s needs, building relationships with parishioners, strengthening ministries, meeting with the shut-in, facilitating group Bible studies, and preaching the God of the Word. She has happily married her husband, Leon Dukes Jr., for over fifteen years.
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Morgan Park United Methodist Church Student Pastor
Curtis Van Johnson is the proud father of two children, Curtis Van II and Vanessa Michelle. He is the eldest son of Mr. Curtis W. and Adia Johnson, and has one bother, Ric R. Johnson. He was born and raised as a member of Greater St. John A.M.E. Church in Chicago, Illinois.
Mr. Johnson, affectionately known as “Van,” is a proud graduate of Leo High School and received his B.A in Music from Chicago State University. He later received his Master’s degree in Music from Roosevelt University, and has been a director and musician for several churches of different denominations in and around the Chicagoland area. At the present time, he is attending Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston where he is pursuing a Master’s in Divinity Degree with a concentration in Pastoral Care and Counseling.
Mr. Johnson is a Christian who believes and trusts in God and has a heart for people, particularly young people. He was the music and bible teacher at Emmanuel Christian School where he also served as the director of the school’s Jr. Glee Club with 35 students and the Sr. Glee Club with 50 students. Under Mr. Johnson’s leadership, Emmanuel’s Sr. Glee Club won two consecutive choir competitions in 2007 and 2008. Mr. Johnson is also the bowling coordinator for the Greater St. John Junior Bowling League, which currently consists of over 50 children ages 4 – 20 years old. This past summer, he coached a team to win the National Title within the The National Bowling Association (TNBA) tournament. He was the Chicago Bowling Senate Junior Program Director, where he works with junior bowling coaches all over the city for the past eight years.
Currently, Mr. Johnson is musician at Greater St. John A.M.E. Church in Chicago. He is also a real estate agent. In the midst of serving God and humanity in so many capacities, Mr. Johnson, i.e., Van, heard the voice of God calling, saying there is still more work to do: “Go and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Morgan Park United Methodist Church Music Director
Gary Marks, raised in the Judeo-Christian tradition, began the study of piano at age five. His father, a Chicago saxophonist bought the family’s first piano when they moved to their home in the South Shore neighborhood. Gary spent most of his life as an antique dealer, but after hearing the call of the rich music heritage that he grew up with, he closed a very successful, twenty-plus year business, packed up and moved to Cuba. While in Cuba, he further honed his musical skills in both the classical and Afro-Caribbean rhythms of his adopted home. While there, Gary also produced and directed the award-winning, feature length documentary “Dream Havana” that captured the unique musical and cultural character of Cuba. After four years, Gary returned to his native Chicago to pursue a third passion in the residential construction and rehab business. Never, however, straying too far from his first love, music, Gary utilized his extensive music training in the Christian church. Gary joined the Morgan Park United Methodist Church as director of music in January of 2015. He takes the leadership of a rich and diverse music tradition at Morgan Park United Methodist. Come to Sunday morning worship to experience the rare and rich music of Morgan Park UMC & it’s world travelled and well-trained musical director, Gary Marks.
