REVEREND CAROLYN J. BARKSDALE

rcfreedomministrie@sbcglobal.net

rcfreedomministries.org

Reverend Carolyn J. Barksdale is a native of Waco, Texas.  She is an Overseer-Elect in the Kingdom Council of Interdependent Christian Churches and Ministries.

She is also the Founder and Executive Director of R.C. Freedom Ministries, Inc., a non-profit educational center, which provides ACPE Extended Clinical Pastoral Education to members of the community and Life Skills education.  She oversees ACPE Certified Educators and ACPE groups at this center and she is also President of Carolyn Joyce Barksdale, Inc., a government contracting company.

Reverend Barksdale received a Master of Divinity Degree with a concentration in “Word and Sacrament” from Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary, Austin, Texas in May, 1998,  ordained to the Gospel Ministry and received Ecclesiastical Endorsement for fulltime chaplaincy that same year in June, 1998. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree (Cum Laude) in May, 1991 from Saint Leo College in Saint Leo, Florida where she concentrated her studies in the field of Sociology.

She is a certified Association for Clinical Pastoral Education (ACPE) CPE Educator assisting clergy and laypersons in the integration of theory and practice for pastoral ministry.  As a 20 year federal contract chaplain, she served as Program Director of Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) at the San Antonio Military Medical Center, USAF CPE Center, Fort Sam Houston, Texas where she trained United States Air Force chaplains from around the world each year in clinical pastoral/spiritual care in a one-year residency.

Reverend Barksdale has served with her husband as Pastor, R. C. Freedom Fellowship; Associate Pastor, First Korean Presbyterian Church (English Congregation) and currently, Pastor of R. C. Freedom Ministries Serenity Chapel.

On August 1, 1994, she retired from the United States Air Force with twenty-three years of honorable service.  She is married to The Reverend Dr. Ralph E. Barksdale, who is also retired from the United States Air Force.  He currently serves as a jail chaplain; and they have two daughters, Candice and LaQuette.

Reverend Barksdale believes that life is a journey; and life is a process.  Life is also a dance that impacts our movements throughout our journey.  The one thing that gives us hope is that, wherever we are on our journey, our God who is “Lord of the Dance” will always be with us, joining us in the dance of life.