About

Our Pastor

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PASTOR James M. Gbolo 

Pastor James M. Gbolo was born in Monrovia, Liberia, West Africa, the youngest of nine children. He grew up in both West Africa and the United States. Much of his primary education took place in Liberia, and he later continued his education in the U.S., where, in 2003, he earned a Bachelor’s degree in Religion with a minor in Digital Multimedia from Andrews University. In 2007, Pastor Gbolo earned a Master of Divinity degree at the Andrews Theological Seminary with an emphasis in Church Growth and Evangelism. 


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    He continues to expand his knowledge and will soon hold certificates in the following areas: a Marriage and Enrichment counselor certificate, a certificate in both Group and Individual Crisis Counseling, and a Certificate in Church Growth and Evangelism. 


    On October 25, 2014, James Gbolo was awarded an honorary doctorate, a Doctor of Divinity, from the Canadian International Chaplaincy Academy (CICA) International University and Seminary due to his

    outstanding leadership in the community and the church and has full accreditation with the World-Wide-Accreditation Commission of Christian Education Institutions. Dr. Gbolo became a Licensed Chaplain when he received a World of Life Christian Fellowship diploma during the same ceremony and was appointed an ambassador to the United Nations. 


    His enthusiasm for advancing the mission of the church is longstanding. While working on his master’s degree, Pastor Gbolo was a tutor and a teacher for the Department of New Testament for the Greater New York Conference Bible Institute.


     In 2005, while still a student, Pastor Gbolo led a clothing and schoolbooks drive that transported a 40-foot container to West Africa, where they distributed these donations to many communities and schools. He has participated in medical missionary efforts in Africa and the Caribbean and was a youth pastor in West Africa, where he led services for over 2000 military personnel. 


    Pastor Gbolo’s passion for people has led him to participate in many missionary works, including trips to Africa, South America, Spain, Canada, and the Caribbean. Pastor Gbolo also collaborated with the School of Architecture at Andrews University to facilitate a mission trip to West Africa. In 2005, Pastor Gbolo led students at Andrews University on missionary trips to Liberia and lay Pastors in conjunction with global evangelism to work in West Africa. 


    Pastor Gbolo’s leadership as an evangelist has seen much success over the years. In 2005, he led an effort with Global Evangelism in which 200 souls were won to the Lord, and he continues to work with others, leading hundreds of souls to the Church since then. 


    As a result of his preaching, many new churches have been started in countries around the world. Pastor Gbolo also works with church leaders in various faith communities to help address the current state of our society. 


    His love of music is much appreciated in and around the church, especially around worship and praise. He has led acapella groups and recorded a CD with the group Diamouwah.


    Dr. Gbolo is married to Griselda Gbolo, born in Nigeria; they met at Andrews University. They have three wonderful children: Monale, Ta-piah, James Jr, and Elijah. Pastor Gbolo has shown and is a role model, family man, father, and friend. He and his wife have a goal in life and ministry: to save your family first, reach the unreachable, touch the untouchable, and lead them to the Kingdom of God. 


    Dr. Gbolo has pastored many churches in Canada and the US, including 

    Newburgh, Victory Temple, Elim, Community Tabernacle, Sharon, Hunts Point SDA Church in the Bronx, and Brooklyn Temple SDA Church in New York. Pastor Gbolo is a church builder and soul winner for the Lord, and the Lord has blessed his ministries in the communities they find themselves in and in the churches they have served. 


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Our Church History

We stand for Lives Changed By Christ

The Sharon Seventh-Day Adventist Church originated from the efforts of faithful and dedicated saints who were passionate about the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It began with Sister Elsie Manning in the early 1940s, a member of Ephesus S.D.A. Church, who established a branch Sabbath School for children in the South Bronx. It quickly grew, incorporating the parents of the children, and members of the community who faithfully attended; they were eventually baptized into the Ephesus S.D.A Church.



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    Subsequently, Elder J.J. North instructed Sis. Manning to form a mission and the branch Sabbath School became the aptly named Community Bible School. By this time, services were being held on Sabbath mornings; also a large number of youth began to attend services, prompting the formation of the Young People’s Meeting (a precursor to the Adventist Youth Society). An early convert, Br. Victor Campbell married Sis. Manning, and the Campbell’s along with members of the mission transferred their membership to the newly formed Bronx S.D.A. Church. The 1960s brought favor to the mission, as it grew under the attentive Elder Crafton Bartholomew; he was credited with the mission’s success and progression.


    By 1966, the mission was renamed the Sharon Mission by its founder Sis. Manning-Campbell and the members were able to rent a building at 811 East 165th Street and eventually through much sacrifice were able to purchase the building. In 1972, the mission was granted church status, henceforth becoming the “Rose of Sharon” Seventh-Day Adventist Church and official member of the Northeastern Conference of Seventh-Day Adventist. Pastor S. R. Johnson became its first appointed minister and later due to illness, forfeited his ministry to Pastor A. O’Giste.




    Unfortunately, on March 21, 1976, a fire destroyed the church and the members were temporarily relocated to two locations: the Victory Baptist Church and the St. Augustine Presbyterian Church in the South Bronx. During this time a young Vietnam veteran, Pastor E. Flowers, newly appointed to Sharon aggressively negotiated for a new place of worship. When he left in 1977, Pastor D. Coleman continued the pursuit and the church was moved to its current location at 4423 White Plains Road on June 17, 1978.




    In the early 1980s, Pastor T. C. Jefferson was welcomed to Sharon and influenced by his construction background, was able to spearhead structural changes in the church’s new location. The congregation grew due to the friendly atmosphere and active Bible study among the members. In 1985, Pastor Jefferson was replaced with Pastor S. Stovall, a retired Conference Treasurer, who made a remarkable impact on Sharon by introducing financial and spiritual stability to the congregation. Pastor N. Cleghorne, a zealous preacher whose ministry was focused on soul winning replaced Pastor Stovall. During his tenure, the church’s membership grew tremendously. Pastor T. Oreggio and Pastor L. Brown consecutively substituted the ministry albeit for a short time, yet made lasting impact.




    The late 1990 brought Pastor R. Williams to the church family, and he aided in fulfilling the need for a new edifice for the growing congregation. Following his departure in 2005, Pastor C. Goulding was welcomed into the Sharon congregation, and with him came new ideas and a renewed interest in realizing the dream for a new worship center. In 2012, Sharon welcomed its next leader and spiritual guide, Pastor Anthony L. Usher, who with vigor, faith, and trust in God has moved boldly forward in fulfilling the need to erect a new worship center for the growing Sharon congregation. It is through Pastor Usher’s passion, the interest and faith of the Sharon congregation that we stand on the cusp of realizing our dream of a new edifice. At the end of 2018, Pastor Anthony L. Usher was replaced by our current leader and spiritual guide Dr. Joshua Deonarine who is ready to lead us through the next chapter in the history of Sharon. Sharon has recently purchased its long-awaited church complex in the Mt. Vernon community and we are preparing for the great work of the Lord that awaits us as a family of believers.




    The Sharon Church has burgeoned from a charter membership of 35 members to that of more than 450 members. For the past 47 years we have strived to fulfill the mission stated in Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” Despite disappointments, fire and relocation, the members of Sharon have endured and are earnestly awaiting the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

A large red church with a green roof and a clock tower.

What We Believe

We believe that church isn't just about a building with a cross. It's about people's relationship with God and each other.

  • About God

    Who is God? God is love, power, and splendor—and God is a mystery. His ways are far beyond us, but He still reaches out to us. God is infinite yet intimate, three yet one, all-knowing yet all-forgiving.


  • About Jesus

    Jesus became human to save us. Through him - our helper, advocate and redeemer - we can begin again. He is preparing heaven for us and will return to take us there.


  • About The Holy Spirit

    The Holy Spirit inspires us, empowers us and guides our understanding. The spirit touches our hearts and transforms us, renewing the image of God in which we were created.

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