Reverend Mark Allen Groover

Reverend Mark Allen Groover, born the second of eight children to the late William and Juanita Groover is a native New Yorker, from Freeport, Long Island. He was educated in Freeport Public Schools. As a high school student, Rev. Groover was a trailblazer and leader for many of his peers, especially the African American youth in his community.

Rev. Groover attended high school at a very tumultuous time in Freeport’s history when its newly desegregated school system, resulted in a repeated eruption of racial riots among the students.

During this period of racial strife, Rev. Groover was appointed by the school board as one of four students charged with facilitating and negotiating peace and harmony between the White and African American students. As a result of his leadership, Freeport became a model village that quickly transformed from a historically segregated village with low tolerance of interracial relations to a successful racially integrated and violent-free school system.

As a high school student, Rev. Groover also volunteered as a teen leader for the Freeport Family Community Center. As a result, he was selected as the first Operation Crossroad youth ambassador, which involved him working in a mission project in the Dominican Republic.

Rev. Groover attended Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland. Baltimore, where he now calls home, was employed by the United Parcel Services (UPS) for over twenty-seven years until his retirement in 2006.

Rev. Groover has served as a faithful and active parishioner of the Christ United Methodist Church for numerous years. The ministries that have been immeasurably blessed by his leadership and participation have been the Men’s Choir, Lay Leader, Trustee, Lay Speaker, Finance Committee Member, United Methodist Men, and Man of The Year. About eight years ago, Rev. Groover answered the call to preach. In 2006, Rev. Groover was appointed serve as pastor at New Hope Christian Fellowship UMC. New Hope reaches out to the homeless in the Edgewood area and surrounding communities and also runs a daytime homeless ministry. Rev. Groover also pastored Clarks United Methodist Church from 2009 to 2016.

Rev. Groover graduated from Sojourner Douglas College in June 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and graduated from Wesley Theological Seminary in May 2014 with a Master of Divinity. One of his favorite scriptures is “For I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11  (NIV)

Rev. Groover is happily married to Sharon Scott Groover and they have four children; Robert, LaTanya, Marsha, and Shari and four grandchildren Robert Jr., Madisyn, Charles and Christopher Jr. and one adoptive son Kent Allen Groover, the cat.