A heart for worship and a hunger for God drives Elder Crystal Pough to fulfill a mandate to educate, encourage and empower His people. Elder Crystal, as she prefers to be called, is living and wholeheartedly embracing a lifelong journey of faith, love, learning, and service. She was born and raised in Amityville, NY, into a family of Long Island Natives who have been part of the church service experience for at least 200 years. Elder Crystal’s greatest desire is for God’s people to know God fully and experience the fullness of His love and freedom, perpetually growing in the knowledge of Him.
She has earned certificates in Evangelism and General Bible from the Mason Kelley Washington Bible Institute, and a Master of Divinity degree from Nyack’s Alliance Theological Seminary, concentrating in Pastoral Counseling and Christian Education. She is currently completing a second master’s in History, in preparation for Ph.D. studies.
Elder Crystal has used her education to develop her gifts to serve wherever needed. Serving as a leader in the youth ministry since its inception in 1990, this Woman of God and daughter of Grace Community Church has been yielding her gifts and knowledge to the church, preaching officially since 2003, teaching every age level for Sunday School and Bible Study for over ten years. She is currently serving as Superintendent of Sunday School, Ministerial assistant to the pastor, and as Praise and Worship leader. Through triumphs and tragedies, laughter and tears, joys and sorrows…humbly bestowed by God with talents, gifts, experiences, and abilities, she has purposed her life to be an act of worship.