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Meet Our Pastor, Rev. Dr. Marquise L. Hardrick, D.Min
Rev. Dr. Marquise L. Hardrick is the Senior Pastor of Israel Metropolitan Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church in Washington, D.C. A native of Columbus, Georgia, he answered God’s call to ministry at the age of seventeen and has devoted more than twenty-five years to pastoral leadership, preaching, teaching, community engagement, and organizational development.
Pastor Hardrick earned a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Valdosta State University, a Master of Divinity from the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC), and a Doctor of Ministry in Social and Environmental Justice. His educational journey reflects his conviction that the Gospel speaks not only to the spiritual life but also to the social, economic, and communal realities of everyday people.
Throughout his ministry, Pastor Hardrick has served congregations across the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church while also holding numerous leadership positions throughout the denomination, including Executive Assistant of Finance for the Fifth Episcopal District and service on various boards and committees. Alongside his pastoral ministry, he has led nonprofit organizations and community initiatives focused on strategic leadership, financial stewardship, organizational excellence, and neighborhood transformation.
His ministry is rooted in a simple but profound conviction: Jesus summarized God’s expectations in two commandments—to love God wholeheartedly and to love our neighbors as ourselves. This understanding shapes every aspect of his preaching, leadership, and community engagement. He believes that the Church is called to be a visible expression of God’s love by strengthening families, cultivating disciples, advancing justice, creating opportunity, and partnering with the community to help people flourish.
Throughout his ministry, Pastor Hardrick has worked alongside civic leaders, community organizations, and neighborhood coalitions to address issues including public health, workforce development, economic opportunity, community revitalization, and civic engagement. He believes the Church is uniquely positioned to bring together faith, service, and hope in ways that transform lives and strengthen communities.
As Senior Pastor of Israel Metropolitan CME Church, Pastor Hardrick is committed to honoring the rich legacy of one of Washington’s historic congregations while leading the church into its next chapter of faithful ministry. His vision is to build a Christ-centered congregation where worship is vibrant, discipleship is intentional, community partnerships are meaningful, and every person is empowered to discover their God-given purpose and serve others with excellence.
Pastor Hardrick considers it a privilege to serve the people of Israel Metropolitan CME Church and welcomes all who seek to grow in faith, experience authentic community, and join God’s work of transforming lives through the love of Jesus Christ.
Meet Our Dedicated Team (Photos are Needed)
Israel metropolitan cme church - a brief History
Israel Metropolitan CME Church - A Brief History
Israel Metropolitan CME Church stands as the first free and independent African American congregation in the Nation’s Capital, founded in 1820 by Black members who withdrew from Ebenezer Methodist Episcopal Church due to discrimination and unequal treatment. Determined to worship freely, they organized their own congregation—originally named Israel Bethel—under the leadership of Rev. David Smith, the first African American pastor of a congregation in Washington, D.C.
Early worship services were held in members’ homes before moving to several temporary locations, eventually settling in the historic “Little White Chapel under the Hill,” formerly First Presbyterian Church on Capitol Hill.
From its beginning, Israel Bethel was a center of abolitionist activity and a gathering place for national leaders in the fight for freedom. Figures such as Frederick Douglass, Charles Sumner, Thaddeus Stevens, Wendell Phillips, Owen Lovejoy, and others spoke from its pulpit, rallying support for emancipation, suffrage, and public education. On January 1, 1863, under Rev. Henry McNeal Turner, Israel Bethel hosted the reading of the Emancipation Proclamation in Washington, D.C.
In 1870, when the Methodist Episcopal Church South organized a new Black denomination—the Colored Methodist Episcopal Church—Israel Bethel soon aligned with this emerging body. The congregation relocated in 1872 to First and B Streets SW and formally joined the CME Church in 1876 under Rev. James W. Bell. Bishop William H. Miles, the first CME bishop, played a key role in welcoming Israel into the Connection, strengthening the CME presence in the nation’s capital.
Today, Israel Metropolitan CME Church continues its legacy as a historic, resilient, and community‑anchored congregation, rooted in Methodism and committed to justice, faith, and service.