Director, Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce
Leadership Role: TBD
Member Organization: First United Methodist Church of Oak Park
Contact Carrie by email: revadreid21@gmail.com
Bio:
Rev. Adonna Davis Reid has served as Senior Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Oak Park since July of 2021. Prior to beginning her tenure in Oak Park, Rev. Reid served as Pastor at South Shore UMC and as Associate Pastor at St. Mark UMC, both located on the southside of Chicago. She has served on various boards and committees in the denomination and in the communities where her churches have been located. Her work has reflected her desire to see all of God's children thrive and achieve their God-given potential through worship and activities that provide opportunities for growth and development. Rev. Reid relies on the power of prayer as the undergirding force in her ministry and life.
Rev. Reid’s journey to ordained ministry followed a circuitous path that included time spent on Wall Street in investment banking, and business management for the CBS News Midwest Bureau and strategic management consulting, both in Chicago. Rev. Reid found her heart’s true home in ministry after taking several seminary classes.
Growing up in Montclair, New Jersey, Rev. Reid was active in church from an early age. Her faith and church involvement helped sustain her on the campuses of Yale and Harvard, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree and Master of Business Administration, respectively. She also earned a Master of Divinity Degree from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois, after which she was ordained an Elder in the United Methodist Church.
Rev. Reid has been married to her graduate school sweetheart, N. Neville Reid who is a practicing attorney, since 1988. The couple has five young adult children. Rev. Reid is a member of several civic organizations including Jack and Jill of America, Inc. and Delta Sigma Theta, Incorporated.
A driving theme for Rev. Reid’s ministry is that the “church get out of the church and into the community.” The goal is to fully integrate the church into the life of the community which she believes will ultimately contribute to the vitality and vibrancy of both. This conviction motivates Rev. Reid to engage in OPRF Chamber of Commerce activities and other local institutions as much as possible, and she looks forward to her deepening relationship with the Chamber through her work with the Board.
