Biography of Rev. Dr. Candace Kelly
Rev. Dr. Candace Cole-Kelly is the Servant Leader at Acts Community Bible Church located in Long Beach, CA where she has served God’s precious people for 20 years as their Senior Pastor. She is primarily responsible for nurturing and cultivating the Spiritual Formation of the Body of Christ where God called her to serve:
Preaching and Teaching
Counseling
Vision Casting
Leadership Development
Outreach Ministry Assignments
Baptisms, Funerals and Marriages
Along with all the other tasks that go along with pastoral ministry, she is a compassionate friend and comforter to her beloved Body Church in the times of sorrows and hardships.
Preaching Beyond the 4 Walls of the Church:
God has used her gifts and light locally and around the globe and as far as Nairobi Kenya, Machakos, London, Germany to Middle schools in Long Beach CA as a guest reader for Read America. Dr. Candace serves as a keynote speaker at Conferences, Universities, Churches, Prisons, and conventions.
Education:
Her Theological and Academic studies began at Fuller Theological Seminary where she received her M.Div. (Master of Divinity). Desiring to make full proof of her dedication to Christian Ministry, she completed her Doctoral Degree at United Theological Seminary. She is a certified Grief Counselor from the American Academy of Grief Counselors. She received her Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Certificate Credentials from Cornell University. Dr. Kelly research focus is extensive and relevant to our times.
She is a Bi-Vocational Pastor:
Dr. Kelly is also a Staff Chaplain serving Women’s Hospital and NICU Units (Neonate Intensive Care Units of newly born babies) at Millers Children's and Women's Hospital. She is responsible for providing emotional and spiritual care to patients, family and staff. Her role also includes serving as the Birth Equity Lead and Respectful Maternal Care Chair/Mentor. She teaches/trains DEI Didactics that empower clinicians to provide respectful and equitable care.
Chaplain Kelly serves in collaborative work on numerous inter-professional teams, including Perinatal Connections Team as Fetal Loss Coordinator, IDT (Interdisciplinary Team), Women’s Partnership Counsel, NICU Partnership Counsel. She is coordinator and facilitator for Perinatal Bereavement Grief Support Group. She regularly empowers the NICU and L&D, RN Residency Program in providing electrifying and transforming learning experiences for new grad and new to specialty RNs. Chaplain Candace is an Educator as Guest Adjunct Professor teaching Perinatal Loss at LBCC College for their Nursing Program.
Boards:
Her social justice passion led her to work with the LAPD and Long Beach Human Traffic Task Force for years helping in developing strategies for abolishing Human Trafficking. She serves on various boards:
She is Co-Chair on the Executive Board of the Lakewood Interfaith Council
She is a Board Member of HumanSave (Human Trafficking Non-Profit Organization)
Dr. Kelly is Owner and Founder of Still Resilient International Training, LLC and Non-Profit Organization that provides evidence-based training through e-courses, workshops and conferences that are designed to address bias, inclusion, micro-aggressions and disparities. Her latest two-part book is Nurturing Equity Minded Healthcare Providers (An Evidence-Based workbook designed to address Bias and Disparities).
She is a prolific author of several books....
1) Becoming One Flesh
2) Scars (One child's cry for love - A Novel)
3) Lamentations of a Child
4) Lamentations of a Man
5) Lamentations of a Woman
6) A Sister's Heart to Heart
7) Women Who Win , Win with God
8) Distractions, the Devil's Device to Detour Your Destiny
9) Boys to Men (A 30 Day Devotional)
10) Daughter There is more to you than meets the eye
11) Building Resilience in Health Care Providers
12) Mindful Tea Moments (Workbook to Building Resilience in Health Care Providers)
13) Systemic Structural Racism and Psychological Warfare ( Cultural and Diversity Training)
14) Through the Eye's of Love
And more…
She is also the NAACP Award Winning Producer, Play writer and director of several Gospel Musical Plays. To name a few:
1) Busline 210, A Comedy
2) The Anointing
3) The Corinthian Scandal
4) No More Drama
5) Where Shall My Shame Go
6) Carnegie Hall is in my View.
7) The Story and Music of a People
8) The Waiting Room
9) Only In America
This multi-gifted Vessel of God IS A SERVANT AT HEART and loves serving God’s Kingdom People.
Rev. Dr. Candace Kelly
Founder and Senior Pastor
Acts Community Bible Church
5225 Hayter Avenue
Lakewood, CA 90712
(Worship Service are held on the campus of Christ Presbyterian Church)
Acts Business Mail Address
4067 Hardwick Street Unit 282
Lakewood, CA 90712
Private (323) 817-9925
Office (562) 203-2313
