Reverend Corey J. Hodges Pastor Corey J. Hodges is the Senior Pastor of New Pilgrim Baptist Church. A_ _ native of St. Petersburg, Florida, he was called to pastor NPBC on February | 22, 1998. At the age of 28, he was the youngest pastor to lead the congregation. ror ~ NPBC membership has grown tremendously under his guidance and has become one of the leading churches in the state of Utah. Pastor Hodges has initiated - numerous ministries, including: Multicultural, Health and Fitnes s, Theatre, AWANA _ (Approved Workman Are Not Ashamed), Famil y Life and Community Outreach.He has’ licensed and ordained several ministers, bringing the NPBC pastor al staff to LZ, The NPBC_ website and the bi-monthly newsletter, “Wings,” were launched under his leader ship. He was instrumental in the negotiations that led to NPBC retiring its mortg age several years before maturity and in 2003, he unveiled “Vision 2010” a 7-year plan to build the Salt Dome, a_ | multi-level dome-shaped worship and ministry facility. : | | ‘In recent years, Pastor Hodges has taken deliberate steps towards growing a multicultural | church. The churches motto was changed to “A Multicultural Christ ian F ellowship,”. the Puerto-Rican native, Lillian Montes, was appointed Pastor of Ethni c Affairs and flags representing NPBC began appointing deliberately also membership nations were erected in the sanctuary. more culturally diversify diverse leadership and their ministries and committees. NPBC’s Pastor challenged existing Hodges also. leaders to — annual leadership continues to include cultural sensitivity and diversity training. training : As a result of Pastor | Hodges' efforts, the membership has grown to include people from over 20 differ ent nations. _ Pastor Hodges is a weekly columnist for the Salt Lake Tribune’s Faith section on moral and © religious issues: the Salt Lake Tribune is Utah’s largest daily newspaper with a circulation | that exceeds 140,000. In 2006, Utah Supreme Court Justice, Christine Durham, appoin ted | Pastor Hodges to serve on the board of the Initiative on Utah Children in F oster Care (IOU). In 2000, the Governor of the State of Utah, the Honorable Michael O. Leavitt, appointed — Hodges to sit on the Olene Walker Board of Economic Development. He served on the board — for several years, and upon his resignation, the Governor honored him for his contrib utions. Pastor Hodges served two consecutive General Baptist Convention, Inc., Convention American USA, Inc. He holds terms as President of the tri-state : Intermountain and was on the Board of Directorsof the N ational Baptist an Associates Degree InterContinental University and is currently in Business working Administration from _ . : on his Bachelors Degree in Marketing. Pastor Hodges is married to the former Ms. Benita Newkirk also of St. Petersburg, Florida. They have three sons, Quentin Lamar, Cameron Steven and Aubrey Jamir. |