Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis

Rev. Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis is an ordained clergy of the United Church of Christ.  She currently serves as senior pastor and co-founder of  God Can Ministries, United Church of Christ located in the far south suburb of Chicago, Illinois. Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis is the Executive Director of GCM’s 501 c 3 outreach, The Dr. Sharon L. Ellis Education and Family Life Institute,” which provides educational opportunities that empowers families and strengthens the community.

Rev. Davis, prior to pasturing God Can Ministries, served two churches located on the North and South side of Chicago, Illinois respectively. Rev. Sharon Ellis Davis, served for 10 years at the Evergreen Park Ministries’ Care and Counseling Center (a shopping mall ministry), providing pastoral care for individuals and families.

Dr. Sharon Ellis Davis is a 31 year veteran police officer with the Chicago Police Department and just recently retired her position in May, 2010.  In 1991 she was appointed, by the Superintendent of Police as its first Female Police Chaplain.  In this capacity, Dr. Davis ministers with police officers and members of their family providing pastoral care and crisis ministry for officers who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.  Post retirement, Chaplain Davis continues to volunteer her time as a Volunteer Police Chaplain with the Chicago Police Department.  

Dr. Davis is a trainer for the Faith Trust Institute for Clergy Boundaries and Sexual and Domestic Violence.  She is also an Adjunct Professor at the McCormick Theological Seminary, Chicago, teaching Sexual and Domestic Violence, Pastoral Care with African Americans; and Pastoral Care in times of Crisis to Seminary students.  She is a Faculty Mentor at the United Theological Seminary in Dayton Ohio. Her focus group for Doctor of Ministry Students is titled “Peacemakers: Addressing issues of Domestic, Sexual; Gang Violence and Issues of Conflict Resolution within Church and Communities.

As a survivor of sexual and domestic violence, Dr. Davis combines her pastoral experiences, her abilities as a scholar, her law enforcement career, and her personal experiences to speak out against injustices, hold abusers accountable, educate clergy, and facilitate the healing, wholeness, restoration, and empowerment of  God’s people.

Educationally, Dr. Davis received her Ph.D. in Theology Ethics and the Human Science from Chicago Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. Her dissertation was titled “Hear Our Cries” Breaking the Gender Entrapment of African American Battered Women.”  She earned her Doctor of Ministry Degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois.  As part of her Doctor of Ministry work, Dr. Davis formed a church based Domestic Violence Ministry in a large membership church in Chicago, Illinois which remains active today.  In addition, she earned her Master’s of Divinity Degree from Chicago Theological Seminary, Chicago, Illinois; her B.A. Degree from Chicago State University, Chicago, Illinois; and her A.A.S. Degree in “Law Enforcement” from Chicago City Wide College.

Dr. Davis is married to her partner in life and ministry, Rev. Dr. Edward Smith Davis.  Together they have a blended family of six children and fourteen grandchildren.  Dr. Sharon’s passion is to make a difference, change mind-sets, and lead God’s people toward healing, wholeness and empowerment, her favorite scripture is “They that wait on the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount up with wings of an eagle.  They shall run and not get weary, they shall walk and not faint (Isaiah 40:31).