Our Leadership

Rev. Colette Matthews is known as a trailblazer, a woman of courage, conviction and character. She hails from the great state of New York and has lived in the city of Syracuse the majority of her life.

She began her professional career in politics where she ran for public office twice and then landed a position on City Hall as the Deputy Commissioner of Community Development. During her distinguished tenure in government, she assisted in the administration of the city's $8 million community development block grant. Rev. Matthews was also founder of the city's first Black Business Expo which generated over $1.2 million in financing to minority-owned businesses.

While her love for politics was strong, she felt the call to a greater work. In 1996, she professed her calling in to the ministry at the Tucker Missionary Baptist Church. Shortly thereafter, she left government and moved from "politics to the pulpit."

Rev. Matthews became the first woman licensed and ordained at the Tucker Missionary Baptist Church in conjunction with the Northeastern District Baptist Association. In 2000, she became the first woman to pastor and lead the United Baptist Church. After two and a half glorious years at United, Rev. Matthews returned to Tucker where she served as the assistant to the pastor. For the next seven months she served faithfully and led by the Holy Spirit she graciously accepted the call to become New Covenant's second pastor.

Rev Matthews believes that leadership comes with great sacrifice and commitment. She has served on over 14 boards within the community including: Syracuse Model Neighborhood Facility, Inc; Peace Inc; The Girl Scouts of Central New York; The Urban League and Jubilee Homes, just to name a few. She is also the recipient of numerous awards and salutations including the New York State Senate's Woman of Achievement Award; The Majorie Dowdell Fortitude Award given by the Syracuse Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority; the Syracuse Omega Psi Phi Citizen of the Year Award; and the WTVH-5 Professional Woman of Achievement Salutation.

Currently, Rev. Matthews serves on the board of directors for the Interfaith Works of Central New York and The Association of African-American Correction Officers and Deputy Sheriffs. She is a founding member of the City-Wide Coalition of Urban Pastors where she has been the Coalition secretary since its inception. Additional, Rev. Matthews is the founder of the Greater Syracuse Black Church Exp which its inaugural year attracted over 1,000 community participants.

A prolific, preacher, teacher and writer, Rev. Matthews has a standard of excellence and believes that people of God should strive for higher ideals, morals and goals. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University and has completed graduate work at the distinguished Colgate Rochester Divinity School.

Rev. Matthews is truly an inspiration, a blessed woman whose grace and elegance continue to reflect the beauty of God. Those who spend time in her presence are touched by her generous spirit, her contagious smile and her powerful aura that says quietly and simply that "I am" because "He is."