Rev. Eraina Marie Ross-Aseme answered the call to preach in September
1991 under the leadership of Bishop Vinton R. Anderson, the pastor was Rev.
Theodore Lee, shortly after she received her calling Rev. Dr. Timothy Tyler
became her pastor, presiding elder was Rev. Grady R. Brown. She
preached her first sermon, February 5, 1992 at Christ Our Redeemer African
Methodist Episcopal Church in South Kansas City, Missouri. She was
ordained as a deacon in the A.M.E. Church, 1994, and received her elder’s
orders in 1996 under the leadership of Bishop Vernon R. Byrd, the 105th
consecrated Bishop of the A.M.E. Church.
She has been married to Mr. Patrick C. Aseme, RN since May 26, 1984, and
they have two beautiful daughters, Pamela, and Dayna. Rev. Aseme is
very active in her church and community. Her greatest joy is empowering
people to live better lives and to help them make meaningful contributions
to their families and communities in which they reside.Rev. Aseme holds an Associate of Applied Science degree in Business and Bachelor of Arts Degree, Business Administration in Management from Webster University of Kansas City, Missouri. She has earned several credit hours in theological studies from Saint Paul School of Theology in Kansas City, Missouri. She traveled to Nigeria for 15 days to participate in an immersion course for seminary studies. She has held a number of leadership positions on civic and community boards. She is currently seeking a Master of Divinity Degree from Liberty Theological Seminary, Lynchburg, VA, in their Distance Learning Program.
Rev. Aseme has served as senior pastor of the following churches: Campbell Chapel A.M.E. Church, Glasgow, Mo 1994-1995; 2000-2002; Zion A.M.E. Church, Brunswick, MO 1995-1997; St. Luke A.M.E. Church, Salisbury, MO 1997-2003; and St. Luke A.M.E. Church – Westport, Kansas City, MO, 2003-2004. Currently, Rev. Aseme serves as Senior Pastor of St. John A.M.E. Church, Kansas City, MO, and the appointment was made by Bishop John R. Bryant at the Planning Meeting in St. Louis, MO on November 8, 2004. She has served the Conference in a number of capacities: Past Secretary of the Greater Kansas City and Vicinity A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance, 1994-1995; Past President of the Northwest Missouri Conference Women In Ministry, 1996-1998; Statistician of the Northwest Missouri Conference 1997-2001, and now currently, Director of Rural Ministries of the Northwest Missouri Conference, Past Director of Rural Ministries of the Fifth Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church, which includes providing leadership for 15 states. She is the past First Vice President of Women In Ministry of the Northwest Missouri Conference. Other positions, she serves in are: board member, Foster Grandparents; Business Partner, Southeast High School; Board Member Hickman Mills C-1 School District Community Advisory Board; Secretary to Rev. Donna F. Roberson who serves as the Presiding Elder of the Northwest Missouri Conference and Fifth District Accountant for Bishop John R. Bryant; Publicity Chairperson for the Proposed Midwest Annual Conference, and a Trustee for the Northwest Missouri Conference serving in the capacity as Secretary.
Her achievements include developing an in-house call center for company with a loan portfolio of $25 million. Increase the church’s cash inflow by 305% in 5 years in Salisbury, Missouri. Instrumental in church members becoming involved in the community. As President of PTA raised funds to purchase playground equipment for Ingles Elementary School in the Hickman Mills School District. Church membership of 14 paid off a 4-year loan in 2-1/2 months. Hosted a two-day Empowerment Crusade for the seven rural churches of the Northwest Missouri Conference, with all seven churches receiving a disbursement of a total amount of $2,120.00. In December 2005 was guest speaker at Howard Chapel A.M.E. Church in Gallup, New Mexico a church membership of 5 where 30 Native Americans gave their life to Jesus Christ and 15 others joined the church, and the following conference year the new members participated in the Desert Mountain Conference choir. In addition, she paid off $10,000.00 worth of indebtedness in her first 10 months of arrival at St. John. She was awarded the Pastor of the Year 2004-2005 during her first year in urban ministry form the Northwest Missouri Conference Lay Organization of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. In December 2006, she was sponsored by the friends and family, and the Fifth Episcopal District Women’s Missionary Society to travel to the Kingdom of LeSotho in South Africa.
She is a skilled negotiator/communicator, comprehensive problem solver and dynamic motivator. She has a diverse experience in customer service, building alliances, research, investigation and business development. She enjoys public speaking, bowling, reading, research and playing chess.