Lesha M. Agnew was born in Baldwyn, MS to the late Rev. Annie Whitmore and William A. Jeans, both whom are graduates of Mississippi Industrial College in Holly Springs, MS, a CME school.  She currently resides in Guntown, MS with her son, Adrian, a junior at Saltillo High School.  She is a 1990 honors graduate of Baldwyn High School where she was a member of the National Beta Club, Bearcat Band, yearbook staff, senior class secretary, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Anchor Club.  She attended Mississippi Valley State University in Itta Bena, MS and is a 1996 graduate of Mississippi University for Women in Columbus, MS with a B.S. in Paralegal Studies.  Rev. Agnew received her Masters of Divinity degree from Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN on May 18, 2013.  She is the owner of L A Tax Solutions in Guntown, MS and is employed as a Research Administrator in the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at the University of Mississippi in Oxford, MS.

Rev. Agnew accepted her call into the ministry at the Bethel CME Church in Guntown, MS.  By recommendation of the Bethel Quarterly Conference, Rev. Agnew was admitted on trial in the 18th Session of the Northeast Mississippi Region Annual Conference.  In 2009 during the 19th session of the Northeast Mississippi Region Conference, Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr., ordained her as a Traveling Deacon.  During the 21st Session of the Northeast Mississippi Annual Conference Bishop Thomas L. Brown, Sr. appointed her as the pastor of Bethlehem CME Church in Etta, MS.  Rev. Agnew was ordained as a Traveling Elder during the 22nd Session of the Mississippi Annual Conference. In the 23rd Session of the Combined Mississippi Annual Conferences, Rev. Agnew was admitted into full connection in the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church and assigned as pastor of Hamilton Chapel CME Church in Waterford, MS, where she has lead the congregation in establishing new ministries for children and youth, instituting a weekly teleconference prayer ministry, creating partnerships with local community service organizations and affiliates, and lead the congregation in a major renovation of the sanctuary.  During the 28th Session of the Northeast Mississippi Conference, Rev. Agnew was assigned to the Chandlers Temple Church in Verona, MS.

Pastor Agnew currently serves as the Dean of the Mississippi Leadership Training School, Assistant Director of Christian Education for the Northeast Mississippi Region, 4th Episcopal District Young Adult Ministry Director, member of the Program Committee of the Empowering Us to Help Us Initiative, secretary of the Northeast Mississippi Conference Committee on Ministerial Examination and as a staff person with the General Department of Christian Education.  In her staff positon for the General Department of Christian Education, manages the social media outlets to keep the connectional church updated, serves as facilitator for training workshop for local churches, districts and the connectional church. Rev. Agnew has previously served as the Associate Dean of the Mississippi Leadership Training School, Young Adult Director of the Aberdeen-Tupelo District, President of the Northeast Mississippi Region Young Adult Council, and as the Director of Christian Education for the Holly Springs -Oxford District. Rev. Agnew provided leadership and program design for the 2016 Connectional Youth and Young Adult Ministry.  As the 4th Episcopal District Director of Young Adult Ministry, Rev. Agnew is responsible for leading efforts to institute the first 4th Episcopal District Young Adult Retreats.  Rev. Agnew has conducted workshops for local churches, districts and the conferences entitled, ‘Intentional Teaching Strategies for Sunday school in the 21st Century,” “The Essential Church: Undergirded by Intentional Teaching”, and “The Investment Factor: How Pastors Can Make a Good Investment”. Rev. Agnew served as a facilitator for a class entitled, “Servant Ministry in the Local Church” at the 2nd CME Unity Summit in Houston, TX, September 2013 and “I’ve Been Called, Now What” during the 3rd CME Unity Summit in Memphis, TN.  Rev. Agnew is a 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 contributor to A Meditation Booklet for Lent/Easter.  This booklet is published as a collaboration between the Christian Education Departments of the African Methodist Episcopal Church, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.  During the 2015 CME Pastors’ Conference. Rev. Agnew was recognized as the 4th Episcopal District 2015 Exemplary CME Clergy Woman.

 

Rev. Agnew is a member of the Lee Country Branch of the NAACP, the National Council of Negro Women, the American Association of University Women and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc.

 

Rev. Agnew is a visionary preacher, pastor, leader, administrator, and Christian Educator who believes in creating opportunities for others to witness and experience the transforming power of God in their lives through the preaching and teaching of God’s Word.