Reverend Dr. Amy Christine Hodge leads by example, and that example, she believes, is divinely inspired.
Photo By Aaron Spicer
Amy Christine Hodge’s “faith and vision have stirred the energy and belief of the people, and have brought about a more committed approach to the needs of the community at large.”
That quote comes from Mary Hackley, a member of the Mt. Zion AME Church in Roanoke. Hodge is the 150-member church’s pastor, but her reach is far wider and deeper than that.
She is, and has been for more than two decades, a woman on a mission with a goal of improving the lives of those around her. She has been the first female pastor of several churches in her denomination and was named Pastor of the Year by the Virginia Annual Conference in 2023.
Hodge is a certified trauma informed presenter (conducting trauma workshops) and she teaches what she calls “the science of hope.” With that theme, she is author of the workbook “Believing in Yourself,” a book she uses daily.
The 72-year-old native of Henry County is named for her great, great grandmother, a slave who was freed at age 15. Hodge is a fourth-generation member of the AME church, like most of her family. She has two sisters and two brothers (one of the sisters is a minister) and her mother once said Hodge had been preaching since she was four years old.
Hodge, who has been, as she described, “unhappily” married twice, but has not been married for nearly 20 years. She has three adult children and five grands, all well-educated. She is a graduate of Patrick Henry Community College, Virginia University of Lynchburg, and the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union (master’s and doctorate). She has an honorary doctorate from Eastern Theological Seminary.
Kathy Cohen, Rabbi Emerita of Temple Emanuell in Roanoke, said simply, “Amy is great! [She] is one of Roanoke’s stars. She cares deeply about the city and its citizens and works with passion to ensure that people have what they need. It is an honor to serve on the Gun Violence Prevention Commission with her.”
Hodge’s “clear focus on helping to make the community a safer place is evident in her passion to distribute gun locks and information about firearms. She serves with both heart and soul.”
Hodge gets right to her philosophy. “I teach depressives to get off the couch,” she said emphatically.
“Under Rev. Hodge’s leadership, the church has initiated new ministries, including the expansion of the Doris Dillard Food Bank, the Ruth Hilton Clothes Closet, the installation of the chimes system that rings out over the community every hour,” Hackley said. “During the COVID-19 pandemic, clinics were held at the church for community accessibility. In addition, our church partners with some of Roanoke City elementary schools providing school supplies, books, hats, gloves, socks, and any activities relating to our school population.”
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