Embracing Life's Final Journey with Rev. Dr. Ayo Jordan

The Reverend Doctor Ayo Jordan, a native of Washington, DC, was raised and educated in Virginia. Her spiritual relationship began when she accepted the Lord as her Savior at an early age and was baptized at Hungary Road Baptist Church in Glen Allen, Virginia. Dr. Ayo received and acknowledged the consecrated opportunity to be used by God and was licensed to preach the Gospel in 2005. Dr. Ayo accredits her ministerial introductions to her initial sermon which was a eulogy for her uncle and politician at the South African Consulate in Chicago, Illinois. That moment was the trajectory of Ayo’s call to congregational ministry and community leadership.

Embracing but not negating her Pentecostal roots, Ayo joined the Baptist church for spiritual growth, formation and educational experience in 2008. It was at the historic Gravel Hill Baptist Church, where Dr. Ayo became the youngest and 2nd ordained female minister in its history. In 2016, Dr. Ayo became the Associate Pastor of Congregational Care. An advocate for women, youth and young adults, Dr. Ayo is a popular preacher with a powerful voice and agent of change for the Body of Christ.

Educated in the Henrico County School system and committed to education, Dr. Ayo attended the University of Maryland Eastern Shore; where she was an honor student. She earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology at Virginia Union University; a Masters in Science Degree in Patient Counseling from Virginia Commonwealth University and the Doctor of Ministry Degree at United Theological Seminary where her doctoral cohort and focus group was 21st Century Congregational Development & New Faith Communities.

 Dr. Ayo has served in a bi-vocational role along with her ministerial duties. She has a demonstrated history of working in multi-faceted roles in diverse populations of the community; including funeral homes, cemeteries, hospitals, churches, assisted living communities, hospice and crisis-stabilization facilities. Her love for the underserved, grieving and brokenhearted makes her no stranger to the Death-Care Industry with over 18 years’ experience. Dr. Ayo is a Virginia Licensed Cemeterian, committed to providing excellent care to families while assisting with cemetery arrangements both Pre-Need and At-Need. Because of her rich skillset and professional relationships, Dr. Ayo is a sought-after consultant, working at several historic funeral homes and managing cemeteries in both the Richmond and Tidewater areas. Dr. Ayo is the CEO of Life Vault & Memorials, a company where she provides quality memorial options and services for both traditional and cremation. Further, she is a trained chaplain experienced in Patient Counseling and Pastoral Care. Currently, she is employed with an Organ Procurement Organization in their Transplant Services Division advocating for organ, tissue and eye donation; as well as a Spiritual Support Coordinator for Children of the Kings Daughters in Norfolk VA.

 Dr. Ayo is active in her community, receiving many honors and recognitions in her lifetime. Dr. Ayo is honored to be a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated and a faithful sister in the Order of the Eastern Star. She is humbled by her spiritual gift of “humor” and the prophetic mandate for ministry that God has placed on her life which is a divine call and passion for the healing of the broken-spirited. She is passionate about her purpose, which is to laugh, love, lead and labor and is unashamed to use her life as a teaching lesson to encourage, educate and empower to those she encounters.