BIO
Rev. Vernon L. Ricks, Sr.
Vernon L. Ricks, Sr., is a native of Virginia Beach, Virginia. He is the youngest of nine children and was educated in the Virginia Beach Public School System. He matriculated at Tidewater Community College and Norfolk State University. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Business and Religion from Hampton University. On October 13, 1971, he married Patrice M. Mills and to this union three children were born – two daughters and one son. He is also the proud grandfather to 8 grandchildren and great-grandfather to three.
Rev. Ricks answered the call to preach and delivered his initial sermon on Mother’s Day; May, 1977. He was ordained an Itinerate Elder and given his first pastoral appointment in May, 1980, in the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has pastored at Bethel AME Church in Wytheville, VA; St. Paul AME Church in Portsmouth, VA; Ebenezer AME Church in Cape Charles, VA; Campbell’s Chapel AME Church in Carrollton, VA; St. Mark AME Church in Virginia Beach, VA; and in May, 2018, he was assigned to pastor the Historic St. John’s AME Church in Norfolk, VA. In May, 2021, he elected to retire from pastoring in the AME Church.
On the Second Episcopal District level he has served as a delegate to the General Conference for the past six quadrennials including the 2021. He has served as a Marshall and a member of the Rules Committee for this conference. He has also worked in many capacities on the Virginia Annual Conference Level.
After retiring from 45 years of active ministry in the AME Church, the Lord gave Pastor Ricks another assignment. VLR Ministries was born. He is the founder and Senior Pastor of this ministry.
Rev. Ricks never meets a stranger and always carries a smile on his face. He wakes up each day on a mission to tell somebody about Jesus Christ. He lives by this motto which states “We believe the Gospel Must Be Preached.”