James A. Forbes

He was called to the ministry in 1956 and in 1962 he completed a Master of Divinity Degree from Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

Forbes was the first African American to serve as Senior Minister of one of the largest multicultural congregations in the nation.

The church stands on the border of the Morningside Heights and Harlem neighborhoods, and serves an interdenominational congregation.

He helped support Pernessa C. Seele's efforts with the first years of the Harlem Week of Prayer for Healing of AIDS, the start of a national movement to deal with public health issues through communities of faith.

Forbes participated in a Drum Major Institute-sponsored event titled, "The Power of Restorative Justice with San Francisco Sheriff Michael Hennessey".

In 2009, Forbes authored the book Whose Gospel: A Concise Guide to Progressive Protestantism, in which he offers a compelling vision of progressive social change and addresses the most crucial issues of our time—poverty, war, women's equality, racial justice, sexuality, and the environment.