Senior Pastor

Oxford First UMC welcomes its new pastor, Rev. Quennel Alexander Anderson. He is a native of Memphis, Tennessee.  Rev. Anderson graduated from Fairley High School. It was during high school he accepted Jesus into his heart. He worked at Federal Express and received his higher calling from God to preach the Gospel while on that job in 2012.  He went through another storm shortly after his calling, but through it all, he gave God the Glory! He received another scholarship to Mississippi Valley State University.

 

A few things to know about our new Pastor:

He is a musician – From an early age and throughout his adolescence he has been a drummer. One of his earliest memories was beating on pots and pans while his mother cleaned the kitchen. He played drums at New Foundation Missionary Baptist Church, Greenwood, Mississippi under the supervision of Senior Pastor John R. Body as his way to give back. 

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He is not a quitter – After earlier education funding disappointments, he returned Memphis  and made a commitment to finish school.  He enrolled in ITT-Tech and graduated with an associate’s degree in business management in 2015

He is a family man – Reverend Anderson married his high school sweetheart, Mrs. Tarnika Love-Anderson. To this union, the Andersons have a beautiful daughter, Skylar.

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He is a man of God - Upon his return to Memphis, God used his gifts to help disciple young people through music. Pastor Anderson became a part of Mount Zion Taska Missionary Baptist Church. He later went on to do the work of ministry as an outreach specialist for Mount Vernon Baptist Church Westwood. Upon good faith and commitment to God and people, he was ordained in 2019. He enrolled at Memphis Theological Seminary in 2020 and earned my Master of Divinity in 2025.

Pastor Anderson’s mission - Spread the gospel, spread love, speak truth, stand firm, make disciples for Jesus Christ. (Matthew 28:18-20).

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Our new First Lady, Mrs. Anderson, holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Management from Jackson State University, a Master of Business Administration in Human Resources from Belhaven University, and a Master of Education from Relay Graduate School of Education. Currently, she serves as the Manager of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office Training Academy and previously she was a high school math teacher. She is also the Founder and Executive Director of the Youth Excel in Arts Foundation (YEA)—a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people discover their purpose, express their creativity, and grow in confidence and character. Whether in ministry, education, or community service, Sister Anderson leads with humility, strength, and love—always guided by her faith and a heart to serve.