Our Leadership Team

SINCE 1869

Vernis Wright

Pastor of Merry Grove Missionary Baptist Church

Vernis Wright is a native of Raleigh, North Carolina. He is the seventh of eight children born to the late Thomas and Elsie Wright born on July 4, 1955. He resides in Raleigh, NC with his wife Patricia Pearce Wright. They have three sons, C'Darris, Stacey and Ty and one daughter, Aniya. Reverend Wright attended Saint Augustine College and attended Shaw University Divinity School.  He received a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry from Carolina Christian College.

Pastor Wright retired from the North Carolina Department of Justice with 32 years of service. He is a faithful member of the Eastern Ministries Alliance (EMA) where he served as the President. Reverend Wright was born and raised as a disciple of Merry Grove Baptist Missionary Baptist Church in Zebulon, North Carolina. He became a Christian at the age of 12. As a young adult, he can testify that he failed God in more ways than he should, but he can truly say that God has never failed him.

It was in 1985 that God convicted him and drew him back into the fold. He rededicated his life to God and continues to serve him. Reverend Wright was called into the gospel ministry on Thanksgiving Day of 2002. He was licensed to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ on March 31, 2003. He was ordained as a minister on April 24, 2005, and installed as Pastor of Merry Grove Missionary Baptist Church on July 9, 2005, where he continues to serve in that capacity.

Doretha Thomas

Associate Minister

Minister Thomas has been preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ since she was licensed as a minister in 2013 and preached her initial sermon at Merry Grove Baptist Church on August 11 of the same year. Under the leadership of Reverend Vernis Wright, Minister Thomas serves as a Sunday school teacher to the youth, and she leads a monthly prayer call on the 3rd Saturdays at noon.

Minister Thomas is deeply passionate about serving, caring for, and uplifting others. She understands the significance of being a devoted servant of the Lord and exemplifies this through her actions. One of her favorite songs, "Somebody Prayed for Me," resonates with her, as she believes the prayers of others have played a pivotal role in her life. Having faced personal struggles, Minister Thomas draws from her own experiences to passionately advocate for healing and deliverance by offering hope to others through her ministry.

Minister Thomas is a graduate of Wake Technical Community College, where she earned an associate’s degree in medical administration. As the eldest of six siblings, she has always embraced a leadership role within her family. Minister Thomas is also the proud mother of one son, Troymetris Wright.

Her favorite scripture is found in Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."


Rev. Dana Harris

Associate Minister

Dana Harris is a native of Virginia where she received her early education. She is married to Anthony Terry. They are parents of three, grandparents of six and great-grandparents of one. Dana completed her associate’s degree in biblical studies from Harvest Word in Zebulon, NC and has completed continuing education classes at Christ Anointing


Church in Spring Hope, NC. Dana came to Merry Grove as a seeker of God and was moved to become a member and disciple in 2009. Dana received and accepted her call into the Preaching Ministry in September 2013. She was ordained in December 2020. As a Minister and a member of Merry Grove MB Church, Reverend Harris has proven to be a growing steward of God's Word. She displays an admirable "Ministry of Helps". Reverend Harris has grown to love, respect, and trust God in all situations. She continues to seek God’s guidance in her life.


Nikki Hines

Associate Minister

Minister Nikki Hines, a native of Virginia, has been a member of Merry Grove and under the leadership and covering of Reverend Vernis Wright since 2015. She is grateful to be a Christian and to serve a God who is a promise keeper, healer, deliverer and a protector. Nikki is passionate about serving people.

Nikki preached her initial sermon “You Don’t Know Like I Know, What He’s Done for Me” in 2023. She is certain and a witness of God’s word in 2 Corinthians 4:7-9, “ But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed”.


Charlie Woods

Associate Minister

Charlie is a native of Louisburg N.C. He attended Louisburg High School and went on to graduate from Central Carolina Community College in Lillington, N.C. He has been employed as a government contractor at the U.S. EPA since 2011. He and his wife, Stephanie, have three sons, one daughter in love, and one cherished grandson.

Charlie serves on the church executive board, teaches Sunday School and Bible Study. He also serves as church Parliamentarian. His testimony is that he has overcome several obstacles in life and knows that it is because of Jesus that he is still standing through the storms of life. He decided to follow Jesus after making some bad decisions in life and have found that God will never leave nor forsake him no matter what this world throws his way. He believes that it is because of these challenges and his belief in Jesus that he can now give back to my community, go talk with others and let them know that Jesus can turn their life around and that no matter what man says, God has the last word.

Charlie was ordained as a Deacon in 2006 and served faithfully for many years. He accepted his call to preach the gospel in 2023 at Merry Grove Missionary Baptist Church where he preached his initial sermon in October 2023.

Charlie has never met a stranger and will tell you that his trials were all in God’s plan. He is grateful for the opportunity to tell others about how God changed his life. He enjoys ministering to others, cycling, lifting weights, good food and traveling. Charlie truly believes that his ministry goes beyond the four walls of the church and that there is a dying world out there that needs to know about Jesus.

Charlie’s favorite bible verse is Romans 8:28: “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose”.