Leadership
Pastor
Dr. Mark Gray, known as Bro. Mark, is a native of Oxford, Mississippi, and the Union West community. He grew up attending Union West Baptist Church, where he accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.
After high school, he moved to Jackson, Mississippi, to pursue a career in Radiologic Sciences at the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He later earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Health Sciences while serving in faculty and administrative roles.
In 2002, Dr. Gray answered God’s call to ministry and began serving as a bivocational pastor. After retiring from his professional career, he and his wife, Melissa (Missy), returned home to Oxford. He became pastor of Union West Baptist Church in 2022.
Dr. Gray is passionate about teaching God’s Word, sharing the love of Jesus, and helping others grow in their faith. He considers it a true blessing and privilege to pastor the church where he first learned about God’s love.
He and Missy have two children, Tyler and Zack, and three grandchildren.
Bro. Mark Gray
Worship Leader
Lisa grew up at Union West Baptist Church, where she began helping lead music at a young age. After marrying her husband, Samy, she moved to Birmingham, Alabama, where they raised their two daughters, Alison and Sara Grace.
Lisa has always had a passion for music and continued leading children’s music and singing in her church choir throughout their years in Birmingham.
Once their daughters left home, Lisa and her husband felt drawn back to their hometown of Oxford to be closer to family. They returned in 2023, and Lisa is grateful to be back in her home church, serving as Worship Leader and using her love of music to help others experience God’s presence through worship.
Lisa El-Feraly