Hazel Rebecca Terry Porter
(Mom Porter)

Hazel was a native of Louisiana, and the daughter of Mrs. Alzina B. Terry, and the late Mr. Hiram W. Terry, of Columbus, Ohio. She was married to Dr. Robert Porter for over thirty-one years until his passing in August of 1999. He was the founder/pastor of the Genesis Baptist Church in Sacramento, California and she partnered in the ministry with him, working in administration, counseling and Christian education. She was the parent of five children and grandmother of eight.

She held a Bachelor of Science Degree, with a major in Family Relations and a diploma in the Aging Studies Program, from the University of Minnesota. She has completed additional studies, in Christian Education with Virginia Union, and completed courses in Organizational Management, Business Management, and Family Counseling.

Hazel was a member of the Genesis Missionary Baptist Church in Sacramento, which is pastored by her sons, Rev. T. M. Porter and Rev. E. W. Porter. She shared in the counseling ministry at her church, served on the Pastors’ Council, was the Director of the Women and Family Ministry, assisted her pastors in the teaching ministry, and is an ordained Elder.

She was a meeting and events planner and assisted churches and organizations with hotel accommodations and banquet needs. She was an active member of the international and interdenominational Religious Conference Management Association.

She was currently serving as the newly elected President of the California Association Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows, the Dean of the Pacific Region MWMW, Public Relations Chair of the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows and is a Life Member of the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows and the California Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers Widows. Hazel was the local president and treasurer of the Sacramento Valley Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows, Dean of the California Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows, President of the Minnesota State Baptist MWMW and Executive Board Secretary of the Pacific Region MWMW.

Hazel was the Project Chair for the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows Minister’s Wife Devotional Bible, and worked with Thomas Nelson Publishers, of Nashville, Tennessee in bringing the Bible to reality. The project was released in June of 2001, in Dearborn, Michigan, and proved to be a great success. It sold out on its first printing, reaching as far as South America, Canada, the Caribbean Islands, and South Africa.

She also served as the editor and compiler of a book of anecdotes entitled, “A Mazwi O Moya” published by the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows released in June, 2002 and sold out in its first printing. It too, is has been distributed internationally, in South America, Canada, the Caribbean Islands and South Africa.

She had been on the board of the Amador /Sacramento County American Cancer Society, and was on the African American Advisory Committee Board, which focuses on promoting student achievement, developing more parent participation, and increasing a positive self image in the students. She was also on the board of the Meadowview Enhancement Center, a Genesis Church tutorial program for area youth.

Hazel was an entrepreneur, having co-owned the P & P Christian Bookstore and a women’s boutique, Porgenas, while living in St. Paul, Minnesota and was the owner of P & P Robes and Church Supplies, located in Sacramento, CA. She was also a founding member of the Butterfly Ladies Investment Club.

Hazel was the founder and CEO of H P Ministries Inc, a non-profit organization whose goal is to enrich the lives of women and children around the globe through ministry and outreach. H P Ministries Inc, partners with Genesis Church in global outreach as they minister to incarcerated women in the Northern California Women’s Facility and support the Love and Light Mission in Gonaives, Haiti, West Indies. This organization also sponsors the Women of Wisdom Conference, held annually in Sacramento, California. It is a multigenerational conference attracting young ladies ages 12—21 and women from across the nation.

She was a writer of prose and poetry and has written numerous plays, which have been presented at her church, and at churches across the nation; a book of poetry, Poems of Inspiration, and an inspirational booklet entitled, Hope in the Midst of Hurt. Hazel had been blessed to serve churches and organizations across the country, as a teacher and or speaker and is a staff writer for the monthly publication, Genesis Today, which is circulated throughout the United States, and the Caribbean Islands. In addition, one of her articles was published in the Minister’s Wife Devotional Bible, and two articles were featured in the book entitled “A Mazwi O Moya” published by the International Association of Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows.

Hazel has resided in England, Arizona, Ohio, Kansas, Minnesota and lived in Sloughhouse, a suburb of Sacramento, CA. She traveled extensively throughout the United States, including Hawaii and Alaska, and has traveled to Mexico and Canada, Port – au- Prince, Haiti, Cape Town and Johannesburg, South Africa.

She served as a guest missionary and speaker in Haiti, where she ministered at several churches and numerous missions and orphanages. She was a guest panelist at an IAMWMW International Conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii; was a guest speaker at IAMWMW International Conference held in Anchorage, Alaska and served as an instructor in the first International Association Ministers’ Wives and Ministers’ Widows Summit on the Continent of Africa, held in Cape Town, South Africa. She has also ministered on radio and television locally and in various other states.

She shared a rich fellowship with her sons, Rev. Ellington and Rev. Tecoy Porter and daughters-in-law, Tiwana and Karlette.

After many years on this Christian journey, Hazel learned to apply the words of Proverbs 3:5 & 6, and Psalms 37 to her life. God blessed her and she delighted in giving God the glory for His wonderful and numerous blessings in her life.