Rev. Veronica Pauline Greene serves on the Ministerial Staff, the Voices of Praise and is the Minister to Women at Refuge Church Ministries II in Glen Burnie, Maryland under the dynamic leadership of Pastors V. Keith and Iantha Brown. She was formally an original member of Refuge Church Ministries, Inc. founded in May, 2000 under the leadership of Rev. Phyllis B. Smotherson, located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland where she served on the Ministerial Staff, as well as the administrative and personal secretary to the Pastor. As a child she attended The Church of the Lord Jesus Christ located in Washington D.C. She is now retired but was formerly employed by the U.S. Department of Justice where she served for 19 years. Rev. Greene is a Summa Cum Laude Biblical Studies Graduate of Spirit of Faith Bible Institute, Temple Hills, Maryland and has plans to pursue further education in Grief Counseling and Biblical Theology. She also has served in many ministries such as the Voices of Refuge, the Refuge Mass Choir, “Divine Hope” Liturgical Dance Ministry, and Evangelism Ministry. While a member at Greater Mt. Nebo A.M.E. Church, she served as Steward, member of the Bertha Bell Missionary Society and President and member of the Inspirational Choir, and the Mt. Nebo Gospel Singers. Rev. Greene has been working for the Lord for a long time and answered her call to ministry at the Refuge Women’s Retreat in October, 2005 and was officially ordained in March, 2009.

She is the youngest of twelve children born to the late Preston and Louise Wallace in Hyattsville, Maryland. Rev. Greene resides in Severn, Maryland, is happily married to Min. Deacon Matthew Greene and they are the proud parents of three sons, two daughter-in-laws, and the very proud grandparents of 5 grandsons and 2 granddaughters.

Rev. Greene has a compassionate and loving spirit and loves to sing. She discovered early in life that music was a part of her soul. What she could not express in spoken words could easily be relayed through song.

Though she has endured many tragic experiences in her life, she readily stands on the Word of God as declared in Romans 8:38-39; “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

As a servant of the Most High, Rev. Greene is determined to do what the Lord has called her to do and does not take God’s favor on her life lightly. She considers it a privilege to be able to study under such anointed Pastors and prays that her light will so shine that one can’t help but see Jesus working in her and through her. Her mission is simply to “win souls for Christ.” To God Be The Glory!

Rev. Robert Ross Burrell, III was born in Trenton, NJ on July 29, 1958. He is married to the lovely Denise Harrison Burrell. They have two children between them, Azariah Burrell and Britagne Mundy.

Rev. Burrell was ordained under the leadership of Bishop V.T Curry at New Birth Baptist Church International on June 28, 1998, and has worked in full-time ministry under many different capacities from the parking lot ministry to the Pastor of Evangelism.

While working in and for ministries Rev. Burrell felt the desire to work closely with men. Men's issues have become the focus of his purpose. Having battled drug addiction, homelessness, domestic violence, and being a father deprived of access to his daughter; he understood the plight of men and wanted to do what he could to help others dealing with the same issues. So he formed the LOLRM (Light of Life Recovery Ministry). LOLRM’s Mission Statement is:

“Light of Life Recovery Ministries ("LOLRM") is a Ministry of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Word of God will help addicted men, men who have lost hope and angry build a firm foundation that will allow them to withstand the storms of life. It is our aim and purpose to build men of character and integrity and to send them back home to take their rightful place. The power of addiction and hopelessness can be defeated through the Word of God and the shed Blood of Jesus. In my own struggles, I have found that the application of the Word of God has given me the liberty to stay clean. The Lord allowed me to build a firm foundation that has withstood the storms of life. So now I am trying to lead men, pointing them to JESUS so they can experience the same results. Learning about myself and the Word of God made me look at the man in the mirror. I did not like what I saw. I desperately wanted change. I wanted my dignity back. Only God can restore your character and integrity.”

During his tenure at New Birth, Rev. Burrell operated as Coordinator of the Overcomers’ ministry, Sunday School teacher, and as Head of the Divorce Recovery ministry. He was Ordained as a deacon in 1993 and Ordained an Elder in June 1998. He worked full-time as the Pastor of Evangelism (in charge of Street, Nursing Home, Prison, and Rescue Mission ministries). At OCG, he served as the Pastor of Outreach, Men, and Marriage ministries. Currently, under the leadership of Pastor Dr. Keith Brown and Pastor Iantha Brown at Refuge Church Ministries II, he is the director of the Men’s ministries.

After surviving hurricane Katrina, Rev. Burrell relocated to Atlanta and then Maryland where he partnered with his wife Denise to do the work of the Lord. They team to serve the Lord in spirit and truth!

Reverend Denise Harrison Burrell is a native of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and the youngest of two children born to Calvin and Eleanor Harrison. She is the proud wife of Reverend Robert R. Burrell, III, and the proud mother of one daughter, Britagne A. L. Miller, stepdaughter, Azariah Burrell, and a host of adopted sons and daughters. Reverend Burrell totally surrendered her life unto Jesus Christ at age 14 and her life has not been the same since her surrender. She is a woman of virtue with a heart and passion for God's people.

Reverend Burrell’s music ministry spans over 30 years. She has traveled throughout the United States singing with various groups, choirs, and artists. Her musical accomplishments span from singing with the All City Choir of Philadelphia, Pa as a child, to singing with the Edwin Hawkins Music & Arts Seminar Choir. She sang and recorded with artists such as Bishop Bruce Parham, Evangelist Anne Darby Hinton, and other gospel artists requesting backup vocalists. She also has experience as a pit singer and studio vocalist as well as other musical accomplishments.

Reverend Burrell gives God all the glory for the years of preparing and equipping her to be the woman of God that she is today. In 1994 God began to take her to yet another level and she began training to become an ordained and licensed minister of the gospel, answering the call on her life recognized at age 12 when she wrote her first sermon.

God has used Reverend Burrell’s heart of a servant to minister to the Body of Christ in many areas, such as Sunday school teacher, vacation bible school teacher, deaconess, head of women’s ministry, youth pastor, mentor, outreach ministry, worship leader and other areas in which her heart has been so willing to serve.

God has seen the faithfulness of Reverend Burrell’s heart and has anointed her voice to minister the gospel, reach lost souls, and encourage God’s people. Her goal is to further enhance His Kingdom by sharing God’s wisdom and knowledge through song, music, and Word.

Reverend Burrell is a graduate of Grand Canyon University, earning her bachelor’s in Christian and Biblical studies in April 2019.

Minister Deacon Matthew Greene, Sr. serves on the Ministerial Staff, Deacon Board, member of the Financial Board, President of the Usher Board, and member of the Gospel Refugees at Refuge Church Ministries II in Glen Burnie, Maryland under the dynamic leadership of Pastors V. Keith and Iantha Brown.

Min/Deacon Matt is the 3rd oldest of 14 children born to the late Alfred Carlton Greene and Grace S. Greene in Calvert County Maryland. As a child, he was reared in the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith located in Washington D.C. He was a former member of Greater Mt. Nebo A.M.E.Church where he served as Usher, member of the Mt. Nebo Gospel Singers, and member of the Inspirational Choir. In the year 2000, Min. Matt and his family became original members of Refuge Church Ministries, Inc. under the leadership of Rev. Phyllis B. Smotherson, located in Upper Marlboro, Maryland where he served on the Deacon Board, Finance Board, Choir, and President of the Usher Board.

Min/Deacon Matt retired from the U. S. Postal Service in 2011 after 41 years of service. He is a graduate of Biblical Studies at Spirit of Faith Bible Institute. He resides in Severn, Maryland with his wife, Rev. Veronica Greene, and is the proud father of three sons, two daughters-in-law, and the proud, proud grandfather of five grandsons and two granddaughters.

Min/Deacon Matt is a conscientious, prayerful, confident, loving, and caring man who has a heart for God. One of Minister Matt's favorite Scriptures is Matthew 9:37-38; "Then said He to His disciples, The harvest truly is plenteous, but the laborers are few; pray he, therefore, the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth laborers into his harvest."

His calling and number one passion is working with the youth but serves when and wherever God has a need for him.

To God Be The Glory!

Ms. Juanetta T. Swann was born in Washington, DC on August 14, 1970, to Lawrence C. Swann, Jr., and Brenda J. Swann.

As a native Washingtonian, she graduated from Paul Laurence Dunbar Senior High School in 1988.  Juanetta believes education is very important and, as such, has pursued various educational degrees and classes over the years.  Juanetta holds three degrees from Strayer University – 1) Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems, 2) Associate in Arts in Database Technology, and 3) Associate in Arts in Computer Information Systems.  In addition, she received her fourth degree – Master of Divinity (MDiv) from Denver Seminary’s DC Extension Campus in May 2020. 

Juanetta has a diverse employment background with years of culminating experience in the fields of Administration, Help Desk, Technical Support, Supervision & Management, Nursing Assistant, High School Tutor, and High School Teacher.

Juanetta has been a member of several churches in the Washington Metropolitan area and Houston, Texas where God continues to prepare her for her role(s) in ministry.  Under such tutelage, she has received training in teaching, preaching, evangelism, pastoral ministry, and the prophetic realms of God’s kingdom. Juanetta believes God is calling her to the pastorate and believes the Spirit of God will equip and lead her in this endeavor.

One of Juanetta’s favorite Scriptures and mantras is found in Proverbs 3:5-6 (NLT) – Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight.  She believes as we submit, surrender, and follow the leadership of the Lord, He will direct and keep us in His perfect peace.  She is also fond of Psalm 91 in its entirety.

Juanetta has developed a local Outreach Program based on the needs of the community and has taught numerous Bible Studies.  She particularly enjoys learning from the seniors in her community.  Juanetta believes that gleaning from the minds of the past will help us impact the minds of the future.

Juanetta became a licensed minister on October 14, 2018, and an ordained Reverend on March 12, 2023, at Refuge Church Ministries II in Glen Burnie, Maryland. She serves as the Minister of Social & Digital Media and enjoys the various aspects of leadership.  She looks forward to going deeper, higher, and further in God as she pursues a life of purity, holiness, and righteousness.  In addition, Juanetta is a Mentor, Coach, and Accountability Partner to women seeking growth, direction, and deliverance in various areas of life.