Meet the Candidate
Rev. Dr. Harry L. Seawright is the Pastor of Union Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Brandywine, Maryland, where he has served since 1986. He is a native of Swansea, South Carolina. Rev. Seawright was called to preach in 1977; ordained as an Itinerant Deacon in the AME Church in 1979; and as an Itinerant Elder in the AME Church in 1981. In 1991, Rev. Seawright led the construction of the new $1.6 million sanctuary. Under Rev. Seawright's leadership and with God's anointing, Union Bethel has over 50 innovative ministries and 50 sons and daughters in ministry. In 2001, the Lord laid on his heart to start a satellite church in Temple Hills, Maryland and the Union Bethel Intergenerational Center, Inc. – IGC was birthed. At this second church location, there are Sunday worship services, Church School, Intercessory Prayer, weekly Bible Study, and this facility is also a fully operational Day Care/Before and After Care Center that features a Banquet Hall for conferences, weddings, receptions and special events. The Center's mission is to "Foster Intergenerational Relationships and Strengthen Communities."
Rev. Seawright has spent over 35 years in ministry, specializing in community leadership, church construction and development. He is a spiritual leader, business man, community leader, world traveler, author and a family man. Prior to becoming the pastor of Union Bethel AME Church, Brandywine, Maryland, in 1986; he was assigned as Pastor at Payne Memorial AME Church, Jessup, Maryland, from 1981 -1983 and Hemingway Temple AME Church, Washington, DC, from 1983 -1986. He is a Trustee Emeritus on the Board of Trustees for Prince George's Community College; President/CEO and Founder of HLS Consulting, Inc., a company that specializes in church construction, administration, management and finance and the Founder and CEO of We Kleen, Inc. a company of commercial cleaning, landscape and handyman services. He is also the CEO and Founder of the Union Bethel Intergenerational Center, Inc (IGC) and the CEO and Founder of Prestige Realty, LLC.
Rev. Seawright’s prophetic vision, outstanding leadership and visionary calling to led the Union Bethel AME Church membership into ‘one church in two locations’, has transformed the little church on the side of the road to a well-respected church serving over 1,500 members in the Washington Metropolitan area.
From five acres of land to now over fifty-five areas of land; from two employees to now over 75 employees; from a little chapel to a sanctuary that seats over 500; to property that includes three homes, an apartment, greenhouse, pond and so many other blessings, Rev. Dr. Harry L. Seawright knows the power of the Holy Spirit. He has not missed a day of reading his bible in over sixteen years. And anyone that meets him, knows, he is a praying man!
Rev. Seawright is the author of More Than Bricks and Mortar: Building a Church Without Losing Your Mind, 1995 and Don't Faint: Help for Hurting Pastors and their Families, in 2012. He is a contributing author in The African American Devotional Bible, Meditation on Quality Leadership, 1997. And a contributing author in The Pastor’s Manual, The Pastor’s Role in Church Construction, 2000. He is been featured and quoted in the Afro-American newspaper, the Prince George’s County Gazette, the Christian Recorder, the Washington Post, the Maryland Independent newspaper and local papers in cities that he visit to preach and teach.
He is Treasurer for the Washington Conference and the Second Episcopal District of the A.M.E. Church; the Treasurer of the 2nd Episcopal District Religious, Education and Charitable Non-Profit Board (RED, Inc.) and a member of the Collective Banking Group. Rev. Seawright is a member and past president of the A.M.E. Ministerial Alliance of Washington, D.C. He is the Founder and Past President of Bethel House, Inc., a nonprofit outreach ministry organization. During the 2008 General Conference, Rev. Seawright was a candidate for Bishop, were he ran a spirit-filled, spirit-led and spirit driven campaign.
Education is very important to Rev. Seawright. He earned his Bachelor degree in Business Administration from Benedict College, Columbia, S.C. He earned the Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Howard University School of Divinity. As a member of the graduating class of 1995, he was awarded the Doctor of Ministry "Student of the Year." In 1996, he received the Concerned Black Christian Men of Prince George's County Religious Award; in 1998 he was listed in Who's Who in the Northeast. Rev. Seawright has recently been listed in the 2005-2006 edition of the National Register of Who's Who as a leading Executives and Professional. He attended St. Antony's College, in the University of Oxford, Oxford England in August 2004, where his presentation on "Dynamics of the Church, Politics and Education" was well received by the Oxford Round Table of distinguished leaders from around the world.
He resides in Fort Washington, Maryland with his wife, the Reverend Sherita Moon Seawright. They are the parents of Shari Nicole and Harry Matthew. And they are the proud grandparents of Cameron Isaiah.
Listen to the Candidate Preach with Passion!
