Rev. Dr. Donald R. Owens

was born in Shreveport, Louisiana. He was active in his church, and in May 1979, accepted a call to the ministry at the Antioch Baptist Church in Waukegan, Illinois. He was ordained November 1981. Rev. Owens is a graduate of Southern Illinois University and Bethel Theological Seminary and Southern California Bible School where he earned his master’s degree in Biblical Studies, and Doctoral Degree in 2014. Pastor Owens attended the Navy Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island where he was commissioned an officer in the United States Navy. He received a number of civic and military awards and recognitions. June 14, 2003, Rev. Owens became the organizing and founding Pastor of Exodus Church. On February 15, 2015, Exodus United Methodist Church was formed combining four ministries together. In June 2015, Exodus UMC received its official charter at the California-Pacific Annual Conference, and Bishop Carcaño' appointed Owens Pastor of Exodus United Methodist Church where he still serves. Exodus was the first UMC church chartered in San Diego in the last 30 years. In August 2018, Rev. Owens was assigned as Unemployment Insurance Chief of the Northern Operations Division by the California Labor Secretary. He was responsible for the oversight of ten Unemployment Offices. On March 1, 2021, after twenty years of serving the people of California, Pastor Owens retired fro

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