Rev. Dr. Mark Edward Rolling

Rev. Dr. Mark Edward Rolling was born on July 16, 1969 to Sylvia Juanita Rolling and James Haywood Rolling, Sr. He was raised in Crown Heights, a neighborhood of Brooklyn, NY. After graduating from Sheepshead Bay High School, he attended Brooklyn College where he earned his Bachelor's degree in Accounting in 1992. Mark was proud to have earned two degrees from Liberty University: a Master's of Divinity degree in 2014 and a Doctorate of Ministry degree, concentration in Discipleship, in 2024. In his continued service to the community, Mark was also a Master Tax Advisor and worked for H&R Block for 25 years.

In 1989, Mark met the love of his life Dorothy Elaine Benton at the Brooklyn Tabernacle Prayer Band. Mark assisted Dorothy in leading the Monday all-night prayer watch. Eventually, they fell in love and were married on November 7, 1992.

Mark was ordained into the ministry in 1997, and began his pastoral journey at South Bronx Tabernacle. There, Pastor Mark and his wife shared Jesus in the inner city- teaching, preaching, leading worship and doing street evangelism. During this time, they moved to New Jersey, started their family and had three beautiful daughters: Christina Carolyn, Christal Juanita, and Christy Marquia. After eleven years in the Bronx, Pastor Mark and Dorothy served at Brookdale Christian Church for five years in Bloomfield, NJ. He expanded their prayer ministry, preached, and counseled.

After much prayer, they decided to join the Hawthorne Gospel Church, where Pastor Mark worked faithfully as the pastor of Prayer and Discipleship. He was known for his genuine pastor's heart-always ready to listen, encourage, and pray with those he met. His humility, faithfulness, and servant spirit deeply impacted our church family and all who knew him. Pastor Mark oversaw a variety of ministries, including Wednesday Night Prayer Meeting, Singles Plus, Men's, Deaf Ministry, Connectors, and more. Over these past ten years, his joys included Men's Field Day, counseling, fellowship and encouraging anyone he came across. Even as a tax professional, Mark's love for people shone through as he helped generations of families each year. All of this has been done by the grace of God, with the help of his beautiful wife Dorothy and their three, musical daughters.

Mark is survived by his wife of thirty-two years, Dorothy, and their three daughters: Christina (28), Christal (25) and Christy (22). He is also survived by his siblings Dr. James Haywood Rolling, Jr. and his wife, Me'Shae Brooks-Rolling; Angela Evette Rolling; Dwayne Christopher Lee-Rolling and his wife Toniann Lee-Rolling, along with a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, godsons, goddaughters, and many other loved ones.

Pastor Mark's life was marked by his love for Jesus, his devotion to his family and to loving the people around him. He truly lived a life of no regrets.