About us
Greetings in the wonderful name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!
We warmly invite you to visit us at Ebenezer Methodist Church. We are a growing and vibrant congregation that loves God and is committed to serving Him through ministry—both in our local community and around the world. Our mission is to make disciples for Jesus Christ through our witness, worship, service, and love.
Founded in 1840, Ebenezer has deep roots in this community. We believe God has called us to be faithful disciples—continually transformed by His grace and devoted to becoming fishers of men. We live out this calling through weekly worship, relational and community-focused missions, and the study of God’s Word.
We look forward to meeting you and invite you to grow with us!
our pastor:
Willie Murray
Willie graduated cum laude from Duke University Divinity School in December 2020, after earning a B.A. summa cum laude from Greensboro College in May 2017, and a B.S. from North Carolina A&T State University. As a scholarship recipient and member of the Thriving Rural Fellows, he received training through colloquia, retreats, and participation in the Rural Fellows Cohort. His field education included a student pastor appointment and the opportunity to build relationships with leaders at Duke and in the Western and North Carolina Conferences.
Willie was born in Kinston, North Carolina, and raised in Kenansville, North Carolina. He first sensed his call to ministry in kindergarten. In light of that calling, he pursued his first degree in Business Economics, graduating in May 2004. After graduation, he worked at Walmart for 16 years. He met his future wife, Brittaney—a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina—in November 2004 at Walmart, and they were married in August 2012. Their first daughter, Sophia Grace Murray, was born in November 2017.
During his tenure at Walmart, Willie was promoted four times. He began as a cart-pusher, and his fourth promotion brought him into store management. Despite his professional success, he felt his life was incomplete. In the fall of 2015, he began working on a second degree in Religion, with a concentration in Biblical Studies, at Greensboro College. Through his work with Dr. Benjamin Wall and Dr. Robert Brewer (Chaplain), he was awarded an internship supervised by Rev. Dan Martin. During this time, he was affirmed in his calling to preach and to engage the entire community through the ministry of the church—including the elderly, the sick, the youth, and the homeless.
He discerned that it was time to transition into full-time ministry and was accepted to Duke Divinity School, where he received both an academic scholarship and the Rural Fellows Scholarship in 2017. In the summer of that year, he completed a pre-enrollment placement at Canaan UMC with Rev. Doug Miller. During this placement, he learned that the ministry of the church extends beyond its walls. He felt convicted to share his passion for ministry and to encourage others to use their spiritual gifts. He was given opportunities to preach, craft liturgy, serve as a liturgist, and engage in pastoral visitation.
In July 2018, he began serving as a student pastor, leading a two-point charge at Fairview and Welch Memorial in Trinity and High Point, North Carolina. During his time at these appointments, he learned how to adapt his preaching style—tone, pitch, analogies, body language, etc.—to meet the needs of his congregation. As the Apostle Paul said, he “became all things to all people” (1 Corinthians 9:22).
In July 2020, Willie was appointed Lead Pastor of Jordan Memorial in Ramseur, NC. In July 2021, he was appointed Lead Pastor of Wilson Temple in Raleigh, NC. As of January 2024, he currently serves as Senior Pastor of Ebenezer Methodist Church in Raleigh. Rev. Murray was ordained both Elder and Deacon by the North Carolina Provisional Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church on June 22, 2024.
Willie’s spiritual gifts include administration, compassion, and discernment. He has a deep love for preaching, teaching, outreach, and pastoral care.
He enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter, intellectual discussions and debates, history, art, jazz, opera and classical music, reading, problem-solving, fishing, and riding ATVs. He is the son of Willie E. Murray Sr. and Donnette W. Murray, and his siblings are Temika Moore, Tasha Wilson, and Jamal Murray. His ethics and morals are grounded in the love of Christ, honesty, decency, loyalty, and respect. His cornerstone Bible verses are Matthew 25:31–46, John 13:35, and 1 Corinthians 13. Willie plans to begin Ph.D. work in the field of Philosophy and Ethics in the coming years.