Raphael K. Koikoi

Phone (281) 620-9928

Mailing Address

PO Box 5002

Cranberry Twp, PA 16066

Bio
Rev. Raphael K. Koikoi, Jr., M. Div.
Lead Servant, Warren UMC: Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh District, Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference

Rev. Raphael Koikoi, a native of Liberia, is a proud Wesley Theological Seminary alumnus. He came to the United Methodist Church while attending Morgan State University, which began as a Methodist Ministry. While there, he discovered Northwood-Appold UMC, which he joined. It was this congregation that gave support to his acceptance of his call to ministry. The majority of his early ministry was in Youth Ministry and Christian Education.
Rev. Koikoi is a Provisional Elder in the Baltimore Washington Conference (UMC). Rev. Koikoi has served as Secretary and later, Chair of the Baltimore Washington Conference Committee on Global Ministries. He participated in the Baltimore Washington Conference’s partnerships with the Methodist Churches in Korea, Japan, Puerto Rico, and Zimbabwe. He served four congregations in the Baltimore Washington Conference as staff as well as under appointment prior to serving in Western Pennsylvania. His pastoral ministry work has generally involved working with ethnic congregations in gentrifying communities.

Pastor K currently serves on loan to the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference. He recently completed his first year under appointment to Warren: Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh District). He formerly served as Upper Allegheny Valley Director of Ministry Development and Community Engagement (Butler District). In that capacity, he worked to connect congregations, communities, and related organizations including non-profits with a vision of discovering ministry opportunities and building them into connected ministry. He also did fundraising (grants) to support the developing ministries. This work enabled at least one school district to develop a clothing service for its high school students, two Summer Lunch Programs, and a Clothing Ministry, among others.

Rev. Koikoi has facilitated workshops at the UMC quadrennial YOUTH event, taught at District Leadership Days, and consulted on youth and community ministry matters. He enjoys all things ministry-related, especially small group ministry. He believes that faith without works is dead (James 2:14-26) and that discipleship is a lifelong journey. As a practical theologian, he lives out his faith in the community by leading and encouraging congregations to connect and where necessary, reconnect to their communities. He believes congregations should be active participants in the lives of communities.
He is married to Bishop Cynthia M. Moore-Koikoi, a life-long United Methodist who currently serves as Resident Bishop of the Pittsburgh Episcopal Area. His passions include social justice, incorporating culture into worship, mentoring and working with young people, and finding ways to connect young and older Christians. His hobbies include biking, golf, photography, and travel. He loves to spend time with his immediate and extended family.