Biography:
The Reverend Eric S.C. Manning is the husband of Andretta M. Manning and is the proud father of Ashley and Eric II. He is the son of Louis Manning Jr. and Queen E. Manning Gordon.
Rev. Manning, a native of Norristown, PA, holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from Excelsior College and a Master of Divinity Degree from Erskine Theological Seminary. He is currently pursuing a Doctor of Ministry from Erskine Theological Seminary. Additionally, Rev. Manning served honorably in the US Army in Military Intelligence and had a successful career in information technology, culminating at Hewlett Packard Enterprises (HPE), before transitioning to full-time pastoral ministry.
In 2004, Rev. Manning was elevated to the esteemed position of Pastor and assumed his first pastoral charge at Welch Chapel A.M.E. Church in Timmonsville, SC. He went on to serve at Trinity AME in Pamplico, SC (August 2007 – September 2011), St. Paul AME in Effingham, SC (September 2011 – November 2014), and Historic Bethel AME in Georgetown, SC (November 2014 – June 2016). Throughout his tenure at these churches, he demonstrated unwavering dedication to the congregation, actively contributed to the expansion of the Kingdom of God, and provided exemplary leadership to the community.
In June 2016, Rev. Manning was assigned to Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC, as the Senior Pastor. In his capacity, Rev. Manning has led the congregation on a journey of healing, recovery, and restoration. Early in his administration, he spent time understanding where the family members, church members, and survivors were in their journey by showing a “ministry of presence” during the Federal and State trials. He has worked with the National Crime Victim Research & Treatment Center at MUSC to ensure that comprehensive services were available to survivors, their families, and the community. This included establishing the Mother Emanuel Empowerment Center (MEEC), which focused on developing resilience and strengthening communities by integrating faith, hope, healing, and health through the provision of spiritual and therapeutic services. He is the Co-Chair of the Mother Emanuel Memorial Foundation, which manages the fundraising, construction, endowment, and development of social justice programs and outreach for the Emanuel Nine Memorial. The Emanuel Nine Memorial is a national memorial planned to honor the five survivors and the nine church members and clergy murdered in 2015 during Bible Study at Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, SC. He is the Chairman of the Historical Mother Emanuel AMEC Foundation, which oversees the church archives and is responsible for the church renovation program. He also serves as Chairman of the Charleston Education Partners board, which aims to promote equity and fairness in education for Charleston community. He continues to provide key leadership in the community by serving on several boards and lending his voice to speak out against hatred, racism, bigotry, gun violence, educational inadequacies, and injustices that impact so many in our community, state, country, and the world.
He desires to stay humble and please the Lord because he understands that it is not about him but about the Kingdom of God and loving our neighbor as we love ourselves.
