Janet Louise Clark was born on February 1, 1952, to the late
Reverend Arthur and Mrs. Annie Ruth Cunningham.
She received her formal education in the Buffalo Public School District,
graduating from Kensington High School before going on to earn a diploma in
Nursing from the Fosdick Masten School.
Janet began a lifelong service to the Lord and His church at
an early age. In 1972, she was introduced by a church mother to a young
preacher names Charles Clark. At first she said that she was not interested as
she had no desire to be a preacher's wife. However, after agreeing to a date,
the two hit it off and were married on February 21, 1973. This union produced
nine children, and together, Janet and her husband formed an unbreakable
partnership in ministry. In 1984, Janet, alongside her husband, founded First
Missionary Church of God in Christ. For nearly 20 years she served in a myriad
of leadership capacities including; President of the Women's, Music and Sunday
School Departments. A licensed Missionary in the Church of God in Christ, Janet
was a teacher, prayer leader, and an outstanding example of "love as
action", virtue and integrity.
Following the passing of her husband in 2002, Janet
continued her service under the leadership of her son, Pastor Andre Clark.
After Pastor Clark led the merger of First Missionary and the former Stairway
to Heaven under a new name - New Direction Christian Fellowship - Janet Clark
was appointed Church Mother. Mother Janet Clark worked for many years as a home
health care aide with Catholic Health, and later a pharmacy technician with
Lifetime Health, which blended well with her ministry focus. She was deeply
committed to caring for the most vulnerable in her community. She regularly
visited the sick and home bound (even cleaning their homes at no charge),
volunteered with Meals on Wheels, local shelters and senior citizen communities
to offer food, clothing, and loving support to the elders.
The legacy of Mother Janet Clark lives on in the dynamic
outreach ministries of the church she helped to establish. New Direction
Christian Fellowship continues to extend support to families through food,
clothing and toy drives, wellness classes, partnerships to support those
recovering from substance abuse, and much more. John records Jesus in his
gospel account as saying, "By this, all people will know that you are my
disciples, if you have love for one another" Mother Janet Louise Clark was
love personified.
