Rev. Nicholas Hood III has served as the pastor and senior minister of the Plymouth United Church of Christ in Detroit, Michigan since 1985. He earned a B.A in economics from the Wayne State University in 1973 and a M. Div. from the Yale Divinity School in 1976. In May of 2009 an honorary doctorate in ministry was conferred upon him by Olivet College. Ordained in 1976, Rev. Hood began his ministry working under the direction of his father as assistant-associate minister at Plymouth UCC. His community involvement has included: co-chair of the Young Adult Committee of the Detroit Chapter NAACP; past President, Booker T. Washington Business Association; past president, Plymouth Non-Profit Housing Corporation; President and Chairman, Plymouth Day School; former board member, Plymouth Educational Center; Secretary; Yale Divinity School Board of Alumnal Affairs; Board of Trustees, Children’s Hospital of Michigan; Board of Directors, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra; Advisory Board, the Detroit School for the Arts. Currently he serves as the president of Three Pillars Management Corporation. He chaired the Detroit effort that brought the Amistad to Detroit. He was elected and served two four- year terms on the Detroit City Council. Rev. Hood occasionally is asked to provide political analysis and commentary for Detroit area television and radio stations.
One of his personal goals has been to create a spirit filled, spirit led dynamic worship experience that incorporates the richness of the historically African American Congregational Church with newer forms of music and liturgy. As pastor and senior minister of the Plymouth United Church of Christ he has focused on “high intensity- low liability” missions with the goal of engaging the members of the church in life changing ministries. These ministries include: housing the homeless; a computer mission that has provided over 100 free new computers to inner city students; a free summer camp for inner city youth; and several other ministries. Additionally he has personally participated in several missionary efforts sponsored by his church in Cote’D Ivorie, Ethiopia and Sierra Leone. The Plymouth United Church of Christ also has created two major corporations, the Plymouth Non-Profit Housing Corporation which owns a 230 unit apartment complex which features affordable housing and the Plymouth Educational Center Corporation which owns and manages the first church based charter school in Michigan. This charter school provides k-10th grade education for over 1000 students. Rev. Hood is married and has two sons.
