A high school English teacher and Christian educator, Verna Dozier changed and revitalized the way Episcopalians learned and used God’s word in their lives. Born in Washington, D.C., her parents deeply influenced her passion for education and her deep Biblical faith. She received a BA and a MA in English from Howard University and taught in public schools for the next thirty-two years. During this time and well after her retirement, Dozier was deeply involved in Bible study and Christian education, saying at a 1997 commencement address, “All learning begins not with the answers of the teacher, but with the questions of the learner.”

In the 1950s, Dozier began teaching classes at her Washington, D.C. parish, St. Mark’s; the national Episcopal Youth summer conferences; and in the Diocese of Washington’s educational programs. Soon, she was in demand in dioceses across the United States as a teacher, mentor, conference and workshop leader, public speaker, and as a trainer and consultant for The Episcopal Church. After her retirement, Dozier devoted herself to Christian education full-time. For her work in the church, the University of the South awarded her a Doctor of Divinity in 1988 and Virginia Theological Seminary awarded her a Doctor of Humane Letters in 1993.

In addition to being an educator, Dozier was also an activist. She would often use stories about racism and other social issues in her teaching. Having grown up under Jim Crow, she was an advocate of oppressed people in society and the church. She supported the ordination of women to the priesthood and the episcopate and was an advocate for gay and lesbian rights in the church.

Verna Dozier served the church in other capacities as well. In the Diocese of Washington, she was a member of the Standing Committee and the Commission on Ministry. She also served on The Episcopal Church’s Board of Examining Chaplains and the Church Deployment Board. In addition to her work for the church, she was on the Board of the Alban Institute, and a member of the Council of the College of Preachers at the National Cathedral and of Mid-Atlantic Training and Consulting. She authored several articles and books including The Dream of God: A Call to Return, Equipping the Saints: A Method of Self-Directed Bible Study for Lay Groups, and Sisters and Brothers: Reclaiming a Biblical Idea of Community.