Senior Pastor’s Bio
Rev. Dr. Ramon E. McDonald II – Senior Pastor
I’m 56 in biological years and 44 in spiritual years. Carolyn and I live in Harwood, MD, just east of Bowie, in Anne Arundel County. We have three grown children, Shelly, and her twin sisters Nicole and Jaclyn. Shelly is married to Pastor Jason Yost, Nicole will marry Andy Crosby in late May, 2011, and Jaclyn is married to Justin Linehan. The picture below is from a recent family vacation. We love our six children. The picture to the left is from our recent trip to New York City.
Carolyn grew up in Annapolis and graduated from Annapolis High School. She graduated from Anne Arundel Community College, Bowie State and UMAB. She has a Master’s Degree in Social Work and works at the Annapolis Christian Counseling Center in Annapolis. Her parents still live in Annapolis.
I was born in Huntington, WV, but only spent a few months there before my father, Ramon Sr., was appointed pastor of Mt. Zion UMC (1955-1964) in Lothian following my grandfather’s death while serving Mt. Zion (1953-1955). I mentioned the dates because Mt. Zion became a family church for the McDonalds. I graduated from Annapolis High School (73), graduated from Anne Arundel Community College (Associates degree 75), University of Maryland (BS degree 78), Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, DC (Master’s of Divinity 82) and Drew Divinity School in Madison, NJ (Doctorate in Ministry). I feel that my education is ongoing as God is showing me something new almost daily. My parents currently live in Davidsonville.
Although I went straight from High School, to college, to seminary, to ministry, I’ve held many other jobs in my life. I officiated several sports at the recreation, high school and college level: baseball, football, softball, basketball, and even some field hockey. At one time I considered making baseball officiating my career. I was offered an opportunity to train in Florida to become a professional baseball umpire. God had other plans. While working my way through college I worked for Annapolis Floor Covering and McDonald’s, opening for the beach crowd at the Bay Bridge location. I worked for the AA County Board of Education in many roles as well.
I grew up in the church with parents who loved the Lord (and a dad who was a pastor). I received Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior the summer of 1967 at a church revival. I felt a clear call on my life by God and came to the altar and yielded my life to Him. I asked the evangelist to lay hands on me and pray for me after the service – wanting to give my whole life to Jesus. My salvation came in 1967 but I have been working out my salvation (sanctification) for 44 years and will continue to strive to be more like Jesus day by day.
I became a junior youth worker in the years after High School. During these years God was tugging at my heart to go into the ministry but I resisted. Several of my youth leaders/mentors mentioned ministry in my future but I was going to be a CPA (my plan). During the summer between my junior and senior year in college I gave in to the call of God on my life and headed into the ministry. That year my father made me a SPIT at Trinity UMC in Annapolis (student pastor in training). Soon I was asked to serve Smithville UMC in Dunkirk as a church hired assistant pastor working not only with 
Smithville but at times with Lower Marlboro and Mt. Harmony UMC. After a year I was hired by Eastport UMC as their assistant pastor and worked there for two years. It was at Eastport that I met and married my wife. Our first official appointment was Delmont UMC in Severn. After a few years there an opportunity became available in 1983 to return to Mt. Zion UMC (mentioned above). I thought it would be neat to pastor the church my father and grandfather served twenty plus years earlier. My grandmother was still a member there when I arrived. It was a very rewarding time and we grew together from a small country church to a strong body of believers. Through God’s sovereign plan we ended up staying at Mt. Zion 24 years until July 1, 2007 when I became the pastor of Mt. Oak Fellowship.
I look forward to the years God gives us to work together for the Kingdom’s purposes. Carolyn and I are thankful for the way the congregation at Mt. Oak has received and supported our ministry. We look forward to being all that God would have us be in the years to come. God bless you all and please know that we love you and will work side by side with you for Jesus!
You can contact me at ray@mtoak.org or by calling the church office at (301) 249-2230. You can also follow me on Twitter & Facebook and you can read a daily message each weekday on my blog page.
I’m 56 in biological years and 44 in spiritual years. Carolyn and I live in Harwood, MD, just east of Bowie, in Anne Arundel County. We have three grown children, Shelly, and her twin sisters Nicole and Jaclyn. Shelly is married to Pastor Jason Yost, Nicole will marry Andy Crosby in late May, 2011, and Jaclyn is married to Justin Linehan. The picture below is from a recent family vacation. We love our six children. The picture to the left is from our recent trip to New York City.
Smithville but at times with Lower Marlboro and Mt. Harmony UMC. After a year I was hired by Eastport UMC as their assistant pastor and worked there for two years. It was at Eastport that I met and married my wife. Our first official appointment was Delmont UMC in Severn. After a few years there an opportunity became available in 1983 to return to Mt. Zion UMC (mentioned above). I thought it would be neat to pastor the church my father and grandfather served twenty plus years earlier. My grandmother was still a member there when I arrived. It was a very rewarding time and we grew together from a small country church to a strong body of believers. Through God’s sovereign plan we ended up staying at Mt. Zion 24 years until July 1, 2007 when I became the pastor of Mt. Oak Fellowship.