Rev. Ethel Southern received a Bachelor of Arts from DePaul University, and a Master of Divinity from Chicago Theological Seminary.  As of January 2009, she will receive a Master of Counseling from National Louis University.  Ethel is a charter member of Covenant United Church of Christ and has been actively involved in the life of the church since the first Sunday of the church.  Prior to becoming an ordained Deacon Ethel recognized the calling God placed on her life and thus began her journey of serving God and his people. 

Ethel has been blessed to serve in a variety of capacities where her gifts are utilized. They have included; facilitating the oral preparation of Deacons in Training, organizing and implementing educational tutoring services for students of CUCC and the community. Annually, Ethel organizes the back to school activities for elementary, high school and college students of the church. Additionally, each fall she works diligently with the James Capers Foundation, high school seniors and their parents in obtaining college admission, scholarships and grants. For the last four years Ethel has worked in the capacity of assisting with the Pastoral Care of members who are hospitalized, bereaved or in need of counseling. 

In addition to the above Ethel has been blessed with the opportunity to mentor a group of teens and young adults in a grant project called “Youth Called to Ministry” (YCM).  This has enabled her to assist in nurturing the call of the next generation of young women and men and offering them a sacred space within the church to expound on their gifts.

Rev. Ethel has been married to Samuel Southern for the past thirty years and they are the proud parents of three daughters Fiesha (Deonte), Ambra (Garrard), Breana and one son Savion.