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Gretchen is the founder and leader of Praying 8 Watches. She was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana to her late parents James and Gertrude Washington. She was baptized at Oak Grove Baptist Church at the age of 12 years old and later in life she was baptized in Jesus name at Apostolic Church in New Orleans East.

God placed a call on her life to move from her hometown to further pursue her education in Southern California. She became a social worker in direct services at a non-profit organization that served seniors and their healthcare needs.

She is a gifted teacher of the Bible. She teaches on singleness, discipleship, prayer praise, worship, and various other topics within the church community. She serves in Ministerial Alliance, Christian Education, Sisters in the Spirit, Seniors on the Move, and New Members, at the City of Refuge located in Gardena, California where Bishop Noel Jones is the Senior Pastor.

Gretchen holds two degrees. A Bachelor of Science in Psychology from William Carey College, in Gulfport, Mississippi and a Master in Science in Gerontology from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. She is the mother of two adult children, James and Rebecca.

Deborah was born in Pensacola, Florida, where she remained until after high school, at which point she left and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. There, she attended Audubon Commercial College where she received a diploma in Secretary Bookkeeping and started working for the United States Department of Agriculture, she attended Delgado Community College and received an Associate Degree in Computer Information Technology.

She is a poet, songwriter, a writer, and a singer, having sung in various church choirs, and she claims as a highlight of her singing experience the opportunity to be in the choir for Bishop T. D. Jakes’ Woman Thou Art Loosed Conference. She was also given the opportunity to sing in Benny Hinn’s choir several times, through the years. She has served in multiple roles in the church: as a Sunday School teacher, an assistant secretary, a prayer intercessor, a greeter, a soloist, and an usher. She once ushered at the concert of contemporary Christian music artist, Carmen.

At Mt. Olive Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida, she was baptized at eight years old, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and was a member of the Junior Choir until she was sixteen. At Caffin Avenue Church of God in New Orleans, she was baptized in 1980, in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. She was also a Sunday School Teacher, a choir member, and an Assistant Secretary. In January of 1992, she was baptized in Jesus’ name at Faith Church, formerly Word of Faith, in New Orleans East, Where she was a choir member, an usher, greeter, intercessor, a Singles’ Minister soloist, and a participant in the Helps Ministry until after Hurricane Katrina in 2005. She is currently a Praise Team Member and a prayer intercessor at The LifeGate Church, formerly Faith Church and Word of Faith Church.

She is the mother of three adult children. A fourth one has predeceased her, and she praises God, every day, that despite that heartbreak, he has been good to her and faithful to his word.