Rev. Dr. Marlyn Bussey serves as Pastor at St. James AME Zion Church in San Mateo California.  St. James is a historically African American Methodist Church, intentional about becoming a multicultural, multi-ethnic ministry.

Pastor Bussey was first appointed in January 2009 as Interim Pastor and appointed as Pastor in July 2009 by Bishop Dennis V. Proctor.  Pastor Bussey is the first female ever appointed to St. James since the church was erected in 1927.  She previously served as the associate minister at First A.M.E. Zion Church in San Francisco for eleven years heading the church’s Christian Education and Evangelism ministries.

Pastor Bussey holds three advanced degrees: Master of Science degree in Marriage, Family and Child Counseling from San Francisco State University, Master of Divinity degree from Bethel Seminary, and a Doctor of Ministry degree in African American Transformational Church Leadership from Fuller Theological Seminary.

Pastor Bussey retired in 2014 after 25 years of service as a public high school counselor.