Bishop Shaird is a native of Birmingham, Alabama.  He was educated in schools in Alabama, New York, Alaska, and Massachusetts

Bishop Shaird was ordained as a Deacon at Alden Baptist Church in Springfield in December 1985, and in January 1986, he was elected Chairman of the Deacon Board — a position he held until his “call” into the Ministry on September 22, 1987.  On December 27, l987, he preached his “initial sermon” at the Alden Baptist Church.

In November 1992, Bishop Shaird was “called” to Pastor the newly formed Solid Rock Community Baptist Church.  He was ordained and installed as Pastor on February 7, 1993.
        
In May 1994, Massachusetts Governor William Weld appointed him to the position of Magistrate of the Hampden County Housing Court, making him the first African-American to hold this position in Western Massachusetts.  In 1999, the Massachusetts State Legislature greatly expanded his jurisdictional area to include all four (4) counties of Western Massachusetts (including 101 cities and towns), thus giving him the largest jurisdictional track of any Magistrate in the Commonwealth.
        
In April 1997, “The Black Men of Greater Springfield” awarded him as the “Religious Leader of the Year”  – “For outstanding service to your community and displaying a positive image for others to follow.”  He is a past Chaplain for the “Firefighters Institute for Racial Equality of Western Massachusetts.”  He has also served as a “Chaplain on Call” for the Springfield Police Department.

On September 30, 2003, Pastor Shaird retired from his position as Magistrate to become the full-time Pastor of the Solid Rock Community Baptist Church.  In October 2004, he was consecrated as a Bishop of the Covenant Christian Church Alliance and The Churches of Faith. 

Bishop Shaird recently celebrated 50 years of marriage to the former Carol Ann Leak.  They have one adult daughter, Monica, of Springfield, MA