Jones on Jones: An Appreciation of A Man with A Purpose

On Sunday, October 6, 2024, at 3:00 pm, the clergy, members of the 22 churches, family, and friends gathered in large numbers at the historic St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church, Wilmington, NC to demonstrate their appreciation for the servant leadership of Rev. Dr. Alexander L. Jones, Sr., Presiding Elder of the Wilmington District, Cape Fear Conference for the last twenty-seven years. Through a panorama of Nazarene blue, Rev. Dr. Jones and Mrs. Delma Jones were escorted into the seats of honor by Rev. Corine Brown and her husband, Nathanial Brown. Rev. Dr. Jermaine Armour, pastor of St. Luke, presiding over the occasion, called the church to focus on the mode of worship and gave the invocation.

The worship was opened with the favorite hymn of Presiding Elder Alexander Jones, Sr., I Am Thine O Lord. Following the scripture by Rev. Karen McCracken of Christian Chapel A.M.E. Zion Church, Winnabow, NC, and prayer by the senior pastor of the Wilmington District, Rev. Dr. William Ballard, pastor of Evergreen A.M.E. Zion Church, Delco, NC, the music of the combined choirs of Mt. Pleasant and Graham Chapel of the Lumberton District led the congregation to waves of praise. Rev. Carol Robbins, pastor of the St. James A.M.E. Zion Church, Leland, NC, and chairperson of the Appreciation Committee, welcomed the worshippers and reminded them it is the celebration of what God has done through His servant, Presiding Elder Alexander Jones we were celebrating.

Reverend Maria Lacewell, pastor of Mt. Zion A.M.E. Zion Church, Elizabethtown, NC, of the Lumberton District, introduced the messenger, Reverend Dr. Terry Jones, Presiding Elder of the Lumberton District.

Presiding Elder Terry Jones, a native of coastal North Carolina, has served The A.M.E. Zion Church since 1979 as a member of the clergy. He served several pastoral appointments in the Central North Carolina Conference before being transferred to the Cape Fear Conference to pastor Warner Temple A.M.E. Zion Church, Wilmington, NC, from 1992 to 2004, when he was transferred to the New England Conference where served the Metropolitan A.M.E. Zion Church, Hartford, CT. for 19 years, (2004 -2023) being elevated to Presiding Elder of the Hartford District in 2017 and the Nassau District of the Bahamas Conference (2016-2020).

In January 2023, he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Lumberton District, where he now serves. The two Presiding Elder Jones met each other when Rev. Dr. Terry Jones, while pastoring Warner Temple A.M.E Zion Church, Wilmington, NC, welcomed Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr. to the Wilmington District as the newly appointed pastor of the St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church, Wilmington, NC. Reverend Dr. Terry Jones, Sr., using Psalms 37: 1-5 and 23-25 as the scriptural foundation, spoke from the subject: The Steps of a Good Man. He outlined the character and service of Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr. as one who knows the power source that allows him to keep going; endowed with the Spirit of God allows him to exhibit the calm, cool, collected demeanor he is known for because of the Spirit that is working on the inside; he has maintained a steady progression because it is God that directs his steps, not he himself. His perspective is different because he operates from the view that God gives to him. Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones has been operating in the mode of leading God’s people because he has been called by God to do so for more than 60 years of ministry. Regardless of circumstances, God has always made a way.

 

A warm and welcoming invitation to Christian Discipleship was given by Rev. Thomas Williams of St. Paul A.M.E. Zion Church, Bolton, NC. The organizations of the Wilmington District, clergy, and the Jones family, represented by son Alexander Jones, Jr., presented Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr., and Mrs. Jones with gifts of appreciation. A very special guest, Mrs. Posey Johnson, a centenarian of St. Andrew A.M.E Zion Church, Wilmington, NC, was present to give accolades to her presiding elder. Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr., was presented by Rev. Dr. Charlrean Mapson for his acknowledgments and expressions of thanks for allowing him to be the leader of the Wilmington District for the past 27 years. “You cannot lead people if no one is willing to follow you. Therefore, I am thankful for your 'followship' as we seek to follow God where he leads us,” he said. “May God be praised”.

A reception featuring Nazarene blue in the decorative elements, denoting the station of presiding elder and further celebrating the ministry of Reverend Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr., was presented by the St. Luke A.M.E. Zion Church family hosted by Mrs. Gerotha Spain, Executive Assistant to Rev. Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr. The reception featured a life-size cutout of Reverend Dr. Alexander Jones, Sr., for creating individual photographic records of the occasion.