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WHEREAS, Bishop Wade Jones, born on September 24, 1928 in Woodward, South Carolina as the eldest child to Wade and Rebecca Jones, and wedded to Alta Jones for 67 years, was a respected spiritual leader and community advocate whose life was dedicated to strengthening families and uplifting communities; and,
WHEREAS, a proud veteran, Bishop Jones served honorably in the United States Army during the Korean War as a demolition expert from 1953 to 1957, after which he worked for the HJ Heinz company for 36 years; and,
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones’ spiritual journey deepened in 1957 when he was baptized, a dedication to ministry that led him to serve in various capacities at First Emmanuel Church, including custodian, choir member, deacon and an eventual appointment to Pastor, a role he faithfully served for 57 years; and,
WHEREAS, under his leadership, Bishop Jones led the First Emmanuel congregation in the construction of a new edifice at 671 Bryn Mawr Road, which broke ground in 1981 and became a dedicated sanctuary in 1982; and,
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones also served in numerous leadership positions within the Greater Emmanuel International Churches, including General Field Elder, Assistant Comptroller, as a Bishop consecrated in 1974, and as Senior Board of Bishops alongside founder and presiding prelate Dr. Sherman S. Watkins and Vice Prelate Bishop TD Jakes; and,
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones’ passion for community development led to the creation of First Stop Childcare, which provided essential services to local families, and he was also a charter member of Clergy and Churches United, an organization dedicated to fostering unity among churches through the Hill District; and,
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones actively supported numerous community initiatives, including One Church, One Child, Hill District Ministries, Apostolic Alliance Village, and Building United of Southwestern Pennsylvania, all work which helped advance adoption opportunities, neighborhood revitalization, commun...
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