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Also naming the 6000 Block of Callowhill Street as “Bishop O. T. Jones Way”, in honor of the late Bishop Orzo Thurston Jones, Jr., who dedicated his life to serving his community and the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ.
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WHEREAS, Orzo Thurston Jones, Jr. was born in 1922 in Fort Smith, Arkansas and soon moved to West Philadelphia where he would spend the next eighty six years of his life; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones was raised in a Christ-centered home, and at twelve years old, he accepted Christ as his Savior and joined the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, pastored by his father. Ordained at eighteen, he began his public ministry; and
WHEREAS, After graduating from Overbrook High School in 1940, Bishop Jones attended Temple University, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in education and a master’s in sociology. He would go on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in sacred theology. After completing a doctoral dissertation, Bishop Jones received his doctorate in Sacred Theology from Temple’s School of Religion and Philosophy; and
WHEREAS, In 1941, Bishop Jones’s father appointed him the youth leader of 800 young individuals at Holy Temple church. Then, in 1949, he became a missionary of the Church of God in Christ in Liberia, West Africa. Bishop Jones’s success with young people led to his appointment as President of the National Youth Department; and
WHEREAS, In 1953, Bishop Jones served as Pastor of the Memorial Church of God in Christ in Haverford, PA. Under his leadership, the ministry grew both spiritually and numerically; and
WHEREAS, Following the demise of his father in 1972, Bishop Jones was appointed Pastor of Holy Temple Church of God in Christ, which at its height had around 3,000 members. He served as the Pastor of this historic church until 2001. In his time there, numerous influential ministries and projects were initiated, through which Bishop Jones was able to help answer many of the social problems affecting the community; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones served his community beyond spiritual influence. He held membership of the Board of Directors of the Opportunities Industrialization Center, the Board of the American Bible Society, the Board of Regents of Oral Roberts University and a member of the "Give Me a Chance" Ministry; and
WHEREAS, Bishop Jones continued to serve with honor and humility in his old age. Through his years of tireless service to Christ, Bishop Jones lived a devoted life of holiness beyond reproach. Bishop Jones passed away on January 9, 2008; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby also names the 6000 Block of Callowhill Street as “Bishop O. T. Jones Way”, in honor of the late Bishop Orzo Thurston Jones, Jr., who dedicated his life to serving his community and the Holy Temple Church of God in Christ.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Bishop Orzo Thurston Jones, Jr. as a sign of the sincere admiration and respect of this legislative body.
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