Reverend Dr. Kenneth Elvis Jones

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Dr. Kenneth Elvis Jones is the new pastor of the People’s Community CME Church, Dayton, Ohio. He is the former pastor of the Capers Memorial CME Church in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Reverend Dr. Jones is a seasoned clergyman whose 38-year career in ministry includes pastoral leadership at 12 different CME congregations. Those ministries were throughout the CME Connection, in Connecticut, Alabama, Virginia, his home state of Mississippi, Tennessee, and now in the state of Ohio. At each appointment, Dr. Jones left his stamp of congregational healing and both fiscal and spiritual restoration.

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CMEs across the Connection may recognize Dr. Jones as the former editor of The Christian Index, the official publication of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church. Dr. Jones was first elected editor at the General Conference in Birmingham, Alabama in 1998. He was elected editor three additional times and is tied with Senior Bishop L.L. Reddick, III, as the longest-serving editor in the history of the Church. As editor, Dr. Jones was lauded for clarity in his editorial leadership of the CME denomination and strongly impacted ongoing discussion of Church polity and political agenda.

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For much of Dr. Jones’ professional career, he has balanced his calling in ministry with his achievements in higher education. He holds a doctorate degree in Ministry from the Virginia Theological Seminary in Alexandria, a bachelor’s degree in Radio/TV Production from the University of Mississippi, a master’s degree in Communication from Penn-West Clarion University of Pennsylvania (formerly Clarion State University), and a Ph.D. in Mass Communications from Howard University in Washington, DC.

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Dr. Jones recently was named Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Wilberforce University, Wilberforce, Ohio. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Transformational Initiatives and Strategic Assessment at Fisk University in Nashville. At Fisk, he also served as Interim Provost/Vice President of Academic Affairs and Vice Provost of Student Success. He is formerly Vice President of Academic Affairs at Miles College in Birmingham, Alabama, and dean of schools at Elizabeth City State University in North Carolina, and at Fisk University.

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Dr. Jones’ record of service in higher education, media studies, and research and scholarship are extensive. They include serving as a reporter at newspapers in Knoxville, TN; Waterbury, CT; and Worcester, MA. Dr. Jones is also the former president of the National Association of African American Honors Programs (NAAAHP). First Lady of People’s Community CME Church Frances Washington Jones and Pastor Jones maintain a permanent residence in Pleasant Grove, Alabama. Their two adult children have children of their own.