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The
Rev. Randolph L. Jones dies; directed
(PHILADELPHIA, PA - February 4, 2004) -- The Rev. Dr. Randolph L. Jones, a founder and director in Philadelphia of a 20-year-old seminary institute that supported scores of African American church leaders to grow academically in their professions, died Wednesday, February 4, at Abington Memorial Hospital after a lengthy bout with cancer. He resided in Roslyn, PA. Jones, 58, founded the Urban Theological Institute (UTI), an initiative housed at The Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia (LTSP), in the fall of 1980 with the Rev. Dr. Andrew Willis. He had taught in the program since its inception and served as an adjunct professor on the seminary's faculty since November of 1999. His academic specialization was in sociology. A United Methodist pastor, Jones served Trinity (Baynton) United Methodist Church in Philadelphia's Germantown section since 1999. He formerly served as pastor of Berry Long United Methodist Church (1993-98). Jones was also the founder in 1970 of the Southside Church Center, a nonprofit interdenominational outreach program offering food, shelter, clothing and counseling to people in need. For the first 18 years of its existence the center was located in two settings on South Street. The center relocated to East Mt. Airy and then to the city's Germantown section, where it is now located at 5058 Wayne Avenue. Jones served as the program's pastor from 1970 to 1993. He was chair of the organization's board until his death. In the late 1970s, Jones and Willis began to dream of an academic program that would support current and aspiring church professionals to expand their qualifications as pastors, educators and outreach coordinators. They found a receptive academic host in LTSP. Most UTI scholars study part-time evenings and weekends while they continue to hold regular jobs. Jones and Willis also envisioned the annual "Preaching with Power" initiative, which each March invites highly regarded African American preachers to Philadelphia pulpits to both preach and then conduct a workshop for students on how they crafted their sermon. This year's edition of Preaching with Power is the 22nd. Jones has served as the director of the UTI program. Willis has worked as director of student recruitment. Both Jones and Willis were awarded honorary doctoral degrees by the seminary May 21, 2000. Jones could be a fiery preacher who never tired of telling audiences of his gratitude for the seminary's opening its doors to the UTI. The institute's students hail from a wide variety of Christian backgrounds including Baptists, African Methodist Episcopal, United Methodist, Presbyterian, Church of God in Christ, nondenominational, Roman Catholic and Pentecostal traditions. "The Lutheran Seminary said YES," was a favorite public speaking theme. When Jones was installed on the seminary faculty in November, 1999, he told onlookers that the history of the UTI program at a Lutheran seminary had "demonstrated that the Kingdom of God includes all backgrounds and cultures…Honey is enriched by the variety of nectar. The UTI has been part of a seminary community where Caucasians, women, African Americans, Asians and most recently Latinos are together in an atmosphere of mutual respect and dialogue where we are all one in Christ." "The contribution of Dr. Jones has been a highly significant part of our history," said Dr. Philip D. W. Krey, seminary president. "The UTI has become a core part of our seminary's curriculum and our community life. Because of its growth and its place in our community, we have begun to establish a Chair in African American Studies." That chair is named for the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr., who in 1949 became one of the first African American scholars to receive an advanced-level degree at the seminary. Dr. Wright went on to decades of service as pastor of Grace Baptist Church in Philadelphia's Germantown. Early in his career, Jones served as pastor of Sanctuary United Methodist Church (1968), Bethsaida United Methodist Church (1969-72) and Faith United Methodist Church (1983-87). He served as an adjunct professor not only at LTSP but also at Montgomery County Community College, Geneva College and Eastern Baptist Seminary. He frequently lectured on ethics as applied to the areas of philosophy and religion. Jones earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1967 from Lincoln University. He earned his M.Div. degree in 1972 from Eastern Baptist Seminary. Jones is survived by his mother, Mary Elizabeth Jones of Philadelphia; a son, Randolph, Jr., of Philadelphia; a daughter, Amaris M. Jones of Ft. Lauderdale, FL; three brothers, Francis and Carroll, both of Philadelphia, and Marcus of Chicago, IL, and a sister, Iris, wife of Abram Elijah of Philadelphia. |
