Bishop Leroy Jones, Sr.
 

Bishop Leroy Jones, Sr., was born in Isola, Mississippi, and raised in Chicago after his family migrated north.  He received his high school diploma from Simeon High School and later attended classes at Moody Bible Institute.  Shortly after being licensed and ordained by the late Bishop H. W. Goldsberry, he founded and pastors the New Life Church of God in Christ, Harvey, Illinois.  As a result of his vision, New Life Church has provided Christian Fellowship and a place of worship to Harvey and the surrounding communities since 1978.  The church’s mission is to continually promote Faith in God, encourage Fellowship among believers and promote Love in our community in an effort to reach the world for Jesus Christ.  The church faithfully endeavor to be a Christian witness to the community through a threefold ministry: i) Preaching and Outreach Ministry pertaining to public worship, personal evangelism and the application of the Gospel in daily life, ii) Teaching Ministry pertaining to religious educational activities, and iii) Ministry of Social Service pertaining to home & foreign mission which strives to address human suffering and alienation.  Over the past three decades, the membership has grown from one family (the Bishop, his wife, four sons and one daughter) to over 125 families.

Bishop Jones is an Auxiliary Bishop under the tutledge of Bishop Darrell L. Hines, Sr. of the Illinois Midwest Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction (IMEJ) of the Church of God in Christ.  Bishop Jones organized the Life Enrichment and Development Center, a not-for-profit 501(c)3 ministry of the New Life Church, with the specific purpose to steer youngsters away from activities that contribute to destructive behaviors and toward educational and constructive leadership roles.  The L.E.A.D. Center targets at-risk youngsters in the Chicago South Suburban Community.

Bishop Jones and his wife, Shirley, of forty-seven years, reside in Markham, Illinois.  They are the proud parents of seven children: six boys and one girl.  He has spoken at many religious and community events and receives numerous accolades for his humorous yet stern personality.