Okay, he is not was not technically a priest at any time that I knew him, he was a Bishop.  Although we priests do understand ourselves as always deacons and always priests, as we were ordained such and that mark is indelible as it were and cannot be taken or given away.  But Bishop Jones was not just the Bishop who first ordained me (a deacon June 23, 1989) but who also Confirmed me and sent me to seminary.  He was a real man of God.

Of course not everyone in the Church admired him as such as he was pretty liberal as far as bishops went those days.  So I suppose the question is obvious, why then did he nurture, develop, and ordain an orthodox/conservative?  And the answer is because he had a heart for the ministry of Christ and the care for His people.  He knew the Church was not made up of one kind, but of many, and his interest was call, not ideology.  He was fair, and he treated ALL those under his charge fairly.  And unlike what I experienced from his replacement, when he said “everyone was welcome at the table,” he meant it and practiced it.  It was never about him, and he was a great example and a humble man.

And I credit him with being able to get through seminary and move into ordination.  When I arrived at Virginia Theological (his Alma Mater) I was confronted with people from the very same denomination who believed and were taught almost exactly the opposite of what I believed and was taught.  Seeing Christ in other people was far more important than debating there.  I do not need to be your carbon copy to walk with you as a brother or sister.  And where we need to make our lines we can, as we are called to stand firm in our faith, but not to beat each other.

Bishop Jones to me was a man of peace, and a Bishop to me.  I will be forever grateful for all he has done for me, but most of all for the opportunity I had to know him.  What a blessing!

Goodnight my friends and God Bless!

Tommy+