By Susie A. Wolfe
Parker Jones succeeded his dad, Jeff Jones, as pastor of Eastside Baptist Church in Pelahatchie. Jeff was pastor from June 2028 through January 2020. Parker, who was serving as associate pastor, began as pastor in March. He is also attending New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary remotely, where he previously attended classes at the seminary’s extension center at Mississippi College.
Jones graduated from Mississippi State University in 2018 with a degree in philosophy and religion. He also attended East Central Community College where he met his wife, Jenna, at the Baptist Student Union there. He previously served as a youth minister at Noxapater Baptist Church and a missionary to the Philippines.
Jones said, “Going to the Philippines was one of t he best experiences I’ve had in my life. Seeing how they live and their faith.”
His goals for Eastside Baptist, a group of about 30 currently, include reaching out to the community and serving people. He wants to implement a Life Serve Sunday once the Coronavirus Pandemic is over to help meet any need is the community like Vacation Bible School, raking leaves, painting or even having a city-wide Easter Egg Hunt. Currently, he is either filming his sermons or going live on Facebook to reach his congregation.
“We are the church and are the hands and feet of Jesus,” said Jones. “We fix a meal for the Billy Brumfield Homeless Shelter in Jackson once a month and plan to meet any need in the community once this madness is over. We also want to implement Disciple Groups and do door-to-door outreach.”
Jones and his wife, Jenna, commute between Pelahatchie and Philadelphia where she works as an engineer with MDOT.
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