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Public celebration of the Feast of Absalom Jones

The Rev. Absalom Jones
Sun, Feb 8 2015, 3:00pm to 4:00pm

On Sunday, February 8, 2015 the Diocese of Newark Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians will celebrate the life and ministry of the Rev. Absalom Jones, the first person of African descent ordained a deacon and priest in the Episcopal Church. The Rev. Dr. Mark Bozutti-Jones, Priest for Pastoral Care & Community at Trinity Church, Wall Street (NYC), will be the guest preacher and the Rt. Rev. Mark Beckwith, Bishop of of Newark, will be the principal celebrant at the festive Eucharist attended by parishioners and guests from around the Newark Diocese.

Born a slave in 1746 in his native Delaware, Absalom Jones taught himself to read and write by learning to read the Bible. After marrying another slave at age twenty, Jones purchased his wife’s freedom and later purchased his own. Jones, along with Richard Allen who later founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), were among a growing group of blacks permitted to worship at Philadelphia’s predominantly white George Street Methodist Church. As their numbers grew the white members felt threatened and refused to allow their black members to worship with them, instead consigning them to the balcony. Refusing to move to the balcony, Jones and Allen were ripped from their knees during prayer and evicted from the church.

The Rev. Dr. Mark Bozutti-Jones
The Rev. Dr. Mark Bozutti-Jones

Richard Allen went on to found and become the first bishop of the AME Church. Jones, however, led his followers into the Episcopal Church where in 1792 he founded and became the leader of the still existing St. Thomas African Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. Ordained a deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania in 1894 and a priest in 1804, Jones became the first person of African descent ordained in the Episcopal Church. Jones became the first rector of the St. Thomas African Episcopal Church.

An outspoken preacher and abolitionist, Jones, played a prominent role in the growing black community in Philadelphia as a spokesperson for the rights of blacks and an advocate for jobs and housing in his community. Known as “the Black Bishop of the Episcopal Church,” Jones died on February 13, 1818.

The Newark Chapter of the Union of Black Episcopalians sponsors the annual observance of Absalom Jones’ life and ministry near his feast day in February. The 2015 celebration will take place at Trinity & St. Phillip’s Cathedral, 608 Broad Street in Newark at 3 p.m. The service is free and open to the public.

Questions? Contact Aubrey V. Thompson, breyman@yahoo.com.

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