wfn.org | NCCCUSA Dr. Mac Charles Jones Dies - Updated

[CAROL_FOUKE.parti@ecunet.org]

National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A.
Contact: Carol J. Fouke, NCC News, 212-870-2252
Internet: carol_fouke.parti@ecunet.org

NCC3/7/97                          FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Editor's Note: This story includes more complete survivor
information and corrects a misspelling in the first transmission.

THE REV. DR. MAC CHARLES JONES, 47, DIES SUDDENLY 
MARCH 6
Prominent African American Minister Led National 
Council of Churches National Ministries,
Including Racial Justice Work and Response to Arson 
Attacks on Churches 

 NEW YORK, N.Y., March 7 ---- The Rev. Dr. Mac 
Charles Jones, 47, a globally prominent African 
American minister and one of the National Council of 
Churches' two Deputy General Secretaries, died 
suddenly last night (March 6) of an embolism (blood 
clot) in Irving Health Care System, Irving, Texas 
(suburban Dallas).

 An ordained minister in the National Baptist 
Convention of America, Inc., and member of the World 
Council of Churches Central Committee, Dr. Jones had 
served concurrently as the National Council of 
Churches' Associate for Racial Justice and as Pastor 
of St. Stephen Baptist Church, Kansas City, Mo., 
since 1995 (having served St. Stephen since 1984).  

 The NCC's Executive Board last November elected 
him to the position of NCC Deputy General Secretary 
for National Ministries, and he had just taken up 
those new responsibilities on in the NCC's New York 
headquarters on March 3.

He played a leading role in the National 
Council of Churches' response to the arson attacks 
on houses of worship, especially African American 
churches in the Southeast.  Dr. Jones knew 
personally many pastors of the burned churches, 
having spent many days visiting the affected 
congregations and communities.  

He accompanied the 38 pastors who traveled to 
Washington, D.C., June 9-10, 1996, to meet with 
President Clinton, Attorney General Janet Reno and 
Treasury Secretary Robert E. Rubin to call for help 
in stopping the epidemic of burnings and to bring 
those responsible to justice - meetings that also 
helped bring the epidemic to widespread public 
attention.

Dr. Jones also was well-known for his work with 
youth, especially with gangs.  He was instrumental 
in convening the summit on urban violence ("Gang 
Summit") in 1993 in Kansas City.

 "In a tragic, sudden moment the Rev. Dr. Mac 
Charles Jones has passed from us and we are deeply 
stricken," said the Rev. Dr. Joan Brown Campbell, 
NCC General Secretary.  "His coming just this week 
to his post of senior leadership as Deputy General 
Secretary and Director of National Ministries made 
us confident as we looked ahead.  His ministry was 
to be to the whole nation.  The loss is enormous."  
(Dr. Campbell's full statement follows.)

 Said the NCC's President, United Methodist 
Bishop Melvin G. Talbert of Sacramento, Calif., "The 
unexpected death of Dr. Mac Charles Jones is a great 
shock to the ecumenical community.  He spent his 
life advocating justice for all.  His stalwart 
leadership in addressing the burned churches issue 
was unmatched.  He will be sorely missed.  Our 
prayers go out to his family in this time of 
sorrow."

 Dr. Jones had just arrived (the afternoon of 
March 6) at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport from New York, 
where he was to change planes and continue on to El 
Paso for a meeting of the NCC's Racial Justice 
Working Group.  He collapsed at the airport and was 
taken to Irving Health Care System, where he 
responded well to treatment.  Doctors concluded that 
he had not had a heart attack.  He was kept for 
overnight observation and made several phone calls.

 But then he took a turn for the worse, and died 
at approximately 10 p.m. (Central Time) March 6 of 
an embolism (blood clot), according to NCC Associate 
General Secretary for Public Policy and Washington 
Office Director, the Rev. Dr. Albert Pennybacker, 
who was in contact with the doctor who treated Dr. 
Jones.

 Dr. Jones' many leadership positions included 
his membership on the World Council of Churches 
Central Committee, the WCC's Unit II Commission, 
Black Church Liaison Committee and of the WCC 
Advisory Group on Urban Rural Mission, all as an 
official delegate from his denomination.  Commented 
the Rev. Dr. Konrad Raiser, WCC General Secretary, 
Geneva, Switzerland, "Mac Charles Jones has been in 
a unique way the interpreter of the witness of the 
Historic African-American Churches for the wider 
ecumenical movement."  (Dr. Raiser's full statement 
follows.)

 Said Jean S. Stromberg, Executive Director of 
the WCC's U.S. Office, "I was shocked and dismayed 
to hear of his sudden death.  Mac was an eloquent 
voice of conscience and reason in so many World 
Council of Churches meetings at which we both were 
present.  He enhanced the vital presence of historic 
African American churches in the WCC, especially 
through his leadership in the Black Church Liaison 
Committee.  

 "Most recently, in the Conference on World 
Mission and Evangelism in Salvador, Brazil, he 
called upon the delegates to be aware of the racial 
and cultural biases that continue to exist within 
our own ecumenical family," she said.  "But his 
admonitions, often uttered with a prophetic echo, 
were always spoken in love - and, when it was 
appropriate, with a disarming sense of humor."

 Born Jan. 7, 1950, in Phoenix, Ariz., Dr. Jones
earned his A.A. from Phoenix College, A.B. degree in 
communications from Lincoln University in Jefferson 
City, Mo., and his M.A. from Northern Illinois 
University, DeKalb.  He earned his M.Div. from 
Virginia Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, 
Va., and pursued graduate study at Emory University, 
Atlanta, Ga., and earned his Doctor of Ministry from 
United Theological Seminary, Dayton, Ohio, as a 
Proctor Fellow.

 Before going to St. Stephen Baptist Church in 
Kansas City, Dr. Jones held pastorates at First 
Baptist Church, LaGrange, Ga., and New Hope Baptist 
Church, Franklin, Va.  He was Co-Director of the 
Education for Leadership in the Black Church Program 
at the School of Theology, Virginia Union 
University.

 He was active in his denomination (National 
Baptist Convention of America, Inc.), serving as 
Chairman of the Social Justice Commission, Official 
Delegate to the World Council of Churches, Lecturer 
and Guest Preacher.  He also served as President and 
Member of the Board of the Center for Democratic 
Renewal, Chairman of the Entrepreneurial Assistance 
Corporation and Board of Directors, and was a Board 
Member of the Southern Christian Leadership 
Conference and the NAACP.

 His many responsibilities involved extensive 
travel in the United States as well as to Latin 
America, Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the 
Middle East.

 Dr. Jones' survivors include his wife, Jannella; 
his mother, Elverta Jones, Phoenix, Ariz.; brother, the Rev.
Robert Jones, Richmond, Va.; sister, Lillye Jones, Phoenix,
Ariz.; daughter, Lacey Jones, Kansas City, Mo., and son,
Ayinde Jones, Phoenix, Ariz.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the 
Lawrence A. Jones and Sons, 1800 E. Linwood Blvd., 
Kansas City, Mo.  

 Dr. Jones will lie in state on Tuesday, March 
11, from 1 p.m. until 8 p.m. at the Lawrence A. Jones 
and Sons Funeral Chapel in Kansas City, Mo.  His 
memorial service will be held Wednesday, March 12, 
at 2 p.m. at the St. Stephen Baptist Church, 1414 
Truman Road, Kansas City, Mo.

A National Council of Churches delegation, led 
by Dr. Campbell, plans to attend the services.  A 
memorial service will be held later in New York 
City.

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