City Park in Parkersburg, WVa., when he climbed out of the back of a Volkswagen, interrupted a conversation she was having and asked to be introduced to the “good looking friend” – was also an Episcopalian. The two entered West Virginia University together, and Jones was confirmed into the Episcopal Church. During college, Jones changed


his major five times, finally settling on history. “I had a sense, as I kept changing my major, that I was headed to seminary,” he said. And so, after graduating in 1965, Jones took two logical steps: first, marrying Kay, and then entering Virginia Theological Seminary in the fall, where he served as a seminarian at Truro Church, Fairfax and worked on an ecumenical project at Redeemer United Methodist Church in Reston. Kay, meanwhile, taught French and put her husband through seminary. She would continue her passion of teaching French throughout their marriage, and only just retired from St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes School in Alexandria in 2011. After being ordained by the Rt. Rev.


Wilburn C. Campbell, Jones served two different parishes in his home diocese of West Virginia: St. James’, Lewisburg and St. Stephen’s, Beckley. In the summer of 1977, he received a call to serve as rector of Church of the Good Shepherd, Burke. “It took three maps to find Burke,” noted Jones. He and his family – by then a group of four with son David C. “Tee” Jones Jr. and daughter Elizabeth – relocated to northern Virginia. In 1977, the area was a bit different:


a field with horses occupied the space across from the rector’s office, where a housing development now sits. The congregation was home to a large military population, a “cracker jack staff” and a top-notch music program. Good Shepherd was the first large parish in the Diocese to call a woman to serve: Jane Holmes Dixon, now a retired bishop suffragan herself, of the Diocese of Washington. “I found it an exciting place to be,” said Jones. It was while serving at Good


Shepherd that Jones was asked to be a nominee in the election of a new bishop suffragan. He did not accept the nomination. His daughter, Liz, was


diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in her first year at the University of Virginia, and had a recurrence a few years later – as the search for bishop suffragan was underway. Jones declined because Liz was going through chemotherapy. But at the December 1994 meeting


of the Executive Board, deans and presidents, a group of people sought to add Jones to the slate by petition. He got the call and news of the petition the next day, as he and his family were decorating the Christmas tree. “Liz said, ‘Dad, you go on with your life and I’ll go on with my life.’ She encouraged me to put my name forward,” said Jones. Six weeks later, he was elected bishop suffragan on the third ballot, after leading all three ballots. As bishop suffragan in Virginia,


Jones has oversight over church planting and has a strong passion for supporting small churches – an area in which he has plenty of experience. During his time in West Virginia, he was also in charge of several area mission congregations. While rector at Good Shepherd, he was a member of the Committee on Mission Outreach and Churches Under Supervision of the Bishop (MOCUS) and later chair when the organization was renamed the Committee on Congregational Missions. And Good Shepherd, under the leadership of Jones, helped plant the congregation of St. Peter’s in the Woods, Fairfax Station, as part of his doctorate of ministry program at VTS. “I never dreamed when I started it that I’d have the privilege of breaking ground on that church building,” said Jones. Jones also played an integral role


in the founding of La Iglesia de Santa Maria, now one of the largest Spanish- speaking congregations in the Diocese of Virginia, in 2004. “The founding of a free-standing Latino congregation was a desire and dream of many northern Virginia congregations when I began my ministry as a bishop,” said Jones. Contributions from every region of the Diocese made possible the purchase of the Boulevard Baptist Church in Falls Church, and the Rev. Jesus Reyes was selected as vicar. “I asked Jesus to arrange for me to celebrate the Holy Eucharist in the new building,” said Jones. “I wanted to claim it that day as


an Episcopal Church. I also asked Jesus to invite some of his parishioners to join in the celebration. Following a glorious evening service and dinner, a man offered to help me carry my vestments to my car. As we walked out the door of the church, the man paused and said, ‘I learned to speak English in this church. I live over there, across the street. But this is the first time that I have ever been invited to worship here.’ He had tears in his eyes. Being invited to attend worship had meant everything to him. I didn’t know until later that he had been told ‘The bishop wants you to come!’” Since 2004, Santa Maria has


experienced continuous growth, and today tops 800 in attendance in three Sunday services. “The generosity of our congregations and dozens of individuals made this venture possible and successful. For me, it has been a source of deep satisfaction,” said Jones. “In my heart, I’m an evangelical. There’s nothing that brings me more joy than seeing a person come to faith.” It’s that same joy that’s behind


Jones’ extensive ministry with youth and young adults. A frequent presence at Shrine Mont camps, Jones has been known to participate in more than a few camp closing ceremonies, and to occasionally join in a game of pick-up basketball, where he has been admired for his jump shot. “I love kids,” said Jones, who is a


huge fan of the camps at Shrine Mont. “The quality of the camp counselors that we’re able to draw is wonderful.” Plus, he added, “That’s why I’m here: I’m a product of church camp, and college ministry.” “One of the real privileges that


I’ve had is to represent the Diocese of Virginia outside of the Diocese,” said Jones, whose list of international trips include South Africa for the 10th anniversary of the Diocese of Christ the King; Taiwan and Seoul for the Asiamerican Ministry Conference; and, most recently, several trips to Sudan. Jones was recruited to serve the board of the American Friends of the Episcopal Church of Sudan as president in 2010, a term which he still serves. During his most recent trip in November


continued on page 4 Winter 2012 / VIRGINIA EPISCOPALIAN 3


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