The Rev. Sammie E. Jones is contending with recent tornado damage to his home church, Mount Zion Baptist Church, and the resulting insurance hassles. But that isn’t slowing him down in his efforts to promote the 108th Annual National Baptist Congress of Christian Education, which is coming to St. Louis.
An estimated 30,000 people are expected to convene in St. Louis June 16-21, generating a substantial amount of revenue for the city. Rev. Jones is local host committee chairman and was instrumental in bringing the conference to St. Louis for the second straight year.
“I really need the support of the city,” Rev. Jones said. “Every church, every pastor within the region needs to register.”
Rev. Jones will soon celebrate his 35th anniversary as senior pastor at Mount Zion, 1444 South Compton Ave., which has grown into a full-fledged
“Christian Complex” under his leadership.
He succeeded Rev. Jeremiah M. Baker, the first pastor to serve Mt. Zion for more than 40 years, after his retirement in 1979.
“They were seeking a young, intelligent, spirit-filled pastor,” Rev. Jones said.
He is the twelfth pastor to serve at Mt. Zion. The historic church began as a missionary Baptist church founded in 1859 under the leadership of the Rev. John Richard Anderson, pastor at Central Baptist from 1847 to 1863. Mount Zion follows First Baptist Church and Central Baptist as one of the oldest African-American congregations in St. Louis.
Rev. Jones knew at a young age that he would become a preacher, yet he did not fully surrender to public ministry until 1971.
“I always loved church,” he said. “I always loved listening to the preachers.”
His grandmother, Cora Lewis, a strong matriarch from Mississippi, kept him close to Christ. He was born in Doddsville, Miss., before moving to St. Louis as a child with his grandmother. They were joined later by his mother, Bessie L. Jones.
“She raised myself and many others in our family to trust in God and believe that God will always be available for us,” he said of his grandmother.
In his first pastoral appointment, he served nearly four years at Friendship Baptist Church, then a small family congregation of about 30 members in Columbia, Mo.
“They taught me what preaching was all about,” he said of his first congregation. “They did not have a lot of money, but they were caring and sharing.”
He also learned dedication. He and his wife, Sandra, a retired teacher for the Ferguson-Florissant School District, would commute twice a week from St. Louis to Columbia for prayer services.
“It was kind of taxing,” he said. “But after much prayer the Lord said, ‘Come home.’” He has been home in St. Louis and preaching at Mount Zion ever since.
“He has been a staple in our community,” said his son, the Rev. Shaun E. Jones, who serves as assistant pastor at Mount Zion. “The vision that the Lord gave my father was to have a full-functioning church that services the community.”
During his tenure, Mount Zion constructed its current church facility, a daycare building, two senior apartment buildings and a family center. Rev. Shaun Jones says there are future plans to develop a retail center.
Rev. Sammie Jones has led a busy life outside of his ministry. He received an associate degree from Saint Louis University, a bachelors in communications from Lindenwood University and an honorary doctor of divinity degree from Western Baptist Bible College.
He presently serves as second vice president of the National Baptist Congress of Christian Education. He is one of several commissioners with the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission. He is an executive member of the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis and a life member of the St. Louis city chapter of the NAACP.
He was inducted into the distinguished Martin Luther King, Jr. Board of Preachers at Morehouse College in 1994. He served 10 years in the U.S. Army and Active Reserves among his many other accomplishments.
Now, he is actively growing his congregation, as a large number of young adults are moving back to the city, particularly to the near South Side area surrounding Mount Zion. According to Rev. Shaun Jones, 2012 was a great year for membership growth at the church among young adults ages 19-35.
Mt. Zion, its senior pastor said, is “a church for people that are growing and going for Christ.”
Sunday service starts at 10 a.m. at Mount Zion Baptist Church – Christian Complex, 1444 South Compton Ave. Call 314-776-3888 or visit www.mountstlouis.org.
