The Rev. Jerome Bell and First Lady Tonita Bell are celebrating their first anniversary as leaders of Grace Missionary Baptist Church with 10 days of events – including a service last Sunday and an upcoming concert featuring a range of music.
Bell, a veteran radio broadcaster, concert promoter, and minister, said that former members and youth are returning to the Southeast church and he and his wife have big plans for the 55-year-old congregation.
“I am the third pastor of this church and members are coming back,” Bell said. “Love has been the order and the healing power of the Lord. In the beginning, we were having services twice a month and now we have service every Sunday and a winning Wednesday prayer service.”
The pastor was raised as a child only blocks away from Grace Missionary Baptist Church. He was installed in December and before his installation, he was active in gospel music as a radio announcer, promoter and road manager for Edward, Walter, and Tremaine Hawkins.
Bell has hosted many gospel concerts in his career and last year he co-hosted the 75th birthday celebration for award-winning artist Richard Smallwood. For several years Bell pastored the Maryland Christian Center. While Bell refuses to tell his age, he said he and his wife have been married for 18 years and have five children and six grands.
“We live together, we ride together,” he said. “Fortunately all of the children are grown. We don’t have to worry about ear infections and all of them are out of the house.”
The pastor said the church’s theme this year will be, “Continuing in the New Day,” and last Sunday the anniversary message was preached by the Rev. James E. Sturdivant, pastor of United Baptist Church.
Sturdivant’s message came from Isaiah 43:19 which stated “Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert.”
For his subtext, Sturdivant said, “Behold God will do just what he said.”
WHUR radio host Winston Chaney was one of the many guests at the anniversary program Sunday.
“Jerome Bell has been a staple in this community for a long time and I am proud of him,” Chaney told The Informer.
The still fairly new Grace Missionary pastor reflected on his life and career.
“At this particular age of my life, I am surprised to be included, selected, and elected,” said Bell who added that in the last year, former members have returned, young people are more involved and his wife has planned a range of events.
After a successful year, Bell said he has major plans for the future of Grace.
“I want to take the ministry outside the walls of the church, and to work with the Sixth District Police and I want to get the young people involved. It’s all about having a partnership of a pastor and people.”
Bell said that the church held a choir reunion and they are looking into establishing a community choir.
The first lady is also doing major work in the community. She carries the title of deaconess and she is planning programs for women and young adults.
“As I think about this first anniversary it has meant that God has been on the move in our lives,” Deaconess Bell said. “I needed to be hands-on. It has been a blessing. It has never been a title for me. I have done what I have needed to do in the ministry.”
I’m a member of Grace Memorial Baptist Church, my, pastor is Jerome A. Bell. After reading The Informal, I am excited what Pastor A. Bell has for Grace Memorial Baptist Church. I’m also happy how he’s interested in in getting involved with the 6th police department and the community. What ever he has planned it’s going to be awesome. First Lady Bell, her contribution is also going to be uplifting to the Church in all she does because she’s so spiritually connected to God’s work.