Biography of
Bishop Jones
The Right Reverend Derek LS Jones
was received in June of 2010 to serve as "Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies" in the Anglican Church in North
America (ACNA) under Archbishop Robert Duncan. Prior to his reception, Bishop Jones served in a
non-jurisdictional role with the Convocation of Anglicans in North America
(CANA), developing and leading CANA’s Deanery for the Chaplaincy
since October of 2007. Bishop Jones provides official/formal ecclesiastical endorsement of Chaplains serving in a variety of professional areas. This list includes the
Department of Defense (DoD)
and all service components of the United States Military, the Veteran’s
Administration, and Department of Justice; as well as non-governmental
Hospitals, Law Enforcement agencies, Hospice-care agencies, Community,
Industrial, and Educational Chaplains.
His responsibilities include the training, education, and credentialing
of Chaplains and Chaplain Candidates. Bishop Jones also provides oversight to
several mission parishes for CANA.
In August of 2007 while serving as
the endorsing signatory with the Communion of Evangelical Episcopal Churches
(CEEC), Bishop Jones was asked to assist with the official endorsement of the
first military chaplain serving in CANA. In consideration of the changing
Anglican landscape in the United States, Bishop Jones offered his expertise to
CANA in creating and developing the Deanery for the Chaplaincy. Under the direction of Missionary Bishop Martyn Minns, he began his work for CANA in late
October that same year. Within the first eight months, the Deanery had grown to
twenty-five chaplains. By the middle of 2009, Bishop Jones had secured CANA’s status as an official endorsing agency with the DoD and prominent civilian
credentialing groups. At the Annual Meeting that year, CANA’s fortieth Chaplain was ordained.
Bishop Jones retired as a senior officer from the United States Air
Force. A combat veteran fighter pilot with more than 4000 hours in the F-111,
T-37 and F-16 fighter aircraft, his awards include the Combat Air Medal,
Meritorious Service Medal, and numerous “Top Gun” awards. Renowned for his
skills as a fighter pilot, he has been interviewed for numerous media
publications and is the pictorial subject for a book on the F-111. He flew is last combat sortie in the F-16 in the late 1990's. He retired from Active Duty after serving as the Reserve Advisor to the Commander and Director of
Staff for the Air Force Doctrine Center. He played a significant
part in the re-write and review of the new Joint Publication 1-05; which is the Joint
Service Doctrine Document for the DoD dealing with Chaplains and Religious
Affairs.
Bishop Jones’ is a
1983 graduate from Samford University with a B.S. in
Mathematics. He obtained his
Masters from Beeson Divinity School, Birmingham, Alabama (2001). Bishop Jones
entered full-time ministry in 1997 with a protestant faith group, but returned
to his Anglican roots in 2000. Ordained a priest in July 2001, he was asked to
assist the Presiding Bishop for the CEEC by serving as their first Chief
Administrative Officer. Of note is his work in post-Charles Taylor Liberia where
he provided oversight in the planting of several Anglican missions and three
Anglican churches. Mostly as a result of that work, he was nominated to the
Episcopate in early 2006. He was consecrated to the Episcopate in January 2007. Immediately following his consecration, Bishop Jones was given charge
to serve as the military chaplain endorser. While Bishop Jones is credited with
laying the groundwork for much of the current CEEC administrative structure, it is his
development of Chaplain ministries for which he is most respected and known.
Not long after CANA’s Annual Meeting in 2009, discussions related to the
possibility that Bishop Jones might become part of CANA or the ACNA were
circulated. In faith, Bishop Jones stepped out of his Episcopal role with the
CEEC in November 2009. Following authentication of valid Apostolic Succession,
and pursuant to discussion among CANA, Church of Nigeria and ACNA leadership, it
was determined that Bishop Jones should be recommended for reception into the
ACNA so that he could continue his work with Chaplaincies for CANA and the ACNA
with full Episcopal authority. He was received to serve as “Bishop Suffragan for Chaplaincies” under Archbishop Robert Duncan.
+Derek is married to the former Connie Lee
of Birmingham, Alabama. Connie is also in full-time ministry serving as the
Associate Executive Director and Nurse Manager of Sav-a-Life; a pro-life ministry and medical clinic in
Alabama. Married in 1982, Derek and Connie have two adult daughters, Amanda
(Erric) and Lauren Jones. Derek and Connie are also the proud
grandparents of one granddaughter, Sarah Annette. Amanda is a high
school teacher and her husband is a Sheriff’s Department Investigator. Lauren is a NARHA certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor (using
equine as a medium for therapy and/or recovery) working with a non-profit riding center. Derek and Connie make their home in
Montevallo, Alabama.