Celebrating the Life andService (Dr. Jeffery K D. Saturday, Juty 13, 2013 1:00 (PM. Trinity Christian M ethodist (EpiscopatChurch 2930 (Jtenn H itts Drive JLugusta, Qeorgia 30906 (EtderJ. ponzettM aness, (presiding (Bishop "Kenneth Vj. Carter, (Eutogist The 06ituary CDr. Jeffery R Thomas was 6orn Octo6er 24, 1963 in (Daytona, Elorida, to (Rev. Dr. jw endolyn Sm ith a n d the Cate Rev. John Thomas Smith, Sr. JCe departed this Cife on Tuesday, July 9, 2013. N e graduated summa cum Caude w ith a (Bachelor o fA rts degree in (Philosophy a n d Religionfrom (Paine College, Augusta, jeorgia. `While at Paine College, Dr. Thomas 6ecame afello w o f both the Theological(Education Vndergraduate E undand the A ndrew `W. M ellon SocialScience Research Council Dr. Thomas also receivednumerous awards, including 6eing named the V n ite d Negro College E undPre-Alumni CouncilW ale o f the Tear (2000); inducted into the A lpha Rappa M u N ational NonorSociety; namedto the N ational's Dean List; 6ecame a B illandM alinda (Jates M illennium Eellow; receivedthe Paine College D istinguished Recognition A w a rd and became a B la c f College E und Ambassador, which allow ed him to travel extensively across the V n ite d States as a conference speaker a n d advocatefo r higher education. In 2001, Dr. Thomas receiveda PresidentialScholarship to atten d the Claremont Schoolo fTheology in Claremont, California where he entered a M aster o f D ivinity Degree Program. During graduation ceremonies, he was honored w ith the Church o f the (JoodShepherd Preaching A w a rd and the Edw in and Erances `W hitman PastoralCareAward. A fte r he received the M aster o f D ivinity Degree, Dr. Thomas became a Theology D octoral Eellow and receivedanother PresidentialScholarship from Claremont School o f Theology to pursue a Ph.D. He then earned a M aster o fA rts degree and completed a two-year clinicalresidency at the ClinebellIn stitu tefo r PastoralCounseling andPsychotherapy. In 2009, he completed a ll o f the Ph.D. requirements, including a dissertation entitled, The Liberative-Prophetic: A Socio- TheologicalandPsychospiritualAnalysis o fS lid Row, Los Angeles. Dr. Thomas was awarded the Ph.D. in Theology and Personality w ith an emphasis in pastoralcounseling andpsychotherapy. During the graduation ceremony, he was awarded the highest academic aw ardgiven by the school: The President's A w a rd fo r Academic Excellence. In 2010, he was invited as an adjunct professor to teach a class on Social Conflict and M inistries o f Care at Claremont. N e also served as assistant Professor o f Religion at Paine College, Augusta, Georgia. Dr. Thomas was licensedto preach the gospelin 1995. N e was ordainedin 2002 a n d became an elder in 2006 in the Christian M ethodist Episcopal Church. N e has served in various capacities at numerous churches, including the Raise Bridge CM E Church in `Waynesboro, (jeorgia; `W estwood V n ite d M ethodist Church a n d the Nolman V n ite d M ethodist Church, Los Angeles, California. N e also served as the Senior Pastor o f the CentralCity Community Church in S lid Row, Los Angeles, the epicenter o f Am erica's largest homeless population. Ne and the church were fea tu red on the nationally-syndicated television show TheAmerican Bible Society Presents. N is w orfcan also be seen in S lid Row: jo d , by Sam Slavicfa Binding j o d in the City o fAngels, produced by the Institute fo r Signifying Scriptures at Claremont graduate School Vniversity; the documentary, Lost Angels, produced by Big Time Productions and the CBS Television show The B olda n d the Beautiful. N is ministry was alsofea tu red in the Los Angeles Sentinel, The Los Angeles Times and the Los Angeles D ow ntow n News. A t the time o f his death, he was auditioningfo r the role to portray Dr. Ring in afea tu red film , entitled, Biography o f Dr. M artin Luther Ring,Jr., produced by P aul (jreengrass. Clearly, Dr. Thomas'passion was to assist and empower underservedandm arginalizedindividuals andfam ilies in becoming self-sufficient and emotionally, psychologically and spiritually whole. (While serving Trinity, he led the congregation in planting a time capsule. N e is survived by his mother, Dr. Gwendolyn Sm ith o fAugusta, Cjeorgia; fiv e brothers, M arfaSmith, Nolan (Rhonda) Smith, Stanley (Anna) Smith, A tlanta, jeorgia a n d C liffordSm ith a n d John Smith, Augusta, jeorgia; one m aternalaunt, Delores Davis andfam ily, Daytona Beach, Elorida; a devotedfriend, A ttorney Teresa Nillary, Los Angeles, California, and a host o f nieces, nephews and loving and dedicatedfriends. The Order o fService