The name “Jones” is well-known around the Duke Divinity School campus. It is the name of its Dean, and the bride, Sarah Jones’ father, The Rev. Dr. L. Gregory Jones.
Here is his bio, as found on the Duke University website:
Dean of the Divinity School and Ruth W. and A. Morris Williams Jr.
Distinguished Professor of Theology and Christian Ministry
B.A., M.P.A., University of Denver
M.Div., Ph.D., Duke University
Professor Jones is dean of Duke Divinity School and a theologian whose work centers on the nature of forgiveness, the significance of Christian ministry and pastoral leadership, and social innovation and entrepreneurship. He has served as Duke’s chief international strategist to advance and coordinate the university’s global engagement. Between 1997 and 2010, Dr. Jones served as the eleventh dean of the Divinity School.
The author or editor of seventeen books, he has also published more than 200 articles and essays. His most recent book is Christian Social Innovation: Renewing Wesleyan Witness (Abingdon Press, May 2016). He coauthored the book Forgiving As We’ve Been Forgiven with Celestin Musekura and another book with Kevin R. Armstrong, Resurrecting Excellence: Shaping Faithful Christian Ministry.
After I watched the video on the Goodson Chapel organ, I did a Google search on The Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones, Sarah’s mother:
The Rev. Susan Pendleton Jones recently retired as associate dean of United Methodist initiatives and ministerial formation at Duke Divinity School. She also has served as director of field education. Her teaching responsibilities at Duke have included courses on leadership, forgiveness and reconciliation, and the pastor’s vocation, team-taught with her husband, L. Gregory Jones, Williams professor of theology and Christian ministry and senior strategist for Leadership Education at Duke Divinity. Additionally, she was the project coordinator for the Divinity School’s 2005 building addition, which includes Goodson Chapel and the Westbrook Building. A retired elder in the Western North Carolina (WNC) Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church, Susan has served pastorates in North Carolina and Maryland and as former UM Campus Minister at Duke. Susan and Greg are the parents of Nathan, Benjamin and Sarah, and the grandparents of Clara Susan Jones.
So it is no surprise that BOTH of Sarah’s parents are listed as Officiants for the wedding. Can you imagine their immense pride as they officiate at the wedding of their only daughter!
But that’s not the only Jones at Duke Divinity School: Here’s the bio for Nathan Jones, Sarah’s brother, baritone, who is singing a solo during the communion whom I’m accompanying:
Nathan Jones is a researcher, writer and musician currently pursuing a doctor of theology degree at Duke Divinity School. Previously he completed a B.A. in history and religion and an M.Div., both at Duke. He is on the ordination track in the United Methodist Church and also is a professional opera singer who has performed across the U.S. and Europe.
By doing a search of Facebook, I found out that both parents also officiated at the wedding of their son, Benjamin Jones, one of the groomsmen in the wedding. Here’s the photo I found of Ben and his wife:
By far the best quip of the evening came when Sarah’s two older brothers got up to “friendly” argue about which one of them had the most influence on her as she grew up. Nathan said that Sarah followed him into participating in choir, while Benjamin said Sarah enjoyed his love of sports.
Then Nate revealed that in the fall, Sarah, after obtaining a bachelor’s degree in psychology at Duke, will be an incoming new student in the Duke Divinity School, following in her brother’s footsteps!
But Ben replied that that was no news. “It’s like talking about the Kennedys going into politics!”
Nothing to see here, folks!
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