Reverend Jeremy G. Rich
Biographical Sketch
Reverend Jeremy G. Rich is grateful and humbled to serve as the pastor of First Missionary Baptist Church - Thomasville, Georgia. Initially, Pastor Rich joined the village of FMBC in 2004 under the leadership of his mentor and predecessor, the late Rev. Dr. I.L. Mullins, Sr. On June 12, 2012, Dr. Mullins and the members of the First Missionary Baptist Church passed the torch of leadership to Reverend Jeremy G. Rich, by electing him to serve as the twentieth pastor. Over the past eight years more than one hundred and twenty people have united with our faith-community.
Through his faithful leadership, First Missionary Baptist Church has recommitted itself to serving the least of these and the most vulnerable of our community through partnerships and collaborations including: the establishment of the College Recruitment Fair; Winter Warming Shelter; Backpack Buddies sponsorship to the Thomasville Community Resource Center; the Annual African American History Lecture Series; repurposing the Parsonage to the Mission House; the acquisition of addition properties around the church; sponsoring the FMBC Relay for Life Team; Annual Clothing Giveaways and sponsoring of the Fiftieth Anniversary Commemorative March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. During the height of COVID-19, FMBC partnered with Archbold Medical Center to distribute more that 500 dosage of the Pfizer Vaccaine.
Remaining ever committed to improving himself as a minister, Pastor Rich has participated in numerous professional development opportunities including: The Hampton Minister’s Conference (2013, 2014, 2019); Proctor Conference (2017) and the Princeton Theological Seminary Black Theology and Leadership Institute: Faith and Politics (2016) and Land Sovereignty and Food Justice (2019); Auburn Theological Seminary’s Multi-Faith Initiative to End Mass Incarceration (2019). Pastor Rich has begun the journey toward earned his Master of Divinity at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia.
And what does God require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? Micah 6:8. A tirelessly advocate for justice and equality; Pastor Rich continues to be a voice for the voiceless and the most vulnerable the Thomasville and the Thomas County Community through his service: as the Thomas County Board of Commission – District 1. He serves as the Chair of the Finance Committee, member of the Public Property Committee and Chair of the Bicentennial Celebration for Thomas County 2025. Prior to his service on the Thomas County Board of Commissioner, Rich served as the Vice-Chair of the Thomasville Planning and Zoning Commission (2016 – 2018); Weston Park Redevelopment (2017 – 2018); the City of Thomasville’s Comprehensive Plan: Blueprint 2028 (2017 – 2018). Pastor Rich has also served as Chaplain of the Day for the Georgia House of Representative (2016, 2017 and 2018). Additionally, Pastor Rich’s service to the Thomas County Community includes: Habitat for Humanity Board of Directors, Backpack Buddies Foundation Board of Directors, Hands of Thomas County Board of Directors (2011 – 2017); and Thomasville Landmarks Director (2012 – 2016). Pastor Rich hold membership in the Thomasville Chapter of the Florida A&M University Alumni Association, Saint John Lodge #189 of Pensacola, Florida; Thomasv County Chapter of the National Assocation for the Advancement of Colored People, and Kappa Alpha Psi Fratnerity Incorporated – Thomasville (GA) Alumni Chapter.
He is a 2005 graduate of Florida A&M University where he majored in Political Science with a minor of Secondary Education. In March of 2007, Rev. Rich began teaching and serving as the Social Studies Department Chairman and as the Technology Coordinator at the Bishop Hall Charter School in Thomasville, Georgia. He was elected “Teacher of the Year” by his peers for the 2008-2009 academic school year. While teaching at Bishop Hall Charter School, he has taken students on several trips including the Alabama Civil Rights Tour; the Cultural Excursion of the Nation’s Capital in Washington D.C.; the Florida African American Heritage Tour, and the Atlanta Heritage Tour. Pastor Rich also served on the Building and Design Committee for the New Bishop Hall Charter School; The Charter Reauthorization Committee for Bishop Hall Charter School 2014 and Thomas County School S.A.C.S. Reaffirmation 2014 and 2019.
From his youth, Pastor Rich, was active in the life of his church community through his participation in the Youth Ministry of the Church and Sunday School. Being led of the Holy Spirit, Pastor Rich preached his initial sermon entitled, “The Dangers of Losing Focus” on May 6, 2001. As a minister, he was honored to serve as an assistant pastor to the late Elder R.N. Gooden at the historic Saint Mary Primitive Baptist Church (Call Street) in Tallahassee, FL. He was ordained on May 25, 2002 by the Mount Zion West Florida Primitive Baptist Association. Further following the call of GOD upon his life, Pastor Rich became the 27th Minister at the Bethany Congregational United Church of Christ. He was elected to Southeast Conference Board of Directors for United Church of Christ and has served as a delegate to the General Synod of the United Church of Christ 2009 and 2011.
Reverend Jeremy G. Rich is the only son born to Mr. Gus and the late Mrs. Pauletta H. Rich. He is the brother to Mrs. Kimberly Rich-Williams, Program Director for the Human Trafficking Initiative at Saint Luke Health in Houston, Texas; the late Ms. Valerie Rich, a Photographer; and Mrs. Renita Rich Bren, a Middle School Educator and Owner and Founder of Preparing for College 101.
Pastor Rich’s Motto: God’s Word will sustain us when we are right and convict us when we are wrong.
Please email Pastor Rich at pastorjeremygrich@gmail.com