Greetings, Saints of Pleasant Hill UMC and Salem UMC!
I’m Jonathan Tullos and I’m thrilled that I’ve been appointed to serve the Americus Parish beginning in June. My wife, Jessica, and I are eager to meet you all and to start getting to know you. Currently, I serve the Druid Hills-Lost Gap Charge in Meridian. Lost Gap is located in rural Lauderdale County and Druid Hills is in a residential area of Meridian.
My spiritual journey is not unlike many others in that the road has had many twists and turns. I was not always the best disciple. There was a time in my life where one could describe me as a “hot mess.” But Jesus truly saved me from some very deep sin. My spiritual awakening began when I was working at a radio station in Fort Wayne, Indiana when I was lying in bed, unable to sleep, and thinking of the bad choices I had been making lately. A voice called out to me and said, “You can’t keep doing this.” I knew it was God letting me know that I was on a path to my own destruction and I asked His forgiveness. Many bumps on the road came about after that but God always revealed His love to me. Along the way I received my call to ministry but fought it as hard as I could. Obviously, in the end, God won the wrestling match.
I was commissioned as a Provisional Elder in the Mississippi Annual Conference in 2018. As for my education, I’m a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary where I earned a Master of Divinity degree. Prior to that, I earned degrees from Liberty University (B.S. – Religion), East Central Community College (A.A.S. – Paramedic Science), and Meridian Community College (A.A.S. – Broadcast Communications). My previous careers include a time as a radio DJ and music programmer. I was also a paramedic for several years. I grew up in Philadelphia, Mississippi where most of my family still lives. Jessica and I have been married for nearly 12 years. She is a high school science teacher and holds degrees from Southern Miss and Mississippi State. We have a daughter, Hannah, who was born in 2014 but died soon after she was born. Jessica and I are also licensed foster parents.
My ministry experience has mostly been in rural contexts. My first appointment was to Oak Grove UMC just outside of Meridian, a small congregation in the Clarkdale community. While studying at Asbury, I served Shiloh UMC in Stanton, Kentucky. Stanton is a small town in Eastern Kentucky in the Appalachian Mountains, an area devastated by job loss and poverty resulting from the reduction of coal mining. I’m excited to be back in “the country!”
We’ll get to know each other better soon. As we prepare to make the transition, my prayers are with you all and with Brother David as he prepares to retire. We’re looking forward to being with you all soon. Meanwhile, please feel free to reach out on social media. I’m always glad to have more Facebook friends!
We’ll see you soon!
In Christ,
Brother Jonathan & Jessica Tullos
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