Our History

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The Jones Valley Church was established in 1913 when several community members
were saved and given the “second blessing” which through reading the word of God
they found to be indeed the Holy Ghost. John Warren, Hattie Mims Warren, Swanson
Seals, Joan Seals and Mel Jones Robinson began to have cottage meetings from
house to house throughout the community. Bro. Fred Daniels became saved at a tent
revival on Border Street next to the old Emmett Scott High School. Bro. Daniels, after
accepting his calling into the ministry, reorganized the cottage meeting, proceeding from
house to house, again preaching the gospel. These meetings were subsequently
moved to the Jones Valley School building which was considered the Tyler “colored
school” during this period. The late Oliver Mims, school trustee, was told by school
officials they could no longer hold these meetings because most of the school
attendants were of another denomination. This caused the founders to re-establish
their cottage meetings in early 1917. Bro. Oliver Mims and Sis. Idonia Mims Houston
freely offered their homes for these spirit filled meetings. Shortly after the reconvening
of these services, the late Oliver Mims told his daughter, the late Rosie Mims Daniels,
“I’m gon’ give yall a spot a ground’ where yall can build yall a church”. Henry Flanigan
was the carpenter, who laid the foundation, which he made from rocks. In 1917, the
church building was finally constructed. Elder Fred Daniels was the first pastor of the
newly built Jones Valley Holiness Church. Elder S. D. Lee became the pastor in 1918
and the name was changed to Jones Valley Church of God in Christ after affiliating with
the C.O.G.I.C. denomination. Several other great ministers served the Jones Valley
Church of God in Christ including: Elder Solon Gee, Supt. Matthew Rider, Elder Battles
Elder W. E. Smith, Supt. Gentry Walker, Supt. E. J. Geter and Elder Lonzo Barnes.

In 1982, the Lord moved upon Supt. W. B. Houston’s heart to send his son, Elder David
R. Houston, to the Valley. Dr. David Houston pursued with the building fund established
by the late Elder Lonzo Barnes and through many challenges, he and the Jones Valley
members built the present church. In 1986, the official name of the church was
changed to the Jones Valley Community Church of God in Christ.

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In November of 1990, Elder David Houston was elevated to Jurisdictional Bishop of
Texas Northeast Second Jurisdiction and continued to serve Jones Valley as pastor.

On July 10, 2004, Bishop David Houston appointed Supt. Melton R. Timmons as pastor.
Since that time Pastor Timmons has continued to build on the foundation laid by his
predecessors. The membership is growing and God is continuing to shower His
blessings on the Jones Valley Community COGIC. Pastor Timmons has led the church
into outreach ministries which include television and radio programs, transportation,
hospital, college, youth and young adult, singles, couples ministries. Many changes to
the facility have taken place under Pastor Timmons leadership including, paving the
parking lot, remodeling the pulpit area, and installation of media room and high-tech
recording equipment all for the enhancement of God’s house.

In November 2012, our pastor, Superintendent Melton R. Timmons was elected to the
National Board of Trustees, Church of God in Christ, worldwide. In April 2013 he was
elected Secretary of the National Trustee Board. In November 2016, he was re-elected
to both positions. In July 2017, Bishop David Houston installed Pastor Timmons as an
Administrative Assistant to the Bishop, Texas Northeast Second Jurisdiction. In
November 2017, First Lady LaQueta Timmons was appointed the first ever chairperson
of the Administrative Assistants' Wives Circle of the Church of God in Christ, worldwide
by our International Supervisor of the Department of Women, Mother Barbara McCoo
Lewis.

In 2018, Pastor Timmons led our church into 2 new outreach programs. Free Lunch in
the Valley is a program that provides free lunches to children during the summer from
the Jones Valley Church in partnership with the East Texas Food Bank. The You Need
IT (Information Tuesdays) program held every 3rd Tuesday of each month, is designed
to share information and raise awareness on different topics that are important in our
community. Topics include: health, education, financial literacy, estate planning, home
ownership, building a marriage, etiquette, voting/elections and much more.
At Jones Valley, the Lord is blessing us right now and it does not yet appear what we
shall be!