Bishop Jerome S. Wilcox

~HUSBAND -- EDUCATOR -- FATHER -- PASTOR~
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young." ~Isaiah 40:11
We celebrate the homegoing of Bishop Jerome Strickland Wilcox. Bishop Wilcox was born on January 2, 1938, in Waycross, Georgia, to his beloved mother, Shirley V. Strickland-Echols. He was raised by his mother and stepfather, Bishop Henry Joseph Echols, Senior Bishop of the First Born Church of the Living God, located in Waycross, Georgia. Affectionately called "Bishop" or "Pastor", Bishop Wilcox heeded his Master's call, and made his triumphant transition to glory on July 3, 2024.
The Early Years
During his early years, Bishop Wilcox attended Hazzard Hill Elementary School, Bailey Middle School and Central High School, all in the Waycross, Georgia School District. After graduating high school, Bishop Jerome Wilcox attended Tuskegee University, and graduated with his master's degree in Education. Shortly after graduating college, Bishop relocated from the south to New Jersey. Here, he met and married the love of his life - the late Elect Lady Elder Mae Etta Dockery Wilcox - on April 28, 1962, at Shiloh Apostolic Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They remained married for 57 years, until her death in July of 2019. Those of us who are a part of the Grace family, often heard Bishop reminisce fondly about how beautiful Lady Wilcox looked in her green dress when he first met her. To their treasured union was born a beautiful baby girl, Jeanne Marie Rawls. In November of 1979, another dream was born in the spirit of the then Elder Jerome S. Wilcox. The Lord inspired him to establish a church – a work dedicated to spreading the gospel. Heeding the divine call to establish a church, within a week he was swiftly blessed by God to procure the Mount Ariat Primitive Baptist Church. However, before the church's inception, Elder Wilcox's mother, Mother Shirley V. Echols, being led by God to pray for her son's ministry, prophesied, "The Church is in this House!"
In obedience to the Spirit, the inaugural church service was held in the home of Elder Wilcox and Missionary Wilcox on Sunday, November 25, 1979. The original name Pastor selected for the church was Grace Cathedral First Born Church.
Serving God's People
Since Grace Cathedral's humble beginnings, the congregation has grown in members and in influence in the community. Although space will not permit a listing of all the early church members, their commitment and dedication to the ministry is a testament to the vision of Bishop Wilcox and his commitment and devotion to following the will of God. The generosity and willingness of those early members who worked and served in various ministries to further the gospel; on boards, on committees, as department chairpersons, and choir members, to know that all paved the way for the ministry to grow. What is a church without music? Nehemiah 12:27 says: "Teach us how to make music that is pleasing to God." Hebrews 2:12 says: "In the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise." Accordingly, to accentuate the church services, Bishop founded a music department where his daughter, Jeanne, also a member of the Bishop's Choir and the Praise team, served faithfully as the Minister of Music at Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries, Inc., for more than forty years. The Voices of Cathedral, the Combined Youth Choir, the Grace Cathedral Mass Choir, the Gospel Chorus, the Male Chorus, and the Bishop's Choir have proclaimed the gospel through songs inspired by the Word of God, continually uplifting the congregation through an anointed music ministry, celebrated both locally and nationally. In April of 1994, Bishop Wilcox and Elect Elder Mae E. Wilcox, founded the renowned Abiding in the Anointing Conference, which engaged many nationally renowned speakers to minister the gospel of "Christ Our Message ~ Souls our Mission", leading countless souls to Christ. Bishop sought to preserve and honor the sanctity of God's word through regular weekly Sunday worship, dedicated prayer, bible study, fasting, consecrations, evangelistic and deliverance services, religious films, and revivals. Throughout the church's history, countless revivals have been conducted by noteworthy, anointed men and women serving God by exhorting people of all backgrounds to repentance and salvation. Over the years, there have been far too many to list them individually by name. Bishop Wilcox was an anointed gospel preacher and teacher who ministered a firm foundation of biblical truth that moved people toward new levels of spirituality and growth in the body of Christ. He led by example and challenged the saints to seek a deeper spiritual relationship with Christ through prayer, fasting and commitment to following God's Word. Through Bishop's wise counsel, uplifting encouragement, and fervent prayers, countless individuals and families have been won to Christ, and many in the community have been uplifted with a renewed faith in Jesus Christ.
Service to the Community
While he was a proud native of Waycross, Georgia, Bishop Wilcox made his presence felt throughout the Trenton/Ewing communities. As a former educator in the New Jersey Public School System, Bishop served as a teacher and a Junior High School Administrator. In June 1997, he retired from the Ewing Public School System after over thirty-five years of service. In addition to his educational and religious responsibilities, Bishop Wilcox made it a point to remain active in the community serving in several volunteer capacities. Not only did he visit the sick and pray for members of the Grace family, but he also frequently prayed and interceded for people who were not a part of his congregation. As part of his service to his community, Bishop was a part of the Citizens Action Committee for Ewing Township, NJ, which prepared a plan for racial equity in the district's schools. He was a recruiter for minority teachers for the school district and was appointed to the Ewing Township Juvenile Committee. He served as Spiritual Advisor for the Covenant Partners of Trenton, NJ and Surrounding Areas, an organization that he founded in 1998. He was a member of the Concerned Pastors of Trenton, New Jersey. In April 1997, Bishop Wilcox received an Honorary Doctorate Degree in Theology from the Shiloh Theological Seminary of Stafford, Virginia. In August of 1997, Bishop Wilcox was installed as the Chief Presiding Prelate of the Abiding in the Anointing Assemblies Inc. He retired in 2013 at the rank of Senior Bishop Emeritus. Throughout his tenure, he remained faithful to his role and duties as the Senior Pastor and Founder of Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries, Inc.
Innovator
An innovator and spiritual man of action, God blessed Bishop Wilcox to erect two new state-of-the-art church sanctuaries. Grace Cathedral was also deemed the first "urban" church in the State of New Jersey to "Go Green" with solar energy on both buildings.
A Spirit-filled Man of Faith
Nothing is more influential in shaping and molding our world, than a yielded vessel to carry God's message of hope and deliverance for people worldwide. These attributes were found in Bishop Jerome S. Wilcox, pastor, founder, friend, confidant, community leader, educator, mentor, counselor, and administrator of ministry excellence. Bishop was a giant of the gospel and anointed for his calling. He was chosen to usher in a dynamic and powerful move of God. A man of faith, filled with agape love for all, Bishop was not afraid of what God placed on his heart to do. He had a burning vision to see the lives of all people transformed by the revelation of God's Holy Word. He believed that all things were possible with God when you aligned yourself with God's Word, His will, and His plan for your life. Even with Bishop's transition, know that this too, was God's plan.
Take comfort in the word. For those with grieving spirits, God urges us in Lamentations 3:32 to take heart, "Though He brings grief, He will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love." God further offers comfort through Psalms 147:3 noting, "He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds."
The Honorable Bishop Jerome S. Wilcox of Ewing, NJ, was preceded in death by his parents Shirley V. Strickland-Echols and Bishop Henry Joseph Echols, and his wife, Elect Lady Elder Mae Etta Dockery Wilcox. As a devoted father, brother, and relative, he leaves his beloved and cherished daughter, Jeanne Marie (Minister Otis M.) Rawls of Ewing, NJ; one sister, Sara Pearl Gray; one sister-in-law, Mrs. Dolly Roth of Mt. Laurel, NJ; one special son, Charles Lawrence (Gemma) of VA; grandson, Jerome Lawrence; spiritual son, Pastor-Elect Kyle L. Sanders; one godson, Jeremy Clark; special cousins, Diane Walker, Inez Bulter, Angie Griffin; a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and his caregivers, (affectionately called, "Bishop's Angels"), Norma Cooper, Margaret Hamilton, Denise McCall, Patricia Mathis, Edith Brooks, Fayetta McGill, Elder Emmanuel Awidi, Sonia Batts, and Donte Boyer (Lori); Grace Cathedral Fellowship Ministries Church Family, and the Household of Faith.
While Bishop's passing leaves those of us who loved him mourning for his physical presence, surely his spirit caused the angels and the heavenly hosts to rejoice at his arrival, welcoming him, saying "Well done, good and faithful servant". Bishop Jerome Strickland Wilcox leaves many to mourn his transition, as well as many family members and friends who will continue to honor and cherish his legacy of love. Hebrews 13:14-15 says, "For this world is not our permanent home; we are looking forward to a home yet to come". Even so, Bishop Jerome Strickland Wilcox, a servant of the Most High God, will surely be missed.