Rev. John Henry Holmes, Jr. Pastor/Teacher

Dean of Tyler District 2005-2006-2007

Rev. John Henry Holmes, Jr., the youngest child of seven, was born in Palestine TX. He was reared and attended school in Palestine and graduated from A. M. Story High School. He went to trade school where he received a certificate as a Master Appliance Technician.

Rev. Holmes was ordained an Itinerant Deacon in 1974 and was ordained an Itinerant Elder in 1976. Both ordinations were in the Northeast Texas Conference under Presiding Elder C. C. Johnson, at which time The Right Rev. John Hurst Adams was the Prelate of the Tenth Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. He has pastored several churches during his ministry:

3/1972-8/1972. Friendship and Dole Circuit as a supply pastor.

8/1972-8/1975. Green Bay AME Church in Tucker, TX, as a supply pastor. During his three-year tenure, the church paid off two bank notes, and he was ordained an Itinerant Deacon.

8/1975-8/1978. St. Andrews AME Church in Elkhart, TX and St. Mary AME Church Grapeland. During his three-year tenure, these two churches met once a month and Pastor Holmes was instrumental in leading them to believing in themselves and in God. Both churches grew into a two-Sunday church and worshipped together on the 5^th Sunday. While on this circuit, he burned the mortgage at St. Mary AME Church in Grapeand, Texas and was also ordained an Itinerant Elder.

8/1978-8/1980. In 1978, Pastor Holmes was appointed to Hamilton Memorial AME Church Texarkana, TX. The members were worshiping in the Liberty-Eylau ISD Kindergarten Center Auditorium. Pastor Holmes asked the congregation to make some repairs to the damaged building to enable them to attend worship services in the sanctuary. Under his leadership, the church incurred a 7-year remodeling note for $27,500. After two short years, 95% of the note had been repaid. The church grew spiritually, numerically and financially.

1980-1983. Quinn Chapel AME Church-Denison, TX. The church grew spiritually.

8/1983-8/1985. Hamilton Memorial AME Church-Texarkana, TX, for the second time. The church continued to grow.

8/1985-10/1998. Paul AME Church-Mt. Pleasant, TX. During his 12 year pastorate at St. Paul, the church grew spiritually, numerically and financially. Pastor Holmes and the congregation were able to burn the mortgage 6 months in advance. Additionally, the church purchased and had installed central heat and air conditioning.

November 1998-present. Hamilton Memorial AME-Texarkana, TX, for the third time. The church has continued to grow by leaps and bounds spiritually, financially and numerically.

Since 1998 under Pastor Holmes' leadership the church has paid off the organ note, laid a concrete parking lot, landscaped  the church grounds. As well as, purchased and paid for a 15 passenger van.

Hamilton Memorial at the this time has out grown its educational room within the church building and has purchased a new residence for the Pastor and remolded the old home into the "new" Hamilton Memorial AMEC Educational Facility.

Rev Holmes decided to better equip himself for the ministry by applying for and being accepted by Southwestern Seminary Extension in Wake Village, TX. Currently he has 32 hours in Biblical Studies. He and his wife, Jacynthia, have been married for 33 years and are the proud parents of Sidney, George, Cynthia, Stephanie, Christopher, Hannah, and John, III. They have sixteen grandchildren.

Rev. Vickie Davis - Itinerant Elder