By Rev. Patricia DeLeon, Herstoriographer
North Ohio Annual Conference Third Episcopal District
By Rev. Patricia DeLeon, Herstoriographer
North Ohio Annual Conference, 3rd Episcopal District
“Highlighting a Trailblazer”
The mission of African Methodist Episcopal Church Women in Ministry states: “The mission of AMEWIM is to define, enhance, support and expand the presence of women in ministry in leadership in the AME Church.” To that end, the North Ohio Annual Conference of the Third Episcopal District of the African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church can claim many “firsts.” One of them is a celebrated leader, the Rev. Georgina Thornton.
The Rev. Thornton was called to the ministry in 1976 at New Bethel Baptist Church in Youngstown. Even though this church sent her to seminary, paid for her books and tuition, they never gave her a charge because she was a woman. Additionally, New Bethel Baptist Church already had a pastor. He was Rev. Lonnie Simon, who was considered number one in the community in terms of leadership. Thirty years ago, a Black church had one pastor! As the Rev. Thornton remembers that she had gone in New Bethel as she could go! She recalls how no other Baptist church would call her because she was a woman, so she entered the AME Church. She remains very close to the New Bethel Baptist Church members and preaches there all the time.
In December 1984, the Rev. Thorton became a member of the AME Church was ordained in an Itinerant Elder in October 1987. Thereafter, she received her very first charge, Mt. Moriah AME Church in Maple Heights, Ohio. During this tenure, membership increased, the facility was enlarged, and an elevator was installed for handicap accessibility. Then, the Rev. Thornton was assigned as pastor of St. Paul AME Church in the City of Cleveland’s West Side. For example, while at St. Paul, she also established many “firsts,” including increasing ecumenical involvement with faiths in the community. Under her leadership, St. Paul and the Ascension Catholic Church jointly received the Christian Unity Award from the Catholic Diocese of Cleveland, Ohio, for innovative community service. Additionally, Under her leadership, St. Paul implemented a building program, and on January 18, 2009, she led the St. Paul membership into a new edifice now located at 4118 Brookside Boulevard in Cleveland.
The building boasts 12,300 square footage with the capacity to hold new and existing ministries.
After that, she was assigned to her third charge by the late Bishop C. Garnett Henning to lead the historic Grace AME Church in Warren, Ohio.
The Rev. Thornton has traveled to Guyana, South America, Haiti, and South Africa. March 18, 2001, marked the groundbreaking for the “Gena Thornton Multipurpose Centre” in Allen Temple Meadowlands, Republic of South Africa. The building which was completed and dedicated in 2002, is used for HIV rehabilitation.
The Rev. Thornton has served on the lecture circuit over a number of years sharing
in such subjects as African Philosophy and Spiritual Development at Youngstown State, Kent State, Cornell University, and many other Youngstown and Cleveland area schools. “Rev. Gena,” as she is affectionately called, has been married to “the love of her life,” “Brother Bob,” for sixty years this coming September, 2022. They have five children and a number of grandchildren, and great
grandchildren.
