JOHN L. GHEE was born in Kenbridge, Virginia, May 28, 1942, to the late Frank F. Ghee, Sr., and Julia B. Ghee, the sixth of nine children.
He grew up in a rural farm community, where he also attended Lunenburg County Public Schools and joined the Bethlehem RZUA Church.
He was ordained as an Elder in the RZUA Church in August 1966. He served the RZUA connectional church as President of the Rising Zion Youth Convention and pastored five different congregations (Prospect, St. Stephens, Salem Union, Winfield Salem, and Mercy Seat) in Virginia’s Mecklenburg and Brunswick counties.
Beginning in January 1976, he went on a 30-year-long loan from the RZUA Church to the Christian Methodist Episcopal (CME) Church.
In the CME Church, he served as an Associate Pastor, Military Chaplain, Senior Pastor, and Presiding Elder.
He is the founding pastor of the Community CME Church in Columbia, South Carolina and Commissioning Presiding Elder of the Hoyt Tabernacle, CME Church of Claymont, Delaware.
In June 1976, he was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the US Army Chaplains Corp’s Staff Specialist Program. He retired from the US Army in September 1998 as a Lieutenant Colonel.
After his retirement from the US Army, he became Chaplain for the Community Memorial Hospital, South Hill, Virginia, where he also served as Chair of the Ethics Committee.
Bishop Ghee is a father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He loves his family and the church — and he adores his God.
The Right Reverend John L. Ghee was elected and consecrated 15th Bishop of the RZUA Churches at its General Conference on October 22, 2014.
