Pastor Cora Jones OriginCora Jones grew up on a farm in Chickasaw county in Mississippi. She is the ninth of the twelve children of Alvin and Ruby Jones Davidson. She attended Woodland Elementary School and Chickasaw County High School. In 1964, she graduated valedictorian of her class at the age of seventeen. Her parents were unable to send her to college, but by the grace of God, one of her sisters who had just begun teaching was willing to send her to Mississippi Valley State College Itta Bena, Mississippi. While matriculating at MVSC, she was active in several organizations such as the MVSC Debate Team, the MVSC Drama Club, Sunday school, and Baptist Student Union. She was loved and respected by her teachers and peers. She completed her course requirements for a Bachelor of Science degree in English in November 1967. CareerFollowing this, Cora was immediately hired at South Calhoun High School to teach seventh and eleventh grade English. Her eleven year tenure in the Calhoun county schools were times of change and learning. Some of the most difficult times were the early years of integration. She, however, was willing to take a stand for right and righteousness. Through all of her experiences, she learned to lean on and trust in Jesus more and more. She left Calhoun City High School when they moved to Oklahoma in 1979 so husband, Jimmy, could attend Rhema Bible Center. Four years later (1983), after they returned to Mississippi, she reentered the teaching profession at West Clay High School, Pheba, Mississippi. There she taught junior high and high school classes for 16 years, and at Houston Middle School for 4 years. After 30 years of endeavoring to touch lives educationally and spiritually, Cora Jones retired in May 2002. EstablishmentShe retired so she could fulfill the other call on her life to full time ministry with her husband, Jimmy. They had established Christian Fellowship Church in 1983. Both had been working full time secular jobs and working in the church for many years. Although she preached her first sermon in 1993, she believes God called her to preach when she was only eight years old. Today, she is an anointed preacher and teacher of the Word of God. She constantly encourages women and girls (men and boys also) to go to school and develop their God given talents, and then use those gifts to earn income and bring glory to the Father. She has a Master’s degree in Christian Education from Jacksonville Theological Seminary and is currently working on her Doctorate degree. HeartShe says she has always loved the Lord and is thankful that her parents instilled the love of God, the fear of God, and the importance of an education in her from early childhood. She has always gone to church and believed in doing what is right. Although she joined the church when she was eight, she accepted Jesus as her savior when she was 21. She was filled with the Holy Spirit several years later. She says, “God has been and still is good to my family and me. I love Him more and more every day. The desire of my heart is for people to receive Jesus as Savior and Lord and be filled with the Holy Spirit. I pray for them to live life here on earth in all the fullness of peace, joy, health, love, and prosperity that God has planned for them. I learned Proverbe3:5 when I was teaching in Calhoun County, and I have lived by its principle ever since. It has been one of my guiding lights.”