BISHOP DA'HENRI R. THURMOND, SR.

Presiding Prelate, Third Episcopal District

 

Da'Henri R. Thurmond, Sr. is a native of Augusta, Georgia. He is the third of four children born to the late Mr. Earl H. Thurmond, Sr. and the late Maxine W. Thurmond. He received his early education in the Richmond County, Georgia public school system and is a graduate of Westside Comprehensive High School. He attended and graduated from Georgia Southern University where he was inducted into the Gamma Beta Phi Honor Society. He is a magna cum laude graduate of the Medical College of Georgia where he was inducted into the IMHOTEP society as well as Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities with a Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. His scholastic pursuits continued and he graduated magna cum laude from the Interdenominational Theological Center, Phillips School of Theology, with a Masters in Divinity. He received the Bishop Thomas L. Hoyt Scholarship and the Isaac B. Clark Preaching Award while at ITC. He then earned the Doctor of Ministry from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio where his area of concentration was Developing Leadership for Effective Programming in the Post-Modern Generation. He studied under Bishop Sir Walter Mack and Dr. Herbert Miller, Jr.

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Pastor Thurmond is a 4th generation member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.  He was baptized as an infant by the late Rev. Luther Randall Neal at Mother Trinity C. M. E. Church.  Under the pastorate of Rev. Jerry Poole, at the age of 11, he along with cousin and fellow member Shelia Roundtree served as the first two acolytes in the history of his home church. He then served as one of the youngest stewards in the history of Mother Trinity under Rev. Larry Fryer.

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He began his professional career in Respiratory Therapy, was employed successfully as a Senior Clinical Oncology Specialist within Pharmaceutical/Biologic Sales and yet acknowledged a higher calling and purpose for his existence. He accepted his call to ministry at Trinity under the pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Donald R. Jordan.  He served under Dr. Jordan for 4 years as a Local Preacher.

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Dr. Thurmond was then appointed pastor of the Rock of Ages C. M. E. Church by Bishop Othal Hawthorne Lakey and a successful, three-year pastorate ensued. While at Rock of Ages, disciples were added, a bus ministry was acquired and started, new ministries were formed, renovations were completed and the fellowship was reinvigorated.

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Thurmond was then appointed Pastor in Charge at St. Paul C. M. E. Church in Savannah, Georgia where the prophetic, visionary and legendary Rev. Dr. Henry R. Delaney was the Senior Pastor. In July 2009, Dr. Thurmond was appointed Senior Pastor at St. Paul.

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God continues to show himself strong in the life and witness of the St. Paul faith community with the blessings of a growing congregation, new ministries and partnerships. During Pastor Thurmond’s senior leadership at St. Paul more than 1300 new members have been added.  The annual church budget exceeds 1.1 million dollars, new properties have been purchased and St. Paul continues to be a beacon of hope for the community open 6 days a week with daily tutorial services, a daily feeding ministry and providing affordable housing for citizens.

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Thurmond served as the Chair of the Joint Board of Finance for the Central Georgia Region, member of the General Connectional Board of the CME Church, was a delegate to the 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026 General Conferences, the World Methodist Conference in Durban, South Africa, a founding member of the Savannah Alliance of Pastors and former Co-President of Savannah Area Interfaith Justice Ministry now known as J.U.S.T. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Carver State Bank, Step Up Savannah, ELEVATE Savannah and on the Board of Trustees of St. Joseph/Candler Hospital System.  He has been awarded The Pastor of the Year by the Sixth Episcopal District of the CME Church. He was a 2021 fellow of the Black Theology and Leadership Institute at Princeton Theological Seminary.  In 2022, he was awarded the Peace Builder Award by The Mediation Center of Savannah. He is a proud life member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, the NAACP and a member of the Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

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Pastor Thurmond is happily married to Antoinette Johnson Thurmond. They are the blessed parents of a son, D. Ramsey, Jr., and a daughter, Barbara Maxine.

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Da'Henri R. Thurmond, Sr. was elected as the 69th Bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church at the 2026 General Conference. He serves as the Presiding Prelate of the Third Episcopal District.