Go in Peace, Brother Isaiah

September 24, 2008
Renowned Presbyterian musician Isaiah Jones, 68, dies
Writer of ‘Fill My Cup,’ ‘God Has Smiled On Me’ left the music industry to become a minister
by Jerry L. Van Marter
Presbyterian News Service
The Rev. Isaiah Jones Jr. playing the piano.
The Rev. Isaiah Jones Jr.

LOUISVILLE — The Rev. Isaiah Jones Jr., who gave up a booming career in the music business to become a Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) minister, died Sept. 21 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 68.

Eighteen months ago, Jones was diagnosed with leukemia and was told he had two months to live. He resigned in May 2007 as pastor of Covenant Presbyterian Church in Palo Alto, CA, where he had served since 1999. After receiving treatment at Anderson Medical Center in Houston, Jones’ leukemia went into remission and he returned to his native Los Angeles to be near his family.

He became ill again last spring and was unable to attend the 218th General Assembly in San Jose, CA, in June, where he was scheduled to share his musical gifts again.

Jones, who began writing and performing music professionally as a teenager, achieved fame as a composer, performer and arranger, blending traditional and contemporary gospel sounds with influences from spiritual, classical, jazz, Caribbean and country music into a style that was all his own.

He appeared with, played for, wrote for Andre Crouch, Caravans, Shirley Caesar, Dorothy Northwood, the 5th Dimension, Bessie Griffin, Cassietta George, Oregon State University's Inner Strength Gospel Choir, Alex Bradford, James Cleveland, James Bignon, Thompson Community Singers and many others.

“God Has Smiled On Me” was featured in the Whoopi Goldberg movie “Clara’s Heart.” The Grammy-winning “Abundant Life” was on the album “Changing Times” by the Mighty Clouds of Joy and “Fill My Cup” is in several hymnals, including the The Presbyterian Hymnal (1990).

In the mid-1970s, Jones gave up his professional music career and enrolled at Fuller Theological Seminary. Prior to his pastorate at Covenant Church, he served three pastorates in Los Angeles and for 14 years as campus minister at Oregon State University in Corvallis, OR. He has taught there as well as at Fuller seminary and the University of California-Los Angeles.

Jones was a fixture for a number of years at meetings of the PC(USA) General Assembly, where his spirited playing, wall-to-wall smile and infectious laughter moved thousands of Presbyterians. He also served the PC(USA) as a member of many committees, including the Board of Pensions and the Mission Responsibility Through Investment Committee. He served as music leader for countless denominational conferences and events.

“The first time I met Isaiah was when I was asked to play for GA,” said the Rev. Chip Andrus, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Harrison, AR — another renowned PC(USA) singer-songwriter. “Isaiah had done it so often and I hadn’t that I called him up and asked him if we could do it together. We started playing together and trading songs and it was just incredible.”

Jones then became involved in the PC(USA)’s sacramental theology and liturgy studies, which Andrus was leading as associate for worship in the denomination’s Theology and Worship Office here. “Isaiah was so amazing,” Andrus told the Presbyterian News Service. “Music and ministry were both so much in his blood. He always had a pastor’s response to everything.”
Services for Isaiah Jones Jr. are pending.