John L. Thatch is a native of Hertford, Perquimans County, North Carolina. He attended the public schools of Perquimans County and graduated from Perquimans County Union School in Winfall, North Carolina. Upon graduation from high school, he attended Elizabeth City State University in Elizabeth City, North Carolina and graduated with a B. S. degree. He then matriculated at The Ohio State University and graduated with an M. A. degree and an Advanced Sixth Year Certificate. He holds the Degree of Associate of Religion from New Life Community School of Ministry and Bible Institute and has continued his education in preaching and teaching Christian disciplines at the Shaw University Divinity School in Raleigh, North Carolina. Currently, he holds the Associate of Religion from the New Life Community School of Ministry and Bible Institute in Raleigh, North Carolina and is still furthering his studies in religious education.

 

He has been and educator in several school system in North Carolina and in Columbus, Ohio. He retired as assistant principal at Northern Nash High School in the Nash-Rocky Mount Public School System. He has also worked in the various part-time positions on the collegiate level.

 

He joined the Saunders Grove Baptist Church in Hertford, North Carolina at a very early age and is presently a member of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church in Wendell, North Carolina. He is the current pastor at Good Hope Baptist Church in Knightdale, North Carolina. He served on the Executive Board of the Wake Missionary Baptist Association and, as at-large member, represented the Eastern District churches of the Association.

 

He was licensed in the gospel ministry on April 14, 1995 at First Baptist Church in High Point, North Carolina under the able leadership and guidance of the late Rev. Dr. F. L. Andrews, Pastor, and ordained on July 25, 1996 by the Ordination Council of the Rowan Baptist Association at Gethsemane Baptist Church in Salisbury, North Carolina. He has studied sacred theology and gospel preaching at Shaw Divinity School.

 

He is the son of the late Mr. Benjamin F. Thatch and Mrs. Otelia F. Thatch and is married to the former Miss Mary Alice Jervay. He is the father of three daughters, Robin, Shawn and Johanna and has eight grandchildren.

 

He is a gospel preacher who loves the Lord and loves his fellow man. He believes that we best serve God through service to our fellow man. He also is resolved that a minister’s message should be demonstrated through his day-to-day walk and feels that his personal testimony is best illustrated in these words: “If I can help somebody as I pass along, if I can cheer somebody with a word or song, if I can show somebody he’s traveling wrong, then my living shall not be in vain”