The Rt. Rev. J. N. Perry 

Joseph Nathan Perry Jr. was born on December 12, 1939 to the late Joseph Perry, Sr and Lillie Mae Ward in Pitt County, North Carolina. Called all too soon, but equally deserving of his reward, Bishop Perry was called from labor to rest on Thursday, October 8, 2020. 

 

Joseph was raised in Pitt County, and attained his formal education in the Pitt County Public School System. At the young age of 17, he moved to Alexandria, Virginia and began working at The Alexandria Milk Diary Plant, Incorporated. Joseph and the love of his life, Ms. Annie Lou Brown, were united in holy matrimony on October 3, 1957. As a union they were blessed to become the proud parents of a 7 pound 7 ounce son, Andre, who was called from labor to reward March 2001. 

 

On the 3rd Sunday in May, 1961, the Lord spoke to Joseph while he was washing his car and told him to go to church. On this particular Sunday, the pastor preached a soul searching sermon entitled “Hell is God’s Jailhouse and It’s Enlarging Itself Everyday”. This is the day that Joseph began his Christian journey by uniting with Mt. Calvary Holy Church in Alexandria, Virginia. Being Called by God, he preached his first sermon in May, 1963, and chose for a subject “Building on a Firm Foundation”. It was in 1966, that he met Bishop L.N. Forbes and united with Faith Temple #2 Church.

 

As fate would have it, Pastor Perry began pastoring at Leventon Chapel in Stantonsburg, NC November 10,1974, Later, he began pastoring Northeast Chapel Church in Mt. Olive, NC and Union View in Bailey, NC. He established Perry’s Temple Full Gospel Church on January 23, 1981, September 3, 1991, Pastor Perry received an Honorary Doctorate degree from the United Christian College in Goldsboro, NC, and was ordained as Bishop in the Original Free Will Baptist Conference on October 29, 1996. He was President of The Southern District Union of the Original Free Will Baptist Conference, chartered member of the NAACP, member of The Black Ministerial Staff of Wilson County, and Administrative Bishop of The Middle Eastern District Original Free Will Baptist Conference.