First Overseer

Our beloved Bishop Jabez Barrett has gone home to be with the Lord.
His Victorious Homegoing Service was held on 2/20/2021.

Ministry Milestones in Jamaica and the United States of America

1952 – 1967
- Preacher / Exhorter in the Higgins Land New Testament Church of God, St Ann, Jamaica.
- First Pastorate – Spalding & Sanguinetti churches in the parish of Clarendon.
- Pastored Wirefence and Alps churches in the parish of Trelawney.
- District Overseer for the Point Hill District in the parish of St Catherine, pastoring the Point Hill and West Prospect churches and supervising Spanish Town, Harewood, Juan de Bolas, Lemon Hall and Garden Hill churches. Also organized the August Town and Central Village churches.
April 1967 – March 1981
- Received official Certificate of Ordination from the Church of God.
- District Overseer for the Frankfield District, pastoring the Frankfield & Grantham churches and supervising Peckham, Dykes Hill, Christiana, Johns Hall, Desire, Spring Ground, Spalding and Sanguinetti churches.
- Served as District Overseer for the Aberdeen District, in the parish of St Elizabeth, pastoring the Aberdeen and Siloah churches and supervising the Benlomond, Accompong Town, Mulgrave, Merrywood, Thornton and Balaclava churches.
- Served as District Overseer for the Savanna-la-mar District, in the parish of Westmoreland, pastoring the Savanna-la-mar churches and supervising Cave, Piper’s corner, Bluefields and Petersfield churches.
- Served as District Overseer for the Browns Town District, in the parish of St Ann, pastoring the Browns Town church and supervising Bamboo, Philadelphia, Sturge Town and Knibbs Street churches.
March 1981- April 2017
- Founder, Builder, and First Pastor of the Bryn Mawr Avenue New Testament Church of God, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
- April 2017 – Pastor Emeritus of the Bryn Mawr Avenue New Testament Church of God, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.
January 2020 – February 2021
- Overseer of the El Elyon Church of the Most High God in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.A.

Bishop Barrett served as a strong pillar and visionary leader of the Church of God. He always had a strong commitment to mission and has served on the Pennsylvania State Mission Board. He fostered the growth of the Philadelphia West Side District with two churches and their pastors emerging from his congregation. These churches are the 20^th Street New Testament Church of God in Philadelphia and the West End New Testament Church of God in Norristown. Several ministers, too numerous to mention, have received their ministerial credentials under his leadership. Bishop Barrett has a strong passion for God and a deep love and concern for the community he serves. One of the ministries close to his heart was the Food Bank that he included in the building of the Bryn Mawr Avenue Church of God. It has supplied food to over 200 families in the area. He encouraged support for the Coalition of Jamaica, financial and transportation support for “Team Jamaica Bickle,” as well as financial support for victims of disasters in Jamaica, and other countries.

Bishop Barrett is a Father, a Pastor, a Leader, a Mentor, a Man of God. He has led, motivated, and shepherded his flock to the highest levels of Christian service and commitment.

At ninety years old, he became the Overseer of the El Elyon Church of the Most High God!

It is no wonder that he has been acclaimed the undefeated, undisputed, heavyweight champion of the Gospel.