“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it.!”
Meet the Pastor
The Rev. Dr. Winterbourne LaPucelle Harrison-Jones, is a scholar, author, ecclesial leader, philanthropist, and distinguished Churchman in the lineage of Dr. William Augustus Jones, Dr. James Forbes, Dr. Mordecai Wyatt Johnson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Dr. Howard Thurman. He is the esteemed Senior Pastor of the Historic Witherspoon Presbyterian Church of Indianapolis, Indiana — considered by many to be “the Abyssinian and Ebenezer of Indianapolis.”
A fifth-generation minister, Dr. Harrison-Jones is widely sought after as a preacher, workshop facilitator, and philanthropic consultant. Reverend Harrison-Jones is a proud graduate of the historic Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
In addition to Fisk University and Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School, Harrison-Jones holds degrees and professional certifications from the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, the Harvard University Graduate School of Education, the Hertie School of Governance in Berlin Germany, and the Estudio Sampere Spanish Language School in Salamanca Spain. Dr. Harrison-Jones simultaneously matriculated in two national doctoral programs, earning the Doctor of Ministry from Colgate Rochester Crozer Divinity School and is currently pursuing the PhD in Urban Education from Indiana University Purdue University (IUPUI).
As a scholar, Dr. Harrison-Jones investigates how theological and philanthropic resources within Christian traditions are valuable for interpreting and responding to such pressing public issues as economic deprivation, religious bigotry, racism, inequity, and structural inequality.
As a Renaissance Man, Dr. Harrison-Jones is an avid art collector and curator in the tradition of Dr. Albert Barnes, Alfred Stieglitz, and Dr. David Driskell. He has amassed a private collection of nearly 500 original pieces including canvases, sculptures, books, textiles, historic objects, and photographs that portray various themes of Black liberation and the intersection of faith and resistance.
As a bi-vocational leader, Dr. Harrison-Jones is a highly creative and results-driven ecclesial leader and non-profit management professional with entrepreneurial passion and unparalleled vision. With nearly a decade of experience in pastoral leadership, faith-based community development, fundraising, educational resource design, and proven leadership in civic and community engagement, Dr. Harrison-Jones has a proven ability to effectively build coalitions across both racial and organizational barriers while excelling at analyzing systems and procedures in order to improve efficiency and program quality.
Dr. Harrison-Jones is married to Dr. Jillian Ardelia Harrison-Jones, former Richard Wesp Assistant Conductor of the Cincinnati Children’s Choir , Music Director of MUSE, the Cincinnati’s Women’s Choir, who now serves as the founding Associate Artistic Director for the Delaware Academy of Vocal Arts.