Rev. Dr. Jeremiah Wright, Jr.

Listen to Pastor Wright Sun., 5am-6am and Mon-Fri, 6:30am – 7am.

Pastor Jeremiah A. Wright, Jr. was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.  He completed his elementary education in that city and then went to the college where his mother and father met, Virginia Union University, in Richmond, Virginia.  He was a third generation family member to be a student at that college.  His grandparents also finished Virginia Union University in the late 1800’s.

After six years in the military, Pastor Wright transferred to Howard University where he completed his undergraduate studies and received his first Master’s Degree.  His second Master’s Degree was from University of Chicago Divinity School.  His Doctorate was received from the United Theological Seminary under Dr. Samuel DeWitt Proctor.

In addition to Pastor Wright’s four earned degrees, he has been the recipient of eight honorary degrees; a Doctor of Letters Degree (from Colgate University), a Doctor of Laws Degree (from Bethune-Cookman College), two Doctor of Humane Letters Degrees (from Valparaiso University and Lincoln University) and four Doctor of Divinity Degrees.

Pastor Wright was called to serve the congregation of Trinity United Church of Christ in March of 1972.  Trinity’s membership was 87 adults in that year.  The membership now exceeds 8000!

Over the last three decades, Trinity Church has done more than grow from 87 members to 8000 members.  Trinity Church has constructed two new worship centers.  (The present worship center seats 2700 and covers 150,000 square feet!)

Trinity Church has also constructed two Senior Citizen Housing complexes which provide comfortable living quarters for 130 families.  Trinity Church has operated a Federally Funded Child Care Program for low-income and unemployed families for a quarter of a century.  Trinity Church has also run a federally funded Credit Union for 25 years. The Credit Union’s assets now exceed $3,000,000!

Pastor Wright’s ministry has extended far beyond the 400 W. 95th Street address in Chicago, Illinois.  Trinity Church tithes its annual budget each year by giving one tenth of its revenues to other churches, other agencies and denominational missions (as well as world missions).

In 2005 alone, Trinity gave $110,000 to the UCC denominational effort to help the evacuees displaced by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.  In addition to that $110,000, Trinity Church gave another $110,000 to Dillard University to help rebuild that school historically related to the United Church of Christ.  Dillard was virtually destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

In addition to supporting mission work in Liberia, Haiti, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Ghana, Brazil and South Africa, Trinity makes a tremendous investment in higher education (in general) and theological education (in particular) each year.    Trinity church has given over $300,000 to the United Negro College Fund and $325,000 in scholarships to graduating high school members who are college bound.

Trinity Church incidentally, under Pastor Wright, has ordained 38 seminary graduates.  Trinity currently has 65 additional members in accredited seminaries throughout the country.  Trinity Church makes an annual investment in excess of $300,000 to its members who are students in accredited seminaries.

In addition to supporting individual members who are in seminary, Trinity has also “birthed” four new congregations in the United Church of Christ – two in Atlanta, one in Gary, Indiana and one in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Four of the new pastors serving those new congregations were sons and daughters of Pastor Wright.  They went to seminary with Trinity Church paying for over $21,000 for each student’s graduate school work, and they were all ordained by Pastor Wright after completing seminary.

In addition to theological education, Trinity Church has been supporting missions in Ghana, West Africa, in Bahia on Brazil, in Guguletu and in Durban, South Africa for over a decade.  Trinity Church opened a Computer School in Saltpond, Ghana in the summer of 2000!

In August of 2003, Pastor Wright was enstooled by the Ga-Dangme People of Ghana as Chief Afotey Oblum, II.  Seventy-six members of the church accompanied Pastor Wright to Ghana for the enstoolment.  Thirty African Americans from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Pastor Wright’s home), also were in Ghana to witness his enstoolment.

Pastor Wright was awarded the Alumnus of the Year Award by the Howard University Board of Trustees in March of 2004.  The Howard University Board of Trustees recognized him as their leading alumnus in the field of Religion and Theological Education!

Pastor Wright’s personal, pastoral and ministry philosophy have been shaped by his mother and father, the Rev. Dr. Jeremiah A. Wright, Sr. and Dr. Mary Henderson Wright.  He gives thanks to God for having had parents who showed him by their living what the gospel of Jesus Christ really means.

He now shares those lessons with his wife, Ramah Reed Wright, his four daughters, his son and his three grandchildren!