Katy Magazine People of the Year 2017 Honoree
The Founding and Lead Pastor of The Fellowship was the driving force in organizing a massive rescue and relief effort in Katy, with 2,600 volunteers from churches throughout the city, serving over 40,000 hours in the first week after Hurricane Harvey.
KATY MAGAZINE | December 2017
By Ashley Lancaster
A true blue hero by nature
Responding to crisis by running into the thick of the action seems to be a natural response for The Fellowship's leading pastor, Dr. Jerry Edmonson, a former paratrooper and paramedic for the 82nd Airborne; and it's that leadership and desire to help that benefited so many in the Katy and Houston area in the wake of Hurricane Harvey.
Thousands of service hours devoted in the aftermath of Harvey
Almost immediately after the storm ravaged the homes and lives of so many, Edmonson and the church leadership sprang to action, contacting other churches nearby and reaching out to members who were whole and unaffected to help. Within days, thousands of volunteers were making meals, driving into flooded areas to extract people from their homes, delivering clothing and necessary items, and even helping people get connected to financial resources and FEMA support. Additionally, The Fellowship, along with multiple other churches, provided 500 host homes to families with no where to go.
A global mission of service, and high hopes for the future
In the last twelve months Jerry has led his church to live their faith and share their lives as The Fellowship has served those in need globally in places like Haiti, Mozambique, Indonesia, Zimbabwe and Ethiopia and locally through the many nonprofits that serve Katy. The Fellowship’s work during Harvey was captured and reported on by NBC, CNN, Telemundo and FOX. Under Jerry’s leadership The Fellowship has embraced an aggressive vision for it's future, launching its second campus at the new Chris A. Chapman YMCA at Katy Main Street. The Fellowship hopes to open five campuses by the year 2025.
In his spare time, Jerry enjoys playing golf, running and riding his Harley. He and his wife, Gail, have three adult children and 5 grandchildren.
Watch the Fellowship Harvey Relief Video