Church Member Spotlight Joretha Sloan

Lina Nissley
ECB Publishing, Inc.

Lifetime resident of Jefferson County, Joretha Sloan has been a loyal member of Memorial Missionary Baptist for 44 years and has served her church for several years as an assistant pastor. While her first sermon was given in 2004, Sloan was eventually ordained as a Reverend in 2013.

Outside of being an assistant pastor, Joretha Sloan holds several other positions at her church. She is the president of the Missions Society, as well as a part time secretary. At one point, Sloan served as a youth leader and still occasionally teaches Bible study at Memorial Missionary Baptist.

Sloan can also be found going door-to-door in her congregation's neighbors, as she often reaches out within her church community to care for ill members. Sloan said, “I enjoy doing the work of the Lord. I know He is there for me.”

While she gives much to her church family, Sloan says the care and love is returned, as she describes her church as a supportive body of believers. “I love my church. We’re a family,” she says. “We try to help one another out.”

A high school graduate of Howard Academy in 1970, Sloan went on to attend Thomas Brown Bible College and obtained a degree in theology. She continues to study theology at Tallahassee Christian College.

Outside of her church community, Sloan served the larger Jefferson County community as well as an educator at Jefferson Elementary School. She held a role of teacher's assistant for 35 years until her retirement in 2010. She lovingly dedicated herself to the care and education of children, calling it her passion. She shared that some of the children at the school affectionately referred to her as “auntie.”

Another way Sloan supports her community, is through her involvement with the First Bethlehem Missionary Association and as a Jefferson County Mission Leader.

Sloan said that she comes from a very large family. She shared that her mother, who passed away in 2014 at the age of 94, “did a wonderful job raising all of us.” Sloan’s five siblings also went on to become preachers.

In her free time, Sloan enjoys baking, singing and searching for good bargains at yard sales.