Bishop Robert I. Thomas, son of Eldridge and Mary Thomas, was born and raised in Harlem, NY. He attended the public schools of New York City and New York University.  As a young child, Robert’s maternal grandmother faithfully brought him to the Kings Chapel Assembly, pastored by Mother Susan Lightford, in Harlem, NY.  In 1952, he became a member of Refuge Temple, located on 125th Street in Harlem, New York (Headquarters Church: Churches of Our Lord Jesus Christ of the Apostolic Faith, Inc). His pastor was Bishop Robert Clarence, the founder of COOLJC. He became a member of the Radio Choir, a member of the ABYPU and the Saturday Night ‘Youth For Christ’.

 

It was there that Bishop Thomas met his devoted wife, Mother Mable Anderson-Thomas, where they were both members of the Radio Choir.  They were married May 14, 1955.  Brother Thomas dutifully served at his church (now known as Greater Refuge Temple) until he joined the United States Air Force as an Air Policeman. He was stationed in Ohio, Kentucky, Oklahoma and served for 1 1/2 years overseas in France. After his discharge from the Air Force, Brother Thomas returned to NY and was employed as a Senior Data Control Analyst at the Home Insurance Company. He retired in 1992 after 35 years of service.  

 

At Refuge Temple he became a Junior Deacon, until he felt the call of the Lord to the ministry.  He attended the Church of Christ Bible Institute, and along with several young ministers was personally taught the Bible by Bishop R. C Lawson. These ministers would become known as the Sons of Thunder because they were the last group of ministers Bishop Lawson personally trained and poured into. Minister Thomas was ordained an Elder in 1964.  He was appointed Assistant Junior Pastor, and then Junior Pastor under the leadership of his pastor, Bishop William L. Bonner.  

 

Bishop Thomas enjoyed working with people in his neighborhood to resolve issues and bring positive changes to his local community. Some of his Community Service included: Past President of Hollis Civic Association, Member of the Community Drug Program, Corona, NY; Executive Vice-President of the 115th Precinct Community Council; Chairman of the Finance Committee and Chaplain of the East Elmhurst/Corona Civic Association; Bishop Thomas was one of the original members of the Queens NY District Attorney’s “Second Chance Program”.  This panel consisted of distinguished Ministers, Rabbis, and Priests.  Its mission was to give a “Second Chance” to persons, primarily teenagers and young adults who had committed non-felonious crimes.  As a panel member of the Second Chance Program, Bishop Thomas was accepted into the International Conference of Police Chaplains and remained a Chaplain with this Association for over 20 years.

  

Bishop Thomas graduated from the New York Citizens Police Academy and was a member of the New York Police-Clergy Liaison.  On the day of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks disaster, Bishop Thomas was called to Ground Zero to minister the first responders and those in the immediate area.  He was awarded a Memorial Flag and Certificate of Appreciation for recognition of his contribution to the New York City Police Department during the events of September 11, 2001. 

 

In 1965 then Elder and Sister Thomas were asked to assist in building up a COOLJC church ministry, called Holy Light Church, located in the Bronx. Many souls were baptized and saved during their tenure there. Elder Thomas even prayed with and counseled one of the Trustee member’s sons, professional boxer Sugar Ray Robinson (a welterweight and five-time Middleweight Champion of the World).     

 

After much prayer and fasting, Elder and Sister Thomas established a Prayer Service ministry in the basement of their home. In 1967, Elder and Sister Thomas, their sister and brother-in- law, Deacon Howard Powell, Mother Norvell Powell, along with a small group of other saints, founded the Refuge Church of Christ in Corona, New York.  
 

In 1973, the Northeastern Theological Consortium in association with the American Wesleyan College conferred the degree of Doctor of Divinity on Bishop Thomas.

 

When it was officially organized in 1972, Elder Thomas was appointed by the first Tri-District Diocesan Bishop, Richard Dabney as Chairman of the Tri-District Diocese of New York. In 1983, he was elevated to District Elder.  Bishop Thomas was appointed as the 1st Director of Security for the Church of Our Lord Jesus Christ (COOLJC) in 1987 and in 1996, he was appointed Senior Bishop of the Tri District Diocese. As Diocesan Bishop, he brought the Diocese to a higher spiritual and financial level.  Bishop Thomas also served as the Treasurer of the annual COOLJC Founder’s Day Committee.

 

In 2005, under his leadership, Bishop Thomas and Refuge Church of Christ moved to a new home in South Ozone Park, New York.  This new house of worship is now called GREATER REFUGE CHURCH OF CHRIST. In 2013 Bishop Thomas retired as Presiding Bishop and recommended District Elder Michael Jackson to be ordained Presiding Bishop of the Tri District Diocese.  Bishop Thomas taught that we should always be prepared for transition in the work of the kingdom. Over the last several years his son Elder Robert I Thomas Jr. was given the responsibility of teaching Bible study, doing the majority of the preaching and running the day to day operations of the church.   In November of 2018 Bishop Thomas relocated to Delaware and officially retired as the Senior Pastor, effective July 1, 2019. It was with unanimous consent by the Greater Refuge Church of Christ Trustee Board, that Bishop Thomas Sr. be named ‘Pastor Emeritus’ and ‘Church Establishmentarian. 

 

Some of his favorite spiritual songs were: ‘Blessed Assurance Jesus is Mine’, ‘Do You Know What it Means to be Holy’, ‘Man of Sorrow What a Name’, ‘Down thorough the Years, the Lord’s be Good to Me”.  He was well known for quoting Acts 17:28, ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, we are his offspring.'   Bishop would add ‘without God we are NOTHING!’  He loved to listen to classical music and was an avid reader of the bible and other religious books. He was well known for quoting Acts 17:28, For in him we live and move and have our being. Bishop would add to scripture his personal conviction that ‘without God we are NOTHING!’ He loved to listen to classical music and was an avid reader of the bible and other religious books. He loved Italian food and wanted to have hot sauce on everything he ate. He liked to watch war movies and he also enjoyed playing with the family dog, Missy. He enjoyed sitting outside, listening to and observing the elements of nature. His shoes had to always be shined and he ALWAYS wore Old Spice cologne.  He loved cars and owned over the years Lincoln’s, Cadillacs, Jaguars and finally his last car his beloved Lexus.  

 

Bishop Thomas fellowshipped with, and financially supported his fellow-laboring brothers in the gospel. He also supported the foreign field especially in Mexico and the Dominican Republic. He enjoyed going to the COOLJC International Conventions, traveling with his spiritual brothers to the COOLJC Seminar, and was the biggest supporter of his wife, Mother Mable Thomas during her tenure as the International Women’s Council President. Bishop Thomas taught, prayed, counseled and ministered to countless numbers of people in his over 70 years of service to God, his church and his community. Bishop Thomas peacefully slept  into his eternal rest on December 17, 2019.