Pastor James L Bell, I

Pastor Bell was born to the late Mr. Eddie L. Bell Sr. and Mrs. Pearlie M. Bell in Sikeston, MO. Elder Bell is the youngest of twelve children. After graduating from high school, he joined the United States Navy and retired as an Aviation Electrician Chief Petty Officer after 20 years and 15 days of dedicated service. On February 7, 1997 he married Ms. Diane Alexander of Norfolk, VA. He is the father of four children: Jessica, James II, Jasman (deceased), and Kiyana Bell.

Pastor Bell answered the call to preach the Good News and he was licensed by the late Willie C. Walker, Jr., Pastor of the Jubilee COGIC in Memphis, TN on November 21, 1996. Pastor Bell was ordained as an Elder while serving under the late Superintendent Gene Sylvester Banks, Pastor Bethel Salone Church of God in Christ in Pensacola, FL on March 9, 1999. Pastor Bell would next serve under the late Miles Wesley Mercer, Pastor of Word of Faith COGIC in Norfolk, VA until May 2003. After moving to Maryland
Pastor Bell joined New Community COGIC. He faithfully served as the first Chief of Staff under the leadership of Superintendent Willie R. Hunt from October 2004 until May 2006.

On October 30, 2004 Pastor Bell wrote a letter to God. He asked God to allow him to retire from the Navy in 2006 and go full time into the ministry. God answered his request by allowing him to start God’s House of Refuge Church of God in Christ on Sunday June 4, 2006. God call continued to answer his prayers . On January 1, 2007 Signature Health Care selected him to serve as the first Director of Spirituality at the Chesapeake Shores nursing and rehabilitation center in Lexington Park, MD for 13 years and he served as the Regional Chaplain for Maryland and Virginia from March 2022 until August 2022. Pastor Bell currently serves as a Chaplain for MedStar Health St Mary’s Hospice where he serve the patients and their families during their critical time of need.

Pastor Bell was appointed on March 11, 2012 to serves as the Assistant District Superintendent for the C.L. McCoy memorial district under the leadership of Superintendent Willie R. Hunt.
Pastor Bell was appointed on June 14, 2024 to serve as the President of the missions department of the Maryland Central Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction by Bishop Carl Anthony Pierce the Jurisdictional prelate.
Pastor Bell currently serves on and collaborates with the following community organizations:

• Chairman of the interfaith Chaplain program at MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, MD.
• Community member of the Patient and family advisory council for quality and Safety MedStar St. Mary's Hospital in Leonardtown, MD.
• Community Team member of the St. Mary's County Group Violence Intervention program. He mentors and guides young men who wants to change their lives.
• Coordinator for the Men Perfecting Men (MPM) / Team Jesus of Southern Maryland community outreach ministry.
• Currently serving in 2 Rehabilitation center in St Mary's county.
• Partnered with The Boys and Girls club of Southern Maryland to host the first after school program in St. Mary’s County MD
• Vice President of the St Mary's Caring Soup Kitchen.
• Board member for HOPE of St. Mary’s
• Volunteer Feed St. Mary’s Food bank
• Community member of the Asbury Solomons Ethics Committee

Pastor Bell was also awarded the Stanley J. Goodwin award winner in 2023 by the St Mary’s county Sheriff’s office for his energetic and genuine efforts to better the circumstances, physically and spiritually of anyone in need.

Pastor Bell is a man of God who loves to serve God’s people! His favorite Bible scripture Matthew 25: (GW) 40 “The king will answer them, ‘I can guarantee this truth: Whatever you did for one of my brothers or sisters, no matter how unimportant [they seemed], you did for me.’
Church History

God’s House of Refuge began its remarkable journey on June 4, 2006, when six faithful members stepped out in faith to hold the church's first worship service. This service took place in the conference room of The Days Inn hotel, located at 21847 Three Notch Rd, Lexington Park, MD 20653, at 11 AM. This humble beginning set the stage for a series of transformative moves as the congregation grew and flourished.
Just eight months after this inaugural service, the church found itself seeking a new location due to hotel obligations. On September 28, 2007, we relocated to the Hampton Inn conference room at 22211 Three Notch Rd. However, God’s divine providence soon opened a door to a more permanent location. We settled at Millison Plaza, starting our journey underground at 21800 N. Shangri-La Dr # 15C and eventually moving to Unit 8. This location became our beloved home for eight fruitful years, allowing us to deepen our community ties and grow in faith.

As the years progressed, our ministry continued to flourish, prompting yet another transition. On January 7, 2018, we moved to our current location at 46694 Midway Dr, Lexington Park, MD. After years of prayer and diligent efforts, we joyously closed on this property on December 10, 2019, at 2 PM, marking an exciting milestone as we officially became property owners.

Throughout our journey, God has consistently shown favor upon us, leading to collaborations with various organizations that help us extend our ministry to vital community locations. These partnerships include Chesapeake Shores nursing home, MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital, Hospice of St. Mary’s, and Pyramid Health Rehabilitation. Each collaboration allows us to reach out, serve, and spread God's love in meaningful ways.
As we reflect on our history, we see a tapestry woven with faith, growth, and community engagement. We are grateful for the support of our congregation and our local partners, and we eagerly anticipate the future endeavors God has in store for us at God’s House of Refuge.