Biography

The Rev. G. Morris K. Jarkloh, Jr. was born in Liberia, where he was raised as a Pastor’s Kid (PK) in a deeply rooted Methodist family. He is the son of the late Rev. Morris K. Jarkloh, Sr., who faithfully served as District Superintendent of the Sinoe District Conference in the Liberian Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church, and his late mother Beatrice Jarkloh, a devoted deaconess who served her local church and was actively involved in the women’s organization. These early influences shaped Rev. G.’s lifelong commitment to ministry, service, and leadership.

Rev. G. is an ordained Elder in The United Methodist Church a member of the Northern Illinois Annual Conference and currently serves as the Senior Pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Lansing, Illinois. He holds a Master of Divinity Degree from Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary and a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology and Public Administration from the United Methodist University in Liberia.

With a strong background in pastoral ministry and leadership, Rev. G. has served in several impactful roles, including Lead Pastor at Chicago Lawn United Methodist Church and West Ridge United Methodist Church, as well as Chaplain at Rush University Medical Center, where he provided spiritual care and emotional support to patients, families, and staff.

Throughout his ministry, Rev. G. has demonstrated a deep commitment to spiritual formation, community engagement, and transformative leadership. His work includes leading worship, preaching, teaching Bible studies, offering pastoral counseling, and organizing community-centered initiatives. During his time with Project Transformation in Dallas, he played a key role in mentoring youth, mediating peer conflicts, and building strong, supportive communities.

Rev. G. also volunteered as an intern as part of his theological studies with the Nehemiah Mission Station through the East Ohio Conference of The United Methodist Church in 2016.

Earlier in his ministry, Rev. G. served as a Student Pastor at Hemenway United Methodist Church and Chicago Temple, where he further developed his preaching and pastoral care gifts. In Liberia, he served as Lay-Speaker of the Stephen Trown Nagbe United Methodist Church, Chairperson for Spiritual Growth, Youth, and Young Adult Ministry of Monrovia District Conference, Liberia Annual Conference, reflecting his passion for nurturing faith across generations and cultures.

Rev. G. brings a diverse and adaptable skill set to ministry, including:

• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building skills
• Flexibility in dynamic ministry environments
• Effective communication and leadership abilities
• Cultural awareness and adaptability in diverse settings
• Openness to innovation and new ideas in ministry
• Excellent listening skills
• A compassionate, humble spirit with a great sense of humor

He has also participated in numerous leadership and ministry development programs, including:

• 2012 – Certificate of Participation, Mano River Union Youth Conference, Côte d’Ivoire, organized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), where he represented the Republic of Liberia among young leaders from across the West African region.
• 2010 – Certificate of Appreciation and Participation, Co-Heirs and Evangelists Ministry in partnership with Twenty-One Street Witnesses for Liberia
• 2008 – Certificate of Training in Peer Counseling, Substance Abuse, and Violence Prevention (General Board of Global Ministries, UMC)

Above all, Rev. G.  is a devoted father who cherishes time with his two beautiful daughters, London Mitchell Bri Jarkloh and Siena Essence Elise Jarkloh, who are a constant source of joy and inspiration in his life.