The Church that Cares

Dr. Titus A. Thorn served as the pastor of Rock Grove AME Zion Church in the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina. Before beginning his kingdom assignment at Rock Grove, he was the successful pastor of Mount Vernon AME Zion Church in Fort Lawn, South Carolina.

Under Dr. Thorn’s leadership, God used the Rock Grove Church to impact the city of Rock Hill and beyond with tremendous effectiveness. Since his arrival in October 2013, the congregation grew both numerically and spiritually. Dr. Thorn led the completion of several physical, logistical, and technological upgrades as well as equipping the members to minister to this growing congregation. Additionally, several innovative ministry initiatives were launched and impacted the community, making Dr. Thorn the “Community Pastor” of the people.

A native of Fort Mill, South Carolina, growing up in the Paradise Community, Dr. Thorn holds a Bachelor of Arts in Religious Studies from Livingstone College in Salisbury, North Carolina where he graduated Summa Cum Laude. His hunger and desire to enrich intellectually and spiritually led him to matriculate at Hood Theological Seminary located in Salisbury, North Carolina where he earned a Master of Divinity degree and Doctor of Ministry degree. Dr. Thorn’s dissertation is entitled “A transformative module that teaches adolescents the proper response to racial profiling at the Rock Grove AME Zion Church.”

Dr. Thorn served on the Board of Directors for the Sophia Mackey Center in Fort Mill, S.C. He volunteered as a York County South Carolina Auxiliary Probation Officer and with The Peace Keeper Movement in Charlotte, North Carolina. He served faithfully as the New Rock Hill District treasurer until he received his new assignment. Dr. Thorn is a proud member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity Incorporated where he served as the immediate past chaplain of the Pi Phi chapter.

In November of 2021, Dr. Thorn accepted God’s next assignment on his ministerial journey when he received his appointment from Bishop George D. Crenshaw as both the Pastor of Big Zion AME Zion Church and the Presiding Elder of the Mobile District. Since his arrival in Mobile, Alabama, Dr. Thorn has hit the ground running. He has joined the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance of Mobile and has been instrumental in bringing COVID – 19 testing to the Downtown Mobile area and in Pascagoula, Mississippi. Dr. Thorn has become engaged in Mobile’s civic affairs by serving the community.

Dr. Thorn is married to Lourdes Thorn, and they have been blessed with three children, Shanele, Isaiah, Anjay and one grandson Lucah.