"Serving The Community Is My Mission."
Rev. Dr. Kwasi A. Thornell
The Rev. Dr. Kwasi A. Thornell was ordained an Episcopal Priest in March 1973. He has worked actively in the church at all levels from leading congregations and as a member of multi-staff churches. He has served churches in urban centers across the nation, including being on the staff of the Washington National Cathedral as Canon Missioner and the Interfaith-Ecumenical Officer for the Episcopal Diocese of Washington and Canon Vicar at Christ Church Cathedral, Cincinnati, OH. In these ministries, he often served in a leadership position on non-profits boards including the United Way, Urban League and various church councils and other community organizations. Fr. Thornell has been on the faculty of the Church Divinity School of the Pacific as a teacher of Pastoral Theology and a counselor to the students of color.
In 2007 Fr. Thornell helped to establish a school for low income boys in Washington, DC, The Bishop Walker School for Boys. His responsibility was running the day to day management of the school.
Fr. Thornell has a Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degree from the Episcopal Divinity School, Cambridge, Mass. and an Associate’s Degree from the Montgomery County Community College, in Maryland in Early Childhood Education. He is a trained counselor in addiction disorders, and pastoral concerns.
From 1982 to1988, Fr. Thornell served as the Vice-President and President of the National Union of Black Episcopalians.
For the last five years, Fr. Thornell has been a volunteer with the Northern California Alzheimer’s Association with special focus on the African American community and Faith communities.
In June 2020, Fr. Thornell moved to Miami, Florida and soon after was appointed the Bishop’s Deputy for Special Ministries in the Diocese of Southeast Florida. In March of 2023, Canon Thornell was appointed Priest In Residence for the Anglican Episcopal Church of the Atonement, Lauderdale Lakes, Fl.
Fr. Thornell is married to Jacquelyn and they have three children and six grandchildren.