The Reverend Roberta “Bobbie” Knowles
Rector
The Reverend Roberta (Bobbie) G. Knowles was born and grew up in the Bahamas. She received her Bachelor of Science degree from Bethune-Cookman College in Daytona Beach, FL, her teaching certificate from the University of The West Indies, Bahamas campus, and her Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry in Ambridge, PA. Prior to joining the priesthood, she worked in various industries holding such positions as a teacher, school administrator and insurance salesperson.
Before answering the call to The Church of the Incarnation, she served as Rector of Hope Episcopal Church in Houston, Vicar at St. Philip, the Joy-Giver, in Austin and assisted at Saint Francis of Assisi in Prairie View and All Saints in Hitchcock, Texas. She was ordained Deacon in the Episcopal Diocese of Central Florida. Her sending parish was Saint Timothy Episcopal Church of Daytona Beach, Florida. She began her ministry as Assistant Priest in the Diocese of Texas at Saint James Episcopal Church in Houston. Reverend Knowles has a passion for outreach and a gift for pastoral care.
Reverend Knowles is sharing her gifts with the people of Incarnation and the neighboring community as she has begun her new ministry in the city of Miami. Her presence at Incarnation has created new energy within the congregation as she has encouraged them to go out and serve the community.
Reverend Bobbie’s immediate family consists of her daughter-in-law, Nina and her only grandson, Christie H. Knowles, IV. (CJ); her three sisters, one brother and their families which consists of numerous nieces and nephews. These are the people who bring much love and joy to her life.
Reverend Bobbie believes that by God’s grace she can be a leader of hope, courage and witness to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
The Reverend Canon J. Kenneth Major, D.D.
Rector Emeritus
The Reverend Joseph Kenneth Major was the first rector of the Church of the Incarnation. He earned a degree in theology from Mercer Seminary in Garden City, Long Island, New York. He was ordained a deacon at St. Philips Church, Brooklyn, New York in 1968 and in January 1969 was ordained priest at the Church of the Incarnation, Miami.
In July 1968, he was assigned to assist with the pastoral work at the Church of the Incarnation. His early years were nothing short of exciting and provocative. During the 1968 riots, he had the task of trying to bring calm to the Liberty City streets during the day and spent countless hours at night manning the county jail to ensure the safety of those who had been arrested. He was also the voice of calm when the neighborhood erupted into violence in 1980 and again in 1982.
For more than 40 years, the Reverend J. Kenneth Major was a religious leader in the community, rector of the Church of the Incarnation and a social activist. He was named Rector Emeritus in 2012, two years after his retirement.
The Reverend John J. Jarrett III
Associate Priest
The Reverend John Jarrett III was raised in Miami, baptized and confirmed in The Church of the Incarnation. A native Miamian, he graduated from Miami Northwestern Senior High School and attended Florida International University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology/Anthropology.
He earned a Master in Divinity degree from Virginia Theological Seminary. Rev. Jarrett was ordained to the deaconate at The Church of the Incarnation in 1986. A year later, he was ordained a priest and he began to serve as an assistant at St. Luke Episcopal Church, Diocese of Washington, D.C. In 1998, Father Jarrett accepted the call to become rector of St. Philip Episcopal Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan, where he remained for four years. He returned to the Diocese of Southeast Florida in 2002 and he served as Priest-in-Charge of St. Anne Episcopal Church, Hallandale Beach and St. Andrew Episcopal Church, Hollywood.
Father Jarrett has come full circle and presently, he is an associate priest at Incarnation. Among his duties, he ministers to the sick and confined, oversees the youth group, the St. Vincent Acolyte Guild, and is Church School Superintendent. He is also a teacher in both Broward and Dade County Public Schools.
The Reverend James Bell
Parish Musician
Reverend James Bell is a native of Birmingham, Alabama. In 2000, he moved back to Miami from San Diego to assume the position of Minister of Music for Greater Bethel AME Church in Overtown. In 2004, Reverend Bell followed Bishop White to Mt Hermon AME in Fort Lauderdale and also started working with St Paul’s male choir and assisted with the Conference choir. 2005, James was involved in an accident while riding his bicycle but after several months of rehab and prayers, he made a speedy recovery. Later that year, he joined St. Paul’s and was appointed interim Minister of Music and later, the Minister of Music. In addition, in 2006, He was ordained an Itinerant Deacon in the AME church.
Presently, James is the Parish musician and choirmaster for The Church of the Incarnation. In addition, he works as a RN in the ICU at Aventura Hospital and Medical Center. James holds a bachelor’s degree in Nursing and is now working on acquiring a Master of Science in Nursing Education. Reverend Bell tells people, “God has been good to me and I won’t complain.