James Odell Whitfield Jr. was born July 15, 1963, in San Francisco, California. He is the third of four children born to the late James and Lucille Whitfield. He was educated in the San Francisco public school system and graduated from Balboa High School in 1981.
In 1990, Rev. Whitfield accepted his call to ministry and preached his first sermon at the St. Mark Institutional Missionary Baptist Church in September of that year. He was licensed in 1992 by Dr. Kevin B. Hall and ordained in 1999 by the late Rev. Rance Whiteside. He attended Patten College, majoring in Pastoral Studies, and graduated from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary.
Rev. Whitfield married his best friend, the former Veleta Watkins, affectionately known to him as his “Good Thang,” on October 24, 1992. Together, they share four children: George, Jocquese, Jacari, and Teresa. They have three grandsons, George III, Josiah, and Mekhi, and one granddaughter, Gianna.
Rev. Whitfield has a passion for God’s people. He believes that the heart of a true man of God is to love God and His people genuinely. His favorite scripture is Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths”.
Rev. Whitfield served as interim pastor at St. Mark Missionary Baptist Church, Paradise Baptist Church in San Francisco, and First Missionary Baptist Church of Marin City, CA. For sixteen years, Rev. Whitfield served as an associate minister of St. John Missionary Baptist Church in Richmond, CA, under the pastorate of Dr. Kevin B. Hall. While there, he served in the following capacities: Youth Minister, New Members Class instructor, Youth and Adult Sunday School Teacher.
In October 2018, Rev. Whitfield received a call to preach at a church without a pastor on the corner of 31st & Clinton Ave. The following Saturday, he was asked if he could return the following Sunday. After that service, he was asked if he would be willing to stay for November. And he agreed. He was invited to remain that month until the beginning of the year. In early 2019, they asked Rev. Whitfield to stay until the Lord sent them a pastor. Again, he agreed. During that time, he was praying and asking the Lord to send them a pastor who loved God and would genuinely love them. Unbeknown to him, the pastor that Rev. Whitfield was asking God to send them was himself. Before Rev. Whitfield received that call to come and preach, God’s will and plan were already in place. On May 19, 2019, Rev. Whitfield was elected pastor of the Clinton Ave. Baptist Church.
God has given Rev. Whitfield the vision for Clinton Avenue Baptist Church. It will build on the foundation, growing the church “Spiritually, Numerically, and Financially” by strongly emphasizing Prayer, the Word of God, and Evangelism. All will be welcomed, loved, taught, and equipped to fulfill God’s Great Commission. Clinton Avenue Baptist Church will be a beckon of light and hope on this corner, in this city and worldwide.
Veleta Louise Whitfield (Watkins), affectionately known as “Lady Vee” by her beloved Clinton Avenue Baptist Church family, is a native of San Francisco, CA.
A “PK” (preacher’s kid), she has been in church all her life and was baptized at the Evergreen Baptist Church in Oakland, California. She has always wanted to serve the Lord and is dedicated to ministry. She has served in the California Baptist State Convention Young Adult Auxiliary as the Minister’s Wives President and Administrative Assistant to the Young Adult President. She is a Sunday school teacher, women’s ministry leader, and minister’s wife leader. She has served faithfully, providing love and loyal support to her husband in ministry.
Lady Vee holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business and a Master of Business Administration from Holy Names University in Oakland, California. She is pursuing a Doctor of Education in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University.
Lady Vee has been married to Pastor J. Odell Whitfield since 1992; they share four children: George, Jocquese, Jacari, and Teresa, and four grandchildren: George III, Josiah, Gianna, and Mekhi. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. In her spare time, she loves to crochet, sew, and read.
As CABC’s First Lady, “Lady Vee” is grateful to God and humbled to serve in this capacity. Her two favorite scriptures guide her: Matthew 19:26: “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” And Ephesians 3:20-21: “Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us.
Copyright 2024 Clinton Avenue Baptist Church. All Rights Reserved.
