Rev. James C. Kelly, Sr. established New Jerusalem in 1988. Having no permanent church home at that time, worship service were held each week at Mount Sinai Seventh-Day Adventist Church in Queens Village for approximately 10 years.
A visionary leader, Rev. Kelly inspired the members of the congregation to be faithful to the word of God by tithing. New Jerusalem was able to accomplish the mission of building a new church home at 122-05 Smith Street in Jamaica, NY solely through tithes and offerings.
Rev. Kelly retired in 2004. Rev Dr. Calvin Rice was thereafter called to be the New Jerusalem’s second pastor.