Bishop Marvin Frank Thomas, Sr. was elected the 62^nd bishop of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church on July 1, 2014, at the 37^th Quadrennial Session & 38^th General Conference in Baltimore, Maryland.  Upon his election to the Episcopacy, he was assigned to the denomination’s Second Episcopal District, covering the states of Kentucky, Ohio, and Central Indiana.  He served as the presiding prelate of the Second Episcopal District from 2014-2022.  Prior to his election as bishop, he served as the seventh president/dean of The Phillips School of Theology (“The Seminary of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church”) at the Interdenominational Theological Center in Atlanta, Georgia and the pastor of the Good News Community CME Church in Lithonia, GA.  While at ITC, Bishop Thomas also served as the Chair of the Council of Deans and an adjunct instructor.

He holds the Bachelor of Arts degree in history with a minor in sociology from Stillman College in Tuscaloosa,   labama.  He also earned the Master of Divinity degree from The Phillips School of Theology at The ITC and the     Doctor of Ministry degree from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.

He has served as the pastor of Walls Memorial CME Church in Chicago, Illinois.  In addition to his tenure as pastor of Walls Memorial, he served as pastor of other congregations in the CME Church and presiding elder in the states of Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia, and Ohio.  He currently serves as pastor of Trinity CME Church, Memphis, Tennessee.  Bishop Thomas previously served as the Vice President for Student Affairs and a member of the Religion faculty at Lane College in Jackson, Tennessee.  He has also served as a member of the religion faculty and Student Services staff at his alma mater, Stillman College.

In July of 2022, during the General Conference of the CME Church convening in Cincinnati, OH, Bishop Thomas was assigned to his current position, where he now serves as the presiding bishop of the First Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, which encompasses the states of Arkansas and Tennessee.  He also serves as the chair of the denomination’s Department of Lay Ministry.  In addition, he serves as chair of the Lane College Board of Trustees, chair of Board of Directors of Connectional Headquarters of the CME Church, Collins Chapel Board of  Directors, and the John Madison Exum Towers.  He previously served on the boards of the Ohio Council of Churches, including a term as president, and the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati. Bishop Thomas is presently a member of the National Board of Directors of the NAACP and a life member of the same organization.  In February of 2022, Bishop Thomas was named the Stillman College Distinguished Alumnus.  Bishop Thomas was also awarded Honorary        Doctorate degrees from Texas College in Tyler, Texas, and Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  He is a member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc.  In April of 2025, Bishop Thomas was the recipient of the Alpha Phi Alpha “Faith In Action” award.  The City of Memphis     honored Bishop Thomas with a Resolution citing his leadership, service and spiritual guidance while being ‘Chaplain of the Day for the Memphis City Council Meeting, April 2025.  In June of 2025, Bishop Thomas accepted the honor of serving as Co-Chair of the NAACP Memphis Branch Hooks-Graves Prayer Breakfast.  He also serves as Pastor of the Trinity C.M.E. Church of Memphis.  

Bishop Thomas is a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama.  He is the second of six children born to the late Mrs. Minnie Thomas Brown.  Bishop Thomas has two adult children, Kourtney Lea Thomas and Marvin Frank Thomas, Jr., and one grandson, Kameron.