 After his consecration as a bishop, Thomas was elected to be the Secretary of the Board of Bishops, COGIC; a position which he held for 20 years.In addition to heading "VA#1", Bishop Thomas served as pastor of New Community Temple COGIC (the headquarters church) in Portsmouth and St. Stephen's COGIC in Virginia Beach.Since Thomas became jurisdictional prelate the jurisdiction has expanded from seventeen churches in 1984 to more than 50 , extending from Manassas, VA in the north, to South Hampton Roads in the south, and Roanoke, VA in the west.