LaKisha Jones

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LaKisha Jones fell three places shy of the American Idol crown. But she earned the cheers of a champion during a homecoming at Abundant Life Cathedral Church.

Though she moved to Baltimore last year for a bank-teller job, Jones spent more than six years in Houston and was an Abundant Life member. She sang in the choir and worked as a church receptionist.

Jones returned to Houston for a visit after an Idol's multimonth whirlwind. She was welcomed by ALC as well as the city: Mayor Bill White's office presented her with a proclamation declaring May 30 LaKisha Jones Day.

"I'm probably the happiest I've ever been in my life right now. I'm not stressed. I'm not nothing at all," Jones said.

Indeed, the Idol nerves that crawled across her face throughout the season were gone, replaced by a welcoming smile and confident eyes.

"It just really feels good to be back home, back home with my church family," she said.

"I haven't been to church since I've been on the show because of the schedule."

The Rev. Ed Montgomery and his wife, Saundra Elaine, provided organized weekly Idol-viewing parties at ALC, urging parishioners to vote for Jones. The couple flew out to an Idol taping during Diana Ross week.

"I talked to them on the phone and through text messages and prayer - because I needed a whole lot of that," Jones said.

"It gets stressful out there sometimes. You're dealing with a lot of different people and a lot of different personalities."

One of those personalities was contestant Sanjaya Malakar. Jones has repeatedly referred to him as "a little brother that gets on your nerves.

"He's so happy all the time. I'm like, 'What are you smiling about? These people are driving me crazy.' He just kind of got caught up into this whole whirlwind. He became larger than the show."

Montgomery beamed like a proud papa when he considered Jones' growth over the last few months.

"Just seeing this little girl that was quiet, a little withdrawn, to just open up like a rose and just blossom - that is probably the greatest thing for me," said Montgomery, who first heard Jones sing at a funeral.

"It's always been there. It was just a matter of her deciding to get up and do it for herself."

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