TRAVELERS REST MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH at Grady will conduct its annual Women’s Day Celebration at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. The speaker will be Melba Lee, wife of the pastor, the Rev. James Lee. Lunch will be served and everyone is invited. The colors are red and white.
THE 2020 GOSPEL FEST will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, at 600 U.S. 65 South at Grady, an open lot next to Traverler’s Rest Missionary Baptist Church. Guests will include Quadauris Jackson and Devine Voices of Memphis, Serenity of Mississippi, Shell Marks of Pine Bluff, Devin Pruitt and Spiritually Driven of Pine Bluff, The Hearts of Star City, Sonz of Glory of Pine Bluff. Vendors will be present. All are invited. Guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will be observed.
PLEASANT VIEW MINISTRIES CHURCH of Pine Bluff invites the community to celebrate the 33rd anniversary of their pastors, William and Tonya Shaw, in a virtual event via Zoom at 4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 26. The celebration will include tributes from special guests from the U.S. and abroad and special music. To join the virtual celebration, click the link: https://zoom.us/j/5301613155. If prompted, enter the meeting ID 99451620323 and passcode 332020 numbers.
CHERRY STREET MEMORIAL AME ZION CHURCH, 800 S. Cherry St., will host New Legacy Project live in concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 6. The Nashville-based singing group is the former Black-wood Legacy. They are best known for their intricate harmonies, true Southern Gospel sound, and homespun humor. Admission is free to this non-denominational event. All required social distancing practices will be observed, according to a news release.
UNION MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 2911 Highway 63 North at Altheimer, will open its food pantry Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 11 a.m. until all the food is gone.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
S T. JOHN AME CHURCH, 1117 W. Pullen Ave., will host a food giveaway from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19. Participants will receive free food, masks and sanitizers. There will also be an opportunity to register to vote and to complete the 2020 Census. Masks and social distancing are required and temperatures will be taken. The church’s Lay Organization is the sponsor, according to a news release.
THE OLD SOUTH-EAST MIDDLE SCHOOL, 2001 Ohio St., will be the site of a drive-thru food giveaway from 4-6 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 20. The First Ward/Living Grace Pantry will host the event with their new partner, Sissy’s Log Cabin, which purchased over 30,000 pounds of groceries for the event. Sharri Jones of Sissy’s will be among volunteers loading food into people’s cars, according to a news release. There will also be food trucks where hot food will be taken to people’s cars free as they wait on their free groceries. First Ward/ Living Grace spokeswoman Debra Allen said they are thankful for the new food partnership. “Last month, we gave out 622 bags of groceries. It will be larger this month,” she said. The Sunday event will also feature politicians from Pine Bluff and Little Rock.
HOUSE OF BREAD DELIVERANCE CHURCH, 500 S. Main St., will open its food pantry Monday, Sept. 21, from 1:30-4:30 p.m. or until the 200 food boxes run out. Food will be given away on a first come, first served basis, in a drive-thru session, according to a news release. Everyone must bring proof of address (utility bills and driver’s license.) Everyone is required to wear a mask. The police department will be on duty to direct traffic. Details: Saint Mary Harris, apostle at House of Bread, 870-872-2196.
UNITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP CHURCH (UCFC), 2712 S. Bay St., invites the community to its free Small Business and Personal Financial Education classes at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. Recent subjects included “The Importance of Having a Financial Plan” and “Financial Literacy,” according to Stuff in the Bluff website. “You cannot afford to miss out on these life-changing classes. We are practicing social distancing and will have hand sanitizer wipes available,” according to the site. Details:Anthony Armstrong, the senior pastor, at unitychristianfellowship@live.com or 870-329-1182.
ST. JOHN AME CHURCH at Pine Bluff invites the community to join them in a weekly conference call prayer for deliverance from the corona-virus crisis. The conference call will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, according to the pastor, Cecil L. Williams Jr. Participants must call in by 6:25 p.m. at 1-720-650-3030. The access code is 144-0205# . Details: www.facebook.com/St.JohnPineBluff.
ST. PETER CATHOLIC CHURCH, 15th Avenue and Alabama Street, reopened its Saturday Soup Kitchen for carry out meals only. The kitchen will be open every Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Everyone is welcome to the program held in the cafeteria, the red brick building, according to a news release.
UPPER ROOM CHRISTIAN CHURCH, 1100 S. Cypress St., is hosting a computer lab for Pine Bluff residents to complete the U.S. Census online. Computer labs will be available through Sept. 30. Times are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m. Mondays and Wednesdays and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Sept. 30 is the deadline to complete the census. Details: www.my2020census.gov.
THE CITY OF PINE BLUFF is partnering with churches and other community agencies in an effort for residents to complete the 2020 Census by the deadline Sept. 30, according to a spokeswoman. The Census can also be completed by visiting www.my2020census.gov, calling 844-330-2020 or by completing the Census form that arrived in the mail. The spokesman recently announced that only 51.9% of households had responded to the Census in the city. Details: Mary Liddell, Pine Bluff Complete Count Census chairwoman, at marylddll@yahoo.com or 870-643-2383.
CHURCH NEWS is printed in The Commercial on Friday. The deadline to submit church announcements is noon Wednesday. Articles may be submitted by email to shope@adgnewsroom.com. Photos may also accompany church news by email.