FIRST TRINITY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, 800 S. Catalpa St., will give away food from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 3 in a drive-thru setting. Participants are encouraged to remain in their vehicles during the event. The food will will be distributed on a first come-first serve basis until all the food is gone. The monthly community-wide food giveaway is in partnership with the Arkansas Food Bank, according to a news release. Details: (870) 534-2873.
THE PINE BLUFF PRAYER RALLY is set for Aug. 6 at 6 a.m. on the steps of the Pine Bluff Civic Center. The focus for this 11th annual event is Defeating the Violence. Prayers of love and unity will be prayed for various spheres and influences including church, family, education, government as well as issues that focus on non-violence, the economy and overall betterment for the citizens in Pine Bluff and Jefferson County. Participants will include speaker Teresa Hogan, a minister of Fort Smith; and the Rev. Arthur L. Hunt Jr., National Day of Prayer State Arkansas director, according to Saint Mary Harris, pastor of House of Bread Deliverance Church, and founder, organizer, and spiritual overseer for the rally.
MOUNT NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST, 3201 W. Second Ave., will celebrate the 41st anniversary of the pastor, Larry C. Battles, at 11 a.m. Aug. 7. J. Dawson Williams, associate minister at Clayton Chapel Baptist Church of Sherwood, will be the special guest preacher.
ST. JOHN AME CHURCH, 1117 W. Pullen St., will host its annual Men’s Day Celebration beginning at 8 a.m. Aug. 6 with an in-person Men’s Prayer Breakfast with the Rev. Henry “Hank” Wilkins IV as the guest speaker. The breakfast is by invitation only due to the church’s covid guidelines for feeding, a spokesman said. The celebration continues Aug. 14 beginning at 10 a.m. with virtual Church School featuring Judge Earnest Brown Jr. as the lesson overviewer. At 3 p.m. Aug. 14, the featured speaker will be the Rev. Michael Leon Mitchell, the bishop of the 12th Episcopal District of the AME Church and the commissioned chair of Global Witness and Ministry. A Men’s Day Choir will be directed by Danny Withers. The public is invited to attend this event in person or virtually. All events can be seen virtually at https://www.facebook.com/St.JohnPineBluff/ or via Zoom with Meeting ID: 380 457 5496 and Passcode: 1117 or call-in: 13126266799 and when prompted dial 3804575496#, 1117#
Church news is printed in The Commercial on Fridays. The deadline to submit church announcements is noon Wednesdays. Pastors, ministers or others interested in writing for the Devotional Page may also submit columns for consideration. Column writers should have connections to Southeast Arkansas. Articles should be submitted by email to shope@pbcommercial.com. Details: (870) 534-3400, ext. 5.