ELM GROVE BAPTIST CHURCH, 3114 S. Mississippi St., is set to commemorate its 181st Anniversary/Homecoming at 10 am on Sunday with the theme: “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” from Psalms 11:3. In 1843, this church was founded on the Johnson Plantation in Richland Township, Noble Lake, and Cottondale area, becoming the first African American Baptist church in Arkansas. “Thirty years prior to the establishment of Branch Normal College, now known as the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, and two decades before President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, 64 enslaved Africans in Arkansas were granted permission to construct the Elm Grove Baptist Church,” according to Elm Grove’s pastor, the Rev. Jesse Turner.
BARRAQUE STREET MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 1800 W. Pullen St., will host its 139th anniversary at 11 a.m. Sunday. The guest speaker will be the Rev. Anthony Howard, a member of Mount Harmony Baptist Church. Music will be provided by the Barraque Street Missionary Baptist Church Anniversary Choir. The theme is “A Church Pursuing Christian Fellowship Through Faith and Good Works” (Hebrews 10: 24-25.) The Rev. Sidney D. Milton Sr. is the pastor of Barraque Street church.
PILGRIM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 2507 Hill St., will celebrate its 56th anniversary at 3 p.m. Sunday. The guest speaker will be Patrick Lockett, apostle and pastor of New Community Baptist Church. Everyone is invited to come celebrate this special day with Pilgrim. The theme is “We are Family – One Body, Many Parts” (1 Corinthians 12:12-27). The Rev. Kevin L. Crumpton Sr. is the pastor at Pilgrim church.
NEW COMMUNITY CHURCH, 321 N. Birch St., will conduct Vacation Bible School and all are welcome to attend. At 6 p.m. Aug. 23, the annual youth night will be held. At 11 a.m. Aug. 24, the back-to-school NCC Fun Day will be held for youth and teens featuring Bible study and activities. Rod Goodwin is the youth pastor and Patrick Lockett is the senior pastor at New Community.
PLEASANT GROVE MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH Soup kitchen and Food Pantry and First Ward Living Grace Food Pantry will host a food giveaway. The event will be held at Pleasant Grove church, 1801 Indiana St., Aug. 24 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. or while supplies last.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
HOUSE OF BREAD DELIVERANCE CHURCH, 1501 W. Second Ave., will give away food Saturday from 11 a.m. until all food boxes are gone. Clients must provide proof of address, which must be at least a driver’s license, identification, or utility bills, according to a news release. A new Oasis Insight Client Intake Form will now be used instead of the old intake form. The new form is being used by all food pantries in the Arkansas Food Bank network. All clients will fill out these new client intake forms. Details: Saint Mary Harris, pastor of House of Bread, (870) 872-2196.
BREATH OF LIFE CHURCH, 1313 Pine St., will conduct the 10th annual Back-to-School Giveaway from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday in the fellowship hall parking lot of the church. The event will include school supplies, personal hygiene items, sack lunches and free haircut vouchers to Smith Barber Institution.
MOUNT NEBO MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 3201 W. Second Ave., will host the 152nd annual session of the Consolidated St. Marion Baptist District Association Aug. 17-24. Class courses and registration are available at https://www.consolidatedstmarion.com. Onsite registration ends 30 minutes before each class.
Events include:
Evening classes 5:30-7 p.m. Aug. 19-22;
Young People’s Auxiliary Classes and Activities — 8:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. Aug. 17;
Official Opening/Address: Women’s Auxiliary President Madeline Hughes — 6 p.m. Aug. 18;
Laymen’s Auxiliary: Address: Laymen President Anthony Howard, 7:15 p.m. Aug. 19;
Missionary and Young People’s Address: 3rd Vice Moderator Stanley Blair and Young People’s Director Louise Bracy — 7:15 p.m. Aug. 20;
Congress of Christian Education: Address: Congress President William Jarmon, 7:15 p.m. Aug. 21;
Parent Body: Address: Moderator Larry C. Battles — 7:15 p.m. Aug. 22.
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 are accepted by email to Sandra Hope at shope@adgnewsroom.com. Details: (870) 534-3400, ext. 5.