• 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 by 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.
• MT. ZION MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH of Altheimer will honor its pastor, the Rev. Darrell J. Martin, for 23 years of service at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. The guest preacher will be the Rev. Alvin C. Lowe, pastor Prairie Lake Missionary Baptist Church of Pine Bluff. Music will be provided by Mt. Zion Mass Choir and the Sonz of Glory.
• NEW COMMUNITY CHURCH, 321 N. Birch St., will host the 4th Sunday Service at 11 a.m. Sunday, Sept. 27. The guest speaker will be A.J. Sheppard, a minister from Trinity Church of God in Christ at El Dorado. New Community adheres to health guidance to prevent the spread of covid-19. Hand sanitizers are located near the entrances, ushers have masks available and social distancing is observed. The church holds services at 8 a.m. and 11 a.m. Sundays.
• FIRST TRINITY CHURCH OF GOD IN CHRIST, 800 S. Catalpa St., will give away food in a drive-thru event from 1-3 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25. Food will be given away on a first come-first served basis until all food is distributed. All participants are required to wear masks and remain in their vehicles during the distribution. The community-wide event is in partnership with the Arkansas Food Bank.
• PILGRIM MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH, 2507 Hill St., will open its Raven's Nest Food Pantry Saturday, Sept. 26, from 8-9:30 a.m. or until all the food has been given away. Food will be handed out on a first come, first-served basis. Participants must bring a picture identification. The site is a USDA distribution location and an equal opportunity provider.
• 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 Blackwood 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.
• WOMEN OF INFLUENCE ROCK - Reset and Still Rocking - will present a 2020 Zoom Conference with the theme, "Rise Up and Walk" from John 5:8. The free event will be held: Friday, Oct. 9, from 8-10 p.m. -- For boys and girls ages 13 to 18; Saturday, Oct. 10, from 9-11 a.m. -- For women ages 36 and up; Saturday, Oct. 10, from noon to 2 p.m. -- For women ages 26 to 35; Saturday, Oct. 10, from 2:30-4:30 p.m. -- For women ages 19 to 25. Speakers will include Mayor Shirley Washington, Sheriff Lafayette Woods Jr., pastors Jan Otuechere and Pat Hart; Virginia Desmuke, executive director of the GMOR Theological Institute; Jessica Yarbrough, a lawyer; and presenters Clarissa Pace, Melrita Johnson, Oscar Bullard, John Proctor and Jasmine Coleman-Ford. Details: 870-489-4664.
• UNITY CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP CHURCH (UCFC), 2712 S. Bay St., will host the First Sunday Business Fellowship Luncheon after the 10 a.m. worship services Sunday, Oct. 4. Unity also invites the community to its free Small Business and Personal Financial Education classes at 7 p.m. Tuesdays. The church is practicing social distancing and will have hand sanitizer wipes available.
• ST. JOHN AME CHURCH at Pine Bluff invites the community to join them in a weekly conference call prayer for deliverance from the coronavirus 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.