By K. NANCOO-RUSSELL

Freeport News Reporter

krystal@nasguard.com

The Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Jones Town, Eight Mile Rock, will celebrate a milestone in the church's history on Sunday – its 44th anniversary – under the theme "The Importance of Abiding in the Vine."

The service will begin at 3 p.m. and will serve a dual purpose as three members will also be ordained.

Pastor Lindy Russell explained yesterday that Deacon Ken Russell will be ordained as a minister, Brother Randy Lyford as a deacon and Sister Agatha Martin as a minister – the first female minister of the church in its 44 years of existence.

It was on November 19, 1965 when the cornerstone was first laid at the church and as a result, every year on the third Sunday, the anniversary is celebrated, he said.

At its formative stages the church consisted of approximately 50 members, and over the years has grown to have a congregation of some 300 persons. The building itself has also grown in size over the past four decades.

Russell explained that the congregation will be joined for Sunday's celebration by the Zion family of the West Grand Bahama District Zion United Baptist Convention.

"As part of the celebration we have our founding pastor in the person of Rev. Dr. Raymond Jones, he was the founding pastor in 1965 and he retired four years ago, he is also going to be with us and continues to worship with is," he shared, adding that Jones currently serves as the pastor emeritus of the church, an honorary position that is given to persons of longstanding service.

"We're also delighted to have with us in our congregation the Rev. Dr. Ralph Russell who is also a founding member. He is presently 90 years old and is a pastor emeritus at our sister church Central Zion Baptist Church."

Although the church's ordination services do not usually occur on the anniversary date, Russell said he thought it was fitting that this year it be the held in conjunction with Sunday's celebration.

"We're excited, we're de-lighted and we're going to be giving thanks and praise to God for having brought us this far by faith and we are going to honour and recognize persons who would have been involved in the ministry over those many years," he said.

"The church is joined in giving thanks and praise to God for the great things he has done in our lives and we invite the public to come and celebrate and share with us on this joyous occasion."