Pastors to be honored at Mount Olive Baptist

BOLIVIA—Retired pastors are to be honored for their dedication and life’s work.

Mount Olive Baptist Church in Bolivia will begin honoring retired pastors in the local area during its Sunday, May 22, evening service at 7 p.m. The evening will be the first in a planned series to honor retired pastors from the Brunswick Baptist Association. 

“I really felt impressed from the Lord to do this and the church family shares the excitement,” said Anthony Clemmons, pastor at Mount Olive Baptist Church. “We do not want these men forgotten.”

Clemmons said the idea for the series is based around the principles taught in Romans 13:7. The verse reads, “Render therefore to all their dues tribute to whom tribute is due, honor to whom honor is due.”

“We believe this a Biblical approach to honoring these men,” Clemmons said. 

During each of the six to seven services, four to five people will speak about the pastors’ influence on their lives through prepared honorariums of words to the person. Next a spontaneous comment time will offer the chance for anyone in attendance to speak. A reception will follow the service.

Each pastor will receive a financial blessing from the church. Additionally blessing boxes will be on hand for individual financial blessings to be offered. 

“We hope it will be a broad spectrum of people who attend,” Clemmons said. “At least one of the pastors we plan to honor has never been in our building.”

Services will typically be on the third Sunday of each month at Mount Olive Baptist Church. The May and June services will fall on the fourth Sunday night. 

During the first service on May 22, the church will honor Weston Varnam, former pastor of Mount Olive Baptist Church.

The church is at 2919 Galloway Road, Bolivia (at mile marker 24 on U.S. 17). For more information call 754-6808. The church office is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m.