Rev. J. L. Brantley, popular Baptist minister, will complete his first year as pastor of the church here on the first of September. In honor of this occasion, a specially arranged anniversary service will be held on Sunday morning at the eleven o’clock hour.
Completing his first year as pastor here also completes Rev. Brantley’s first year in the ministry, as he was not ordained until after he had accepted the call to the church here following the revival meeting last summer.
Rev. Brantley first came to Malakoff to conduct the song services during the Wilkes revival last August. During these two short weeks, he made for himself a place in the hearts of everyone and the Baptist people were so impressed with his tireless efforts and his sincerity in the Lord’s work, that they extended him an invitation to come here and lead the church until such time as the church could select a permanent pastor. This invitation was readily accepted and ere many weeks had passed, the church decided unanimously that they could not do better than to name Rev. Brantley as the permanent pastor.
During the single year’s pastorate of Rev. Brantley here, the church has shown a decided growth in every department. The Sunday School has grown from a weekly attendance of 85 and less to more than double that number, and the attendance at the services is growing steadily. The pastor also teaches the Young Men’s Bible Class, which, under his leadership, has grown in the single year from a mere three or four, to an enrollment now exceeding forty members.
All members of the church are urged to attend Sunday School Sunday morning and remain for the special anniversary service honoring the Rev. Brantley, at the eleven o’clock hour. An invitation is also extended to all others to attend the program.
The program will be rendered as follows:
Song Service - by Choir
Invocation - M. M. Shirey
Scripture Reading - Banks Bradley
Accomplishments of Year’s Work - Bob Johnson
J. L. Brantley as a Citizen - Melvin Taylor
Song - Choir
J. L. Brantley as a Pastor - J. E. Drummond
Song: “For Jesus’ Sake” - Choir
A Message to the Church - Rev. J. L. Brantley
Benediction