Gloucester’s Zion Hill Baptist Church rang to the rafters with joyful music on Sunday in celebration of the church’s 150th anniversary.
Led by the powerful JBC Choir of Hampton Roads, with the guest speaker Rev. Jeffrey D. Burrell accompanying on keyboard and adding his own powerful voice, over 175 church members and guests praised God time after time, singing songs of glory and hosanna as shouts of Hallelujah! and Amen! rang out.
Brother Charlie Cotman III was the worship leader, with words of welcome from Sister Marilyn Ward and an anniversary prayer by Brother Alvin Minor Jr.
After the offering, during which various churches and ministries gave generous donations, there was a lively offertory song—“Can’t Nobody Do Me Like Jesus.”
The Rev. Stevens Burrell then introduced his younger brother, the Rev. Jeffrey D. Burrell of Atlanta, Ga. Stevens Burrell spoke of his brother’s ordination at Zion Hill Baptist, and of his childhood, when Jeffrey started playing the piano at the age of 3 an...