Our 50th Anniversary
2017 the Year of Jubilee
A church founded on the true fundamental principles of Love and Christianity!
A lot can happen in 50 years; in fact, a lot of churches, as well as businesses, often run out of steam and falter during hard times. But one local, non-denominational church, Morning Star Community Christian Center (“Morning Star”) has not only survived 50 years of service to the Lord, but the congregation is thriving and the ministry is expanding. The church’s 50th anniversary celebrations began in January and ends December 2017. Morning Star officially opened on Sunday, February 26, 1967. A special celebration was held this past February, which included a ribbon cutting ceremony under the theme, “Renewing, Restoring, and Reaching Higher.”
Morning Star was founded by the late Bishop Irvin Evans and his wife Constine and has evolved into lives being restored and destinies fulfilled under the leadership of the current senior pastor Dr. Therman Evans, who took over the pastorate in 1999. Morning Star’s mission is and always has been changing lives, discipling believers, and impacting the world. The message of “wholeness” in mind, body, and spirit, and helping people find their way back to God has contributed to Morning Star’s increased membership.
Dr. Evans and his wife Bernetta have fervently and passionately led Morning Star to become an instrumental pillar in the Linden community and surrounding areas. His bold vision to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the church is a feat that will forever be remembered – weekly, year-long celebrations! During these celebrations, Morning Star is honoring community and other leaders who demonstrate the principles of its founder, Bishop Evans. “There are so many faithful ministries at Morning Star that we could lift up, but in recent years the emphasis on giving back to our community is our focus”, says Dr. Evans. “As we celebrate Morning Star’s past and the many faithful people who have brought and supported us, by God’s grace this far, we look to continue to move boldly into the future of ministry into what God is calling us to do. Serving the needs of the congregation and the community was the focus of this great church in its inception and we are excited about what this celebration will bring,” continued Dr. Evans.
In the Morning Star tradition of music being an integral part of worship, the 50 year celebration includes evenings of spiritual growth and a 75-member reunion choir concert. “It is an honor to contribute to celebrating Morning Star’s 50th church anniversary,” comments prominent gospel music artist, Pastor Donnie McClurkin, during his recent visit in March, where he delivered a powerful night of praise, worship and spoken word.
Morning Star wants guests to come and prepare for the movement of God, ultimate rejuvenation, total restoration, inner healing, blessings, and most importantly, to have a divine encounter with the Holy Spirit. During the year-long celebration we will enjoy praise and worship, fellowship, guest speakers and special performances. To climax the celebration, a grand service is planned for the fall. Everyone is welcomed and encouraged to join in the celebration. For detailed information of the 50th anniversary events and services, visit the official website of Morning Star: www.morningstarccc.org as well as the church’s multiple social media handles: Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube.