Temple Church celebrates 40 years of ‘Ministry On Purpose’

The Temple Church, 3810 Kings Lane, Nashville, Tenn. 37218, will celebrate its 40th anniversary, August 4–6.

The 40th anniversary activities will include:
1) The James H. Pierce Charity Golf Tournament was held July 19 at the Hermitage Golf Course to raise funds for scholarships and the church’s non-profit Samaritan Ministries.

2) The Temple Day of Community Service was held July 29 at various locations throughout the city. This was a back to school event where the church provided school supplies, uniforms, haircuts and other services for those in need in the immediate community.

3) Anniversary weekend celebration: The Temple Church Anniversary Gala & Trail Blazers Awards will be held August 4 at the Airport Marriott Hotel. This is a black tie affair taking time out to celebrate and honor those who sacrificed and paved the way for Temple to be what it is today.

4) Anniversary weekend Founder’s Day will be August 6 at The Temple Church. The congregation will all come together as one church for the annual Founder’s Day worship. There will be one worship service at 10 am.

For 40 years, The Temple Church has been about the business of doing impactful ministry that matters.
Founded August 8, 1977 at American Baptist Theological Seminary by Bishop Michael Lee Graves and Lady Eleanor Newhouse-Graves, The Temple Church’s mission is to realize the kingdom of God by evangelizing the unchurched and disciplining new persons and building up the body of Christ while fostering a positive, nurturing, worshiping fellowship committed to liberation and justice.

Since its founding, The Temple Church has made great strides in membership growth and is recognized as Nashville’s first African American ‘mega’ ministry, having reached a membership of close to 3000 in the 1990s.

The Temple Church has four outreach ministry centers that serve the greater Nashville community in various capacities. Those ministries include: Samaritan Ministries, Project S.E.E., ACTS Counseling Center and a Second Harvest Food Bank site.

Today, the second pastor, Rev. Darrell A. Drumright, pastors the Temple Church. Rev. Drumwright has seen the church reach a membership of more than 5000 and has led the church to becoming a completely debt free congregation since 2011. Rev. Drumwright, like Bishop Graves, is a visionary and one who challenges the church to continue to be a Ministry On Purpose.

As 40 years of Ministry that Matters are celebrated with numerous other achievements, the ‘best is yet to come.’ God’s grace has kept the church and the power of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to continue to lead us.

The church invites all who have been impacted by the ministry of The Temple Church to join in the 40th Founder’s Day celebration. Many are expected from near and far to share with the church during this grand occasion.

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