The congregation of Saint James Missionary Baptist Church will soon celebrate 20 years of spiritual guidance and Bible teaching delivered by Rev. Larry Jointer.

The celebration will be held with the church’s morning worship at 10 a.m. on Sunday. The speaker will be Rev. Preston Wilson, pastor of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church.

Jointer’s walk as congregational shepherd with Saint James began in 1995. An innovator and man of vision, he wasted no time implementing – with congregational support – his vision of a progressive church exemplifying true Christian principles.

Due to accelerated congregational growth, the church site was rapidly becoming too small, thus a need for a larger worship and educational facility. Persistence and wisdom led the group to the present site. Jointer’s effective teaching and training ministries have led to leadership in the religious as well as the civic communities.

Jointer’s mantra is “Our mission is to evangelize to the lost soul.” One of his most successful visual projects that he designed and led was the “Let’s pray about it” mission throughout the community. He is of the strong belief that whatever the problem, the church and community need to come together and pray.

An effective preacher/teacher, he is in great demand to speak across the nation. A man of true action, he has taken his evangelism efforts internally – having ministered to several African nations and in Panama.

His religious affiliations locally, statewide and nationally are numerous. Not being one to shun the Brookhaven community, he is an active member or board member of several civic organizations. He also serves as third vice-president of the Mississippi National Baptist State Convention and has served as chief-of-security in other national religious organizations.

Jointer heralds from a strong religious family of Christian ethics. His late father and two brothers are ministers. He is the proud father of four and has several grandchildren.