A new school year is approaching and school supplies are needed.

City of Grace Church, Living Word Faith Ministry Church and St. Mark Lodge 24 and Electra Chapter 24 will be participating in back-to-school giveaways.

City of Grace Church, located at 216 Martin Luther King Drive in Brookhaven, is taking donations throughout the month of July.

“We’re asking for pencils, tablets, paper and glue. Things of that nature,” said Pastor Jerry Case. “We have the school supplies list that the schools provide so we can have a target of what we need people to buy, so when we give them out to the students it will be exactly what they need.”

City of Grace Church is currently having revivals throughout the month of July. They are asking those interested in donating supplies to drop them off either at the revival meetings or before the regular Sunday Services.

Revival meetings remaining this month are July 20, July 27 and July 28. All meetings start at 7:15 p.m. Sunday services begin at 9 a.m.

This will be the ninth year that City of Grace Church has participated in a back-to-school supplies drive.

“I was always taught that in order to be blessed, you must be blessing. To be able to be a blessing to someone in need is my favorite thing about this,” Case said. “Some people we surprise with school supplies and they don’t even know they are getting it. There are no other motives behind this other than simply being a blessing.”

Case said that preachers and guests from the revivals have dropped off supplies.

“We’re just trying to support the community,” Case said.

The Living Word Faith Ministry Church is also having their annual back-to-school backpacks drive.

“We’ve been doing this for several years,” said Rev. Jerry Wilson. “We see the need in the community and try to be a blessing to people. My wife and I work together on this and we just love to see the smile on kids faces when they get their backpacks.”

Wilson is Lincoln County Supervisor, District 1. His wife, Mary Wilson is Ward 3 alderwoman for Brookhaven.

Backpack pick-up will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at 300 South First Street in front of the Lincoln County Courthouse on Aug. 5.

St. Mark Lodge and Electra Chapter 24 will host their second annual back-to-school giveaway on August 5 at 12 p.m. at Fannie Mullins School.

They will be giving away backpacks for all ages and each will be filled with school supplies.