Praise God for 64 years of ministry. For 64 years, God has blessed PILGRIM REST to be a shining light in the community and a place where a PILGRIM, weary and worn from the journey of life, may find REST.
On today, we celebrate our last Church Anniversary at 3737 N. Sherman Boulevard. We can imagine, now, how our Pilgrim Rest ancestors responded when they celebrated their last Church Anniversaries at 1932 N. 9th Street and 2567 N. 8th Street. After 10 years on 9th Street, 18 years on 8th Street and 36 years on Sherman Boulevard, God has led us, 64 years later, to prepare for our move to 38th and Keefe.
On this day of celebration, we look back at all of the blessings and miracles that God has given to us, and worked through us. Indeed, as we look back, we see the hand of God in the life of Pilgrim Rest over and over again.
As much as we look back, we also look forward. We look forward to the blessings and miracles that God will continue to give to us, and work through us. We look forward because those who have gone before us were looking forward. They sacrificed, making choices and decisions in their day to meet the ministry needs of today. Therefore, we pause to remember their sacrifice.
In addition, we continue pressing, in expectation of those who will come after us – trusting that we are laying an appropriate foundation upon which they will build, to assist them in meeting the needs of their day.
Receive these quotes that I have previously shared, and is yet appropriate to what God is doing where we are today:
- “Together shall we continue to grow and this church shall be as a flaming mountain standing out as a beacon light leading men to Christ, giving our children better religious training, our mission giving aid to those in need and here may the downtrodden find solace and peace.” Pastor C. V. Harrington, 1964
- “Our hope is that these facilities will enable Pilgrim Rest to engage in a more fruitful Christian ministry to the Milwaukee community.” Pastor Leroy B. Mixon, 1983
- “Pilgrim Rest possesses the power necessary to stabilize the downward spiral of hopelessness and despair that is prevalent in our community. Even more, we possess the vision and resources requisite for the liberation, transformation and re-unification of our community.” Pastor Martin Childs, Jr., 2002
