The congregation of Second Baptist Church at 1400 Idlewood Ave. in Richmond’s Randolph community will celebrate its 179th anniversary and the 35th anniversary of its pastor, the Rev. Dr. James Henry Harris, on Nov. 16 and 23. Lunch will follow worship on both Sundays. 

“It is a blessing that Second Baptist has been serving the community for 179 years through slavery, Jim Crow and the present day. I am grateful that I have served 35 of those years,” Harris said. 

At 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 16, the Rev. Dr. Ernest L. Reid Jr., senior pastor of Second Missionary Baptist Church in Chattanooga, Tennessee, will preach the pastor’s anniversary sermon. Reid, a native of Suffolk, earned his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry degrees from Virginia Union University School of Theology. 

At 11 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 23, Harris, a professor of homiletics and pastoral theology and research scholar in religion and the humanities at VUU’s School of Theology, will preach the church anniversary sermon.