Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Rev. Larry Lee, former mayor of Centreville, Miss. planting church in Baton Rouge

Congregation meets behind local airport

By Roscoe Barnes III
Copyright (c) 2018

Rev. Larry Lee

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The Rev. Larry Lee, former mayor of Centreville, Miss., is planting a new church at 8390 Plank Road, Baton Rouge. The church is St. Peter C.M.E. (Christian Methodist Episcopal) Church.

The congregation meets behind Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport in the fellowship hall of Gordon Feltus Lazard Cathedral Church of God in Christ. It’s located in the Crowley/New Orleans region of the Fourth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church.

“We’re planting this church in the greater Baton Rouge area where people can come and share the word of God,” Lee said. “We offer the opportunity to discuss the word and see the will of God for our lives. This is a place for people to come and fellowship and be a family.”

Lee said St. Peter is also “a place where a person can feel comfortable without the weights of legalism and extremism.” The church’s motto is, “Getting Back to Basics as We Envision Our Way Forward in Taking Care of God’s Business.”

Lee began the work in January, after having received the assignment in July 2017. He said the church is Methodist and it follows the Methodist tradition. “We’re focused strictly on the word of God and what it says, and not our opinions,” Lee said.

Lee was recently ordained as a Traveling Elder in the CME denomination. He previously served as a Traveling Deacon. When he began the church plant, he was assisted by the Rev. Rose Mingo of Lake Charles, La.

Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science with a minor in criminal justice from Mississippi Valley State University. He is retired from the Louisiana Department of Corrections where he worked 23 years at Angola State Penitentiary.

Lee served as mayor of Centreville from 2009 to 2017. For the past several years, he has been preaching throughout parts of Mississippi and Louisiana. He is currently completing his denomination’s Bishop Course of Study.

Lee and his wife, Linda, live in Centreville. They have a son, Bryan Lee, and daughter, Candace Lee Banks, and five grandchildren.

Bryan, who works with the Louisiana State Police, is married to Maria Lee; Candace is a health science teacher and athletic trainer. Her husband is Freddie Banks.

The church holds Worship Services on the 2nd and 4th Sundays from 11 to 12:30 p.m. and Sunday School on the same days from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday Bible studies are held from 6 to 7 p.m.

The mission statement for the CME denomination emphasizes the ministry of service and sharing the Gospel. It reads: “The Christian Methodist Episcopal Church is called to serve the present age as a sign and instrument of God’s saving grace, making disciples for Christ, nurturing them through preaching and teaching the Word of God, through Christ centered worship, prophetic witness and effective service.”

Additional information is available by calling 225-800-7566 or by visiting www.4thdistrictcme.org or www.facebook.com/stpetercme. Questions may also be sent via email to info@stpetercmechurch.org.

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ROSCOE BARNES III, Ph.D., is a writer, chaplain, historian, and former newspaper reporter. He is the author of more than a dozen books and Gospel tracts. For more information about his work and history, see his Personal Profile here or visit his website: http://www.roscoebarnes.net. Connect with him on Twitter (@roscoebarnes3) or by email: roscoebarnes3@yahoo.com.


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