Mount Canaan Baptist Church will dedicate Sunday morning’s worship. January 24, 2016, to its pastor, Rev. George L. Brightharp. The special service is designed to show appreciation, love, thanks and respect for one who has worked tirelessly and unselfishly for 37 years to lead his congregants and others in the community in paths to honorable, productive and spiritual lives. Mount Canaan Baptist Church has experienced many programs of growth during the leadership of Rev. Brightharp. He places much emphasis on the physical, mental, educational and spiritual development of youth; therefore, a youth center was constructed (2010) on the Mount Canaan Baptist Church campus to enhance holistic youth development. He has the educational background (Ph.D. – Political Science; Education Specialist Degree; Studies at Stark School of Religion; Certified Guidance Counselor) in areas that prepared him to be an effective leader. He studies continuously to keep an awareness of present occurrences and makes them relevant to his congregants in ways that relate to our daily lives. In excerpts from a printed statement of his Philosophy of the Ministry (2006) he states, ”It is my firm belief that the Christian Ministry must be comprehensive in its nature if it is to be effective. First, one’s ministry must be God centered, Jesus Christ anchored, and Holy Ghost inspired. The ministry must always put God first. There must be a strong emphasis on the life and works of Jesus; and those works must be made relevant to the lives of people in 2006.” Rev. Brightharp has been a public school teacher and guidance counselor; college professor; served on the Commission of Higher Education for the State of SC (2 terms); is presently on the board of Security Federal Bank; has received many honors and awards and is a business owner. The church invites all to join the congregation in showing appreciation to Rev. Brightharp, Sunday morning, January 24, at 10 a.m. And a final greeting, “We look to seeing you there!”