Welcome Chapel Missionary Baptist Church is hosting a special celebration to mark the first anniversary of its minister, the Rev. Dennis White.

The community is invited to take part in the event, which is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 4 at 3 p.m.

White was a guest on Wednesday’s TownTalk to discuss details of what will be happening that day. He said any pastoral anniversary is cause for celebration and this one is no exception. “It’s always a drawing card to a church,” he said.

The guest speaker for the occasion will be Rev. Kevin L. Chandler from Trinity Baptist Church in South Boston, VA and the New Sandy Creek Missionary Baptist Church Male Chorus from Keely, VA will perform.

White comes to Henderson from Greensboro, where he founded Faith Walk Baptist Church. The pandemic took its toll on the small congregation, White said, so after 17 years with that church, he accepted the call to Welcome Chapel.

“It was God’s design and God’s plan,” he said. “There’s no better place to be than where God has placed you…I am so excited to be at Welcome Chapel.”

Founding a ministry helped White become a better leader – “I was able to be very involved with every aspect of the ministry…it helped sharpen my leadership skills.”

White describes himself as a humble, faithful, people-oriented pastor. “I love being a pastor and doing it God’s way,” he said.

But he’s also a father – two children and two grandchildren – and a husband – married 32 years – and a counselor by training. Those roles feed into the role of pastor, too.

Having completed a master’s degree in pastoral counseling at Liberty University, White said he considers himself someone who is very approachable to those who seek his guidance. “This day and time, people need counseling in many areas of their lives,” White said.

The church is located at 237 Welcome Ave. in Henderson.