Congratulations to Mount Hermon and the congregation on the occasion of the church’s Diamond Jubilee (60th anniversary).

In 1952, a small group gathered at the home of Sanford and the late Winefred Nesbitt to organize a new African

Methodist Episcopal church in the Bunch Park area of Miami Dade. Sixty years have passed, and like many other houses of worship, the church now at 17800 NW 25th Ave. in Miami Gardens, has weathered many storms.

At 7 and 10 a.m. Sunday, Sunday, the congregation will celebrate “the deeds and services of our founders, ministers and members” at worship services. Guest speaker will be the Rev. Marcellus Norris, pastor of St.

Luke AME Church at Harlem. All former members and friends of the church are invited to share the occasion with the congregation where the Rev. Michael K. Bouie is the pastor.

SISTERHOOD SHABBAT

You are invited to the Sisterhood Shabbat at Temple Beth Tov-Ahavat Shalom, 6438 SW Eighth St. in West Miami. The Shabbat will be at 8:15 Friday, and the service will be conducted entirely by the women in the Sisterhood. It’s free and the public is invited. For more information, call Ruth at 305-382-0240.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BARBECUE

Grace Lutheran Church at 254 Curtiss Pkwy in Miami Springs, invites friends to its back-to-school barbecue at Crandon Park. The church has reserved Shelter # 4. Cost for the meal is $3 a person and includes hot dogs, baked beans, potato salad, cookies and watermelon. Parents are asked to bring coolers with drinks.

Car-pooling from the church will be at 9 a.m. To attend, call the church at 305-888-2871 or 305-888-1223 and let Pastor Imhoff know.

FLAG RETIREMENT

Do you know what to do with your flag once it has become old and tattered? There is a proper way to lay your beloved flag to rest. At 7 p.m. on Aug. 25, the Boy Scouts and Army Reserve Color Guard will show you how, at a Flag Retirement Ceremony at Sunrise Presbyterian Church, 18400 NW 68th Ave.

If you go, bring your old flag for retirement. A new flag will be given to the first 50 people. In addition to the flag retirement ceremony, gourmet food trucks will be on hand and there will be activities for the children and a concert by several local church choirs.

For more information, call Barbara Hassall or Mary Ann Engel at Sunrise Presbyterian at 305-821-5841. Private and corporate sponsors will be appreciated.

A MILESTONE

It will be a grand day Sunday at Allen Chapel A.M.E. Church, 1201 NW 111th St. That’s when the church will celebrate its 60th anniversary. The special guest for the milestone will be the Rev. Rogery Adams and his congregation from Mt. Zion A.M.E. Church.

The program includes special recognition of former pastors, the Rev. Marie Poitier and the Rev. Robert Shaw. Sister Yvonne Monds will be honored as the longest member in attendance at the church. Special recognition will be given to John Glover, representing his stepfather, the Rev. E. M. Blocker, who was founder of the church, and

to the International Longshoreman Association Local 1416 for its community outreach in honor of Arthur Small, a pioneer member.

Money raised during the celebration will be used to pay off the annex mortgage. The anniversary service will be hosted by the Rev. Vensen Ambeau, current pastor of the church, who was appointed in October 2011.

The celebration will culminate with an old-fashioned supper. The community is invited.