Southeast Raleigh pastor celebrates 40 years of service

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- There are 40 years worth of Easter sermons for Pastor Vincent Terry to think about as he reflects on a picture in the hallway at Mount Peace Baptist Church.

"Oh man we were having our United morning service I think?" he said Tuesday.

We met with Pastor Terry inside the church on the last day of Black History Month and as he celebrates 40 years with the congregation.

"All of my life I have served as the pastor of this church," he said. "We've been here 23 years in this building and so we've seen just major things happen."

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The church originated in 1947 as Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist.

"Mt. Peace provides that opportunity for the young, the old and progressive or lay person who's still trying to find themselves," said Lindy Brown, former Wake County Commissioner and long-time worshipper here.

Through Pastor Terry's 40 years, he always comes back to one objective and that's glorifying God.

But he's extremely proud of the church's food drives and scholarships they've set up to give back to the southeast Raleigh community.

"The community is changing but as many of us are changing with locations, we still come back here," he said.

The church is focused on its future now and part of that is building a new building on the same grounds off MLK Jr. Boulevard.

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There will also be a banquet at the Crabtree Valley Marriott on March 10 to honor Pastor Terry's 40 years.