The Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church congregation thought they were celebrating the 10th anniversary of their pastor, Rev. Dr. Eugene M. Downing Jr. However, Rev. Downing had a surprise for them.
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| SURPRISE—Reverend Eugene Downing Jr. and Nichelle Downing. |
On April 25, at the conclusion of the 10:45 a.m. service, Rev. Downing said since his family was there and his fiancée’s family were in the church for the anniversary celebration, “why don’t we get married?”
Most of the congregation was surprised as his fiancée, Nichelle Rae Brown (who moments ago was sitting in the pew in a colorful sundress), walked down the aisle in a beautiful cream-colored wedding gown. The couple had just announced their engagement that previous Tuesday.
The same pastor that installed Rev. Downing, Rev. Dr. Dwight C. Jones, senior pastor, First Baptist Church of South Richmond was the invited speaker for the 10th anniversary. He soon found that he also had a wedding to perform. Reverend Jones is also the mayor of Richmond, Va.
The entire congregation was invited to the reception that immediately followed the ceremony. They had much to celebrate, the marriage of Rev. Eugene and Nichelle Downing and Rev. Downing’s 10 years of service to Sixth Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church.