MARVIN SAPP CELEBRTING 25 YEARS OFMINISTRY

Marvin L. Sapp and his Lighthouse Full Life Center Church congregation celebrate its 10th anniversary – and the 25th year of ministry for Sapp in his preaching and gospel music career.

“Every year, we celebrate our anniversary as a church as a community outreach,” said Sapp, 46, from his church office.

“But it’s also a time when we get the opportunity to go back and reflect on what God has done for us over the years.”

Earlier this month, the church moved its worship services from its Kingdom Square campus at 600 Burton St. SE to its former location at 2415 Madison Ave. SE. In 2008, it purchased the 17-acre, Grand Rapids Catholic Diocese property on Burton, with an eye toward development of a public charter school on the site.

The Grand Rapids Ellington Academy of Arts and Technology (GREAAT) opened last year serving students in grades six through eight.

“The school has grown dramatically to Pre-K through 9th (grade),” said Sapp of the expansion, which resulted in nearly 500 students for this school year.

“We still own the church on Madison, so we went back there for worship,” said Sapp. “We now have a worship campus and an academic campus.”

For the anniversary conference, Sapp has invited several top pastors from different parts of the country, nearly all of whom are also music artists.

Paul S. Morton (Sept. 26), pastor of Changing a Generation Church in Atlanta, is a five-time Stellar Award winner and his most recent recording is “Best Days Yet.”

Noel Jones (Sept. 27) of City of Refuge Church in Gardena, Calif., is one of the several Los Angeles-area pastors participating in the new reality show “Preachers of L.A.,” which begins this fall on the Oxygen Network.

Marvin Winans (6 p.m. Sept. 29) is pastor of Perfecting Church in Detroit but is better known as a multiple Grammy-winner with his gospel group The Winans. He has also released several solo albums.