Vicksburg pastor the Rev. James O. Bowman Sr. and his church, New Beginning Church were selected pastor and church of the year at the third annual Best of Mississippi Awards on Oct. 1 in Flowood.

Bowman has been in the ministry for 25 years and is married to J. Bowman.

“I am honored to receive this award and I give all glory to God,” he said.

As a community church, he said, the New Beginning Church in Christ family believes that the door to salvation is always open, and so are the doors to its church.

The church’s mission is to be fully devoted to Jesus by opening its arms to those in search of the truth.

Felicia Kent, director of Vicksburg’s COVID-19 health literacy program, pointed to the church’s participation in the city’s health literacy outreach program and New Beginning’s other programs.

“It was a combination of all of it. Work on COVID outreach, outreach with the local community,” she said.

“We show God’s love and concern for our fellow man at every opportunity,” Bowman said. “Through works of charity and opening our doors to listen and love, we feel that we are walking in the footsteps of Jesus Christ.”

The church serves the community through ministry, food drives, health and wellness, clothes giveaways, COVID-19 events, home ownership workshops, employment workshops, marriage enrichment and other health disparities events.

“We give out food every month, clothes for the needy, counseling financial counseling, emergency food boxes,” Bowman said.

The Best of Mississippi Awards was begun in 2020 by the Business Empowered Mississippi Chamber of Commerce to honor and recognize business and community leaders across Mississippi. The honorees were nominated and selected and voted on by the public, the Board of Governors and the Best of Mississippi Awards Nominations Committee.