WESTERN BUREAU — The William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church in Falmouth will kick off its 175th anniversary celebrations with a church service at 4:00 pm on Sunday.

President of the Jamaica Baptist Union (JBU), Reverend Neville Callam, will be the special guest preacher. Reverend Callam is also the head of the Tarrant Baptist Church in St Andrew, operators of “The Breath of Change” (TBC) radio station.

Representatives of the Governor-General, Howard Cooke, Prime Minister PJ Patterson, and leader of the Opposition, Edward Seaga are expected to attend the service, and bring greetings.

Other activities planned as part of the celebrations include a prayer breakfast on Ash Wednesday, a public lecture and exhibition on Emancipation Day, and a Homecoming Banquet.

The William Knibb Memorial Baptist Church was founded in 1827, by the Reverend Thames Burchell. It was later named William Knibb, after the famed teacher, pastor and emancipator from England, who made his home in Jamaica.