The Reverend Richard Gammage and New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church will be honored as Pastor/Church of the Year by The Informer's Annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Awards Ceremony on Saturday, January 14, 2012 at 12 noon at New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church, located at 795 Maynard Street in Macon, Georgia.

Born in Sylvester, Georgia, Richard Gammage accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at the age of twelve. A member of Beulah Missionary Baptist Church at a young age, he served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, choir president and Chairman of the Sick Committee. Married to the lovely Myra Gammaga, the couple has three children.

Educated at Carver Bible College, the Morehouse School of Religion, the Interdenominational Theological Center and having received a Masters degree from Brown College of Transoral Science, Reverend Gammage has pastored at New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church for the past 32 years.

Gammage is recognized widely as a passionate community leader. He has led the Martin Luther King, Jr. Freedom March from East Macon every year for the past 30 years and has held forums at New Pleasant Grove in nearly every political election for the last 30 years for candidates to discuss issues and campaigns. It is during these forums that the public has a chance to hear candidate’s platforms and ask questions.

For the past 7 years, New Pleasant Grove has served breakfast every Sunday morning immediately following the early service. This meal of bacon, sausage, eggs, grits, toast, juice and coffee is free to the public. Many homeless people and people in need eat a good breakfast along with the parishiners.

Reverend Gammage has ordained more than one hundred deacons, including seven women to preach. He believes that those who are called to preach should be given every opportunity to practice their skills and New Pleasant Grove provides the venue for those who are ordained during the early service each Sunday. Reverend Gammage believes strongly that women should serve, particularly in the Evangelical Ministers Alliance, of which he served as President for several years. Gammage is now President Emeritus of the EMA.

A strong believer in Christian education, Reverend Gammage provides beautiful Bibles and other instructional materials to every individual that attends his Bible Study each week. Reverend Gammage and New Pleasant Grove Missionary Baptist Church illustrate all of the exemplary service qualities that earn them this year’s Pastor/Church of the Year Award from The Informer.