NATCHEZ &8212; Preparing for the &8220;Coming Together&8221; program at Zion Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Sunday has served more than one purpose, said the Rev. Arthur Brown, pastor.

&8220;It&8217;s been a great experience getting ready for it,&8221; he said. &8220;We&8217;ve cleaned house because of company coming. The membership have taken to it like a duck to water.&8221;

The Sunday program, the second in a series of open houses at historic downtown churches, will be 4 to 5:30 p.m. The public is invited to attend.

A project of the interfaith committee at St. Mary Basilica, &8220;Coming Together&8221; will continue on the second Sunday of each month at a different church through June.

&8220;We&8217;re looking forward to sharing our worship experience, our theology and our local and denominational philosophy,&8221; Brown said.

The program will begin with a short worship service, including music by the AME choir. &8220;They have chosen some rollicking music,&8221; Brown said.

Next will be a history of the church and the denomination. Finally, guests will tour the church facilities and have refreshments.

&8220;We know this church and its membership have been an integral part of the Natchez community through the years,&8221; Brown said.

He has enjoyed reading an encyclopedia prepared in 1902 that give details of all AME churches in Mississippi. Zion Chapel is the oldest.

A characteristic of his congregation that pleases him is the widely varying ages of his members, from young children to those nearing 100.

Some of the older members have told him of the pageant for which the church become famous in the 1930s &8212; &8220;Heaven Bound,&8221; which was performed during the early Natchez Pilgrimages.

&8220;There are many colorful stories about our membership,&8221; Brown said. &8220;We are so pleased to share with the community.&8221;

Other churches in the &8220;Coming Together&8221; program are First Presbyterian Church, which hosted the community in September; and Jefferson Street United Methodist Church, November; St. Mary, December; and Holy Family Catholic Church in January.

In February, Trinity Episcopal Church will host the program; Temple B&8217;nai Israel, March; Rose Hill Baptist Church, April; New Covenant Presbyterian Church, May; and St. John United Methodist Church, June.