One local pastor’s work and dedication to the community was celebrated last week, while a group of teenagers visited Natchez to spend their summer vacation giving back.

Before we begin the week ahead, let’s take a look back at some of the highlights from last week:

-The community celebrated the Rev. David O’Connor’s 50th anniversary of being ordained as a minister with a jubilee celebration that included a dedication of St. Mary’s Family Life Center in his name. O’Connor, who is the rector of St. Mary’s, has spent many years in Natchez working to build the parish’s programs and outreach in the community. We congratulate him on reaching a historic milestone.

-A group of teens with the Central Texas Conference Youth Missions group visited Natchez to do some light to medium construction on at least nine houses owned by locals who are disabled or in need of assistance. The group is made up of members of five different churches in Texas and rotates through states each year to do their work. We thank the group for visiting Natchez and helping out residents in need.

-Two Mississippians are asking Miss-Lou residents to go through their closets and find old shoes that could help save lives in Africa. Paulette and Ronnie Delaney have joined HeartHidden Ministries to conduct a shoe drive throughout the month of June. Natchez residents can drop shoes off in the Trace Town Shopping Center parking lot. The shoes will be shipped to Africa where families will learn to repair the shoes or recycle them into the raw materials to be used again. We encourage Natchez residents to do some summer cleaning for a good cause.

Plenty of good news existed in the Miss-Lou last week, and we know even more is on tap this week.