Suffolk News-Herald

The Rev. Larry Junious Parker was recently installed in a church that roots date back to 1878: Piney Grove Baptist Church.

The sanctuary is located at 4901 Deerpath Road. Just take a turn off Route 58 onto Buckhorn Rd. down Deerpath or IndianTrail roads and you will see and feel the neighborly atmosphere.

Parker received his public education in the Suffolk City School System, graduating with honors in 1979 from John F. Kennedy High School. In 1983, he received a Bachelor or Arts degree in Political Science from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond and in 2002, went on to receive a Master’s degree in Christian Education from the Virginia University of Lynchburg- Virginia Seminary.

The Rev. Parker is also a member of the Suffolk Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance, and serves as an advisor for the Suffolk Chapter of the Virginia University of Lynchburg.

Since 1878 Piney Grove Baptist Church has served the neighborly, tight knit community of Buckhorn and has been the cornerstone of good will and community service that is the hallmark and nature of its congregation.

Parker is one of the congregation’s own and was reared in the church. One member said that it is just like a story out of the Bible because Rev. Parker and his wife Talma and son James are all lifetime members of the church and that he has now risen to lead the flock.

Parker is extending an invitation to the public to stop in for any of Piney Grove’s regular services which are as follows: at 9:45 a.m., Sunday, Sunday School; at 11:30 a.m., Sunday, morning worship service and at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Bible Study.

One of Parker’s favorite quotes is &uot;Everyone is welcome and everybody is somebody.&uot;