St. John 2nd Baptist Church to honor the Rev. Annie Custis April 29

The Rev. Annie J. Custis, a Sussex County native who has served as pastor of St. John 2nd Baptist Church for 22 years, will be honored at 4 p.m., Saturday, April 29, during a service celebrating her 22nd anniversary at the church, 26602 Mount Joy Road, Millsboro. 

Featured singers will include The Fire Group from Newark, N.J.; Sons of Thunder from Salisbury, Md.; and others. 

A mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Custis is a respected spiritual leader in Sussex County. Her favorite scripture is Philippians 4:13, “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” She believes St. John 2nd Baptist is “a church where everybody is somebody.”

As a spiritual advisor and prayer warrior, Custis is known to be empathetic, caring, giving, phenomenal, bold, determined, listening and visionary. She is an extraordinary woman with a mission for God and a bold plan from God to help others. She fights tirelessly for the poor and disenfranchised. She judges no one, regardless of race, gender, religion or political affiliation.

Custis started evangelistic work when she was in her 30s, and God called her to ministry more than 30 years ago. St. John 2nd Baptist Church is the largest African American church in Sussex County, with a seating capacity of 500.

Custis continues to serve not only her congregation, but also other communities. She spends countless hours helping people from all socioeconomic backgrounds with issues such as affordable housing, economic development, jobs, volunteering, education, and spiritual and mental needs.

Custis says, “Don’t wait for something to happen or someone else to do something; go out and get involved! The rewards are great.”