The 136th church anniversary will be celebrated at Third Creek AME Zion Church, 415 E. Main St. in Cleveland, during a parking lot service at 1 p.m. today.

The special guest preacher will be the Rev. David Rankin, the pastor of Symre’s Chapel AME Zion Church in Catawba. Rankin is a former member of Third Creek AME Zion Church.

He has pastored the following churches in the AME Zion connection: Ardis Chapel, Salisbury; S. Iredell, Troutman; Pharr Chapel, Old Fort; Thomas Chapel, Black Mountain; Sneed Grove, Ellerbee and  Smyre’s Chapel.

He is a graduate of Livingstone College, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration and is presently a student at Hood Theological Seminary, working toward his master’s degree in divinity. Rankin is the son of Rev. James and Mary Rankin, of Salisbury, and married to Mary Evans Rankin. They have six children, 11 grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Rev. Harold L. Jordan is the host pastor.