Ahead of what is predicted to be one of the coldest nights of 2017, Zion Chapel African Methodist Church members have opened the doors of their church to the homeless in Adams County.

Rev. Birdon Mitchell said Sunday that he felt led to open the church to anyone who may not have a warm place to stay. Much of south Mississippi will be under a hard freeze warning from 10 p.m. Sunday to noon Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported.

Temperatures are expected to fall into the low teens and daytime conditions will likely remain below freezing.

“The Lord put it on my heart to open the church so nobody had to be out in the cold alone,” Mitchell said. “On one of the coldest nights of the year, I’m afraid there aren’t many places available to the homeless.”

Zion Chapel is located on the corner of Martin Luther King Jr. Street and Jefferson Street. The entrance to the upstairs room, where occupants will spend the night, is on Rankin Street, Mitchell said.

Mitchell requested that anyone interested in staying the night call him at (601) 493-7164 so that he may escort them to the upstairs sleeping area.

“Wherever I am tonight I want to be able to render these services,” he said.