NATCHEZ — One local church will be celebrating their history today.

The Murray Temple Church of God In Christ will have a founder’s day program at 2:30 p.m. in honor a significant figure in the church’s history, Elder Jacob Henry Murray.

The program coincides with Murray’s birthday as well.

Event coordinator Greg West said the celebration is in accordance with a declaration of the Mississippi Southern First Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction of the Churches of God in Christ, Inc. that is headquartered in Jackson.

The group made a declaration in 2002, after visiting the Natchez church.

The declaration reads “I so declare in the Fifth District that we will remember J.H. Murray’s birthday by having a celebration in Natchez, Mississippi ever year until Jesus Christ comes.”

West said this year’s program will focus on the struggles Murray faced during his service at the church.

“Different people in attendance are going to talk about what was going on during the time Elder Murray was at the church,” West said.

West said the speakers will be former members of the church who have gone on to be pastors, family members of Murray including some of his 14 children and the presiding bishop of the state organization.

“The program will focus on him,” West said.

Murray was born in Adams County in 1890 and became a member of the Church of God in Christ in 1915.

Although Murray attend Milford Baptist Church in his early life, a sermon by Elder Jeff Lewis in Natchez convinced Murray to “dedicate his life to the work of God” and joined the Church of God in Christ at that time.

In 1921, Murray became the pastor of the Natchez congregation. Under his leadership the congregation built the first Church of God in Christ in Natchez on Perrault Street.

The church still remains there today.

Much of Murray’s life is chronicled in the book “Who was Jacob Henry Murray?” written by Murray’s son, Morris Taylor Murray, through memories and stories of relatives and close friends.

In the book, Morris Taylor Murray wrote that his father sacrificed throughout his life to provide service to the church.

“Papa lived 79 years providing meaning service through the church,” Morris Taylor Murray wrote. “He was a true survivor.”

Morris went on to write that his father took the role as pastor very seriously, especially during a time of struggle for blacks.

“Papa saw his role as pastor to address the moral salvation of classes of people like himself,” the book states.