“We celebrate a lot of things. Why not celebrate forgiveness?” says Eddie Cantrell, pastor of Trenton’s First Baptist Church.

Cantrell says the community-wide party he is hosting on March 16 is not a reaction to the tiff over anti-gay messages posted on Calvary Baptist’s marquee (see accompanying article), but simply a joyous acknowledgement that God forgives sinners. 

“If you’re a sinner, you can come,” he invites all.

Cantrell has reserved the Trenton Civics Center for the do. He asks guests – er, sinners – to bring covered dishes for the dinner, which will be around 5 p.m., and says other details, such as entertainment, will be announced closer to the date.