BATON ROUGE — Greater Sixty Aid Baptist Church marked 150 years of faith and fellowship with an anniversary service that brought generations of its congregation together.

The church's history traces back to 1876, when 60 men gathered beneath palmetto trees to sing praises. From those beginnings, Greater Sixty Aid grew into a congregation that still worships together 150 years later.

"Exceptional. Exceptional. It hit everything we hoped it would achieve," Pastor James R. Barrett Sr. said. "I couldn't be more pleased. Thankful for all the team who made it happen. A lot of components to put this together. Super pleased with how it turned out."

The church now calls Gardere Lane home, where the anniversary service brought generations together to celebrate how far the congregation has come.

"It was a live wire. It was a fire service," Barrett said.

That spirit carried through the sanctuary, from prayers shared across the pews to hands lifted in praise.

Special guest Judge John M. Guidry pointed to a legacy that has stretched across generations, from the church's earliest gatherings to the congregation worshiping there that day.

For the congregation, the celebration was not only about marking 150 years but also about the memories, the milestones and the community the church has built.