Photo by Scott McCloskey The Rev. Darrell Cummings, pastor of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple accepts school supplies during the temple’s annual “Stuff the Bus” back-to-school program in North Wheeling Saturday morning.

WHEELING — Bethlehem Apostolic Temple held its annual “Stuff the Bus” back-to-school program in the church’s North Wheeling parking lot Saturday. The event helped prepare for the fall distribution of school supplies to area students for next Saturday’s adopt-a-student program, to be held at the church’s nearby Dream Center.

The event is a way to assist local students and families in need with the necessary supplies as they prepare for another school year, according to the Rev. Darrell Cummings, pastor of Bethlehem Apostolic Temple.

Bookbags, notebooks, rulers, pens and pencils are just a few of the many school supplies donated by area residents.

While some residents dropped off a variety of school supplies, others stopped to make a monetary donation to the program.

“This is just so important to try and help as many people as possible and we want to help,” Cummings said. “This year has been a unique year. This is the part where the community says, ‘we care about what’s going on with our students as well and we want to help.’

“It shows we have unity in our community and we support one another,” Cummings added

The distribution of the free school supplies is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 21, at the church’s Dream Center, located at 807 Main St. Due to the pandemic, this will be the first time in nearly a year and a half they plan to hold a distribution event inside the Dream Center, according to Cummings.

In addition to the distribution event at the Dream Center, the Bethlehem Temple will be bringing back its “Back to School Festival,” scheduled to begin at 10:30 a.m. Saturday in the church’s nearby parking lot, located across the street from the Dream Center. He said there will be inflatables, food and candy for people to enjoy.

Cummings also said the Bethlehem Apostolic Temple and Shiloh Apostolic Faith Assembly of Weirton will be conducting their outdoor Gospel Extravaganza, scheduled for the following day, at 5 p.m., Sunday, August 22, at the Wheeling Park amphitheater.

“And that’s when we’re going to ask those who will allow us to pray over their kids as they go back to school,” Cummings explained. “So we’re going to be praying for them to have a wonderful year and for them to do good in school.”