City officials and members of the Eternal Life Harvest Center congregation will dedicate James Davis Drive at 10 a.m. on Aug. 25, 2018, a fitting honor to the late long-time pastor, who was widely praised for his community outreach. The renamed portion of Brandau Street runs between Knoxville College Drive and Monroe Senter Street. 

Pastor Davis, who died last December, worked to be a positive influence for local youth and especially to reduce gang violence.

In 1997, Knoxville’s Community Development Corp. received a $22 million HOPE VI federal grant to revitalize parts of the Mechanicsville neighborhood. Eternal Life Harvest Center, located on the corner of Western Avenue and University Avenue, was built during the Mechanicsville redevelopment with privately raised funds. For eight years, Pastor Davis served on the Passport Advisory Council, which advised KCDC through monthly meetings on the HOPE VI revitalization.

Prior to Saturday’s renaming ceremony, Co-Pastors Evans and Ashley Kariuki will lead a prayer rally beginning at 9 a.m. Congregation members will be wearing “I am 61” T-shirts. The slogan offers a dual message: Pastor Davis passed away one day prior to his 61st birthday, and church members want to acknowledge the good acts that they will do this year to continue Pastor Davis’ vision. The slogan also references Biblical passage Isaiah 61, which mentions tending to the broken and the hopeless.