Rev. Annie Custis leads St. John 2nd Baptist into the future

The Rev. Annie J. Custis, a native Sussex Countian, is pastor of St. John 2nd Baptist Church on Mt. Joy Road near Millsboro, A Church Where Everybody is Somebody. Custis is a wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and a respected spiritual leader in the Cape Region.

There are many adjectives that could describe the life and work of Custis, such as courageous, empathetic, caring, giving, phenomenal, bold, determined, listener, and visionary.

Custis continues to serve not only her congregation, but the community at large. There is never a time when she is too busy to help somebody along the way. She spends many hours preparing and at the forefront to help people from all walks of life with affordable housing, improving neighborhood aesthetics and dealing with crime, economic development, jobs, volunteering, education, as well as spiritual, social, and mental needs. She sees good in all people. Custis never says no when people are in need.

Her favorite scripture is Philippians, chapter four, verse 13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.”

Custis is no ordinary woman, but an extraordinary woman with a bold plan from God to help others. She fights tirelessly for the poor and disenfranchised. Custis always has a listening ear. She judges no one regardless of their race, gender, religious preference, socioeconomic status, or political affiliation that was called by God.

If one were to ask other people who have been helped and blessed by Custis, they would say she is an unsung hero doing God’s work without remuneration. She always opens her church doors. She cares for the sick. She goes up and down the state and out of state to help others. Custis is a friend to the disenfranchised, alcohol users, drug addicts, prostitutes, and other troubled souls to help them get their life restored.

When God first gave Custis the vision to build a church for the community, she had only $4,000 to present her vision to her parishioners. She realized it wasn’t going to be easy to get people on board with her, but she held steadfast to her vision.

After much prayer and supplication, the people listened to her call. Instead of the paying the church off in 30 years, it was paid off within nine years, and this was certainly something to celebrate and have a mortgage-burning ceremony, which they did. Custis’ favorite saying is, “May the work I’ve done speak for me.”

Custis has been involved with community service work for over 40 years. Some of her community involvement includes being a member of the NAACP, Sussex County Alumni, and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Organization. She has received a lot of awards for her distinguished volunteer community service. She will be quickly to tell those who ask she is not doing the work for the people, but for God who commands all to help those in need. Custis always reaches down from the depths of her heart and soul to minister anytime, anywhere, anyplace.

Custis believes it is vitally important not to put others down for any reason. She believes there’s so much work to do in area communities to help people. Custis says, “Don’t wait for something to happen or someone else to do something; get out and get involved, the rewards are great.” She has walked to the hospitals to visit people who needed her.

Whenever others talk to Custis, she says people need a laugh. There’s not a price for all the work she done and continues to do from her heart.

Custis started evangelistic work when she was in her 30s. God called her to the ministry 30 years ago. She has been pastor of St. John 2nd Baptist Church for over 13 years. St. John 2nd Baptist Church is the largest African-American church in eastern Sussex County, with a seating capacity of seven hundred.