Residents from all walks of life gathered at Phoenix Park Saturday to celebrate one thing — unity. The 2nd annual Unity in the Community Praise and Worship with an International Taste saw several church choirs and soloists as residents tastes international cuisine.

Selma City Council President Corey Bowie said the council hosts the event in an effort to bring the community together and spend time in fellowship.

“It’s been a spirit-filled day with different gospel groups uplifting the community though prayer and worship,” Bowie said. “Residents also had the chance to taste cuisine from different nations — it’s just a good time.”

As prayers were heard and gospel music rang out, several residents said they felt they were “moved by the spirit,” and felt closer to their community members.

Selma resident Beverly Waters she enjoyed seeing so many people come out for the event.

“We can’t praise the Lord enough,” said Waters, who brought several friends to the program. “We need the fellowship, and the more we fellowship the more we’ll bridge together.”

Before delivering the opening prayer, Dr. Jerry Light, pastor of First Baptist Church in Selma, said sometimes events like these are needed in the community because we forget how important fellowship is.

“In Selma, I think many people don’t understand what they have here because this is a lot like Mayberry,” Light said. “It’s a wonderful place to grow up and a wonderful city to be in. You can go into shops here and people remember you from when you were there before. People speak with you — even people you don’t know.”

Like any small town though, Light said petty arguments can get in the way and cause separation between community members. So it’s events like this one, he said, that the community needs as a reminder of how special Selma is.

“It’s amazing to me when you get people from diverse backgrounds in the same room in Selma, and they begin to find out they’re not so different,” he said. “We need to love each other and be there for each other by choice.”