Sixth Street Community Church Celebrating Golden Anniversary, Founders

Published 3:39 pm Friday, August 1, 2025

Sixth Street Community Church is holding a joint celebration honoring the church’s 50th anniversary and honoring Dora Thomas Hawthorne.

The celebration will take place at 3:30 p.m. Sunday at the church, 1619 6th St., Orange.

Dora Phillips, whose father Superintendent Earl Thomas founded the church in 1975. Thomas died in 2010. His widow Dora Thomas Hawthorne remains active in the church.

Sixth Street Community Church has been a family affair since the beginning and remains so. After the death of Superintendent Thomas his son Anthony Thomas took over. A sister of Thomas, Lisa Hunter is music minister and Dora Phillips remains busy behind the scenes. 

Superintendent Thomas was dedicated to his family and church. He had his job at Kroger which he retired from after 43 years, and his ministry.

“He didn’t take it lightly,” Phillips said of her father’s dedication. 

A look at his obituary shows a man known for his generosity to people, one who provided food, clothing, money and shelter to many. He also did not “sugarcoat the word of God,” and many were saved through his ministry.

A church is more than a building for those seeking the word of God. Sharon Jenkins, who moved back to the area three years ago after living in New York, found a church home at Sixth Street Community Church. 

“When I first walked in, the atmosphere was very welcoming,” Jenkins said. “I felt I mattered. I felt the presence of God and I did not feel guilty.”

She described the atmosphere as a feeling of peace, love, belonging and a place to purely worship, have fellowship and feel like you belong to something.

The Rev. Anthony Thomas is in his 15th year leading the congregation, Dora Phillips said. 

Sixth Street Community Church is a Christ-centered, biblically based, spiritually-led church whose mission is to love, learn, and lead. Love with the love of Christ. Learn His Word. Lead with the Word that we have learned to expand His Kingdom, according to information from the church.