Sylvarena Church

Reverend Marcus Mann
Biography

	Reverend Marcus L. Mann is a native of Carthage, Mississippi. He was born to Mrs. Annie Mann Gray and Mr. Jim Banks, Jr. At the age of seven, he became a member of the Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Sidney Jones. At Jones Chapel Missionary Baptist Church, he was a faithful choir member, trustee, choir director as well as one of the associate ministers. He later moved his membership to the Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Reverend Willie E. Jones. Reverend Mann attended South Leake High School and graduated Salutatorian of his class. Not only was he known for his academic ability, he was recognized as one of the top five basketball players in the state. Because of his academic and basketball ability, he could have gone to any university of his choice. He received a full scholarship to East Central Community College. There, he graduated with honors as well as received numerous awards. Two of the top honors he received from East Central were being inducted in the Academic Hall of Fame and the Athletic Hall of Fame. Upon graduating from East Central Community
College, he signed a full scholarship with Mississippi Valley State University. There, he continued to excel academically and athletically. He graduated magna cum lade of his class as well as being named the Southwestern Athletic Conference Player of the Year. He became a member of the best fraternity in the world, Kappa Alpha Psi, Inc. Also, in 1996 he was drafted in the Second Round of the NBA to the Golden State Warriors. But on the same day his teammates were preparing for their first game of the 1996 season, Mann was on his way home to Walnut Grove. He walked away from basketball under the guidance of the Lord. During this period, a transition took place in his life. His desire to play basketball was gradually leaving. A lot of people could not understand, and still to this day do not understand the decision he made. But he followed his heart, and that is what he had been raised to do by his grandmother and mother. And what Reverend Mann wanted to do was to share the ministry with young people. The Lord led him to the Walnut Grove Youth Correctional Facility where he serves as the Chaplain for approximately 950 male offenders. He believes that this is where the Lord wants him. On June 20, 1998, he became the luckiest man in the world when he married his “Cinderella”, the former Veleka Slocum. To this union, God has blessed them with a beautiful daughter, Genesis A’Miyah Mann. Currently, Reverend Mann is the proud pastor of The Sylvarena Missionary Baptist Church of Johns, Mississippi. He also is the Assistant Youth Director for the Scott County District Association. He is the President of the Healthier Teens of America Organization serving Leake, Scott, and Neshoba counties. Also, he recently was inducted, along with Willie Totten and Jerry Rice, in the Athletic Hall of Fame at Mississippi Valley State University. .

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