Carey-Clay associations separate

The dissolution of a ministry partnership between Carey and Clay Baptist associations is being promoted as a way for the two associations to focus on needs in their individual communities.
   
Over the past few months, the associations have been working toward creating separate identities in an effort to more effectively minister to their churches, according to the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions (SBOM) and both associations. 
   
When the two associations separated, Carey Association had 30 churches and Clay Association represented 14 churches. At press time, Carey Association reported having 33 churches and Clay Association reported nine churches. Nelson Morrow, secretary/treasurer for Clay Association, said the new arrangement will help his association “with other ventures in Clay County, as far as spreading the ministry.”
   
“We’re going to be able to help more people in more ways than we were when we were with [Carey Association],” he said. “We’re going to start sending more money to help our missionaries in the field, not only in Clay County but everywhere else, too. Our main goal right now is to help the people in Clay County.”
   
“My prayer is that both of them will be more effective, that there will be more intense ministry from each association,” said Carey Association Director of Missions (DOM) Terry Smith, adding the new arrangement offers “new areas of opportunities to minister” in each association.
   
Representatives from the two associations said they enjoyed a successful partnership in the past. They worked together in a number of ministries including conducting worship services for campers at Cheaha Mountain Resort State Park, operating a food closet and directing a jail ministry.
   
“We have done (these) together, and hopefully that will continue even though there was the dissolution,” Smith said. “We will strive to work together in those areas.”
   
Morrow said more donations will now go directly to the Baptist Center in Lineville, which helps the needy with food, clothing and bills. He said there are no immediate plans to name a DOM and that he and others are assuming leadership roles.
   
The parting is the latest in a series of events that began with Clay and Carey associations originally grouped with neighboring Randolph Baptist Association from roughly 1969 to the late 1980s. According to Pete Phillips, former DOM for Carey-Clay Baptist associations, the associations were small and there was a lack of money, so they formed what was called the Tri-Missions. 
   
“We worked everything together. You couldn’t tell the difference (between the associations),” said Phillips, who presently serves as Clay Association’s jail ministry director and on the association’s executive board.
   
The three associations had one DOM who worked out of Wedowee in Randolph County, home to Randolph Association’s churches, and traveled to the churches in the Carey and Clay associations, covering Clay County. 
   
Phillips said that partnership existed until 1989–1990, when Randolph Association broke off. “[They] wanted that director of missions to be in that county,” Smith noted. 
   
Just as Randolph Association’s departure was seen as a means to be more effective, Gary Swafford, director of the office of associational missions and church planting for the SBOM, said Clay and Carey associations believe they can now have more of an impact working on their own.
   
“In our stage of ministry and what we visualize ourselves doing in the future, we believe we can more adequately accomplish that by each association assuming their responsibilities for their future ministries,” he said.