They came from all over, more than 200 of them — from churches he’d served as pastor and the church he is serving as interim pastor — to celebrate his life, dedication and 50 years of ministry across the state of Alabama.
On June 28, First Baptist Church, Attalla, held a reception to honor Interim Pastor Ben Edmondson, who accepted his first pastorate at Ford’s Valley Baptist Church, Gadsden, on June 28, 1959.
“It’s been a good ministry, a good journey, a blessed journey of the Lord. All three phases of these 50 years have been blessed of the Lord,” Edmondson said of his ministry, which so far has spanned 31 years as pastor of seven churches, nine and a half years as director of missions for Limestone Baptist Association and 10 and a half years as an interim pastor.
He holds a bachelor’s degree from Samford University in Birmingham and master’s degree from Jacksonville State University. Edmondson served as pastor of Midway Baptist Church, Piedmont; Mount Zion Baptist Church, Boaz; Northside Baptist Church, Talladega; First Baptist Church, Glencoe; Southside Baptist Church, Albertville; and Central Baptist Church, Florence.
And each time he changed churches, his faithful helpmate of 52 years, Geraldine, followed. “She’s been a trooper through the years and very faithful to the ministry,” Edmondson said.
As for his future, “it will look like the same thing as the past — to continue serving the Lord as He gives opportunity in the days ahead, whatever that time frame,” he said. “I want to finish well as well as having begun well.”
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