Preserving the history of Alabama Baptists continues to be the mission of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission (ABHC).
Frances Hamilton, executive director of the ABHC, reported that because of funds given through the Cooperative Program, the commission was able to continue its Shumaker Award for college students.
During her Nov. 16 report to messengers at the annual meeting of the Alabama Baptist State Convention in Montgomery, Hamilton recognized Kevin Harrell as the 2004 winner, presenting him with the award and a $100 check.
Harrell, who is a member of First Baptist Church, Atmore, and a graduate student at Jacksonville State University, wrote an essay titled, “Evangelical Changing of the Guard.”
In the Book of Reports, ABHC reported that it continues to offer services such as microfilming of historical records, augmenting its oral history and video-recorded interview collection, developing its photograph collection and providing a geographic history of the development of Alabama Baptist associations through the ABCH Cartographic Series.
The commission’s publication ministry is also expanding. The report stated that books by Earl Potts and George Bagley are available from the commission, as well as an historical coloring book for children and the ABHC newsletter, Legacies.
The commission also continues to attend the historical celebrations of Alabama Baptist churches and associations, encouraging them in their continued years of existence.
In that vein, Hamilton showed a PowerPoint presentation on the first 25 years of associational development in Alabama, 1814–1829.
Showing photographs representative of the first associations formed in Alabama, Hamilton said as settlers moved into Alabama, the spiritual fields were “white unto the harvest.”
One of the first ways Alabama Baptists worked together to reach those fields was through the associations, and that continues today, Hamilton said.
“The associations have increased, the ministries have increased, but the fields are still white unto the harvest.” (TAB)
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