Choccolocco’s Harmony Baptist marks 175 years

Choccolocco’s Harmony Baptist marks 175 years

Harmony Baptist Church, Choccolocco, was chartered on April 21, 1838, and on April 21, 2013, the church celebrated its 175th anniversary.

Several former church members united with the current choir members to form a reunion choir for the anniversary event. The group practiced together the day before the anniversary service, noted Sandra Boyd, Harmony Baptist’s ministry assistant.

On April 21 during the worship service, Sid Nichols, director of missions for Calhoun Baptist Association, presented the Calhoun Association church with a plaque on behalf of the association.

Pastor David Jones preached on Joshua 4, and lunch followed in the Christian life center.

That afternoon an additional service was held at 1 p.m. Several people performed solos, special music and duets, and the reunion choir sang.

Jerald Hicks, who grew up in Harmony Baptist and is now a pastor in Orlando, Fla., spoke during the afternoon service.

A skit on the church’s history written by a church member also was presented that afternoon, and several members shared their experiences at Harmony Baptist through the years, Boyd said.

“Our church obviously has a very long history, (and) it’s just a privilege to be a part of the church,” Jones said. “We don’t want to rest on the past, we want to look forward to the future.”

(Julie Payne)