Hale Association celebrates 50th anniversary

Fifty years ago, Cahaba Baptist Association bid farewell to 10 churches that, along with Moundville Baptist Church from Tuscaloosa Baptist Association, birthed a new partnership in west Alabama — Hale Baptist Association. “Cahaba Baptist Association was growing very large, and the people in Hale County wanted to have their own association,” said Denny Goodwin, director of missions (DOM) for Hale Association. So Cahaba Baptists waved them on “with best wishes,” Goodwin said, and a new work began.

Now 13 churches strong, Hale Association marked a half century of growth with celebration services Oct. 10 at Community Baptist Church, Moundville, that served as its annual meeting time. Bobby DuBois, associate executive director of the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions and a former Hale Association pastor, brought the anniversary message, and area Baptists presented drama and music. Cahaba Association also adopted a resolution in honor of Hale Association that Bill Wallace, Cahaba DOM, presented at the meeting.