Lee Praytor, pastor of Oak Grove First Baptist Church, receives E.J. Pruden Award

MUD CREEK ASSOCIATION

For 60 years, E.J. Pruden served his church — West Jefferson Baptist, Quinton — in a variety of capacities from deacon and Sunday School teacher to pastoral search committee member and church treasurer. But he also served in a lot of ways that no one noticed until he had died — for years, he had fixed things and changed air filters and light bulbs.

And Pruden served Mud Creek Baptist Association in the same selfless way for more than 45 years, said David Hobson, director of missions for Mud Creek Association.

“Before his death a little over a year ago, we believe he had been the longest-serving volunteer in the association in some capacity,” Hobson said.

Pruden began as a church messenger and served on various committees, including the audit committee and the executive committee. He was someone the association could count on to be there and offer a positive
attitude.

That’s why this year the association presented its first E.J. Pruden Award for Associational Leadership during its virtual annual meeting. Lee Praytor — pastor of Oak Grove First Baptist Church, Adger, and outgoing moderator for the association — was the first recipient. Praytor also served as Crossover director for Mud Creek Association during the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Birmingham in 2019 and is active in disaster relief work.

Hobson said the award will be given to each outgoing moderator for their service to the association.