James “Jim” Auchmuty — longtime pastor of Shades Crest Baptist Church in Hoover and First Baptist Church Roebuck Plaza in Birmingham — died Aug. 5, nine days after preaching his final sermon. He was 90 years old.
Auchmuty was ordained at First Baptist Church Lanett in 1953 and graduated from Howard College (now Samford University) in 1957.
He started his ministry at Providence Baptist Church in Lanett, then served several other churches in the state, including West End Baptist in Aliceville, Calvary Baptist in Abbeville and First Baptist Elba.
After Shades Crest Baptist called Auchmuty as their pastor in 1972, he served there 27 years. When he retired in 1999, the church named him pastor emeritus. It was his longest tenure, but only barely — he came out of retirement the following year and served another 25 years as pastor of FBC Roebuck Plaza.
Legacy of service
Over the years, Auchmuty also served in part-time and volunteer roles as an industrial chaplain, fire chaplain and director of a funeral ministry that provided preachers and pallbearers to local funeral homes. He has also taught courses at Samford and wrote several books.
In addition to his first degree, Auchmuty also earned a bachelor of divinity and master of theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Wake Forest, North Carolina, and a doctor of ministry from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He also received an honorary doctor of divinity from Judson College in Marion, where he served as a trustee.
Auchmuty is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Sue. He is survived by his daughters, Jenni and Robyn; son, Jimbo; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
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