It was a historic Sunday for Cedar Mount Baptist Church, Pinson.
With an early autumn hillside as the backdrop and the sun casting shadows, Cedar Mount Baptist’s Sept. 18 baptismal service recalled days of baptizing in the nearby creek.
But instead of braving the murky creek waters — home to dangerous water moccasins — the baptismal candidates simply climbed the stairs to a modern baptismal unit in a newly built wooden gazebo.
Pastor Gary Lang baptized four during Cedar Mount’s first baptism in on-site facilities to inaugurate the baptistry, which was completed the week before.
Cedar Mount, established in 1959, occupies a 107-year-old building. The church had always relied on the hospitality of sister churches or used the creek for its baptism services, Lang said.
For years, the church had discussed adding a baptistry, he noted.
After 85th Street Baptist Church, East Lake, and Mount Olive Baptist Church, Trussville, merged in 1994, the resultant Deerfoot Baptist Church, Trussville, donated a baptismal unit from Mount Olive Baptist’s building, but Cedar Mount had no place to install it.
William Fulmer, deacon at Cedar Mount, explained that the building’s ceilings were far too low to house a modern baptistry. So he and church member Anthony Davis devised the idea of building an outside facility.
Fulmer and Davis led other members in constructing the gazebo in their free time over the past 10 months. Fulmer said the project only cost the church between $2,500 and $3,000 because nearly all the labor was donated by members. The completed gazebo holds about 50 onlookers.
The donated baptismal unit was in excellent condition, complete with pump and heater. Fulmer’s only addition was an insulated cover he built.
Because of the heater, the church will be able to hold baptisms year-round, Lang said.
As for the traditional baptistry backdrop, that was provided by God, he said. A wooded hillside and a cemetery more than 100 years old compose the baptistry’s unique setting.
Davis drove the church’s first candidate for baptism up from Gulf Shores for the service.
His wife, Sandy Davis, had waited for more than a year to be baptized. The couple has relocated to the Gulf Coast temporarily to take part in the hurricane reconstruction work.
“After waiting so long, I was a little nervous, but then I became amazingly calm,” Sandy Davis said. To be part of the inaugural baptism service was breathtaking and very spiritual, she added.
Other baptism candidates shared her sentiments.
“It was a special service and a beautiful day for it,” said Joseph Ray Jr., Lang’s brother-in-law, who was baptized that day.
James Penrose and his 12-year-old son Adam were also baptized.
Lang described the service as history making and a step that continued the church’s progress of the past two years.
“We’ve cleared trees, added a fellowship hall and made plans to pave the parking area,” he reported.
Lang noted that every improvement, however, has been made carefully so as not to take away from the historic beauty of the church.
The white structure, built to serve as both a church and schoolhouse, retains the lovely simplicity of a country church. Now it boasts a modern and unique addition.
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