By Leigh Pritchett
Correspondent, The Alabama Baptist
Amelia Reid Pearson, 66, of Alexander City, worked in higher education in Alabama for 40 years. Six of those years she was president of Southern Union State Community College in Wadley. She holds a bachelor’s degree from University of Tennessee and a master’s and doctorate from Auburn University. Pearson also served on the board of directors for The Alabama Baptist for eight years, two of those as chairperson. She and her husband, Bob, have been married 38 years and have two children and seven grandchildren.
Ministry description: Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief chaplain and church WMU president
Church name: First Baptist Church, Alexander City, in Tallapoosa Baptist Association
Life verse: “Be anxious for nothing; but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus” (Phil. 4:6–7).
Describe where you focus your greatest ministry efforts:
A: When our children were in the youth group I went on youth missions trips. I have served my church as Woman’s Missionary Union (WMU) director, discipleship training director and as finance committee chairman. I have been president of my WMU group (Baptist Bold Women) for more than 30 years and we do at least six missions projects each year. In preparing for retirement my husband and I trained to operate a feeding unit through Alabama Baptist Disaster Relief and made our first trip last fall to Hope Mills, North Carolina. I also trained as a disaster relief chaplain.
Q: Have you ever read a book or heard a song that changed the way you think about God and faith? What was it and what did you learn from it?
A: Growing up in the mountains of East Tennessee, I grew to love bluegrass gospel music. One of my favorite groups is Volume Five, who sings a song entitled “In the Time That You Gave Me.” The song asks the question, “Did I do all I could do in the time that you gave me?” That song spoke to me and I realized that I, as well as most of us, would have to admit that we have not done all that we could do.
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