Tennessee River Association celebrates past, looks to future

Tennessee River Association recently remembered its past as it celebrated its sesquicentennial.

The event, which was Oct. 20 at Calvary Baptist Church in Scottsboro, featured historical glimpses of the association’s existence beginning in 1853.

Perched on the platform that night was a photograph of R.H. Taliaferro, a circuit rider, missionary and early moderator for the association.

What began with 10 charter churches — Center Point, Bethlehem, Bootsville, New Salem, Sand Mountain, Mount Nebo, Valley Head, Freedom, Liberty and Clear Creek — has grown to the current 46, which includes one black congregation.

Noted event

Frances Hamilton, executive director of the Alabama Baptist Historical Commission, took the opportunity to say, “Congratulations and thank you,” to Tennessee River Association for 150 years of churches working together.

She presented Ben Chandler, the association’s director of missions, with a framed certificate recognizing the sesquicentennial.

Though history was given a certain prominence during the evening’s proceedings, the focus of the event also was on the future as the association’s leadership passed from outgoing moderator Dale Haynes to new moderator Derek Boyd, pastor of First Baptist Church, Stevenson.

Mike Crowe, pastor of Shiloh Baptist Church, became the vice moderator.

Blessing and privilege

Haynes noted that getting to serve as moderator for a portion of this historic year in the association “has been a blessing and a privilege.”

Chandler noted that the association’s first session was held at Friendship Baptist Church in Fackler.

That event is commemorated on sesquicentennial plates.

The legacy of the first 150 years makes the next 50 exciting as the churches continue to be about the Lord’s work, Chandler continued.

He encouraged Tennessee River churches to begin more missions organizations — such as Royal Ambassadors, Girls in Action, Acteens and Men or Women on Mission — re-establish core values, focus on winning the lost to Christ and undergird church leaders so that they may grow stronger and, in turn, facilitate the health of the churches.