The Alabama Baptist, a weekly subscription-based Christian newspaper, will commemorate its 175th year of continuous ministry with a yearlong celebration beginning February 2017.
As part of the 175th anniversary observance, the first history of The Alabama Baptist will be published in a four-color fully illustrated book to be released in September 2017. Author Elizabeth Wells is drawing together material from the archives of Alabama Baptist life and stories from the paper itself to illustrate ways the state Baptist paper has impacted individuals, churches, communities and the state itself.
Other events include a birthday party in Marion, site of the paper’s founding, and a symposium on the ministry of The Alabama Baptist.
Celebration year
During the entire celebration year, stories and pictures will be published in the paper and on the publication’s website to illustrate the ongoing impact of the ministry.
“It is unusual for a weekly publication to have an unbroken ministry for 175 years,” observed Bob Terry, editor of The Alabama Baptist. “Only the blessings of God, the hard work of those associated with the paper and the graciousness of Alabama Baptists made this possible.”
The Alabama Baptist was independently founded in 1843 to work alongside the Alabama Baptist State Convention. Today a formal working relationship exists between The Alabama Baptist, located in Birmingham, and the state convention, headquartered in Montgomery.
While covering wars, political upheaval, depression, cultural changes, civil rights, technology shifts and more, The Alabama Baptist has served its readers with the three-fold mission of informing readers for perspective and understanding, inspiring believers for growth as Christian disciples and connecting Baptists for missions and ministry.
As an entrepreneurial publication the paper changed owners and names several times during its early years. Since 1918 when the relationship with the Alabama Baptist State Convention was established, the paper has functioned under a board of directors.
The Alabama Baptist became what some call “a trusted voice and a welcomed friend” in the homes of Alabama Baptists. Today it is the largest circulated Baptist newspaper in the nation. For each of the last 20 years the publication has been chosen as one of the top regional Christian newspapers by Associated Church Press, Evangelical Press Association or Religion Communicator’s Council.
Information on reserving copies of TAB’s 175th anniversary book is available at www.thealabamabaptist.org or by calling 1-800-803-5201. (TAB)
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