Cumberland celebrates 134th anniversary
"Can two walk together, except they be agreed?" Amos 3:3
By Gloria Barr Ford
We should be thankful for another beautiful week and another day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Palmetto District
The 98th session of the Palmetto Annual Conference was a great success. Much thanks goes to the Elder Rosalyn Grant-Coleman, presiding elder of the Georgetown District, and to the Rev. Dr. Kylon J. Middleton, host pastor of the beautiful Hopewell AME Church, and his congregation. The conference ended on Friday night, Aug. 22.
All pastors of the Georgetown District went back to their churches to begin a new conference year. All of the Georgetown pastors made excellent reports. The conference will be held at St. Luke AME Church in Charleston in 2009.
Anniversary
Approximately 134 years ago, a small band of believers saw the need to provide a concrete place for the worship of the Lord in the Cumberland/St. Paul Sampit communities, a place where they could become fishers of men, encourage all to take on the yoke of Jesus and serve Him through service to their fellow man (and woman). The initial church was called the Sampit Circuit AME Church and dates back to 1787.
In the late 1800s, the group of believers from the St. Paul community decided to depart from the Sampit Circuit AME Church and build a second house of worship in the St. Paul community known as St. Paul AME Church. The work continued on the present site, and on April 21, 1874, the church was reorganized under the leadership of the Rev. Marsh Singleton, pastor. Worship services continued in the old building until 1893, when the church was rebuilt. The church was remodeled in 1928, under the leadership of the Rev. C. Lewis, and in 1949, the Willing Worker's Club came into being to serve the church and community. The club was originally led by the Mistresses Margaret Green, president; Lila Reown, vice president; Juanita Rhue, secretary; and Ida Greene, treasurer.
In 1954, Cumberland ended its service as a community school where it had provided early childhood education to many of the present-day members. In 1956, a new Cumberland AME Church was erected under the leadership of the Rev. George E. Washington, pastor. Cumberland was blessed with many talented tradesmen who were able to build the new church.
During the pastorate of the late Rev. Willie Kennedy, Cumberland built a fellowship hall and educational building. The idea was presented by the associate pastor at that time, the late Rev. William Green. Other pastors of Cumberland were the Revs. J.H. Bryant, William Ervin, Robert Green, J.O. Williams, Leroy Jackson, Benjamin Brockington, James Smalls, Richard Frazier, Joe Canteen, Robert Morris, Thomas Habersham and Dr. Joseph E. Jones Sr. Under the leadership of Dr. Jones, renovations were done to the sanctuary and fellowship/educational building.
The present pastor is the Rev. Rose Goodwater, the church's first female pastor. Licensed Sandra Ladson is the first female and first non-African-American to become the associate pastor of Cumberland. Phillip Lance is a present associate. The Rev. Goodwater is a great inspirational and spiritual leader.
Cumberland celebrated its 134th anniversary with two weeknight services on Thursday and Friday, Aug. 7 and 8, at 7 p.m.
The presiders were Licensed Sandra Ladson and Mrs. Theresa Humes, respectively. The speaker for Thursday night was the Rev. Alvin Baker, and Friday night's services consisted of various groups and choirs.
The celebration concluded on Sunday, Aug. 10, with former pastor Dr. Joseph E. Jones Sr. presiding. Others on program were the Revs. Thomas Hambersham and Benjamin Grate and Licentiates Sandra Ladson and Phillip Lance, along with Sisters Waltina Blyden, Gwen Frasier and Margaret G. Rivers.
The speaker was the Rev. Frank Madison Moses, pastor of Olive Branch AME Church of Mt. Pleasant.
We would like to wish Cumberland AME many more happy anniversaries. The Rev. Rose Goodwater is the pastor.
Saturday Sunshine
Don't forget to join me for Saturday Morning Sunshine this Saturday and every Saturday morning at 11:30 on Radio Station 1470 AM, WLMC. You also can write to me at FSH Ministries, Inc., P.O. Box 1082, Georgetown, SC 29442 or e-mail me at glrfo9@aol.com.
Also, you can join me this Sunday morning at 11 a.m. at Mt. Zion AME Church in the North Santee community for their missionary services. The Rev. Alfred Darby is the pastor.
Please remember to pray for the sick and shut in, the bereaved, those in financial distress, those with heavy burdens, the elderly and those who live alone with no other family, those facing surgeries or any type medical condition, those who are traveling and our men and women on the battlefield in Iraq.
God bless you, and have a beautiful weekend and upcoming week!
Gloria Barr Ford is a Georgetown resident.
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