Who We Are
Who We Are
History is an umbrella term that relates to past events as well as the memory, discovery and collections about events.
Thus the African American people of Laurens County found it necessary to step out on their own to do a great work for all the churches within the community. Valuable information should be preserved and proper denominational pride should be created.
A crowd of workers could only revive the memory of the older ones. Much valuable information was not preserved nor was sacrifices made by older ministers remembered. There were many sorrows and cares in urging churches to join in and finance one organization.
However, the Tumbling Shoals Baptist Educational Association of Laurens County, South Carolina was chartered on the 22nd. Day of June 1894 by the Clerk of the Court of Common Pleas of Laurens County, South Carolina.
Although all African American churches did not join all at once nor are all members today, however the Association consists of 36 churches.
The Association is governed by a Moderator and his Executive Board. It is divided into sections which are called Unions. There are 3 Unions that have their own Moderator and Vice Moderator. The Unions have quarterly sessions and come together for one Joint Annual Session.
There are many facets of the Association. One being the Women's Auxiliary which consist of all women and the Brotherhood which consist of all men. They too have sessions and play very important roles within the Association.
"Without knowledge the people perish" which hold true to the Association in educating the congregants, thus forming The Board of Christian Education. This board has educational sessions and always has something for the Youth. This board hosts an Annual Leadership Training Session of various classes of training for the different roles/interest within the churches.
The Association support Morris College, Benedict College, Baptist Education and Missionary Convention and Baptist Day. It also provides an Annual Back-to-School Outreach Ministry, Annual Fellowship Banquet, support the Baptist Center and provide training for the ministers throughout Laurens County. The Association has purchased 25 acres of land for the purpose of erecting a multi cultural center.
History gives us the narrative we seek to understand the past by determining what has brought us into the present and processes which shape our existence.