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A New Era for Mount Carmel Baptist Church Trustee Board
The Historical
Profile Committee of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church Trustee
Board was the brainchild of former Chairman Lewis H. Long.
It was 1999 when the need for such a committee became
apparent. The idea came to Chairman Long as he was
attending a funeral of a Mount Carmel member. During the
funeral, it was stated that the person was a former trustee
of Mount Carmel. Neither Chairman Long, nor any other
trustee, had any recollection of the deceased as a former
trustee board member. It was then and there that Chairman
Long decided that this and other important history about
trustees should not be forgotten. This vision was followed
by swift action as Chairman Long appointed the first
Historical Profile Committee.
The initial
members of the committee were Rosa D. Francis, Chair,
Vincent Hughes, Cateria R. McCabe, Luther J. McNeal, Junious
Rhone, Sr., Kelly M. Stewart, Secretary, and Coy C.
Vickers. The mission of the Committee was to “produce in a
manner of your own choosing some profile that would identify
and recognize the tenure and contributions made by each
present and past Trustee Board member.”
Thus the
Historical Profile Committee of the Mount Carmel Baptist
Church came into existence. Meetings were held, a format
was developed and a compilation of historical information
was assembled. The process was started by viewing the
church’s charter, which hangs in the archives. The committee
did research, collected historical information, pictures,
and interviewed current and former long time members.
Visits were made with senior members in and out of town. We
then began to collaborate, organize and record treasured
information. Three major projects were undertaken.
The first
Historical Profile Booklet was completed in the new
millennium. This booklet told the history in words and
pictures of the beginning of Mount Carmel Baptist Church and
the development of the first Trustee Board. A section on
the responsibilities and duties of the Trustee Board
educated readers on what we do. It also included the
history of the pastors of the church. At the Trustees’
annual Christmas dinner, a copy of the first edition of the
Historical Profile Booklet was given to each trustee and
guests at the celebration. A copy was also mailed to each
trustee emeritus. The
booklets were well received!
The second
edition of the Historical Profile Booklet was produced in
December 2004. This edition included expanded church
history and color photos of the current board. There were
also some photos of the past Trustee Boards and a photo of
the Trustee Aides.
In October
2007, the committee completed a database of the trustees’
profiles; these profiles are recorded for posterity. They
include personal information about the trustees and the
ministries they participated in before election to the
Board. They also have the trustee committees that each
board member worked on. The profiles will inevitably serve
as recorded history and remind those who follow of the
service rendered to Mount Carmel Baptist Church by Trustees
of the present and past.
During the
December 2006 church meeting, Sister Margo Mango was the
only new trustee elected. At the 2007 December church
meeting, Sister Wanda Pryor Jones was elected as a trustee.
Each was elected to a four-year term. Sister Mango is a
faithful worker in our Church School. Sister Jones is the
daughter of the late trustee, Junius Taylor. She also
serves as president of the Pastor’s Courtesy Guild. The
election of these two trustees made the number of female
trustees eleven out of a total of twenty-five. This is the
highest number of female trustees on the board in the
history of Mt. Carmel. An additional piece of history made
under Chairman Long’s tenure was the election of Clorise
Wynn as Church Treasurer. Although she was not elected as a
trustee, she served as trustee by virtue of her office. She
is believed to be the first woman elected to that position.
Upon Sis. Wynn leaving the position, another woman, Sis.
Yvonne Hayden was elected Church Treasurer in December 2007.
Sis. Hayden was already serving on the Trustee Board when
elected treasurer and continues to serve.
At the last
trustee meeting of that same year-2007, the Board elected
its first female chairperson, Karen E. Hayes. Never in its
126 years has a female served with this distinction at Mount
Carmel. But times do change, so ready or not, people too
must change. Sis. Hayes has been a trustee for sixteen
years and we wish her well in this new position. She is
committed, dedicated, competent, very efficient,
compassionate and above all a Christian. She wants to see
Mount Carmel, especially the Trustee Board continues to grow
and fulfill the church’s mission. Sis. Hayes attributes her
efficiency and knowledge of trustee matters to the good
training she received under the leadership of former
Chairman Lewis H. Long.
As The Board of Trustees moves forward, we ask for your
continued support and always your prayers.
TO GOD BE THE GLORY!
Mount Carmel Trustee Board
Historical Profile Committee 2008
Rosa D. Francis, Chair
Vincent Hughes
Lewis H. Long
Cateria R. McCabe
Luther McNeal – Emeritus
Wanda Pryor-Jones
Junious Rhone, Jr.
Junious Rhone, Sr. – Emeritus
Kelly M. Stewart
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