free indeed! project
commemorates 150th anniversary
of emancipation
The Virginia Baptist Historical Society and the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies at the University of Richmond have collaborated to produce the "free indeed!" project which is both organizations contribution to the 150th anniversary of emancipation.
"free indeed!" is a three-fold project:
1) It is an exhibit which tells the story of the relationships between blacks and whites especially within the Baptist churches of antebellum Virginia. It includes numerous original documents, old church records and artifacts. Individuals can visit the exhibit most weekdays at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society's building on the campus of the University of Richmond. Groups including church groups must schedule a guided tour of the exhibit.
2) It is a book which was written by Michael Whitt, special projects assistant for the Virginia Baptist Historical Society. It covers many aspects of slavery especially as related to life within the Baptist churches of Virginia. Also included are several period writings on the subject. The book is also entitled "free indeed!" and can be ordered for $15.75 plus $5 shipping and handling.
3) It is a name registry which includes upwards of 50,000 names of slaves, freedmen and white surnames which Michael Whitt pulled from the manuscript pages of over 200 antebellum church record books in the Virginia Baptist Historical Society's archives. The registry offers names as well as supporting information such as baptismal or death dates and names of slave owners. It is anticipated that the registry can benefit family and social historians. The registry is available at the Virginia Baptist Historical Society's library by research appointment.
For further information and to schedule group tours and research visits or to order books, please contact the Virginia Baptist Historical Society at (804)289-8434 or by mail at VBHS, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173. To schedule a group tour ask for Elsie Richards. To schedule a research appointment ask for Darlene Slater Herod.
New Heritage Fellows Appointed
Sloan Gutkin and Matt Robinson, students at Virginia Tech and active in their campus Baptist Collegiate Ministry, have been appointed as the Heritage Fellows for 2011-12. Sloan is a member of Thalia Lynn Baptist Church in Virginia Beach and Matt is a member of Immanuel Baptist Church in Newport News. They will be working on a history of Partnership Missions among Virginia Baptists. In January 2012 the Heritage Center will receive applications for the next class of Heritage Fellows which is open to Baptists who are college sophomores and juniors and who are active in a faith community. Further information is available on the Heritage Fellows page of the website.
Compassionate Churches Book Defines and Salutes "Compassion"
The Heritage Center has published a new book entitled Compassionate Churches which defines the nature of a "compassionate" church with an essay by Dr. Daniel G. Bagby, professor of pastoral care at the Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond, and proceeds to give stories on 9 churches which are practicing extraordinary ministries as well as the 4 winning essays from the Heritage Center's Essay Contest. The stories of the 9 churches were written by the Center's two Heritage Fellows for 2010-11, Patrick Trail of Virginia Tech and Andrew Gardner of the College of William and Mary. A copy of Compassionate Churches can be requested free of charge by telephoning the Heritage Center at (804)289-8434.
Disaster Relief Stories and History of Baptist Men's Ministry & Camps
The Heritage Center has published the memoir of Lloyd Jackson, long-time leader of Baptist Men's ministry, camping and Disaster Relief Response for Virginia Baptists. He has captured the history and the drama in his book entitled Reflections of a Journey. Copies of the 200-page book can be ordered for $17 plus $3 for s & h. Send your check to the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173.
Peace-bearing Convocation DVD Resource Now Available
"Peace-bearers: Embracing Peace within Self, Church, Community & Beyond" is the title of a new DVD resource released from the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. The DVD includes three disks of video footage from the Peace-bearers Convocation held by the Heritage Center earlier this year. Among the key presenters in the convocation were Isam E. Ballenger, missions educator; Karen O'Dell Bullock who teaches Christian history at the B.H. Carroll lnstitute in Texas; Ken Kessler of the Virginia Baptist Mission Board; David Brubaker who is a professor at the Center for Justice and Peacebuilding at Eastern Mennonite University; LeDayne McLeese Polaski of the Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America; and Robert Parham, executive director of the Baptist Center for Ethics.
Copies of the DVD resource on Peace-bearers is available for $49 including shipping and handling from the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173.
Peace-bearers Booklet Available
The Heritage Center has published a booklet entitled Peace-bearers: Church, Community & Beyond. It contains an essay on the meaning of peace written by Dr. Isam E. Ballenger and biographical sketches on five Virginia Baptists who have exemplified peace-bearing in their lives and ministry. The five individuals are James Massey, Henry Langford, Elmer S. West, Jr., Jim Fox and Mary Campbell Cosby. The sketches were written by Cole Eskridge, a student at the University of Mary Washington and the Center's Heritage Fellow for 2009-10. The reseach, interviews and writing constituted the Heritage Fellow's project.
A copy of the Peace-bearers booklet is available free of charge. Please send $3 to cover shipping and handling and request that a free copy be sent to you. Telephone the Center at (804)289-8434 to request a copy.
NEW BOOK PUBLISHED ON YOUNG LEADERS
Memories of the Future: A Memoir of Virginia Baptists' Young Leaders Program by Robert Dale has been published by the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. "Bob" Dale designed and led the innovative Young Leaders' Program which aided some 300 ministers over its 20-year span. The author reveals the steps involved in creating the program and shares the methods of instruction. Copies of Memories of the Future are free of charge to individuals who request them and send $6 to cover shipping and handling. Orders for the free book can be sent to Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173. Copies are available while supplies last.
DVD Resource on Diversity & the Church
"The Swirling Center: Prospects for Diversity in the Church" is a three-disc DVD set of the presentations and dialogue at the convocation sponsored in 2009 by the Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies. Speakers included Loyd Allen, Baptist historian at the McAfee School of Theology of Mercer University, Emmanuel McCall, a Baptist world statesman, and Doug Hicks, a professor in the Jepson School of Leadership at the University of Richmond. Also included are reflections by three Baptist ministers: Henry V. Langford, a 90-year-old minister who confronted social clhange in the 1950s; Barbara Filling who speaks on gender issues especially as related to a woman's calling to the ministry; and Michael Cheuk who addresses ethnicity issues especially as related to his own personal experiences as a pastor of Asian background serving a traditionally Anglo congregation. The convocation included some 40 invited participants who dialogued on the subject of diversity in church life. The DVD gives everyone a front row seat to hear the challenging speakers and to sense the concern which the participants exhibited over the topic. Also included while supplies last is a copy of the papers written by the 2008-9 Heritage Fellows who examined the state of diversity in all phases of Baptist life: local, state and national levels. To order send a check for $25 including shipping and handling to Center for Baptist Heritage & Studies, P.O. Box 34, University of Richmond, VA 23173. Ask for the "Swirling Center DVD".
Baptist center’s Heritage Fellows provide hope for tomorrow