Mud Creek Missionary Baptist Association Holds Annual Banquet

Certificates of Appreciation were presented to senior association members Mattie Owens (left), and Cora Young (center), by Moderator Rev. McDaniel.

A host of area churches, parishioners, and community members from near and far came in celebration of the 21st Annual Moderator’s Banquet, held at Tried Stone Missionary Baptist Church in Asheville.

While guests dined on a delicious five course meal provided by Daddy D’s Suber Soul Food Catering service, they were entertained by a melody of ‘Good Ole’ Down Home Gospel,’ sung by First Lady Sandra Suber, accompanied by musician Terry Martin, Jr.

The Master of Ceremonies, Rev. Leslie A. Hines, Pastor of Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church of Asheville, presented the “Minister of the Year Award,” and the “Nilous M. Avery Award” to Rev. James E. Roberts, Pastor of Fairmont Missionary Baptist Church of Asheville.

Special presentations
were given to a new slate of association officers which included: Rev.
Donald McDaniel (Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Arden NC),
Moderator-Elect for 2007-2011; Rev. T. “Richard” Pea (Blue Ridge
Baptist Church, Edneyville NC), Moderator-at-Large; Deacon Benjamin P.
Hall, (Hill St. Missionary Baptist Church, Asheville NC), 1st Vice
Moderator, and the first deacon to be named as moderator; and Rev.
Ronald Sullivan, (Catawba View Baptist Church, Old Fort), as 2nd Vice
Moderator.

Moderator-Elect, Rev. McDaniel (second from left) gives awards to (far left) Rev. Sullivan, Rev. Pea, and Deacon Hall (far right).

Bringing people to their feet, First Lady Sandra Suber serenaded the audience with down-home gospel.

Rev. James E. Roberts (left) was chosen “Minister of the Year.” Rev. Donald McDaniel (right), presents him with the Nilous M. Avery Award. Photos by Renato Rotolo

Honorable “Gavel Awards,” were given to Pastor Emeritus, Rev. Dr.
Nilous M. Avery, Rev. Dr. Charles R. Moseley (Nazareth First Baptist
Church, Asheville NC), Rev. James E. Roberts, and Rev. Frederick
Gordon, (Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, Brevard, NC).

Other awards were given to Rev. Keith D. Knox, Sr., interim 1st
Moderator-at-Large (Garrison Chapel Baptist Church, Tryon NC),
Catherine Whipple, Association Secretary, Alfred E. Blount, Treasurer,
Brenda E. Wilkerson, Budget and Finance Administrator, Deacon Amanda
Henson, Banquet Chairperson, and Minister James Pea, Chairperson of
Trustee Committee.

Certificates were presented to Ms. Cora Young, Ms Dorothy Sullivan, and Ms. Mattie Owens.

The evenings events were culminated by a resounding oratorical message,
given by keynote speaker Rev. Dr. Joe B. Maddox, Pastor of New Hope
Missionary Baptist Church, of Knoxville, Tennessee, who was introduced
by Elder Alfred E. Blount, Pastor of Tried Stone Missionary Baptist
Church. Dr. Maddox’s message for the evening was in keeping with the
overall theme of the banquet, “Unity.” His message was taken from
Psalms: 133, whereby he spoke of togetherness in the church for all —
as one, in the body of Christ.

Brief History of the Mud Creek Missionary Baptist Association

Mrs. Gertrude Forney Graham, Mudcreek Baptist Historian, wrote:

In 1868 a small band of Christians met at Nazareth First Baptist Church
in Asheville and planted an acorn. From this small seed came what we
now know as the Mud Creek Missionary Baptist Association.

The Association was so named from a stream that ran through the
Hendersonville and Flat Rock areas. The water was never known to be
clear, but always remained ‘muddy.’ It was, and still is, called Mud
Creek today. The principle leaders in organizing this body were four
brothers, all of whom were ministers: Charlie, Reuben, Calvin and Frank
Hemphill.

At that time, Frank was pastor of Nazareth First Baptist Church,
although seven churches were present for the initial organizing.
Fourteen acres of land for the Mud Creek Association campus were
purchased in 1934, and have been developed into a place where all the
churches come together for fellowship, meetings, training, and just the
general getting to know each other.

This year the Mud Creek Missionary Baptist Association celebrated it’s 139th year Anniversary.