Baptists to Celebrate 400th

The latest issue of “Texas Baptists Committed” contains an article called “Ten Suggestions for Celebrating the 400th Anniversary of Baptist Beginnings.” The anniversary year is 2009.

Charles W. Deweese, executive director of the Baptist History and Heritage Society presented these ideas. For more information about the Society and its resources, go to www.baptisthistory.org.

The 10 suggestions:
1. Plan a special Baptist Heritage Sunday [or, how about Sabbath?]

2. Involve youth and older children in your celebration.

3. Write, produce, and present a play, pageant, or historical monologue that focuses on Baptist origins in 1609 and on your church’s origins.

4. Prepare, publish, and share with all church members a series of two pamphlets.
a. A summary of your church’s history and values.
b. A list/description of the Top 10 Baptist Values across the 400 years.
(Examples given in article)

5. Display and exhibit your church’s history.

6. Develop a plan for capturing the oral history memoirs of your oldest church members.

7. Create a plan for locating and preserving your church’s records.

8. Launch the publication of a new or updated book-length history of your church.

9. Secure key resources for your church library or media center.

10. Join the Baptist History and Heritage Society.