At their annual meeting Oct. 19, messengers to the 135th meeting of the Abbeville Baptist Association approved changing their name to Lakelands Baptist Association. They also adopted a new constitution, by-laws and missions statement, reflecting the name change, during the meeting at Greenwood’s Harris Baptist Church.
David Little, director of missions, and other associational officials noted that when Abbeville Association was founded in 1870, it was comprised of only one county, Abbeville, but it has since been divided into two more counties: McCormick and Greenwood. Also, since then, four waterways have been constructed around three sides of the association – lakes Secession, Greenwood, Thurmond and Russell.
Observing that many of the region’s residents, businesses and athletic teams have begun identifying themselves with “the Lakelands” area, the association’s new name, they said, will more accurately reflect all of the geographical regions of the association, rather than just one of its counties.
In other business, the association’s churches presented Haven Bailey, widow of Tim Bailey, with a check for $55,000 to assist her in purchasing a home for herself and her four children. Bailey, 34, was pastor of Calvary Baptist Church,Ware Shoals, for three months prior to drowning in the Saluda River May 26.