By Jennifer Davis Rash
The Alabama Baptist
It only made sense for Bob Terry, current editor of The Alabama Baptist (TAB), to preach at Siloam Baptist Church, Marion, that day. And Siloam Baptist’s pastor, John Nicholson, knew why.
Not only was TAB planning a major 175th anniversary celebration two days later at nearby Judson College, but the actual anniversary day was that Sunday — Feb. 4, 2018 — the Sunday Terry would preach at Siloam.
Another special significance was that the opportunity allowed the current editor of TAB to be back in the same church building and same town where the first editor of TAB, Milo P. Jewett, worshipped and lived.
Jewett and three others — also part of Siloam Baptist — founded the state Baptist newspaper on Feb. 4, 1843. Part of that founding group was James DeVotie, pastor of Siloam Baptist during the 1840s.
So much history tied into one location allowed Terry and Nicholson to reflect on the conversations that must have happened around those church pews as their predecessors were envisioning what might be one day.
What would they say about the 175 years that have passed since they prepared those first news stories and introduced Alabama Baptists to a new communications ministry? How would they advise leaders going forward?
Life was different in 1843. The pages of the newspaper were few in number but large in size. And they were jam-packed with text — no photos, no graphics, just text in those days.
And while a text-heavy design isn’t appealing by modern standards, those early layouts of TAB were cutting edge at the time.
Through the years, the paper has worked to offer the latest in design elements, many times being ahead of the curve.
For instance, in 2014, TAB introduced an augmented reality version of the print edition where videos could be seen by placing a smartphone over specific images in the print edition.
Digital platforms are now a routine part of news distribution for all media outlets, so the life of the TAB editor and staff involve many more skill sets and thought processes than what was originally needed.
However, the principles of telling the stories of what God is doing through Alabama Baptists; understanding how to share news with truth, accuracy and fairness; and embracing the foundational spiritual truths will always be the same.
The opportunity to celebrate the 175th anniversary of TAB allowed staff, readers and ministry partners to be reminded of these important principles.
Researching, writing, copy editing and proofreading the first-ever book of TAB’s story put the people and experiences in context.
Hearing the historical reports and significant contributions of so many who have contributed to the ministry of the state Baptist newspaper allowed current staff and ministry partners to realize the important role they currently play for future generations.
Working together with so many across the state to organize the three major pieces of the celebration, provided fresh opportunities to enhance friendships and further develop ministry partnerships.
And as a finishing touch to all that went into the yearlong anniversary celebration, TAB staff worked to document and archive all that took place.
Along with a time capsule for the office and the March 15 special issue, highlights are being shared in a video package by TAB partner Bethany Rogers and a mid-March podcast produced by University of Mobile.
To find these resources as well as copies of the presentations from speakers at the events, visit www.thealabamabaptist.org/downloads.
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