The Baptists Are Coming, Part 2

History, history. It’s all around us. And by “us” I mean anybody in or near the Calvary offices this week.

For weeks, committed volunteers have been mining the archives for items to display. I believe, though I am not going to try this, that an entire blog could be constructed around the amazing pieces of history carefully saved for some future viewing.

And it seems that the future is now (Baptists are coming), so we are living surrounded by the past.

Here’s one picture we found, a clipping from the May 8, 1957 Washington Post, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the ABC (then called the Northern Baptist Convention), which was, if you haven’t heard me say it enough, founded right here at Calvary.

In this picture you’ll see Dr. Abernethy, Calvary pastor emeritus, posing with thoughtfully interested teenager, Bob Tiller.

Not that this isn’t a fabulous and deeply historical photograph, but you might be wondering why exactly this particular piece of history caught my attention. Well, the thing is, it is now 50 years after this picture was taken. Dr. Abernethy is long gone, but Bob Tiller is very much here.

Bob was kind enough to come by the other day and pose for another photo with another pastor of Calvary, a photographic image of the changing face of this congregation. Significantly different, but still about the same business.

How cool is that?