Page 4 - GBMBC 10-12-21 Update

FOREWORD
Joshua 4-7: “tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.” This historical document will be a memorial for future generations of the Greater Bethel Missionary Baptist Church, to acknowledge God’s great work on our behalf and to remember to keep our focus on him.
Maya Angelou said: “We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty” as we reflect upon the history of Greater Bethel, it is important to remember where we were in history. Slavery was theoretically abolished by President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation dated January 1, 1863, but this had little effect in Florida. Slavery in Florida did not end abruptly on one designated day. The end of slavery was made formal by the ratification of the thirteenth amendment in December of 1865. However, some of the dominant characteristics of slavery, such as the inability to leave a disagreeable situation, sharecropping, convict leasing and many other unjust practices continued. It is remarkable to note that a mere twenty-five years later a group of believers formed a congregation that is documented in the attached pages.
Sister Harriet Scott recently (April 2021) discovered Greater Bethel Anniversary Program documents from 1949 and 1956. These programs point to different anniversary dates for Greater Bethel. The 1949 program celebrated the 58th anniversary which would indicate an 1891 beginning. The 1956 program celebrates a 68th anniversary which would indicate a beginning date of 1888. We acknowledge the possibility of an earlier start than 1893, perhaps as a group of believers on a mission, with a formal recording of the congregants in 1893. The content of the history as previously recorded and as represented in the 1993 anniversary program remains unchanged. Updates/amplifications are recorded in compliance with the timeline established in this document. We have made these additions based upon information derived from the 1949 anniversary program, public library records, observations of current and former Greater Bethel members and other sources as indicated.