"Celebrating 100 Years of Christian Service: Evangelizing, Educating and Empowering the Family and the Community for Christ"

The Centennial Website Committee

We are delighted to present and provide to you the newly designed Centennial Website for Saint John Baptist Church. The celebration of our Church Centennial is an appropriate occasion for us to have embarked on this most worthy effort.

We are very appreciative for the guidance of Pastor Jamey O. Graham and our Co-Chairpersons, Ms. Betty Cunningham and Ms. Ann Highland. They served with creativity, ingenuity, faithfulness and inclusiveness. They worked diligently with the Centennial Website Committee Members in such a manner that all felt that their ideas were valuable and were considered. The Committee Members proved that a diverse group could achieve monumental goals in a short period of time. They contributed many hours collecting information and compiling it for chronological presentation.

Saint John Baptist Church Members can be very proud of the involvement of its Youth. They played a major role in assisting with the design of the Website's Youth Section. We trust that you will find the Website to be valuable to you and all those who visit it. Thank you for your faithful cooperation. May this Website be another source that all can rely on to share the "Good News" about Jesus Christ and the dedicated service of Saint John Baptist Church.

Co-Chairpersons

  • Betty G. Cunningham
  • Ann Highland

Members

  • Doris Adams
  • Gwendolyn H. Fludd
  • Adrienne Gist
  • Dorothy P. Robinson
  • Mattie Moses
  • Wanda Turner

Betty J. Garrett Cunningham

Native: Somerset, Kentucky

Mrs. Cunningham is a Graduate of Knoxville College, Knoxville, TN with a major in Piano and is a certified Media Specialist.

An active member of Saint John Baptist Church for more than 50 years, she has served in several capacities in the music department. She currently serves on the Deaconess Board, sings on the Senior Musical Choir, and is an active member of the Pauline Russell Circle (GMO). She chairs the music committee, is a member of the media ministry and teaches music in the church preschool. She is active in the local, state and National Baptist Conventions.

Mrs. Cunningham is a retired educator with Thirty-six (36) years teaching experience in the schools of Richland and Lexington Counties of South Carolina. . She has chaired the school improvement council in three schools and was selected to serve this year on the council at Arden Elementary School.

She has served as president of Richland One Teachers Associations, Richland County Education Association and as president of The South Carolina Education Association. She has represented the teachers of South Carolina at the World Conference of Organizations of the Teaching Profession (WCOTP) in Stockholm, Sweden.

Benedict College awarded her the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws in recognition of outstanding achievement and contributions to the cause of education, educators and students.

Mrs. Cunningham is a member of the Columbia Alumnae chapter Of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. She has served s president of her chapter and was instrumental in establishing the first Homework Center and Delta Academy for the Columbia (SC) Alumnae Chapter.

She is the widow of the late Deacon Bernard Cunningham, Jr. She has two adult children, and is a grandmother.

Annie W. Highland

Music is called the universal language. This is true because it is believed that music has a common thread that invites all to appreciate the art form in a way that it does not threaten nor does it diminish the listener. Mrs. Highland's perspective of life is similar. She believes that people can find common ground from which to growth toward a better appreciation of each other and thereby see the good in each other. The Bible teaches us to lift up our brother, be supportive of the weak, share with those who have not, and to reach the unsaved that they may come to see and know Christ. Mrs. Highland takes the patience necessary to work diligently with the youth of Saint John in a musical way. It is with a profound understanding of music and youth that she has devoted her gifts and talents to the youth of Saint John Baptist Church. She serves faithful in the following capacities:

  • Member of Saint John Baptist Church for 14 years
  • Church Auxiliaries: Sunday School Couples' Class; SJBC Mixed Ensemble; and Director of the Children's Choir

She is a native of Seale, Alabama. She moved to Columbia about 20 years ago. She and her husband, Charles, are the proud parents of three children: Brian, Amanda, and Aleah.

Her favorite Scripture is Proverb 3: 5 - 6: "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths"

Doris Adams

It has been stated recently that education is lifelong process. Ms. Adams has been an advocate of that perspective. She has devoted many years to providing meaningful opportunities for education to be available to many. It was never enough for her to teach a lesson, she has always positioned herself to be an active lesson for her learners. In this the learning has a more profound effect and the impacts are far reaching. Her educational message is that all have potentials and with Christ those potentials can be realized.

Ms. Doris M. Adams is a native South Carolinian. She is an honor graduate of Benedict College located in Columbia, South Carolina. She earned a Master's Degree from the University of South Carolina located in Columbia, South Carolina. Mrs. Adams is a professional educator.

Her community and church activities include the following: supporter of Columbia Conservatory Dance Company; served as reader on radio for the South Carolina Commission for the Blind; block leader in her neighborhood for the annual heart drive; served as youth chairperson for the annual South Carolina State Youth Baptist Convention; member of the Ethel C. Wilson Missionary Circle and Leader of the Hospitality/ Greeters Ministry of Saint John Baptist Church.

Gwendolyn Heyward Fludd (M.Ed.)

Mrs. Gwendolyn Heyward Fludd (M.Ed.) is a Business Education teacher in Richland County School District One of Columbia, South Carolina. She teaches Programming I (Honors), Entrepreneurship, Business Computer Applications, and Web Page Design classes. She is a member of the following professional organization:

  • South Carolina Education Association (SCEA)
  • Southern Business Education Association (SBEA)
  • South Carolina Business Education Association (SCBEA) Executive Council
  • National Business Education Association (NBEA)
  • South Carolina Association for Career and Technical Education (SCACTE)
  • Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD)
  • Certified, South Carolina Mentor (CERRA)
  • Certified, ADEPT Evaluator (Richland One)
  • South Carolina Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) Executive
  • Tutorial and Educational Committee (Saint John Baptist Church)
  • Saint John Baptist Church Computer Ministry

Mrs. Fludd knows the high value of a good education. The Information Age is here and it has created new opportunities that will impact future generations. Those who are prepared to live effectively in this new era will succeed. Christians must be equipped theologically and technologically to navigate this new era. The Internet offers entrances to the world at our finger tips. The manner in which we access that information and use it must be channeled through a firm belief in what is right and what is wrong. A powerful source of wisdom, the Bible, was here before the Internet. It is a compass from which directions and decisions can be based. Keep it near as you as you move from one moment to the next and your bearings will always be purposeful.

Dorothy C. Padgett Robinson

Dorothy C. Padgett Robinson was born in Columbia, South Carolina to the late Will and Ella Padgett. Her only sibling, a brother - Robert C. Padgett, is deceased. Dorothy attended the public schools of Columbia and graduated from C. A. Johnson High School in 1960. After graduation she worked at the Columbia Hospital for one year before leaving for New York City where she lived and worked for five years. She later returned to South Carolina. Upon her return she enrolled in Random Business School. Later, she worked as a cook, a taxi driver, a school bus driver, in retail (department store 11 years), security work and later as a baby sitter of children in her home.

Being baptized in her early teens at Greenview Baptist Church, she later (2003) joined the Saint John Baptist Church where she works faithfully as a member of the Deacons Corley, Hughes, Wilson Family Ministry Unit, Gospel/Jubilee Choir (president), the Fannie Mae Jones Missionary Circle and the Usher Ministry (assistant chaplain). She also worked with the church's effort in the placement of Bantu families from Africa in the greater Columbia area.. She has also assisted in organizing the exercise classes and she publishes healthy hints in the Sunday bulletin under the "Wellness and Be Fit" column. Her hobbies are cooking, shopping on-line and listening to gospel music.

She was married for 35 years to the late J. D. Robinson. She has three sons: Kenneth (Lydia) of Charlotte, N C., Duane (Cherry) of Houston, Texas, Paul (Ellie) of Mililani, Hawaii. She is the grandmother to three lovely children.

She believes in helping when and where her help is needed. Her favorite Scripture: Philippians 4:13 "I can do all things through Christ who strengthen me."

Mattie B. Moses

Mattie B. Moses was born in Blythwood, South Carolina to the late Cornell and Laura Bookard. She is a graduate of Bethel High School. She has been married to Louis Moses for 44 years. She is the mother of one son and one daughter (deceased).

Mrs. Moses retired from the South Carolina Department of Mental Health after having served there with distinction for 32 years. Her outstanding commitment to the purpose of the agency and the people who it served speaks to her compassion to help those who are perhaps in a position to be the least advocate for themselves. She understands that patience is a virtue and in the world as it is defined today there is little room and little time to have a few moments to talk to one another. She has contributed much to her family and her community. Her patience is part of the brightness that is seen and felt when she is in the company of others.

She is an active member of Saint John Baptist Church. She joined under the leadership of Reverend Roscoe Wilson, Sr. in 1968. Saint John Baptist Church knows her as a person who is not afraid of hard work. She exemplifies her commitment to responsibility by serving in leadership positions, but she has wisdom enough to know that leadership must understand principles of how to follow. Mrs. Moses serves as the leader of the Naomi Missionary Circle and as the Vice President of the Deaconess Board.

Leadership and patience is a rare combination. However, it is sometimes the nature of rarity that we see and find creativity. She enjoys working in the church, visiting the sick and shut-in, and doing volunteer work in the community.

Mrs. Wanda E. Turner

Mrs. Turner has been an instrumental force in working all sectors of Saint John Baptist Church. She has answered yes to many requests and she has found it difficult to say no to those who are in need. The Bible is clear in how we should live. We should always live with Christ's purpose in mind and His glory to be achieved. The hands that have been provided to Mrs. Turner are used to lift those who are not known; to provide shelter to those who are without and to, in some small way, lead those who have not yet found the true purpose in life to Christ. The list below is an example of how she has sought to make the lives of others become filled with the joy of Jesus.

  • A member of St. John for the past 15 years
  • President of the General Missionary Organization
  • A member of the Mixed Ensemble Choir
  • A member of the Senior Musical Choir
  • Works with the youth of the church
  • An organizer of the Single Parent Ministry
  • Is married with two adult children
  • Is a second grade teacher
  • Enjoys all kinds of music, watching movies and sharing the word of God with others.