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"Children...Honor your father and mother...that it may be well with you." Ephesians 6:1-3
The Indian Honor Association of Robeson
County Honors These Indian Elders:
PURPOSE
The purposes for the organization are as follows: to promote honor and respect for Indian elders by their families and communities by recognizing the elders for
their family's bill participation in the electoral process of Robeson County in all primary and general elections and to encourage eligible Indian people and the public
at large without regard to race, creed, sex. or national origin to register and vote in all elections.
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Our Spiritual Leaders of the Gospel\
Rev. Mike Cummings, the Director
of Missions for the Burnt Swamp
Baptist Association, was elected
this year to serve as the President of
the North Carolina Southern Baptist
Convention. Rev. Cummings
becomes the first minority to serve
as President of the State Convention.
Rev. Michael Cummings was
raised in the St. Annah community by
his parents the late Foy Cummings
and the late Hildith "Bloss" Cummings.
He received Christ as a youth,
was then baptized, licensed and ordained
to gospel ministry through the
Bear Swamp Baptist Church of Pembroke,
NC and is currently a member
there. Rev. Cummings graduated from
Campbell College in 1974 with a degree
in English. In addition, he is a
1977 graduate from Southeastern Baptist
Theological Seminary. Rev. Cummings'
ministry career has been spent
in the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association.
His church vocational experience
includes the following: Pastor,
New Bethel Baptist Churcn tn CIinton,
NCfrom 1969-1978;Pastor,Mt. Airy
Baptist Church in Pembroke, NC from
1978-1988. In 1988 he was employed
in his current position as the Director
of Missions for the Burnt Swamp
Baptist Association. Other services
to the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association
includes Moderator, Nominating
Committee, Constitution Committee,
Seminary Extension Director, Missions
Committee, and Program
Committee.'
It is his dream as President to see
North Carolina Baptists working in
harmony with God's purpose for all,
maintaining commitment to every
institution and agency through with
Baptists touch people's lives for
Christ. His leadership to the Baptist
State Convention will bring cultural
awareness and representation that will
help the Convention remain sensitive
to the rich diversity of the Baptist
family and the community of North
Carolina. Other services to the Baptist
State Convention includes the following:
General Board member,
Council on Christian Social Services,
Baptist State Convention Committee
on Committees, Campbell University
Board of Ministers, and Nominating
.Committee Chairman for NC Directors
<5f Missions Conference. His
other memberships include the Lumberton
Correctional Institution Community
Resource Council, Robeson
County Church and Community Center
Board, the North Carolina School
of Science and Mathematics Board,
Chaplain for Pemberton Hospice,
Carolina Bible College Board, and
the Southern Baptist Native American
Fellowship.
Rev. Cummings is married to Quae
S: Cummings who serves as the Burnt
Swamp Association Secretary. They
have two sons, Jody, who is attending
Columbia University Law School, and
Jason who attends NC State University.
Jessica, their daughter is in elementary
school.
Rev. Tilford Locklear
North Pembroke
Rev.Locklearwasordainedin 1966
and became pastor at Mt. Olive
Baptist Church. He served there for
three years. He then served as pastor
of Burnt Swamp Baptist Church
and was serving there during the
construction of the new church./ He
has served as Training Union Director
for the Burnt Swamp Baptist
Association for several years and
received several awards and plaques
for his service to Burnt Swamp
Church.
Rev. Isaiah Locklear
Oxendine
Rev. Locklear was licensed to
preach in the Lumber River Holiness
Methodist Conference in 1928.
He was ordained by the Burnt
Swamp Baptist Association in 1953.
He served seven churches with the
Lumber River Holiness Methodist
Conference and the following Baptist
Churches: New Hope Baptist in
South Carolina; Leitch Creek; Island
Grove; St. James; Pleasant
Vice; Galilee; and South Hoke. He
is a Missionary Baptist.
Rev. Charles W. Maynor
Burnt Swamp
Rev. Maynorwas licensed to preach
in 1946. He was ordained in 1950.
He has served as pastor of the following
churches: Reedy Branch for
34 years; Mt. Olive for 1 year; Ten
Mile for I year; New' Bethel for 1
year; Bear Swamp for 3 years; Mt.
Airy for 2 years. He has received 25
plaques of appreciation from
churches. H is portrait was presented
by Reedy Branch Church. He is
honorary pastor of Reedy Branch
and Mt. Airy Baptist Churches.
Rev, Coolidge M. Cummlngs
South Pembroke
Rev. Cummings was licensed in
1941 and was ordained to preach in
1947. He has served as pastor of the
following churches: BurnrSwamp;
Bethel Hill' New Bethel; Ten Mile
Center; First Baptist; Grey Pond;
Berea; Island Grove; East Union;
Second Baptist; and Friendship 6
Baptist.
Rev. Oscar Cummlngs
Lumberton #7
Rev. Cummings was licensed to
preach in 1951. He has served as
pastor of the following churches:
New Philadelphus; Branch Street;
Sandy Plains; and Lighthouse. He
is a United Methodist.
Rev. James D. Dial
North Pembroke *
Rev. Dial was licensed to preach in
1957. He was ordained in 1962. He
has served as pastor of the following
churches: Cedar Grove; Union
Light; Leitch Creek for 12 years;
Zion Hill; Ten Mile Center for 4
years;CapeFearfor 13 years; Elizabeth
Heights; and Dogwood for 25
years. He has been recognized twice
by the Governor of the State of
North Carolina for his outstanding
contributions.
Rev. VardeU Swell
South Pembroke
Rev. Swett served with the following
churches: Panckhockie Congregational
Church in Kingston, NY
from 1953-56; Eastside Congregational
Church ofBinghampton, NY,
1956-60; Honeoye Congregational
Church in Honeoye, NC, 19601970;
First Congregational Church
inTerryville.CT, 1970-72. He was
licensed to preach in 1944 and ordained
in 1953. Special recognition
and awards include being
named Man of the Year for the
Town of Plymouth, CT duringtheir
Bicentennial celebration in 1976;
Certificate of Appreciation from
the North Carolina Department of
Corrections for service as a volunteer
Chaplain 1995.
Rev. Simeon F. Cummings f
North Pembroke
Rev. Cummings served as pastor at
Prospect United Methodist Church
from 1953-73. He was ordained as
a Deacon in 1956 and as an Elder in
1958. He was licensed to preach in
1953 and retired in 1985.Heserved
with the NC Conference Council
on Ministries 1973-1978; Director
Robeson County Cooperative M inistries
1978-85; Interim Appointments-Director,
Southeastern Jurisdiction
Association for Native 9
American Ministries- PastoratesBranch
Street and UMC Churches.
He was elected Trustee Emeritus
for Greensboro College; presented
the Henry Berry Lowrie Award in
1985; and recognized as Chairman
of the Department of Social Services,
Robeson County, 1973. He
was elected as delegate to the General
Conference ofthe United Methodist
Church 1976; promoted and
established the Chief Junaluska
Memorial Statue at Lake Junaluska,
KA in 1991; and was recognized
for Pastoral Leadership at Sandy
Plains United Methodist Church in
1985.
Rev. Johnny Chavis
Rowland
Rev. Chavis has served as pastor
for all of the following churches:
Fairpont, Leland Grove; St. Annah;
Hickory Hill; Little Zion;
Macedonia; Mt. Hebron; and Pleasant
grove. He was licensed to preach
in 1957 and ordained in 1953. There
have been several appreciation days
held in honor of Rev. Chavis. He
has been presented many love offerings
as well as two automobiles.
Rev. Welton Lowry
North Pembroke
Rev. Lowry has served the following
churches as pastor: Ten Mile
Center Baptist; Oak Grove: Burnt
Swamp; Cedar Grove; New Bethel;
and West E nd for 33 years. Special
recognition and awards include:
Peabody Bicentennial Alumni Service
Award, Honorary Doctor of
Human Letters from ITNC Pembroke,
First American Caucus of
National Association of Educators
Award, the Dedication of the 1994
minutes of the Burnt Swamp Baptist
Association, Welton Lowry Day
in the City of Lumberton. 1984,
Distinguished ServiceAward, 1984,
Pembroke Jaycees, PSU Alumni
Association's Distinguished Service
Award. He was ordained to preach
in 1948.
Rev. Johnle C. Chavls
South Pembroke
Rev. Chavis has served as pastor of
the following churches: St. Annah
for five years; Holly Grove for eight
years; Mt. Carmel for two years;
Pleasant Grove for three years;
Hickory Hill for five years; Mt.
Hebron for two years; Mt. Sinai for
fifteen years; Sandy Ridge for four
years; Macedonia for one year; Mt.
Elim for two years; Leland Grove
forthree years; Bethlehem for three
years; Pentecostal for three years;
and Sycamore Hill for more than
thirty years. Special recognition
includes Moderator for Bible Freewill
Holiness Conference for 20
years. He was licensed to preach in
1930 and ordained in 1943.
Rev. Sanford Lock/ear
Burnt Swamp
Rev. Locklear was licensed to
preach in 1950. He was ordained
the same year. He has served at the
following churches: Galilee for
three years; Antioch for four years;
Cedar Grove for eight years; Harpers
Ferry for two years; Thompson
for five years; Leith Creek for four
years and New Point for twenty
years. Special recognition as a result
of his service and commitment
to do God's work: Missionary Baptist.
Rev. Claudle Dial
North Pembroke
Rev. Claudie Dial was licensed to
preach in 1941 and ordained the
same year. He has served as pastor
for the following churches: Evergreen,
Community Holiness, Elizabeth
Heights and Hopewell.
He is an Evangelist-Nationwide.
He is a Missionary to Belize, Central
American and Fiji Islands.
Rev. Gary P. Thompson
Prospect Precinct
Rev. Thompson was licensed to
preach in 1992. He owns and operates
Thompson Funeral Home. He
is the pastor of Harpers Ferry Baptist
Church.*