Covenant News

Silverhill to Mark Centennial in October

SILVERHILL, AL (July 8, 2002) - The Evangelical Covenant Church of Silverhill will celebrate its centennial October 19-20, beginning the festivities with a special congregational banquet October 19.

The church will invite former pastors, members and friends of the congregation to the banquet and the October 20 worship service.

The Evangelical Covenant Church is located in a town of 400 on the Gulf coast between Mobile, Alabama, and Pensacola, Florida. Its ministry is significant to the small town as the congregation averages 120 in worship with a membership of 101, says Pastor Jesse Adams. In addition to its many ministries, the church's preschool (3 and 4-year-olds) has 25 children enrolled and the Silverhill Christian Academy (K-9) includes 44 students.

In 1897, a small group of Swedes came from Chicago to southern Alabama to make their home in the wilderness of central Baldwin County, in Silverhill. They began to meet for worship and were allowed to use the Land Office Company building for their services.

On November 20, 1902, eleven people met to organize the church, including: Mr. and Mrs. J.N. Jacobson, Peter Thorson, Mr. and Mrs. W.G. Monson and daughter, Signe, J.A. Isaakson, Mr. and Mrs. Otto Anderson and Mr. and Mrs. P.A. Swenson. J.N. Jacobson was elected president and also called to pastor the congregation. On December 1, 1902, the congregation voted to name the church Svenska Evangeliska Missions Forsamling (the Swedish Evangelical Mission Congregation).

Besides preparing for its centennial celebration, the Evangelical Covenant Church of Silverhill also hosted the Southeast Conference Annual Meeting in April.

For more information about the church and its 100th anniversary weekend, call Adams at 334-945-5143.

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