C. Strickland

The church selected a seven-member pastor search committee in November 2005. Members of the committee included Tom Duggan, Bill Grant, Shirley Gunter, Barbara Hearn, Smythe Newsome, Barbara Roberts, and Jeff Treadwell. The committee began work and proposed Dr. Charles Strickland of Ailey, GA, as interim pastor for election by the church on January 22, 2006. Dr. Strickland was a staff member of Brewton-Parker College, an institution of the Georgia Baptist Convention at Mount Vernon. As Executive Assistant to the President of Church Relations, he traveled over the state to promote the college. He is an experienced pastor, having served several churches in Georgia and North Carolina. His most recent pastorate was First Baptist Church of Centerville, in the Warner Robins area. Centerville has more than 1200 resident members and a budget of about $1.1 million. The church elected Dr. Strickland interim pastor by a vote of 201 to 7. After several months service to this Washington church, Dr. Strickland resigned and returned to the college. In 2007 Dr. Strickland accepted a call to the Whitefield Baptist Church in Belton, SC.