History

In 1943, the Annual Session of The Lott Carey Convention met at the Union Baptist Church in East Orange, New Jersey, pastored by Dr. J. Vance McIver. Deacon R.L. Holloman of the First Calvary Baptist Church of Norfolk, Virginia spoke at an hour that had been reserved on the program for expression by the Laymen. When he concluded his sincere and impressive message, he recommended that the Laymen of the Convention be organized to assist their ministers in carrying out the great objectives of the convention. Dr. O.C. Jones of Portsmouth, Virginia offered a motion authorizing the Laymen to organize in accordance with the recommendation of Deacon Holloman. The motion was unanimously approved. Dr. Wendell C. Summerville then introduced a motion that Deacon Holloman be appointed as the organizer of the Layman constituency to carry out his vision of more Layman participation in the work of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention. The motion was approved overwhelmingly. Thus was born the Layman’s League of the Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention.