
"Strengthening and Caring for Church Environments for Strong Ministry & Missions"
American Baptist Churches of the South. P.O. Box 47277 Windsor Mill, MD 21244-0277
Website: www.abcots.org | (443) 551-3045 - Main Line | (800) 466-9571 | (866) 469-2687 - fax |
gloria@abcots.org. jmharrison@abcots.org. abcotsadmin@abcots.org. pwhite@abcots.org

Executive Minister - Dr. James M. Harrison
Rev. Dr. James Mitchell Harrison, former President of ABCOTS (2011-2013), was elected to serve the Region of the South as Regional Executive Minister on Thursday, April 16, 2015, following the recommendation of the Search Committee, and an affirmative vote of the Region’s Board of Directors, and body of delegates attending the 45th Annual Session held in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.
Dr. Harrison, the fourth person to come to this position, succeeds the Rev. Dr. Walter L. Parrish, II, who led the region for 36 years, beginning January 1979. Dr. Harrison began his duties on August 1, 2015.
Dr. Harrison serves Main Street Baptist Church in Smithfield, Virginia, as Pastor, a post he has served since December 1996. He was ordained by the Ministers Council of Area II, Region of the South, in November 1983. Drs. Henry and Ella Pearson Mitchell served as Examiners. Dr. Harrison began his professional career at the Zion Union Baptist Church in Charlottesville, Virginia, serving as Administrative Assistant to the Pastor. The late Rev. Raymond Allen Hailes was the Pastor and became mentor to Dr. Harrison.
He has served five (5) other pastorates across Virginia. He has done adjunct teaching with Virginia’s Community College System for the past 17 years, and served as an institutional chaplain with the Chaplain’s Service of the Churches of Virginia. Additionally, he sits on several boards of Directors, including Community Housing Partners of Virginia, Inc.
Dr. Harrison holds degrees from the University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia (B.A.), 1983; the School of Theology at Virginia Union University, Richmond, Virginia (M.Div.), 1986; and United Theological Seminary at Dayton, Ohio (D.Min), 1997.
Board of Directors
ABCOTS Executive Committee
2019 - 2021
President
Dr. Arrold Martin
First Baptist Church Capitol Hill
Nashville, TN
(615) 876-9751 (Res)
arroldn@aol.com
1st Vice President
Dr. Betty Long
First Baptist Church Hampton
Hampton, VA
(757) 722-3351
brunlon6344@gmail.com
2nd Vice President
Rev. Dr. Wayne G. Thompson
First Baptist Institutional Church
3144 Third Avenue, S.,
St. Petersburg, FL 33712-1018
fblc33712@aol.com
Secretary
Mrs. Wendy Ladd
Friendship Missionary Baptist Church
Charlotte, NC
(704) 763-0298 (Cell)
wetladd@gmail.com
Assistant Secretary
Vacant
Treasurer
Ms. Carlotta Vaughn
Whitestone Baptist Church
Baltimore, MD
(410) 947-1863 (CH)
carlottavaughn@verizon.net
Ass’t Treasurer
Ms. Denise Ruffin
Providence Baptist Church
Baltimore, MD
(410) 908-6664 (Cell)
Immediate Past President
Rev. Dr. Douglas E. Summers
Providence Baptist Church
1401 Pennsylvania Avenue
Baltimore, MD 21217-3784
www.providencebaptistchurchinc.com
Executive Minister
Dr. James M. Harrison
7008 Security Blvd
Suite 120
Baltimore, MD 21244-2568
Main Street Baptist Church, Smithfield, VA
(757) 635-8958 (cell) | (443) 551-3045 (office) | (443) 551-3565 (fax)
jmharrison@abcots.org
Parliamentarian
2020
Mr. T. Harding Lacy, Jr.
3027 Moss Side Avenue
Richmond, VA 23222
Ebenezer Baptist Church, Richmond
(703) 855-2192 (cell)
janthomlacy@msn.com
Headquarters Staff
7008 Security Blvd., Suite 120 Baltimore, MD 21244-2568
OFFICE (443) 551-3045 | 1-800-466-9571 | FAX (443) 551-3565
Executive Minister
Dr. James M. Harrison
Main Street Baptist Church
Smithfield, VA
(800) 466-9571 (O)
Executive Assistant
Gloria Dairsow
gloria@abcots.org
Bookkeeper
Mr. Paul White pwhite@abcots.org
ABC-USA OFFICE OF THE GENERAL SECRETARY
Interim - General Secretary
2020
Rev. Dr. C. Jeff Woods
ABC-USA
P.O. Box 851
Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
(800) 222-3872 xt. 2274
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