Local pastor describes early Indian churches
By Hayley Burgess
Managing Editor
Rev. Dr. Michael Cummings emphasized the role of the early Indian churches in education and the community when he spoke at the Mary Livermore Library Jan. 18 as part of the Elmer W. Hunt Photograph Collection Identification and Discussion Series. An audience of approximately 130 attended including prominent area clergy and church members.
The event was sponsored by the Friends of the Library and offered an opportunity for the community to help in the identification of more than 50,000 photos taken by the late UNCP photographer Elmer Hunt documenting the Pembroke community from the 1940s to the mid 1980s.
Rev. Cummings' focus for the event was on area churches and their impact on the Lumbee community. Against a backdrop of Hunt's photographs, Rev. Cummings outlined the formation of the Indian churches in the community that were designed just for Indians in the area.
Rev. Cummings also said the Indian churches were important in helping the needs of the community, mainly education.
"Churches are deeply rooted in bringing education to the people," Rev. Cummings said.
Another need the early Indian church helped with was helping Indian orphans. According to Rev. Cummings, in the early 1920s the first Indian orphanage was established by Indian people on land that was donated, now the present-day Odom Home, to help orphans and train church leaders.
"The church rose up to lead and to help the community. It's a wonderful story of Lumbee spiritual history," Rev. Cummings said.
Rev. Cummings has served as the Director of Missions for the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association since 1988 and said the Association is the oldest one run by Indians just for Indians and was established in 1881.
The Department of Transportation erected a highway marker at the corner of Hwy 72 and Chicken Road which says that two miles north is the birthplace of the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association.
Following Rev. Cummings, Rev. Charles P. Locklear delivered a tribute which was spoken at Hunt's funeral July 15, 1987, titled "The Picture Taking Man."
Rev. Cummings is a Lumbee Indian who received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Campbell University in 1974 and a Master of Divinity from Southeastern Seminary in 1977.
In 2000, he was awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity from Campbell University.
He served as pastor of Mount Airy Church near Pembroke from 1978-1988.
Rev. Cummings became the executive director of the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in 1987 and served as vice president of the Baptist State Convention of North Carolina from 1998- 1999 and served as president in 1999. The State Convention represents over one million Southern Baptists and Rev. Cummings was the first American Indian and first Robesonian to lead it.
Currently, Rev. Cummings serves as a board member of the Presidential Advisors and the Board of Trustees of Campbell University.
