Our church history department has a newspaper article written around 1980 which states, in part, that the bell had been misplaced when the present church sanctuary was built in 1950-51. Some 27 years later the bell was located and an A-frame structure was built to hang the bell.”Martha Al-Dijaili, Church Historical Committee member
Standing in front of the Seventh Street Baptist Church bell and tower are members of the church’s Historical Committee. They are, from left to right: Martha Al-Dijaili, Pat Heald, Shirley Holmes, Suzanne Tidwell and James Tidwell, Sr.
CULLMAN – On Oct. 25, 2015, Seventh Street Baptist Church rededicated its original historic bell with a special Sunday morning church service. It is not known exactly when the church first secured the bell, but on May 22, 1927, the First German Baptist Church, as it was called at the time, voted to build an annex to the wood frame white church building. In pictures of that church building and annex, a bell tower can be seen.
It all began in 1877 when the Baptist Church of Christ first organized. By 1880, a church building had been constructed; it was located on Second Avenue West on a lot that was donated by the L & N Railroad Company.
“A division occurred in the fellowship in 1892,” said Martha Al-Dijaili, Church Historical Committee member. “One group met on the east side of Cullman under the name ‘Cullman Baptist Church,’ which later became First Baptist Church. The other group became known as ‘West Cullman Baptist Church’ and was located on the corner of Fourth and Austin Streets where they had erected a building. Soon there were 42 church members and 68 enrolled in Sunday school.”
West Cullman Baptist Church later joined with another Baptist church in the county named First German Baptist Church, which was built in 1905. The church was built on land that was donated by the L & N Railroad Company in 1883. Today, Seventh Street Baptist Church is located there.
“This brings us back to the annex and belfry that was built onto the existing church in 1927,” Al-Dijaili continued. “Our church history department has a newspaper article written around1980 which states, in part, that the bell had been misplaced when the present church sanctuary was built in 1950-51. Some 27 years later the bell was located and an A-frame structure was built to hang the bell.”
This bell structure was dismantled in the mid-1900s, which meant the bell had fallen silent once more. That is, until its rededication service last October.
“The rededication service was held on the church grounds near the bell,” Al-Dijaili explained. “The service included an opening prayer, a devotional thought from Joshua 4:6-7, historical reflections and an acknowledgment of the present historical committee. Also acknowledged during the service were the constructors, Dennis Guthrie Construction, and Rick Welch, brick mason, by Pastor Eric Martin.”
“The ceremonial ringing of the bell followed. Suzanne Tidwell rang the bell representing the longest continuous church member, Jeanette Gibbs. Aubrey Martin, age 9, rang the bell to represent the church youth and the pastor rang the bell to represent the congregation. The rededication service concluded with everyone singing the hymn, ‘We Are Standing on Holy Ground’ led by Choir Director Jethro Harbison.”
During the bell tower’s construction, a plaque was set in and reads as follows:
The Original Church Bell
This Historic Bell Hung in the
First German Baptist Church Which
Was Renamed Seventh Street Baptist
Church in 1941 Due to WW11
On October 25, 2015, by Faith, the
Church and Its Historical Committee
Rededicated This Bell to Our
Forefathers and as a Welcome
To Worship and Praise God.
Dennis Guthrie Construction
A time capsule was placed behind the plaque consisting of a current church bulletin and a rededication announcement. The total cost of the project was approximately $6,000.
“With grateful hearts we would like to thank Cullman Marble and Granite Company, who worked tirelessly with us on the plaque’s wording.” said Al-Dijaili. “We would also like to thank Rick Welch, our brick mason, who did such a professional and outstanding job on the bell tower and to Dennis Guthrie, our contractor, who patiently guided us through the whole project. And last but not least, special thanks to the church congregation, who supported this project in so many ways.
“Come join us at Seventh Street Baptist Church at 708 Seventh St. SW for a Sunday worship service at 10:30 a.m. or 6 p.m. and see our bell project,” she added.
