H 4213

South Carolina House Resolution

A House Resolution To Congratulate The Reverend Dr. James B. Blassingame, Pastor Of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, On Being Elected President Of The Baptist Educational & Missionary Convention Of South Carolina.

Follow these links for more information;http://openstates.org/sc/bills/2013-2014/H4213/ and http://bemsc.org/

Dr. James Blassingame, President of the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina



Reverend Dr. James Blassingame is a native of Seneca S.C. He is the Son of Deacon Luther Jr. and the late Juanita Blassingame; and the stepson of Bertha Blassingame. He is married to the former Shirley L. McFadden and they have three children, six grandchildren, one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law.

Reverend Blassingame attended East End Elementary and Blue Ridge High School. He is a 1970 graduate of Seneca High School. He attended Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, S.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Morris College, Sumter, SC and Bachelor of Divinity Degree from Morris School of Religion, Sumter, SC. Continuing Education at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J., and a nine month internship in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) with the SC Department of Corrections where he provided pastoral care to inmates in a maximum security prison including those on Death Row. He also completed 30 hours of doctoral studies at Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC.

Reverend Blassingame is licensed by Richland Baptist Church, Seneca, SC and ordained by Seneca River Missionary Baptist Association. He is the former Pastor of Thomas Heights Baptist Church, Seneca SC and New Olive Grove Baptist Church, Central, SC. Reverend Blassingame has pastored Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, SC since 1984. Through the grace of God and the ardent cooperation of the congregation, a new sanctuary costing almost one half million dollars was dedicated in 1991. A twenty year mortgage was liquidated in nine years. A new 17,000 square foot enrichment center costing over one million dollars was dedicated on September 24, 2011.

Reverend Blassingame is a member of the following boards: Morris College, Sumter, SC; Benedict College, Columbia, SC; Friendship College, Rock Hill, SC; National Baptist Convention, USA. Inc. (Executive Committee); SC Schools Improvement Council; Bank of Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board; Sumter Senior Services, Inc., and Covenant Place of Sumter, Inc. He also serves on the School Improvement Council of Lemira Elementary School, Sumter, SC and the Pee Dee Citizens Committee on Judicial Qualifications. (appointed by the SC State Senate)

In grateful acknowledgement and appreciation of Reverend Blassingame's many contributions made to the church, community and to his alma mater, Morris College conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity on May 13, 2000. He received the Mamie L. Duckett Founder's Day Award at Benedict College, March 11, 2006. Reverend Blassingame received several other honors and awards for service to humanity.

Reverend Blassingame's other noteworthy affiliations include:

Substitute Elementary Teacher, Sumter School District
President, Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of S.C. (elected May 9, 2013)
Assistant Secretary, National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
Chaplain, Morris College National Alumni Association
US Army Veteran
Life Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (serves as Chaplain of the Southern Region)
Subscribing life member, NAACP

Reverend Dr. James Blassingame's Motto: "I see every challenge as an opportunity to prove what God can do."
Local Pastor Elected State Convention President

During its 136th annual session in Spartanburg on May 9, 2013 the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of S.C., the state's largest Black religious body, elected Pastor James Blassingame of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, S.C. as its new President.

A Seneca native and Morris College graduate, Blassingame serves as Secretary of the Morris College Board of Trustees and First Assistant Secretary of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

A substitute elementary teacher for the Sumter School District, he is a member of the district's Community Advisory Council and Lemira Elementary School Improvement Council. He also serves as vice-chairman of the Sumter Senior Services, Inc. Board of Directors and as a member of the Bank of Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board.

A life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he was recently named Assistant Convention Chaplain for the fraternity. He is also involved in other civic and religious organizations.Dr. James Blassingame, President of the Baptist Education and Missionary Convention of South Carolina



Reverend Dr. James Blassingame is a native of Seneca S.C. He is the Son of Deacon Luther Jr. and the late Juanita Blassingame; and the stepson of Bertha Blassingame. He is married to the former Shirley L. McFadden and they have three children, six grandchildren, one daughter-in-law and one son-in-law.

Reverend Blassingame attended East End Elementary and Blue Ridge High School. He is a 1970 graduate of Seneca High School. He attended Tri-County Technical College, Pendleton, S.C. He earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Morris College, Sumter, SC and Bachelor of Divinity Degree from Morris School of Religion, Sumter, SC. Continuing Education at Princeton Theological Seminary, Princeton, N.J., and a nine month internship in Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) with the SC Department of Corrections where he provided pastoral care to inmates in a maximum security prison including those on Death Row. He also completed 30 hours of doctoral studies at Erskine Theological Seminary, Due West, SC.

Reverend Blassingame is licensed by Richland Baptist Church, Seneca, SC and ordained by Seneca River Missionary Baptist Association. He is the former Pastor of Thomas Heights Baptist Church, Seneca SC and New Olive Grove Baptist Church, Central, SC. Reverend Blassingame has pastored Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, SC since 1984. Through the grace of God and the ardent cooperation of the congregation, a new sanctuary costing almost one half million dollars was dedicated in 1991. A twenty year mortgage was liquidated in nine years. A new 17,000 square foot enrichment center costing over one million dollars was dedicated on September 24, 2011.

Reverend Blassingame is a member of the following boards: Morris College, Sumter, SC; Benedict College, Columbia, SC; Friendship College, Rock Hill, SC; National Baptist Convention, USA. Inc. (Executive Committee); SC Schools Improvement Council; Bank of Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board; Sumter Senior Services, Inc., and Covenant Place of Sumter, Inc. He also serves on the School Improvement Council of Lemira Elementary School, Sumter, SC and the Pee Dee Citizens Committee on Judicial Qualifications. (appointed by the SC State Senate)

In grateful acknowledgement and appreciation of Reverend Blassingame's many contributions made to the church, community and to his alma mater, Morris College conferred upon him the Honorary Degree of Doctor of Divinity on May 13, 2000. He received the Mamie L. Duckett Founder's Day Award at Benedict College, March 11, 2006. Reverend Blassingame received several other honors and awards for service to humanity.

Reverend Blassingame's other noteworthy affiliations include:

Substitute Elementary Teacher, Sumter School District
President, Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of S.C. (elected May 9, 2013)
Assistant Secretary, National Baptist Convention, U.S.A., Inc.
Chaplain, Morris College National Alumni Association
US Army Veteran
Life Member, Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc. (serves as Chaplain of the Southern Region)
Subscribing life member, NAACP

Reverend Dr. James Blassingame's Motto: "I see every challenge as an opportunity to prove what God can do."
Local Pastor Elected State Convention President

During its 136th annual session in Spartanburg on May 9, 2013 the Baptist Educational and Missionary Convention of S.C., the state's largest Black religious body, elected Pastor James Blassingame of Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church, Sumter, S.C. as its new President.

A Seneca native and Morris College graduate, Blassingame serves as Secretary of the Morris College Board of Trustees and First Assistant Secretary of the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc.

A substitute elementary teacher for the Sumter School District, he is a member of the district's Community Advisory Council and Lemira Elementary School Improvement Council. He also serves as vice-chairman of the Sumter Senior Services, Inc. Board of Directors and as a member of the Bank of Clarendon Sumter Advisory Board.

A life member of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Inc., he was recently named Assistant Convention Chaplain for the fraternity. He is also involved in other civic and religious organizations.