CANAAN BAPTIST CHURCH

OUR HISTORY

 

Founder: Rev. Dr. James Harold Carter 1978-2010

 

The Rev. Dr. James Harold Carter, born January 14, 1934 in Manchester Georgia to Mr. John Brice & Mrs. Fannie Gamble Carter and raised in Columbus, Georgia.  Pastor Carter was married to the lovely Goldie Ann Strawther Carter, father to Dr. Jacqueline D. Carter and Sharrona R. Carter.  The Canaan Baptist Church members were shocked at the passing of their brother in Christ and fellow pastor on December 5, 2010.

 

Dr. Carter was a Pastor, Christian Disciple, Civil Rights Leader, and spokesman for human rights and dignity.  Pastor Carter was an extraordinary man and a distinguished American of the highest order.  Accepted Christ at the age of 7 and accepted the call into the ministry at the age of 19.

 

Pastor Carter has over 200 awards and presentations listed and received several awards posthumously including letters from the State of Georgia and the City of Columbus.  He held positions with the NAACP, Western Union Baptist Association, Morris and Clark Development Corporation, OIC Board of Directors, Urban League and the Interdenominational Ministers Alliance.  He served as a Special Chaplan to former Government vJoe Frank Harris.  He was granted a direct Commission by then President John F. Kennedy and retired as LTC in the US Army Reserve Chaplains' Corp

 

He served as Pastor of First Baptist Church in Oxford, Ohio and the Shiloh Baptist Church in Charleston, West Virginia.  May 14, 1978 he became the first pastor of Canaan Baptist Church, Columbus, Georgia.

 

On September 16, 2013 the beginning works for the family center in memory of Pastor Carter, began under the vision of Reverend Rudolph C. Allen Sr.  On February 22, 2015 this vision became a reality with the official dedication for The J. Harold Carter Family Center