Former GBC state missionary, interim Index editor dies at 81

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CUMMING — Clarence Everette Drummond, longtime Georgia Baptist pastor and Georgia Baptist Convention employee, died Feb. 27 surrounded by family. He was 81.

A native of Upson County, Drummond attended R.E. Lee Institute in Thomaston before receiving his B.A. in Church History from Mercer University and a Divinity degree as well as Doctor of Ministry from Southern Seminary in Louisville, Ky. He was later named a Distinguished Alumnus by Mercer.

During his ministry Drummond served as pastor at Musella Baptist Church, Lebanon Baptist in Butler, Pisgah Baptist in Rome, Browns Mill Park Baptist in Atlanta, Garden Lakes Baptist in Rome, and Mt. Lebanon Baptist in Suches in addition to Pleasant Ridge Baptist in Frankfort, Ky., and Country & Town Baptist Church in Harrisburg, Pa. He also served as interim pastor of Second Avenue Baptist Church in Rome, First Baptist Chatsworth, and First Baptist Conyers. He was a guest preacher at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains and Hyundai Church in South Korea.

Drummond also worked in the Education Extension Department and as director of Special Missions for the Georgia Baptist Convention (now Georgia Baptist Mission Board). For a time he was interim editor of The Christian Index, taking that role in May 1993 after the departure of then-editor Al Mohler to become president at Southern Seminary. Drummond kept that position while serving as director of Special Missions until September of that year, when William Neal was unanimously elected to become editor. Drummond also served as parliamentarian of the Georgia Baptist Convention and helped start H.E.A.R.T. Missions in Lavonia. Drummond published two books of poetry: “The Dance Can’t Wait” and “Suches Sonnets and Other Poems.”

Drummond is survived by his wife of 57 years, Martha Faye Smith Drummond; daughters Wynona Kuehl and Jennifer Ferris; sons Kevin and Jonathan; brothers Randall, Thomas, Don, and Phil; and ten grandchildren. Services were held March 7 at Garden Lakes Baptist Church in Rome with Jimmy Gentry officiating.

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