The Cherokee Baptist Association now has a new leader. Recently Rev. Herman Edge, who recently retired as director, passed the torch to Rev. Danny Flora, who officially assumed his duties the first of this month.

I feel honored," said Rev. Flora on his new position. "I see it as a tremendous opportunity and challenge. I look forward to working with people, meeting the leadership of all the churches and opportunities I'm going to have to worship in those churches. I see myself as a resource person for our churches, making myself available at their request to provide what they might need to help fulfill their ministry."

Rev. Flora, a native of Fort Payne in Dekalb County, was called into the ministry at the age of 18, when he was fresh out of Fort Payne High School. He entered the ministry in 1971 and was licensed and ordained by Gault Avenue Baptist Church in Fort Payne. He attended Florida Baptist Theological College and also William Carey College and completed his master of divinity degree at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.

His first church was Lone Star Baptist Church in Collins, Miss. where he served while he was still in seminary. From there, he pastored Black Creek Baptist Church in Etowah County and from there, he went to Eastwood Baptist Church in Marietta, Ga. as minister of education. From there, he came to Sand Rock Baptist Church in 1986 where he remained for 10 years. After his service at Sand Rock, he pastored Kyuka Baptist Church in Etowah County and from there, he assumed his present position with the Cherokee Baptist Association