Former President Jimmy Carter Teaches Sunday School at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia

Maranatha Baptist Church
in Plains, Georgia

Maranatha is an Aramaic word
that means "The Lord is coming"
or "Come, O Lord."





Former President Jimmy Carter and his wife, Rosalynn, joined Maranantha Baptist Church in 1981. They are active members of the church and regularly do chores around the property. Each has served as deacon of the church.  President Carter teaches Sunday School here several times a year.

Eric and I drove to Plains today to attend a class.  After having our vehicle checked and being cleared by Secret Service Agents, Eric and I took our seats in church.

Maranatha Baptist Church

held its first service on

May 22, 1977.

This church was built 

in 1978.

Eric waits with the growing
crowd of fellow worshipers.

President Carter made the

wooden offering plates

that are passed at

Sunday services.

Jan provides information on
what to expect & tells us
when we are allowed to
take pictures of the President.

President Carter made the

cross that hangs in the

sanctuary.

President Carter walks in
& greets us.

He asks where we are

from.

Answers include: Georgia, Maine, Massachusetts, Maryland, Texas, New Hampshire, Colombia, Taiwan, Rhode Island, North Carolina, Washington State, Afghanistan, Vietnam, New York, California, and Argentina

While President Carter asks
the question, & we answer,
we are allowed to take photos.

He asks a clergywoman in

attendance to say a prayer

at the start today's lesson.

President Carter's topic for today is Creation Groaning - The labor, pain and promises of God's emerging creation.  As he goes through the lesson, the President asks questions of us.  All too soon, the lesson ends.

At 11:00 am, Sunday Service starts.  We are all invited to stay and participate.  Reverend Jeremy Shoulta spoke on Paul's message in 1 Corinthians 9:16-23.  The Church does its work best by engaging people and understanding whom they serve.

Following Sunday Service, those in attendance are welcome to have their photo taken with President and Mrs. Carter.

Eric & I are honored
to meet President
& Mrs. Carter.






This was a "red-letter day" for Eric and me.  We attended President and Mrs. Carter's church, sat in on the President's Sunday School lesson and met them.

President and Mrs. Carter served our country well from 1977 to 1981.  Since leaving the White House, they started the Carter Center which establishes village health care delivery systems and pioneers public health approaches to fight neglected diseases in Latin America and Africa. The Center works to strengthen international standards for human rights.  In an effort to strengthen democracies, the Center has sent observers to 99 elections in 38 countries. Since 1984, the President and Mrs.Carter have worked with Habitat for Humanity to build simple, decent housing for low income people.

Still, President and Mrs. Carter have time to give to their church and welcome visitors from all over the United States and the world to Plains, Georgia.