The Christian Church Leadership Foundation continues to make steady progress in increasing access to Christian education resources for people of the Greater Cincinnati region. The most recent action involved the ceremonial placing of the first books on the shelves of the relocated George Mark Elliott Library.
The Elliott Library was formerly located on the campus of Cincinnati Christian University, which closed at the end of 2019. The library is now located not far away at the Christian Church Leadership Center in Florence, Ky. The CCL Center opened last year to house three key CCU legacy ministries—the Elliott Library, the Russell School of Ministry, the Christian Church Leadership Network—and serve as hub of ministry education and church support in the region.
This is how the CCL Foundation website described the event:
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On Wednesday, January 6, team members of the Christian Church Leadership Foundation met in the Bible & Theology Room of the Christian Church Leadership Center in Florence, Kentucky, to place the first books on the library shelves.
All three books were Bibles with historical significance to CCU alumni and friends. Dr. David Fincher, CCL Foundation president, opened the gathering, welcomed those watching in person and online, and introduced Jim Lloyd, director of library services.
Mr. Lloyd explained the significance of each Bible that would be placed on the shelves. One Bible had belonged to longtime Hebrew and Old Testament professor Wilke Winter, given to him by his father on Christmas Day, 1939. Another belonged to esteemed professor Lewis Foster, who taught at CCU for years and served on the first translation team of the New International Version Bible.
The third Bible belonged to Professor R.C. Foster, one of the founders of Cincinnati Bible Seminary. When the library was moved on campus from the Administration Building to the new Crouch Building in the fall of 1968, Professor Foster led a parade of students across campus, carrying a stack of books under his left arm and a Bible under his right arm. In a fitting ceremony, Professor Foster placed the Bible as the first book in the library shelves, indicating its significance and foundation to the mission of the college.
Following this explanation, Mr. Lloyd placed all three Bibles on a shelf in the Elliott Library, equating the act to the laying of a building’s cornerstone. The Word of God will be the foundation and cornerstone of both the Elliott Library and the Christian Church Leadership Foundation. A closing prayer was offered by Shawn McMullen, vice president of partner relations for CCLF.
A more formal dedication of the Elliott Library will be held at the CCL Center in Florence near the end of the year, once the library is completely set up and we’re able to gather again safely.
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The CCLF website includes several pictures from last week’s ceremony, along with historical photos from 1968.
Library director Jim Lloyd has asked for help in placing more than 45,000 additional volumes on the shelves of the Elliott Library over the next few weeks. Those willing to assist are asked to contact him at [email protected].
Read our December 2020 article for more about the Christian Church Leadership Foundation’s first-year accomplishments.
Read more about some of the planning and early work in moving the George Mark Elliott Library in our article from January 2020.
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