Special to The Journal

Raymond Franklin, pastor at Rock Elvy Missionary Baptist Church in Shady Grove, recently earned an Associate of Arts degree in Bible and Theology and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Bible and Pastoral Ministry.

In addition to being a pastor and working a full-time job at Sikorsky Aircraft Manufacturing in Troy as a Senior Aircraft Processor, Franklin attended Selma University after work and on weekends, earning those degrees from the fully-accredited Selma University School of Seminary in May 2012.

Franklin is a 1976 graduate of Goshen High School and served in the National Guard from 1976 to 2000 in the transportation division.  Franklin retired from Appleton Wire in Montgomery as an industrial electrician after graduating from Trenholm Technical College.

He has also been active in the church after answering the call to the ministry in 1997 under the late Rev. H.L. Price.  Franklin began serving Rock Elvy as pastor in 1999.

Both Franklin and his church are active in the Alabama State Missionary Baptist Convention and the Southeast District Baptist State Convention.  In January 2012, Franklin was nominated and elected Moderator of the Helicon Baptist District Association, in which ten churches are in this district located in Pike and Crenshaw counties.

He married Sarah Stringer in 1977, and their daughter Paula and granddaughter Ashlyn reside in Chicago.

In addition to fulfilling his duties as husband, father, grandfather, employee and Pastor, he enjoys Atlanta Braves baseball, Alabama football, reading, walking and family outings.

This Fall, Franklin will be returning to seminary, enrolling in the Master’s Program of Divinity.