BORUM CONTINUES MINISTRY AT AGE 96

Ninety years separated the ages of the minister and the baptismal candidate at Iona Baptist Church, July 16.

Rev. S. S. Borum, retired Baptist minister, age 96, baptized Jalana Jo Johnson, age 6. Jalana is a family friend of Borum and was led to Christ by him.

Borum just completed his tenure as interim pastor at Iona, and the baptism of Jalana was his last official action. Rev. Dan Pate is the new Pastor at Iona. Borum is a member of Bethany Baptist Church in Cape Girardeau.

Borum began his ministry when he was licensed Sept. 15, 1926. After proving himself, as he puts it, he was ordained Aug. 12, 1928 by the First Baptist Church, Marion, Ill.

Borum attended Southwestern Baptist Seminary, Ft. Worth, Texas 1940-1943. In his 74-year career he has pastored churches in Illinois at Salem, Anna, Crab Orchard and West Frankfort. In Missouri he has pastored churches in Perryville, Cape Girardeau and Elvins. In his pastorate at Red Star in Cape Girardeau, the church had an attendance one Sunday of over 800.

Borum's wife, Beulah, and he were married Sept. 9, 1933; she died Aug 7, 1995. They had three sons, Don, Ted and Gary. Ted is deceased.

Borum, though retired, stays active in the ministry. He preaches at churches in the absence of their pastors, and he serves as interim pastor at churches without pastors. He is a regular visitor at the hospitals in Cape, and he has a monthly program at the Lutheran Home.

Borum had to stop driving a few years ago, and Jo Leadbetter has been driving Borum to his hospital visits and other ministerial duties. She is the grandmother of the baptismal candidate, Jalana Johnson.