Ron Nored

This article is about the pastor, for his son, the basketball player, see Ronald Nored, Jr. Ronald E. Nored (born August 30,1960; died October 11, 2003) was pastor of Bethel AME Church in Ensley and a co-founder and executive director of Bethel-Ensley Action Task (BEAT).

Nored played baseball at Lane College in Tennessee and worked as a television news anchor before becoming a pastor. In 1987 he took the pulpit at Bethel AME Church, in Ensley's Sandy Bottom community. In 1991 he and Clarence Brown formed BEAT to organize the neighborhood's revitalization. Through that group's efforts, more than 40 new houses were constructed, transforming the community into what is now called Sandy Vista.

Nored was honored as Birmingham Citizen of the Year and received a Martin Luther King, Jr American Dream Award. Following a trip to South Africa in 2002, Nored was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He died in 2003, survived by his wife, Linda, and sons, Randall and Ronald Jr.

The Ron Nored Award for Community Revitalization, given each year at the A. G. Gaston Conference, is named in his honor.

Publications

• Nored, Ron (1999) Reweaving the Fabric: How Congregations and Communities Can Come Together to Build Their Neighborhoods. Montgomery: Black Belt Press. ISBN 1881320502
• Schlabach, Mark (April 5, 2010) "Father's memory inspires Butler's Nored" ESPN.com

References

• Montgomery, Robert (October 2003) "Lessons from the Life of Rev. Ron E. Nored, Sr". Greater Birmingham Ministries