HARTFORD, Ala (BNc) — An early morning fire destroyed the Hartford Church of Christ building Sunday morning, January 15, 2012. Jim Simmons, local preacher for the church, stated he received a call around 3:00 a.m. that the building was on fire. Although the cause of the fire is under investigation by the state fire marshal, some think it started from an electrical shortage. The small congregation of approximately 15 members is meeting in a nearby trailer until a new building is erected.

Hartford is a small city, located in lower Alabama, populated with 2,624 people. The church building is located at 801 Commerce Street. For more information contact Jim Simmons at 334-886-3202 or Terry Whaley at 334-701-9690.

ELBA, Ala (BNc) — For years, the church in Elba, Alabama had a small pantry housed in a closet, but they were never able to feed the hungry as they do now.

Recently the church built a family-life annex complete with a spacious kitchen and dining area, classrooms, restrooms, and a large pantry. Located right behind the church building, the annex is convenient to the offices of the church’s minister and secretary. Although the new construction allowed them to continue dispensing food from the pantry to the hungry who came seeking, it didn’t take long for the church members to see the need to step up their efforts in feeding the hungry.

The church decided to qualify as distributors of food from the Food Bank in Dothan, Alabama. The food bank receives near out-of-date food from different grocery chains. The stores donate, or sell, the food to the bank to be given to those in need. To qualify as distributors, certain members had to attend an all-day class to learn rules and regulations about dispensing the food. Following the class, they were allowed to begin buying food from the bank for as little as ten cents a pound.

Once the initial steps were taken, other members of the church began to get involved. Three freezers were donated to the pantry by individual members of the church. Others agreed to make the trip to purchase the food once or twice a month, and some volunteered to work in the pantry.

Today members meet regularly to fill boxes with canned vegetables, fruits, meats and other staple items. Three different size boxes are used for packaging. Large boxes are filled for a family with three children. Medium boxes are filled for a smaller family, and a small box is filled for a single person living alone. If a family has more than three children they are given a large and a small box of food.

The church never knows what items they will get when they make the trip to purchase food. In June they bought 781 pounds for $117.15. Sometimes they get roasts, hamburger meat, and bread, which they freeze and dispense when a person comes for food. Just as the church never knows what will be available to purchase, the person who is asking for food does not know what will be in their box. Some who have school children request peanut butter and jelly, or foods suitable for lunch boxes or snacks. The church works to supply families’ needs as best they can.

Pam Crittenden, church secretary, said church members donate items such as peanut butter, jelly, and spaghetti sauce, which they are unable to get from the food bank. She said they also try to keep some easy-t0-open food, such as canned meats and crackers, available for people who come by hungry. Money is donated to make purchases, as needed, to help the less fortunate.

The minister, Philip Box, enjoys taking time to talk to the people who come and reports finding them receptive. Some have subsequently attended worship as a result of the love and kindness of the church. When asked if the people seemed appreciative, the secretary, Pam Crittenden, agreed. “For the most part, most of the time, yes.”

According to Crittenden, the church has given away as many as seven boxes to seven different families in one day. She added that requests for food tends to peak during the latter half of the month. Summing up their efforts, Box commented, “The church has given out several thousand pounds of food this year. This effort has helped to build positive relationships with the community as well as reaching the lost and feeding the hungry.”

DECATUR, Alabama(BNc) — Mike Nix, Minister of the Beltline Church of Christ, Decatur, Alabama since 1998, died today. He was 55 years old. Parkway Funeral Home will announce arrangements.

“I’ve never done anything I am ashamed of.”  Those words were once spoken by my sweet mother who is celebrating her 100th birthday today. 

Eulala Williams was born tenth in a family of eighteen children to Felix and Evie Lee Bryant of Clay County,  Alabama. She grew up and married Grady T. Williams from Elba, Alabama, and lived with him 55 years until his death. Together they had three children – Hoyt, Herschel, and me.  Mother became a Christian when she was 11 years old.

As my brother once commented, “Mama never had a pity-party.”  Eulala Williams’ positive outlook on life, and a strong desire to go to heaven, continues to set an excellent example for my two brothers and me, as well as others who know her.

Jerry O. Davidson, missionary to the Amerindians in Guyana, returned home Monday evening from his latest mission trip. Davidson has been leading groups deep into the Guyana bush to establish the church for 13 years. A team of eight Americans, two Trinidadians and approximately 25 Guyanese, arrived on February 21, for a three week soul-winning effort.

The village of Yupukari in the southern part of Guyana was the first stop on the agenda. The church in Yupukari was established in 2010. After studying the Bible with team members, six people were baptized into Christ. Church members are excited about the 30′ x 60′ church building being built. It is to be completed in May 2011. A graduate of Guyana Christian University will be working with the church.

From Yupukari the team traveled by truck and boat 106 miles to Moruca Village in the North West part of the country. The nine people who were baptized were spread out over a great distance. Plans are to build two church buildings in different locations, so people will not have to travel six to seven miles by foot to worship. One preacher will serve both congregations.

H. M. Latchmenarine, director of the Guyana School of Biblical Studies, plans to go into Moruca Village one Sunday a month to work with the church. This is the home of his wife. The mission team went into the village on Monday and left on Saturday. Latchmenarine and his son stayed in Moruca and held services on Sunday. Approximately 25-30 were present and one was baptized, making a total of fifteen souls for the effort.

Jerry Davidson noted the 30th container of supplies was shipped in February to Guyana. He said clothing and goods from the container will be taken into Moruca Village.

After studying with a team member, Greg and Barbara Francis, former members of the Assembly of God church, were baptized. Greg previously attended a denominational college and is a local shop owner. He is genuinely interested in attending Guyana School of Biblical Studies and becoming a minister of the gospel. Francis and his wife have nine children. 

The next stop for the mission team was Santa Rosa Village, located across the river from Moruca Village. A wooden bridge is built up and over the river for passage. Fourteen thousand people live in the entire Moruca area. Bible studies were held in this seemingly ripe area. Plans are to go back into the area of Santa Rosa and Moruca on the next mission trip, June 27-July 11.

Anyone interested in participating in the next mission effort should contact Jerry Davidson at davidsonjo@aol.com or 251-510-9350, as soon as possible.

A total of 84 members each prayed for 15 minutes over 127 submitted prayer requests.

Members commented on the success of the 5 1/2 hour long prayer chain, he said.

GENEVA, Ala BNc — A new website, http://www.thechurchofchrist.ws has been created by Sonnie Parker (William Roger Parker, Jr.) of Luverne, AL.  Parker is a member of the Sasser congregation where Jeff Grimes is the preacher.

Main highlights of the site are:

• Forums for individual members: For posting comments and questions on various topics and having open study discussions
• Private forums for congregations: The webmaster will work with a congregation to set up private forums for their members.
• Private Women’s forum: Women will have their own private area for teaching and study. Additional forums can be added.
• Blogs: Each member can have their own blog.
• Groups: Members can set up general, congregational, mission and study groups, and may be made public or private.

The Front Page consist of announcements, calendar, Biblical articles, Bible lessons library, tutorials, links to sound commentaries, Christian links, Bible games/quizzes, etc.

Congregations are encouraged to list their group in the online church directory.

The site is completely ad free and donation free. Sonnie Parker hopes this website will be a central site for church growth and is ready to help in any way.

By Glenda Williams, BNc correspondent

GENEVA, Ala (BNc) — Margaret Ann Warren Williams, age 94, of McMinnville, TN (Daylight Community) died Wednesday, January 12, 2011. She was born May 14, 1916, in Warren County, TN, was a homemaker, member of the Earleyville church of Christ and an elder’s wife. Mrs. Williams was preceded in death by parents William Thomas and Willie Mae Sanders Warren, husband Wesley Brown Williams, daughter Martha Ann Williams Gary, grandson Jonathan Brad Williams, great-granddaughter Hannah Harrison, a sister Alma Milligan and step-brother Alex Stone.

Mrs. Williams was the mother of eight children, four boys and four girls. Three of the boys are preachers of the gospel and two sons-in-law. Survivors include her children Donald and Jan Williams, Murfreesboro, TN, Douglas and Glenda Williams, Geneva, AL, Sarah and John Nokes, McMinnville, TN, Linda Frances and Jerry O. Davidson, Daphne, AL, Charles and Dianne Williams, Manchester, TN, William and Wendy Williams, Estill Springs, TN and Janice and Dean Draggoneti, Hendersonville, NC, sister Lou Davis Higgins, Woodbury, TN, brothers Albert and Bob Warren, McMinnville, TN, 26 grandchildren, 26 great-grandchildren and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Funeral service will be at 2:00 p.m., Sunday, January 16, 2011, at McMinnville Funeral Home Chapel. Jerry Davidson and Lynwood Mathis will officiate. Interment will follow at Gardens of Memory. The Williams family will receive friends on Saturday from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. and Sunday from 12:00 noon until 2:00 p.m. at the parlors of McMinnville Funeral Home.

Online condolences may be made at www.mcminnvillefuneralhome.com. Memorial contributions may be made to the Jonathan Brad Williams Memorial Scholarship Fund, C/O Peoples Bank, 1203 Hillsboro Blvd., Manchester, TN 37355.

GENEVA, Alabama (BNc) — The sixth annual preacher’s conference was held in Vyatskiye, Polyany, Russia, September 27-30, 2010. Charles Williams, minister of the New Union church of Christ, Manchester, TN spoke at the four-day conference. This was the third conference in which he has participated.The conference, which is much like a lecture program in the U.S., is provided to give preachers who live great distances an opportunity to get together and study the word of God and get to know each other. Lessons are presented, encouragement is provided and a question and answer period is provided for open participation.

Nineteen from Russia and the Ukraine attended the lecture conference. Six Russians participated in presentations.

Classes were provided for ladies during the conference. Grace Davidson, Manchester, TN and Kathy Murphy, Littleton, CO and niece of Charles Williams, went along and provided excellent teaching. They went into the public schools and taught  Bible principles and facts to high school students in English. Kathy taught the Seven Keys of Excellence that is taught in her children’s school. The students asked her if she could sing and she gladly sang a song for them. Eighteen ladies attended the late afternoon classes held at the Vyatskiye church building.

Williams reports he is seeing the third generation of people in the congregation. “This conference provided more open discussion and there was a better attitude and atmosphere,” Williams said. One participate said, “This was the best conference ever.”

GENEVA, AL (BNc) – Joy Galloway, Kellee Jackson, Maggie Moyer and Wanda Cannon worked all year buying items to be packed and shipped to Panama for the 2010 Operation Christmas Joy project. This year’s backpacks were filled for the school in Santa Fe Darien as well as collected teaching supplies for teachers. 206 backpacks, 71 teacher bags, shoeboxes filled with gifts, medical supplies and other items were packed and shipped from the Geneva church building.

Backpacks were stuffed tightly with school supplies, hygiene items, clothes, toys, candy, and about anything a child living in poverty could ever imagine. Hand gardening tools and packets of seed were included for the parents to grow something to help feed their family. A Spanish New Testament was included in each backpack and teacher’s bag along with a history of Jesus book. The gifts were shipped to the Panama Missions warehouse in Montgomery. 

The 2010 Operation Christmas Joy shipment to Panama was loaded on Friday, October 29, at the Panama Missions’ warehouse in Montgomery and taken to Savannah, GA where it was to be loaded onto an open ship to be transported to Panama.

In early December a group from different parts of the country will arrive in Panama to help distribute joy all over Panama. Calculations were 4,317 shoebox gifts and 1,725 gift bags, plus many dresses, other new and used clothing, Bibles, songbooks, custom cabinets and supplies for clinic and more were in the shipment.

Larry Brady, Director of Panama Missions said, “This is what Christians do. We serve others.” For more information visit www.panamamissions.org.