Church meets at Fort Rucker
February 24, 2010
by George Merritt
FORT RUCKER, Ala. (BNc) – In the 68-year history of Fort Rucker, this is the first time churches of Christ have conducted worship on post. In fact, Christian families in the military say it is rare for our brotherhood to be so represented on military installations.
George Merritt, a long-time minister in Southeast Alabama, and CW4 James Baker have both been certified by the U. S. Army to lead the 1:30 p.m. worship each Sunday afternoon at Rucker’s historic Wings Chapel.
“We are targeting some 4,000 student soldiers here, especially those affiliated with the church of Christ,” says Merritt. Read more
Elder sews blankets for Amerindian babies
February 21, 2010
by Glenda Williams
SUMMERDALE, Ala. (BNc) — Ralph Adams, elder for eight years at the Summerdale church, Summerdale, Ala., is a maker of baby blankets.
“I heard Jerry Davidson say he needed baby blankets for Guyana. My wife had crocheted for years, and I asked Jerry if he needed cloth blankets and he said he did. I knew that was something I could do. I came from a family of four boys and our mother always sewed,” stated Adams.
He buys good quality sheets at yard sales for $2-3 dollars each, or at stores with good discounts. People also give him material they aren’t going to use. One bedroom is so full of material that they can’t use the bed, he said. Adams cuts the material into strips 4″ x 39″ and alternating prints, or prints with solids, sews them together for his finished blankets, 36″ x 42″ or 42″ x 48.”
“They don’t have to be exact, and all the same size,” Adams stated.
Sometimes he cuts out rectangles 5 ½” x 7 ½” and sews them together, so all the blankets won’t look the same.
When asked what kind of machine he has, he quickly replied, “Oh, I have five machines.” Read more
Ralph David Underwood dies at 81
February 16, 2010
FLORENCE, Ala., (BNc) — Ralph David Underwood, 81, of Florence, Ala., passed away Feb. 12. He was born in 1928 in Colbert County, Ala., to Robert and Elizabeth Underwood.
Underwood earned degrees from Freed-Hardeman College, Harding College and Harding Graduate School of Religion.
He began his preaching ministry at age 20. He ministered throughout the U.S. and held full-time preaching positions in Comanche, Okla., Germantown, Tenn., and Sheffield, Ala.
He served as a missionary throughout the Caribbean and in West Africa and served as an elder at Chisholm Hills Church of Christ in Florence, AL for 25 years. Underwood was also Professor of Bible at Heritage Christian University for 35 years. Read more
Carolyn Sanders Benson dies at 69
February 4, 2010
MONTGOMERY, Ala. (BNc) – Carolyn Benson died on Wednesday afternoon, Feb. 3, in a city hospital. She died minutes before surgery on her shoulders was to have begun.
Carolyn was the widow of Byron Benson, a faithful gospel preacher who died Aug. 24, 2009. They had been married for 52 years. She was 69.
Carolyn was a talented person. She loved to paint. She developed educational material for the Grady, Ala., congregation where she and Byron had labored for 36 years.
She had retired from her position at the Faulkner University Library. Read more
Bible teacher brings in students
January 25, 2010
by Glenda Williams
GENEVA, Ala. (BNc) — Her name is Janice Helms. I met her two years ago when we moved to Geneva, Ala., to work with the church. My husband Douglas was hired to be the full-time preacher.
Geneva is a small Southern town approximately seven miles from the Florida line. I have commented that Geneva is a “well-kept secret.” We have a Wal-Mart, but far greater than that, we have Janice Helms.
At the time we moved to Geneva in Jan., 2008, Janice was our only small children’s Bible class teacher. We had one class, and lots of the time just one little girl in that class. Still, Janice continued to teach because of her love for the children and her love for the Lord. Today when she talks about the Lord and his church, a radiant smile spreads across her face. She often says, “We serve an awesome God.” Read more
Christian sculptor leaves imprint on community
September 10, 2009
by Brenda Robertson Dennis, reprinted, with permission, from Montgomery Living
Local sculptor Clydetta Fulmer is preserving moments, and sometimes the legacy of a lifetime, in bronze.
It could be a biased opinion, but for some reason it seems that the South continues to churn out artists of extraordinary skill and insight. It could be due in part to the glorious settings where they choose to create their masterpieces. Sometimes these places of inspiration appear to have been ripped from the pages of a classic Southern novel, complete with white sprawling porches, dripping tree moss and tiny cemeteries of unknown age resting lazily in a side yard. Read more
The opportunity in our driveway
July 30, 2009
A BNc exclusive by Glenda Williams
July 29, 2009
GENEVA, Ala. (BNc) – Yesterday, the doorbell rang and I answered it to find Ann, one of our older ladies from church, returning something she had borrowed. I looked outside to see how she had come and saw her male friend sitting in the car.
We visited a few minutes, and I told her I would go out with her and speak to Ray. I have watched him come with her to the services of the church for a year and a half, when he was visiting, and knew he was not a member.
She and I stood at his car door and talked with him. I wondered how I might set up a Bible study, and then bravely asked, “Ray, what are you religiously?” Read more
Alabama church’s future uncertain
March 10, 2009
by Paul Cockrell
RAGLAND, Ala. (BNc) — The number of saints is falling in many congregations these days. No more so than in the rural areas and small towns of the U.S.
For one small church in an east-central Alabama town, already suffering from residents moving to bigger cities, a weekend tragedy has caused an uncertain future. Read more
Zorns recovering from traffic accident
March 4, 2009
by Paul Cockrell, Munford, Ala.
SYLACAUGA, Ala. (BNc) – After two weeks in a Birmingham hospital, Frances Zorn, wife of Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes founder Jack Zorn, came home from the hospital on Wednesday. Read more
Minister Clifford Smith passes
August 19, 2008
Minister Clifford M. Smith passed away the morning of Aug. 15 at age 89 in Searcy, Ark. Read more