Show f 1 L TOWNS U. U USA U.S.A. S. S A. A 4 fl vitalized v e Country Church t a ys S Social Economic Role By EARLE HITCH HITCHI I Features ncr Mpg on the road to decline the country church is being i j g B td d d as an integral force for re-energizing re small rural com com- f ses ties Acting on the principle that where the community i a s s the church also thrives all al d denominations nominations are back back- i 1 widespread campau campaign n to revitalize the countr Y church 1 it t in any any sense departing Ung I ie he e Christian aims of saving ed Ld preaching redemption the Jai simply are adding an ess of social and economic ability to their mission of sal- sal The concerns of the entire t alty ty home family farm- farm alth become the concerns community church valuable and Instructs ts u models or demonstrations for study are the community plans being carried out by missions of the Presbyterian a and n d Methodist No 4 churches in the I 0 Series mountains of Kent Kentucky Ken Ken- r t J tucky and Ten The Presan Preset Pres Pres- I tt rim et an projects are at Morris f tied Wooton Ky and at Alpine Alpin Bg Lick Tenn The Methodists community missions at Frakes and Sevierville Tenn A larger mity Eity project at Blue Springs represents the combined par- par j iii of at the Methodists Disciples of it and Presbyterians Diverse Projects have ha much in common but In ine e things each in unique Blue Blues bs gs s is the oldest mission and area is the largest some largest some a square It has seven churches four aur preaching points at neigh neigh- rod centers a cooperative an energetic training pro- pro in public health and a conns con con- ns series of adult education i x ENTERPRISE One of the leading leadin churches in community develop- develop lI at is Js Calvary Presbyterian n nuch uch above at Big i Lick Tenn church was built by people of to community which consists of about 50 families S was done by the pastor and l i ses les in current problems such as machinery repair soil conser- conser jon tion on and home decorations fl 10 this represents the life work of I I great teat country preacher He was wasI I Jl A A. A Doran who went to Blue Bluel l ri pugs gS in to 1917 as a divinity school and died there three years b 0 after 28 years spent entirely in int at t community's service t k One of his many lasting Ices Ices ces Ras as his homestead plan lie He made home buying his personal Concern Through small loans from torn a nominal sum held in trust fust by him the minister made madet It t possible for 20 families in his communIty to become owners of their heir own farms The The he pastor at Big Lick is both dent lent and articulate in behalf of ler rural living He has known miry entry life from childhood and he vis how to farm He can run a clor plow a contour furrow and lp Jp p in the saw mill mall He has organ- organ d 1 a Big Lick homestead project aid nd young men men get established on one onland e land and 27 families have been listed isted in buying farms since 1940 lis us s pastor is Eugene Smathers preached ably 10 3 0 has written and out jut rural economic problems and md J who has supplied the leadership which has made Big Lick a better place to live and work Promote Health One of Big Licks Lick's finest public services is its community health clinic There is a building specially constructed for it in a grove adjoining adjoining adjoining ad ad- joining the church yard A graduate nurse is stationed there to aid in guarding the health of the people and to assist In emergencies Big Lick also has a soil conserva conservation conservation conservation tion program and is carrying on adult education and demonstrations in fertilizing crop rotation better livestock breeding introduction of new fruits and plants and good forestry forestry for for- estry management Homemaking and home decoration health and child care are studied by the wom wom- en There is also a study of the cooperative cooperative cooperative co co- co- co operative movement and committees committees commit commit- tees are developing plans for future cooperative undertakings possibly in marketing of home crops processing processing processing proc proc- essing and a credit union Big Lick has Its own machinery pool including including including ing a tractor a hammer mill and a saw mill Build Own Church Wooton community under the ministry of Benton Deaton Beaton has a afine afine afine fine community church and playground playground play play- ground built by the people them them- selves In the recreation center the children of the neighborhood have a place to enjoy their games and the whole community has Its picnics and outdoor religious gatherings Wooton owns a cooperative truck which provides transportation transportation tation for the farmers who want to send things s to market and have things bou bought ht for them in town Very few of the people have ha cars and their usual means of travel is by mule back Wooton also has a B circulating li library library U- U the beginnings of a demonstration demonstration demon demon- farm and a training course In handicrafts and cottage industries industries industries indus indus- tries for both men and women Similar work especially In health soil sOli saving and better farming Is going on at Alpine Morris Morns Fork Frakes and Sevierville The programs programs pro pro- grams vary according to local needs peeds and the resources that can be put to use Products Productive e c Enterprises For example the parish at Alpine ia la the owner of a forest of 1500 acres and a farm of acres A trained forester and an expert farmer make those enterprises produce produce pro pro- produce duce earnings and furnish examples examples examples exam exam- ples for other farm and woodlot owners The Alpine program is in charge of the head of the mission the Rev Bernard M M. Taylor and Mr Taylor has made the mission responsible for developing the community's com full resources through the activities of the citizens themselves and their labors are being reflected and more and more in better health living The same can be said of the com com- at Frakes Morris Fork and Sevierville all of which have vastly improved their ways of living Jiving because practical economic plans for conserving the land and finding more useful employments for surplus surplus sur sur- plus labor have been made principal aims alms In the community plan The pastors of course have not neglected neglected neg neg- their religious duties They simply have added economic concerns concerns con con- cerns to their other responsibilities The next article u will til tell o oj othe the im important irn- irn community development plan lan now lOW being carried arr ed on in in title five counties centering around Tupelo Mur The Tb TU Tupelo elo plan pia is s one o 0 of the most ambitions ambitious ambi ambi- that has bas been bee undertaken anywhere anywhere any any- where in i the Ibl unfolding m rural life more moio- ment mente |