Show SMALL TOWNS USA US A revitalized country church plays social E economic role by EARLE HITCH creatures rea tures long on the road to decline the country church Is bein being 9 revived as an integral force for re energizing small rural communities muni ties acting on the principle that where the comm community unity thrives the church also thrives all denominations are backing a widespread campaign to revitalize the country church without in any sense departing f from the christian alms of saving souls and preaching redemption the churches simply are adding an ow awareness arness of social and economic responsibility to their mission of salvation the concerns of the entire community home family forming farming health become the concerns of tle the community church particularly valuable and instructive as models or demonstrations tor for study are the community plans rural america being carried out at stake by missions of the presbyterian and methodist no 4 churches in the in a series mountains of kentucky and tennessee the presbyterian by terian projects are at morris fork and wooton ky and at alpine and big lick tenn the methodists have community missions at frakes ky and Sevi sevierville erville tenn A larger community project at bluesprings blue springs tenn represents the combined parishes of the methodists disciples of christ and presbyterians rians diverse projects all have much in common but in some things each in unique blue blua springs cpr I 1 Is the oldest mission and its alej area Is s tho the largest some miles square it has seven churches and four preaching points at neighborhood centers a cooperative store tin an energetic training program in public he health alth and a continuing series of adult education COMMUNITY enterprise E t v one of the leading churches in promoting community gom development I 1 calvary presbyterian church above at big lick tenn the church was built by people of the community which consists of only about BO 50 families landscaping was done by the past pastor or and farmers classes in current problems such as fart farm n machinery repair soil conservation and home decorations all this represents the life work of a great country preacher ile he was paul A doran who went to blue springs in 1917 1017 as a divinity school graduate and died there three years ago after 28 years spent entirely in that at service one ona of his many lasting ices was his homestead plan lie ile made homo home buying his personal concern through small loans from a nominal sum held in trust by him the minister made it possible for 20 families in his community to become owners of their own farms the pastor at big lick Is both ardent and articulate in behalf of better beater rural living ile he has known country life from childhood and he knows how to farm ile he can run a tractor plow a contours contour furrow and help in the saw mill ile he has organized a big lick homestead project to aid young men get established on the land and 27 families have been assisted in buying farms since 1940 this pastor Is eugene smathers who has written and preached ably about rural economic problems and who has supplied the leadership which has made big lick a better place to live and work promote health one of big licks finest public services Is its community health clinic there is a building spec specially lauy constructed for it in a grove adjoining 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 conservation program and is A carrying on adult education and demonstrations in fertilizing crop rotation better livestock breeding introduction of new fruits and plants and good forestry management homemaking and home decoration health and child care car carcare eare are studied by the women there Is also a study of the cooperative movement and committees are developing plans for future cooperative undertakings possibly in marketing of home crops processing and a credit union big lick has its own machinery pool including a tractor a hammer mill and a saw mill build own church wooton community under the ministry of benton deaton h has a s a fine community church and playground built by the people themselves 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 for the farmers who want to send things to market and have things bought for them I 1 in n town viry very few of the peo people pi have cars and their usual means of travel Is by mule back wooton also has a circulating library the beginnings of a demonstration farm and a training course in handicrafts and cottages cottage indus tries tor for both men and woman women similar borki ork In health w especially t soil soil i s saving in g and better I 1 farming tar un ming is going on at alpine morris fork frakes and Sevi sevierville erville the programs vary according to local needs and the resources that can be put to use productive enterprises for example the parish at alpine Is the owner of a forest of 1500 acres and a farm of acres A trained forester and an expert farmer make those enterprises produce earn earnings and furnish examples for other farm and woodlot owners the alpine program program is in charge of the head of the mission tho the rev bernard M taylor and mr taylor has made the mission responsible for developing the com mun itys full resources through the activities of the citizens themselves and their labors are being reflected more and more In better health and living the same can be said ol of the communities muni ties at frakes morris fork and sevierville Sevi erville au all of which have vastly improved their ways of living because practical economic plans for conserving the land and finding more useful employments for surplus labor have been made principal alms in the community plan the pastors of course have not neglected their religious duties they simply have added economic concerns to their other responsibilities the next article will atvill tell of the important comm community unify develop development men plan now behig ol 01 on il in live colin counties lies centering ceciley ing around tupelo miss the tupelo tu 10 plan is as one odthe 0 most ambitious ambilio lio that has bas been beell undertaken auy any chirs whirs in ah the v unfolding rural life move men I 1 |