| Show SMALL TOWNS U. U USA U.S.A. S. S A. A Revitalized Country Church I Economic Role Plays Social By EARLE HITCH Features Long on the road to decline the country church is being revived as an integral force for re-energizing re small rural com corn Acting on the principle that where the community thrives the church also thrives all denominations are backing a widespread campaign t to revitalize ze the country church I Without in any sense from the Christian aims of saving souls and preaching redemption the churches simply are adding an awareness of social and economic responsibility to their mission of sal sal- The concerns of the entire community home family farming farming farming farm farm- ing health become the concerns of or Jf the community church Particularly valuable and instructive instructive instructive tive as models or demonstrations for study are the community plans I Rural America being carried out At Stake by missions of I the Presby Presbyterian erian a and n d Methodist I. I No 4 A churches in the theIn i In a Series mountains of Kentucky Kentucky Ken Ken- tucky and Ten Ten- The Presbyterian Presbyterian Presbyterian Pres Pres- projects are at Morris Fork and Wooton Ky and at Alpine and md Big Lick Tenn The Methodists have community missions at Frakes Ky and Sevierville Tenn A larger community project at Blue Springs Tenn Ienn enn represents the combined parishes parishes parishes par par- of the Methodists Disciples of Christ and Presbyterians Diverse Projects All have much in common but in some things each is unique Blue BlueSprings BlueSprings BlueSprings Springs is the oldest mission and its area is the largest some largest some miles square It has seven churches and four preaching points at neighborhood neighborhood neigh neigh- centers a cooperative store an energetic training program program program pro pro- gram in public health and a continuing continuing continuing con con- series senes of adult education classes in current problems such as farm machinery repair soil conservation conservation conservation conser conser- and home decorations All this represents the life work of ofa a great country preacher He was Paul A. A Doran who went to Blue BlueSprings BlueSprings BlueSprings Springs in 1917 as a divinity school graduate and die died there three years ago go after 28 years e rs spent spelt entirely in that community's community s service I One of his many lasting servIces services serve ices was his homestead plan lie He made home buying his personal I concern Through small loans from a nominal sum held in inI I trust by him the minister made madeI I I it possible for Cor 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 rural living He has known I I II I I I I 1 t c i 1 j I j COMMUNITY ENTERPRISE i J One of oC the leading churches in promoting community development develop develop- J ment is Calvary Presbyterian church above at Big Lick Tenn The church was built by people of the community which consists of only about 50 families Landscaping ing was done by the pastor and farmers II Country country life liCe from childhood and he knows how to farm He can run a tractor plow a contour furrow and help in in the saw mill He has organized organized organ organ- a Big Lick homestead project to aid young men get established on the land and 27 families have been I. I 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 b 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 conservation conservation conservation conserva conserva- 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 forestry for for- estry management Homemaking and home decoration health and child care are studied by the wom worn en There is also a study of the cooperative cooperative cooperative co co- co- co operative movement and committees committees committees commit commit- tees are developing plans for future cooperative undertakings possibly in marketing of home crops processing 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 has a afine afine afine fine community church and playground 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 transportation tation for the farmers who want to send things to market mark t and have things bought for them in town Very few of the people ha have ve cars and their usual means of travel is by mule b back a c k Wooton also has a circulating liL li- li L u L I ine me oi om a demonstration aemon- aemon 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 saving and better farming is going on at Alpine Morris Fork Frakes and Sevierville The programs programs programs pro pro- grams 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 ot acres A trained forester and an expert farmer make those enterprises produce produce produce pro pro- 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 community's com corn 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 of the communities communities com corn at Frakes Morris Fork and Sevierville all of which have vastly improved their ways of living because practical economic plans for conserving the land and finding more useful employment for surplus surplus surplus sur sur- sur- sur plus labor have been made principal aims in the community plan The pastors of course have not neglected neglected neg neg- their religious duties They simply have added economic concerns concerns concerns con con- cerns to their other responsibilities The Th next article will Ivill tell lell of th the im important or taut tant com community development plan now OW being carried on in fit five counties centering centering center center- ing around Tupelo elo Miss Mist The Tupelo plan is one of the most ambitious that Ihal has hils been undertaken anywhere in the unfold unfolding old old- ins ing rural life movement |
