Show SMALL TOWNS U US S A revitalized country church plays social EA economic economic co R role ole by EARLE HITCH features long on the road to decline the country church is being revived as an integral force for re energizing small rural communities muni ties acting on the principle that where the community thrives the church also thrives all denominations are backing a widespread campaign to revitalize the country church in any sense departing from the christian alms of saving souls and preaching redemption the churches simply are adding an awareness ot of social and econom economic id responsibility to their mission of as salvation the concerns of the entire community home family farming health become the concerns ot of 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 ot of kentucky I 1 and tennessee the by terian projects ta a are re at morris fork foik 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 blue springs tenn represents the combined parishes she of the methodists disciples of carl christ st and presbyterians rians diverse projects all have much in common but in some things each in ti unique blue springs is the oldest mission and its area is is the largest some miles square it has seven churches and four preaching points at neighborhood centers a cooperative store an energetic training program in public health and a continuing series of adult education K ik COMMUNITY enterprise one of the lie leading churches in promoting community development Is calvary presbyterian church above at big lick tenn the church was built by people of the community which cons consists isis ot of only about 50 families landscaping was done by the pastor and farmers classes in current problems such as a 8 farm machinery repair soil conservation and home decorations all this represents the life work of a great country preacher he was paul A doran who went to blue springs in 1617 1917 as a divinity school graduate and died there three years ago after 28 years spent entirely in that a service ervice one of his many lasting services was wag his homestead plan ile he made home buying his bis personal concern through small loans from a nominal sum held in ID trust by him the minister made it possible impossible 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 0 better rural living he has known country life from childhood and lie knows how to farm he can run a tractor plow a contour furrow and help in the saw mill 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 arms since 1940 this pastor is eugene smathers who has written and preached ably about rural economic problems and who has supplied the leadership lea der which has made big lick a place to live and work promote health one of big licks finest public services Is its community health clinic there Is a building specially clany 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 assisi in emergencies big lick also has a soil conservation 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 management homem homemaking a king and home decoration health and child care 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 c crops ro ps processing and a credit union big lick has its own machinery pool including a tractor a hammer milli mill and a saw mill build own church wooton community under the ministry of benton deaton has b aa a fine community church and playground built by the people themselves th em in the recreation center the children of 0 the neighborhood have a place to enjoy their games and the whole community has its picnics and outdoor religious gatherings wooton wooten owns a cooperative truck which provides transportation for the farmers who want to send things to market and have things bought for them in town very few of the he people 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 cottage industries tor for both men and women especially in health soil saving and better farming Is a going on at alpine morris fork frakes and sevierville Sevi erville the programs vary ac cording according to local needs and the resources that can be put to use productive enterprises for example the parish at alpine alpin a Is the owner of a forest ot of 1 1500 5 00 acres and a farm of acres A trained forester and an expert farmer make those enterprises produce earnings and furnish examples for other farm and woodlot owners the alpine program Is in charge of the head of the mission the rev hev bernard M taylor and mr taylor has made the mission responsible tor for developing the com e om mun itys full resources through the activities of the citizens themselves end and their labors are being reflected more and more in better health and living the same can be said of the communities muni ties at frakes morris pork fork and sevierville Sevi erville all of which have vastly ve uy improved their ways of living livin r because practical economic plans for conserving the land and finding more useful employments tor s surplus labor have been made principal ir igi aims 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 tell lell ol of the important comman community carriey I 1 I 1 devel development meni plan now how being carried on in an five ve t coun counties ies centering around tupelo Ti itelo miss tie the 1 tupelo plan Is one of me fhe most moss ambitious that has haj been undertaken anywhere in the unfolding rural life hie movement |