Public Fork Christian Church - CHURCH HISTORY PAGE

HISTORY OF THE PUBLIC FORK CHRISTIAN CHURCH

For the history buffs among us, here are the minutes of the first business meeting of the Public Fork Christian Church:

April 10, 1921

The Public Fork people met in the old store house at J. J. Jones' at 7:30 PM according to appointment for the purpose of organizing a congregation to be known as the Public Fork Christian Church. The sermon being "The Jerusalem Church". After the sermon by Brother J. L. McKenney the invitation was extended and the following men and women came forward and their names were entered as charter members:
A. P. Shelton, Harry H. Shelton, Willard Shelton (These three were from Richmond Third Church), Mr. & Mrs. J. J. Jones, Mr. & Mrs. J. L. Jones, Mr. & Mrs. H. A. Jones, J. W. Jones, A. F. Jones, George H. Fitz, R. D. Fitz, Mrs. Z. B. Holloway, Mrs. J. W. Burks, Mr. & Mrs. D. L. Clements, and Mr. & Mrs. I. N. Toombs.
After which the following officers were elected and set apart by special prayer for their general duties:
A. F. Shelton and D. L. Clements as Elders
Lewis Jones, J. F. Duffy, and I. N. Toombs as Deacons.
Meeting adjourned. Prayer by Brother J. L. McKenney.
A. F. Shelton, Clerk
... and the minutes of the second business meeting:


April 17, 1921

The Public Fork Christian Church closed its first series of meetings at 7:30 PM held in the old store house at Brother J. J. Jones'. The following men and women were added to the Church in the past week by confession, baptism and statement:
Mr. & Mrs. J. L. Jones, J. F. Duffy, Mrs. A. E. Toombs, Mrs. H. M. Toombs, Mr. & Mrs. A. H. Watts, Willie Jones, Mr. & Mrs. L. J. Toombs, Mrs. W. T. Evans, Miss Odell Carden, Miss E. Scott Daniel, B. G. Smith, C. A. Boswell, Sterling Holloway, John Holloway, Mr. & Mrs. Belt Cook, F. A. Daniel, Miss Florence Jones, Mr. & Mrs. J. E. Guthrie, Mrs. Joseph Griles, Mrs. F. F. Cook, Mrs. Herman Tharp, S. H. Smith, S. A. Tharp, Mr. & Mrs. T. A. Tharp.
The church called Brother J. L. McKenney to preach for us, with $10.00 as a minimum salary for each month.
Adjourned by prayer.
Rejoicing over the great blessing.
A. F. Shelton, Clerk

P.S. Wanted services third Sunday in each month.
Public Fork Christian Church
May 15, 1921

After a sermon by J. L. McKenney the Church went into business session. The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved. Under the heading of new business Brother J. Louis Jones placed in nomination for Trustee of the Public Fork Christian Church the following men:
A. Fox Shelton, D. L. Clement, and L. J. Toombs.
They were elected.
The Trustees took their business in hand and the Building Committee having contracted to have one acre of land of Mr. & Mrs. Henry Daniel on the road near Public Fork Schoolhouse on the east side, half mile east.
Mr. & Mrs. Daniel, and the Trustees, went to Charlotte Court House and had the deed transferred from Mr. & Mrs. Daniel to the Trustees named above, and the Court recognized A. F. Shelton, D. L. Clement, and L. J. Toombs as Trustees, and appointed same.
This May 9, 1921 whereupon the Building Committee proceeded to have a well put down and the lumber gathered together to erect a Church building.
A. F. Shelton, Clerk
A frame church building was erected in 1922.

The building was remodeled in 1952.

An Educational addition was added in 1966.

The parsonage was built adjacent to the Church building in 1953.

The following ministers have served the Public Fork Christian Church:

Mr. J. L. McKenney

Mr. Alvin Reynolds

Mr. Myles Austin

Mr. J. A. Love

Mr. Emerson Brokar

Mr. H. Jackson Darst

Mr. Robert Furgeson

Mr. Dana Hunt

Mr. Earl Spring

Mr. Russell Smith

Mr. Clifton McLawhorn

Mr. Billy H. Smithwick

Mr. Steve Kirkland

Mr. Porter Riner

Mr. Denis M. Fritz (still serving)

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