Bonus Episode - A Short History and Outlook of the Prattville Church of Christ

The Prattville church of Christ is located approximately 10 miles north of Montgomery, Alabama in downtown Prattville.  We are a loving and caring community of believers striving to represent the love and compassion of our Lord, Jesus to our community and unto all the world.  

In this episode I present a short history of our congregation.  We invite you to come be a part of our family as together we serve our Lord.

I invite you to follow our podcast and share it with others as together we walk with our Master.

The Prattville family meets at 344 East Main Street, Prattville, AL. Our web site is: https://prattvillechurch.org.

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Transcript

Hello friends, I'm your host Dave Laton and welcome to the podcast, Walking With Our Master, an outreach of the Prattville Church of Christ designed to inform, encourage, and teach as we daily walk with the Master. 

In this episode I want to share with you a short history and outlook of the Prattville Church of Christ.

We are located in the city of Prattville, approximately 10 miles north of Montgomery, Alabama.  In its beginning in the 1920s, the congregation met in member’s homes in the local community and in the original Prattville Courthouse.  Although relatively few in number, the faith of these Christians resulted in the completion in 1938 of a permanent building at its present location at 344 East Main Street in downtown Prattville.  

The congregation received its original monetary and moral support from congregations in the Montgomery area.  Those instrumental in building the original church building were M. B. Myers, Felix Fuller, Joe B. Greer, Leonard Johnson, and Rex A. Turner, Sr. 

Approximately three years after completion of the original building, four classrooms and a baptistery were added.  In 1962, six additional classrooms were added to the rear of the building.  

In 1966, a new auditorium with a seating capacity of 250, a nursery, minister’s study, and library were built on to the existing structure.  As the congregation continued to grow, the decision was made to enlarge the auditorium and to add a new foyer, nursery, and entrance.  Acquisition of surrounding property and other building renovations occurred over the years culminating with the current additional auditorium completed in August, 2004.  The previous facility was converted into an education and fellowship building. 

Over the past years there have been several men serving as elders: Leon Jackson, Harvey Hunt, Jr., S. G. Gray, Jack Hicks, Billy Adair, Harvey Clark, Milton Pendley, Chuck Craun, Raymond Elliott, Clip Knapp, Bob Stacy, and Allen Griffies.  The congregation is currently served by six elders: David Erfman, Marvin Gentry, Reggie Brown, Neal Parker, David Hall, and Sammy Huggins.  

There have also been several ministers for the Prattville church.  The first minister to serve in the original building was Theo Kirkland who remained until 1944.  Other ministers who have served the Prattville church were Leonard Johnson, Clayton Adams, Charles Stidham, Beryl Bodenham, Gordon Stinson, Kelton Whaley, Thomas Weaver, Sol Morgan, E. R. Brannon, S.G. Gray, Ray Dutton, Jimmy Edwards, Jim Bowers, Raymond Elliot, Rusty Adair, and Dr. Donnie Hilliard.  The congregation is currently served by Brent Missildine as the pulpit minister and Jason Green as family and youth minister, and Remmington Afre as the young adult minister.

The members of the congregation continue to work faithfully to teach God’s word to the community and throughout the world.  Primary activities include support for various mission efforts both within the local area and throughout the world, a full program of Bible classes for all age groups, home Bible study groups, visitation programs, food bank, prison ministry, various benevolent programs, visitation teams, special groups for adult fellowship and Bible studies, an active youth group, Lads to Leaders/Leaderettes, and various other ministry areas.  There are many additional areas of work that are quietly carried out by the membership. 

Today the congregation averages between 300 and 400 in weekly attendance.  Concentrating on its faithfulness to the Lord, loving relationships within its membership, and continual outreach into the surrounding community, the congregation looks to continue its spiritual and physical growth for many years to come.  We invite all to come be a part of a thriving community of believers as together we walk with our Master.

I'm your host Dave Laton.  Thank you for joining us in this podcast.  I hope you will continue to do so. If you wish to share with me something from your walk with our Master or you want to learn more, please email me at: walkingwithourmaster@gmail.com.

I invite you to follow our podcast and share it with others as together we walk with our Master.  And until next time, remember, we give all glory to God the Father.