Curry Church of Christ

History of the Curry Church of Christ

The thought of having a Church of Christ congregation at Curry in Walker County, Alabama, dates to the late 1940's. Several families met Sunday afternoons in homes for a few years. Getting a congregation established was difficult. They disbanded and attended established congregations in the area including Six Avenue of Jasper, Gus Nichols, Preacher.
Brother Nichols saw a great need for a congregation here. To gain support for this, a tent meeting was held at Curry High School football field in the summer of 1970 with Brother Nichols preaching. Large crowds attended each night.
They met the following Sunday to get a census of numbers, support, and to officially establish a congregation. Earl Rigsby, Bruce Myers, Gus Nichols, and Blen McCoy searched to find land. Two and one-half acres were located on Highway 257 near Curry School.
Trustees Blen McCoy, Earl Rigsby, Gus Nichols. Bruce Myers, and J. W. Wood purchased the land from Mrs. P. J. Lowery of Thatch for $2,500. Earl Barnett gathered financial help from other county congregations to get the effort up and going.
Much labor of love was poured into the building construction. Earl Rigsby borrowed equipment from Drummond Company to dig the basement. The Blanton Brothers of Midway laid the basement blocks. Continuing to put in long hours of work until the basement was completed were Earl Rigsby-Atchel Blanton, Blen-Ruth McCoy, Richard-Betty Garrett & children, Kenyon Banks, H. L. Couch, and Brodie Plyler and Crews.
The first assembly was held in the basement the first Sunday of May, 1971, with three classrooms and a small auditorium. Earl Barnett preached. Near seventy members and children were in regular attendance with an average contribution of $225 weekly. Decisions for the congregation were made at a men's meeting until elders were appointed.
The upstairs with auditorium was finished two years later as dedicated members of the congregation and other congregations donated their time and effort to meet this task. Earl Rigsby-H.L. Couch put up the A-frames with a borrowed crane from Drummond Company. Brodie Plyler and crews put on the roof. Buell Dutton-Claude Keaton finished the needed carpentry, masonry, and other construction work. Others working tirelessly included those helping with the basement effort.
Three years after the church was established the following elders were appointed to serve the congregation : Earl Rigsby, John Dutton, Bruce Myers John Pilling and Richard Garrett. The congregation experienced a healthy growth. The preachers who have served this congregation from it's beginning to present and helped in its growth are Earl Barnett, Bill Lyons, Charles Bryan and Dale Hubbert.
Currently the Curry Church under the eldership of Carl Dunagan, Kenneth Whittmore, Keith Johns, and Jimmy Richardson is experiencing a good steady increase in membership and contributions. The average Sunday attendance is 150 with a contribution of $3000. The is very active in bible study classes and programs with the support of the entire membership to gain knowledge and understanding of the scripture. We are arming ourselves to successfully go out in our community teaching others whereby they can know the gospel. With increased effort over the past few years we have become encouraged by the number of community visitors attending our services and events. The church is also very supportive faithfully and financially of several missionaries around the world who speak to us often of their tireless but successful efforts in spreading the gospel to the lost world.