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Church Changes Name

By Jan Barnett
Friday, April 3, 2015 | 1:04 PM
https://hbtv.us/news/?story_id=2588

A Bear Creek church, which began in the early 1800s, is getting a name change. Bear Creek Methodist Church has changed its name to Bear Creek Community Church.

Members of the congregation recently voted to change from “Methodist” to “Community” because they didn’t think their name reflected who they were as a congregation. “We want anyone in our community, who wants to follow Christ, to be welcome here,” said Buford Arnold. Arnold, a retired school superintendent, grew up in the church and recently returned to worship there after living out-of-state for a number of years. “Although I have been a lifelong Methodist, I feel like our church is here for the whole community and we want our name to show that,” Arnold said.

The church, located in downtown Bear Creek, is housed in a building built in 1946. Members of the congregation planted cotton and used the proceeds from its sale to build the present church. “The early members worked together to build the building and be a part of the Bear Creek Community,” said Arnold.

Over the past few years the church has undergone other changes including the installation of a state-of-the-art steeple and chimes. The steeple, erected in 2013, was dedicated to Dr. Belon Friday, a former pastor of the church and a Bear Creek native. Funds for the steeple and chimes were donated by the estate of Dr. Attie Fleming, a member who passed away and donated his estate to the church, Phillips High School and Auburn University.

Winfield native Fred Weeks was recently named pastor of the church. Weeks and his wife, Wanda, have been in pastoral positions in a number of states. “The trend in churches today is not to be called by any denomination. We are all Christians and now our name shows that we are part of this community, where all are welcome, said Bro. Fred.

For more information contact Bro. Fred Weeks at 256-383-3594 or Jan Barnett at 205-269-9481.

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