Congregation

On a typical Sunday, the Rev. Tom Hall delivers his message about the gospel of Jesus to about 300 people at the Franklin Avenue Church of the Living God. On a recent trip to Ethiopia, Hall said he spoke before more people than he ever has before, even if you combined 20 years’ worth of Sunday mornings. For eight days, Hall and seven other members of his congregation evangelized in the far reaches of Ethiopia as part of a crusade by the Joshua Campaign International, all the while growing his own faith.

On weekdays, yellow buses are all over area highways, roads and streets carrying students to and from school. But area school kids aren’t the only people riding buses. On weekends and also other times of the week, buses of other colors are transporting church people all over their communities, all over Kentucky and to different parts of the country. These mini-congregations on wheels come from many area churches, especially the larger ones that have the need for and can pay for buses and vans.

Sixteen people from Wilmore Free Methodist Church drove all night on Oct. 14 to Bay St. Louis, Miss., to participate in the hurricane clean-up efforts there. They were hosted by First Presbyterian Church of Bay St. Louis. The pastor there is the father of Lee Alan Roher, a member of the Wilmore congregation. First Presbyterian is the central location of recovery efforts of the Presbyterian Church USA. Pastor Daryl Diddle said in an e-mail message that the group began to see hurricane damage at least 50 to 75 miles inland, and that the devastation along the Gulf shore is unbelievable, even after almost two months.

At his own church in Lynchburg, Va., the Rev. Jerry Falwell speaks to 12,000 people at each Sunday morning service. He has influenced millions around the world as perhaps the best known spokesman for the religious right. But on Friday, the 73-year-old Baptist minister traveled far from his home to encourage a congregation of a few hundred people to give money to build for the future. It is something he does several times a year. This week it was to support Grace Baptist Church in Clark County, which has been led for the past 15 years by its founder, Pastor Pat Finley.

There was an obvious void in the congregation of Stanford Christian Church Sunday. The pew occupied for years by Leroy Boone Sr., his wife, Nancy, and son, Leroy Jr., was vacant of any family members at the morning worship service. Boone lost his battle with cancer Saturday at his home. Few words were spoken of Boone's passing during the service; instead, the congregation decided to help fill the void by doing what Stanford Christian Church's "music man" loved most - raising their voices in song.

If you drive by the Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah Witnesses on Fox Run Trail, you might do a double take at the double name of the church emblazoned in raised lettering on the front of the building. On the left side, it says, "Kingdom Hall of the Jehovah's Witnesses. " On the right side, it says, "Salon del Reino de los Testigos de Jehova. " Does this local congregation have a spilt personality? No, the sign reflects a church with a double duty - to minister to two congregations under the same roof, one English speaking and the other Spanish speaking.

LIBERTY - It's a long and winding drive to get to Rich Hill Christian Church from anywhere. In Casey County, just over the Pulaski County line, the church sits in the middle of farmland tucked away by hills and is a well kept secret. Until recently, that is, when the church was "visited" by what some are calling an unexplained heavenly sighting. "Some say they are calling us the Rainbow Church now," said Debbie Hogue, wife of Pastor Rick Hogue. The two of them sit comfortably in pews, greeting members of the congregation who have shown up on a Wednesday night.

After a 16-month process that involved a profile of congregants, a unanimous recommendation by an ad hoc search committee, and a final election by the parish vestry, Trinity Episcopal Church invited the Rev. Rob Slocum to become its new rector, a position he officially filled in November 2007. Baptized into the Episcopal Church at the age of 5 months, Slocum did not begin his ministry as member of the clergy, but instead in a secular, professional station. He obtained a double major in English and psychology from Vanderbilt University and later earned a law degree from the same institution.

The difference between player and prayer is a single letter. For Larry D. Camic at Harrodsburg Baptist Church, the tiny distinction is fitting. As minister of recreation and outreach for the 900-member congregation, it's his calling to bring the two together. Camic's job got a whole lot easier when the church opened its new recreation center in January. A striking facility that includes basketball courts and a walking track, the gym has become a community focal point. Call it an exercise in faith.

YOSEMITE - A dedication of the newly built Green River Christian Church on Ky. 70 East will be 11 a.m. Sunday, with the Rev. Greg Powell, pastor of Mount Olive Christian Church, bringing the message. "We're really pleased to get in the new building," said Billy Jean Judd, a long-time member who takes care of the church business. "Sunday will be our first service in the new church. " An open house is planned later when the landscape work is completed, she said. Services have been held in the parsonage since December 2006 when the project began, she said.

Tom Hall will hear plenty of cheers and roars this weekend. Hall, senior pastor of Church of the Living God on Franklin Avenue, receives his share of amens during his sermons from his congregation each Sunday, but not to the magnitude he'll experience this weekend at Kentucky Speedway. Hall and several members of his congregation will serve behind the scenes as volunteers for the Levy Restaurants in a fund-raising effort during the Quaker State 400 at Kentucky¿Speedway in Sparta.

Father William C. Bush is a gentle soul who wears an easy smile above his clerical collar and carries a half century of spiritual experience under his belt. He is known to many in the community for his approachable demeanor, perpetually kindness and love of Notre Dame football. But most importantly, he is respected for his devotion to Jesus Christ and his demonstration of that love to others. In June, the accumulation of his 50 years of Holy service will be celebrated in a Golden Jubilee at St. Luke Catholic Church on South Main Street.  “I've known Father Bush for over 20 years - when he first came to St. Luke,” parish secretary Terry Leitch said.

WEST LIBERTY - About 130 miles and two-and-half hours separate Southside Christian Church in Harrodsburg from tornado-torn West Liberty Christian Church, but the distance has been less meaningful during a painful last week. Matthew Riley, youth pastor at Southside Christian, came back to his native Harrodsburg from West Liberty about two months ago with his wife Rachel, after serving in the same position there for almost six years. They got the news last Friday an F3 tornado had swept away much of the first town in which they lived, including the 100-year-old church where they spent so much of their time.

First Baptist Church, 349 W. Broadway, Harrodsburg, has been around since 1840, according to a church history compiled when the church celebrated its 125th anniversary. The church was first named African Baptist Church after it was organized by the white Baptists in the South District. The new congregation worshipped in a small brick building on the site where the current church stands. The Rev. Charles Clark, one of the first to lead the church, was pastor of the church when the name was changed to Centennial Baptist Church.

An inconspicuous sign sits in the window of one of downtown Danville's largest, most notable pieces of architecture. The sandwich board leaning against the glass announces that the old Presbyterian Church building at the corner of Third Street and Broadway is now the home of the Danville Independent Methodist Church and encourages anyone without a church home to join the small congregation for their Sunday service. The irony of a church started in large part because of a disagreement over whether to leave a historic downtown landmark now occupying another church building long ago abandoned as a place of worship and reimagined as, among other things, an antique mall, is not lost on those who helped form the new church.

Aug. 23, 1986 Mrs. Charles Ray Thomas of Ford was guest of honor at a special vesper service and picnic Sunday at Boonesborough State Park. Mrs. Thomas was recognized for more than 30 years of service to the Ford Christian Church, including cleaning the church and teaching Sunday school and vacation Bible school. The Rev. Clyde P. Roland, minister at the church, expressed the appreciation of the congregation to Mrs. Thomas for the service she rendered and she was presented a monetary gift by the congregation.

For the congregation at Trinity Church of God, collecting money for Relay for Life has been a hair-razing experience. Several months ago, church elder Mike Wilson, who had a thick white thatch, got up in church and offered to have himself sheared if the members raised $2,000 for the walk tonight to benefit the American Cancer Society. The congregation raised the money by having things “like cornhole tosses, bake sales and yard sales,” said Michelle Holloman, a member of the church.

Nicholasville added a new congregation in November when Apostolic Pentecostal Church opened its doors. The church, located at 104 Southview Drive, is pastored by Donivan VanWinkle and holds services at 2 p.m. on Sundays. VanWinkle, originally from Big Hill, has been working with churches in Jessamine County for more than two decades. “I’ve been a minister in this area for about 25 years going different places, so we just decided we’d try to start our own little work down here,” he said.

On a typical Sunday, the Rev. Tom Hall delivers his message about the gospel of Jesus to about 300 people at the Franklin Avenue Church of the Living God. On a recent trip to Ethiopia, Hall said he spoke before more people than he ever has before, even if you combined 20 years’ worth of Sunday mornings. For eight days, Hall and seven other members of his congregation evangelized in the far reaches of Ethiopia as part of a crusade by the Joshua Campaign International, all the while growing his own faith.

New pastor Perryville Church of God welcomes its new pastor and his family. The Rev Bobby Fultz, his wife, Elizabeth and daughters, Lindsey, at left, Megan and baby Kyley. The Rev. Fultz is an ordained Church of God minister. He and Mrs. Fultz are recent Lee University Ministerial Intern Program Graduates. He serves as intern pastor for the east laurel Pentecostal Church in London. He may be reached by calling (859) 224-1301. Special events The Presbyterian Church of Danville — 3 p.m. Sunday, Timothy Wissler, organist at the Cathedral of Christ The King in Atlanta, will perform at the church 500 W. Main St. The performance is free and open to the public.