This past Sunday my wife and I returned to theMadison Street Church of Christ in Clarksville,Tennessee for a "Family and Friends Day." I spoke to the adults during the Bible School hour and preached at the morning worship service. This was followed by a wonderful congregational meal in the church's fellowship hall. For Jan and me it was like a Homecoming.
In September 1964 we moved to Clarksville with our two young sons—Bryan, 5, just beginning the first grade, and Brett, 2. Jan and I were in our mid-twenties and flushed with excitement about our new work with a large church in a college town that offered the opportunity for both of us to do additional school work at Austin Peay State University. During our years there Jan completed her degree in Elementary Education and I took several courses in the History Department but never completed the requirements for a degree.
Great preachers preceded me at Madison Street—C. W. Brannan, J. O. Jones, and Robert Larimore Brewer (nephew of G. C. and Charles Brewer), my immediate predecessor. The church was blessed with great leadership from a strong eldership and an active corps of deacons. Dr. Joe Morgan, president of the University, was an elder; Tillman Taylor who taught in the History Department of the University was an elder; H. G. Blackwell, president of an insurance company, was an elder. Dr. Wentworth Morris, Chairman of the History Department, and his family were members of the congregation, as were other faculty members and staff. Located just three blocks from the main entrance to the University campus, we had a number of students who attended our services. During most of my four plus years as minister of the church (1964-1968) I taught the Sunday morning college class and had an opportunity to influence a number of young people. But the church was not a "college" church; the members represented a healthy cross-section of Clarksville life, including a number of military families from nearby Fort Campbell.
Madison Street was an active, and, therefore, a growing church. We hosted area-wide "Training for Service" series, having such men as Alan Bryan and John Allen Chalk as keynote speakers, as well as specialists for various classes concerning Bible Schoolwork, personal evangelism, leadership, etc. We hosted Missions Conferences, bringing in men we supported in various mission fields and others who could inspire us to greater evangelism—men such as Wesley Reagan, Ira Y. Rice, Jr., Bob Davidson, Forrest Suddeath, Alan Highers, and others. We conducted great gospel meetings, featuring some of the finest preachers of the day—Burton Coffman, Batsell Barrett Baxter, Willard Collins, and Jimmy Allen. We brought Bill Banowsky from Lubbock,Texas for a special engagement (following his debate with Anson Mount of Playboy Magazine fame) to speak to us—especially the college crowd—about the Playboy philosophy. Marshall Keeble, the great black evangelist, came to Madison Street twice, attracting the largest crowd in Madison Street's history during his second engagement. During our ministry, the leadership of the congregation brought about the integration of a small black congregation (30-40 members) with the Madison Street church. The times were ripe for all of these things to occur and for them to be successful.
Soon a new chapter will be written in Madison Street's history. Their present property has been sold and they have plans to relocate to thirty-five acres in northeast Clarksville left to them from the estate of one of the church families. The master plan for the construction of new facilities in several phases has been developed. Geoffrey Sikes has served as the church's minister for the past twenty-five years, and has been a diligent servant. We anticipate bright days ahead for the church at Trenton Crossing! It was good to be with them this past Lord's Day and to renew old friendships in the Lord.
Speaking Schedule:
August 8: Meads Chapel Church of Christ, Nashville,TN
August 12: Science Hill Church of Christ, Readyville,TN (P.M. only)
August 19: Cottontown Church of Christ, Cottontown, TN (all services)
Hugh Fulford
August 7, 2012
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