2017 January/February Franklin Living

January/February 2017 Vol. 7 Issue No. 1

Seeking the lost Called to chaplaincy Global missionary Shaping the future

Contact Russellville City Hall at 256-332-6060

304 Jackson Ave. N Russellville, AL

Russellville City Councilmen David Palmer, William Nale, Arthur Elliott, Jamie Harris, Gary Cummings, & Mayor David Grissom

A Great Place to Live, Work & Raise a family.

We would be honored to assist you in prearranging your services or in your time of need.

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Going into all the world Grady Fuller serves as global missionary

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Force of faith Chaplain Bobby Brown ministers to police and the community

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Reaching the lost

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L Local ministers reach out to Franklin County o iinmates

Cooking with Sam Serve up a delicious bite

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Faces of Franklin County What’s Hot Classifieds Youth minister Faces of Franklin County Looking Back Parting Shot

FROM THE MANAGER

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am so glad that we are able to start the year off right with our Church & Faith edition of Franklin Living.

When I think of church, I think of my church family. I always think there is a lot more to a church than its walls.

It’s the people who make up the church.

There are so many people in my church who have been FCNI General Manager Nicole Pell with her members there all of husband, Hans. my life – they have always been there to guide and set wonderful examples. My church family is there to support me and lift me up when things are not going quite right or when I get news that takes me to my knees. They are always there with advice and encouraging words.

And faith, to me, is just believing that God knows best and has a plan, whether we understand it or like it. We just have to have faith that He knows what is best for us.

In this issue, we highlight Grady Fuller, who spent a large portion of his life sharing his faith and spreading the word of God internationally. Many people like Grady have a passion for helping people, sharing their kind hearts and words of encouragement and strength – such as those who participate in Franklin County Jail ministry. These ministers are able to touch people at probably their lowest point and give them hope to move forward.

A lot of youth also need encouragement and advice from someone older and wiser, such as the youth ministers across the county like Brandon and Robin Swindle. We share the Swindles’ story of the love and care they give to “the church of tomorrow” – which is also the church of today – at Restoration in Phil Campbell.

We also highlight Russellville Police Chaplain Bobby Brown. He counsels the police department as well as the community.

It is wonderful to live in a place like Franklin County, where we can still so openly profess our faith and share wonderful stories like the ones in this issue of Franklin Living. We hope everyone has a wonderfully blessed year.

ON THE COVER: Angie Bailey is one of several women who minister to female inmates at the Franklin County Jail. Bailey is a member of Southside Baptist Church in Russellville.

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Copyright 2011 by Franklin County Newspapers, Inc. P.O. Box 1088 • Russellville, AL 35653

Circulation TOMMY MORRIS

256-332-1881 • fax: 256-332-1883 www.franklincountytimes.com

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Photography ALISON JAMES 5

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY A number of community members turned out for the annual Farm-City Awards Banquet in November 2016.

Kathy Snider, Autumn Montgomery, Anna Norton and Lisa Norton

Jackie and Bunny Richardson

Harold and Dianne Miller

Chris Ozbirn and Marie Johnston

Micaela Guzman and Pierce Dolan

Joe Dale Norton and Jackie Ergle

William and Sandra Stone

Jack and Lei-anne Hester

Johnny Richardson and Brock Hester

Rayburn Massey and Jason Miller

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FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

Dexter, Lisha, Jade, Shirley and Charles Ezzell

Shea Miller and Anna Kate, Leigh, Tim and Camron Burks

Lanny Hillman, Lottie Hillman, Ida Robinson, Robert Graham and Irene Stepher

Brittany Riccato, Lindsay Everett and Laura Everett

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Going into all the world

Grady Fuller serves as global missionary Story by ALISON JAMES Photos CONTRIBUTED

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hen some men retire from the workforce, they take up fishing, or gardening, or travel, or finally have time to spend with the grandkids. When Russellville’s Grady Fuller retired, he answered the gospel call and began preaching and ministering all over the world.

Fuller, 94, was in his mid-60s when he first became active in mission work, beginning by working with the Franklin County Baptist Builders Association to build churches across the United States – in Maryland, Wyoming, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Texas and Wisconsin. In a book he and his wife Martha compiled full of documentation of his work, Fuller recalls, “I was asked to be a helper to the carpenters, electricians and cleaning crews. I always looked forward to the times of fellowship, prayer meetings and sightseeing … Most of all, these trips were an opportunity to help others and glorify God.” The U.S. wasn’t the only place Fuller would find opportunity to help others and glorify God. It was in 1995 that Fuller received the recommendation to accompany a team from Texas on a trip to Neuquén, Argentina.

Grady Fuller speaks to a group in Ghana and shares Bibles with children in India.

PAGE 9: An orphange in India bears benefactor Fuller’s name.

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Franklin County Where YOU live, work and play!

Happy New Year From the Franklin County Chamber of Commerce

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“I said I’d give it a try,� Fuller said.

And so began his ministry on foreign soils. Fuller said he invited many people to the evening services during his time in Argentina, where he was given the opportunity to preach, and “as a result, 95 people came to know and accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior.�

It would be the ďŹ rst of many opportunities to minister abroad.

China. Nigeria. Ghana, where he distributed Bibles and braved mosquitos. Ukraine. Brazil. Thailand, for disaster relief following the tsunami. Venezuela. South Africa. Australia. India, where he spoke in schools, a hospital, a Hindu temple and even a leper colony. Taiwan. Japan. England. Haiti. And more.

He helped build churches, worked with pharmacists and handed out Bibles. He encouraged and ediďŹ ed and laid hands and prayed for healing. Fuller was particularly eager to care for and minister to children; his eorts helped create an orphanage in India, an establishment that now bears his name.

Daughter Donna Bolton was 17 when her father began, like Paul of the Bible, his missionary journey. “We worried at times about some of the places he would be going,� she said. But Fuller had an answer for that. “We would worry, and he would tell us he wasn’t worried, and if we were worried, that was a weakness in our faith that we needed to address.� Daughter Norma Harris was 25. “I wasn’t surprised in the least,� she said. “It was something he had talked about for a long time.�

Fuller ended his missionary journey in 2003, but his memories of the many years of work and service are sharp and cherished. “Isn’t it amazing,� writes Fuller in his compilation, “how God can take an old country boy from Russellville, Alabama, and accomplish so much? To God be the honor and glory for it all.�

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Force of faith Chaplain Bobby Brown ministers to police and the community

Story and photos by ALISON JAMES

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n a daily basis, law enforcement officials are often forced to get up close and personal with the worst of this world. They have seen every imaginable – and sometimes unimaginable – type of crime and violence, and dealing with it day in and day out can wear on even the toughest of officers. When Russellville Police Department officers need someone to turn to, whether for advice, reassurance or just a listening ear, they have chaplain Bobby Brown.

Police chaplains are common in larger cities, but Brown is the only one for a Franklin County police department. He joined the force as chaplain about 27 years ago.

“I got started quite a while ago, in ’89,” Brown recounted. He was serving on the electric board for Russellville but wanted to transition into something new. A fresh opportunity came to light after talking with then-Chief Donnie McGuire with the Russellville Police Department. “He asked me if I would like to be the chaplain. I was already a minister – he knew that. So I said, ‘Well. I’ll try it.’”

Brown became certified through the International Council of Police Chaplains and went to work.

When it comes to whether he enjoys his job, Brown is understandably hesitant. It’s not an easy answer. “I deal in grief. I don’t think anybody enjoys grief,” he said. “But I enjoy being able to help people and be here for the department.” In a lot of cases, he has responsibilities no one else would want – like death notifications. “If somebody gets killed in an automobile accident – any kind of death where someone needs to be notified, I do that. I’m the one who goes and knocks on the door and tells them. And in a town this small, everybody knows me, and they know why I’m coming, most of the time.”

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Russellville Police Department Chaplain Bobby Brown was the featured speaker for this year’s Every Light a Prayer for Peace observance in downtown Russellville.

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Brown also serves as a liaison between the Russellville Police Department and the community and sometimes appears as the face of the department, whether it’s as guest speaker at Every Light A Prayer for Peace or as crowd control at the hospital following a tragedy.

Brown’s focus is the department – the needs of the men and women who serve and protect the community as police officers. But he is also available to those on the other side of the law. “If a prisoner or inmate needs anything spiritually – counseling or any kind of help – I do that too,” Brown said. He is also the gatekeeper for any religious activities to take place in the jail – if a local preacher wants to establish any sort of jail ministry program, for example, that goes through Brown.

“I don’t impose religion on anybody,” Brown said.

You won’t find him coercing anyone to go to a certain church. But he’s always available upon request – whether it’s to calm an inmate, or to reassure a police officer, or even to take someone to task and show them where they are doing wrong.

“Law enforcement officials have problems just like everybody else,” Brown said. “I just thank God that I’m here. I don’t know everything, but I know

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Brown serves the Russellville Police Department and liaisons with the community in a number of contexts

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some things. I know what’s right and what’s wrong – what’s spiritually right and what’s morally right. I know we can’t judge people for what they do. You can’t kick them when they’re down.

I try to lift them up.”

A crucial aspect is the confidentiality an officer can be certain of if he or she comes to Brown with problems to discuss.

“They know this. They know they can come in my office, sit here and tell me anything in the world, and they know it’s not going any farther. If they want somebody to know, they will tell them, not me,” Brown said.

They come to vent. They come with guilt. They come for advice. They come for encouragement.

“Out of the clear blue, they might say, ‘I need to talk to you.’ I’ll be sitting here with the door open, and they will come in and close the door,” Brown said. “People are under a lot of stress. You just don’t know.

And they can’t talk about it … I try to keep them calm, give them good advice and encourage them. I try to tell them what’s right.”

He said at least weekly, an officer is stopping by his office get something off his or her chest or get advice about a situation they may be facing.

“I definitely won’t tell them what they are doing is right if it’s not,” Brown said. “I try to help them to change.”

It’s a job that means he’s on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “If they call me at 3 a.m. – and they do, sometimes – I go,”

RPD Police Chief Chris Hargett gives Chaplain Bobby Brown a high level of independence to counsel, advise and serve within the police department. Brown ministers to officers and police staff as well as inmates, like Sammy Nelson.

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he said. “That takes some getting used to. But you have to go any time. You never know what is going to happen when.” Sometimes, “I’ll go home and can’t even sleep well, thinking about some things,” Brown added.

Brown said one key to being able to do his job effectively is the fact that he has the trust and support of Chief Chris Hargett, who gives him the freedom to operate independently. Hargett gives Brown free rein over all religious matters within the department.

“He believes I’m going to do what’s right; he knows that. So I have no strings or restrictions on doing my job,” Brown said.

Hargett said people might not understand just how crucial it is to have a chaplain on staff.

“The main thing I think he does for us is to allow officers and employees to come into his office, close the door and be able to talk openly about spiritual situations or how they are feeling,” Hargett said. “I wish back when I first started (in law enforcement) that I’d had that opportunity. It really gives the officers and employees an avenue while at work to be able to get some questions answered when they might not go to a church or go to their own pastor and ask those kinds of questions. He’s not at church – he’s in the police department. So it makes them feel more comfortable.”

Hargett praised Brown’s manner and professionalism.

At Hargett’s suggestion, Brown has also, in October, started a monthly Bible study the entire department is invited to.

Brown said ministry is something he wanted to be involved in from a very early age, growing up in Jackson, Miss. He attended Magnolia Bible College in Mississippi for training and was a preacher for two years in Cherokee. He was then invited to

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preach at Polk Street church of Christ in Russellville – not invited so much as begged. While preaching a gospel meeting, Brown found how much he liked the people at the church as well as the people of the community at large. He decided to transition to Polk Street and to live in Russellville in 1982.

There are a few key messages Brown said he desires to share with the world as a minister for God. “I feel very strongly that when we leave this world, at some point we are going to stand before God, and he is going to judge us for everything we have done, the good and the bad,” Brown said. “I believe two things very strongly: there is a Heaven and there is a Hell.

I believe there are no second chances after this is over. I don’t believe He would tell us there is a place of torment and punishment if there isn’t. And so I still believe there are people who will forfeit the right to go to Heaven. Some people don’t believe that; they believe everyone will go to Heaven.

But that’s not what the Bible teaches.”

And so he aims to teach what the Bible teaches, both uplifting and guiding the Russellville Police Department as well as anyone with whom he comes into contact.

“We can do better. Life can be better,” Brown said. “When Jesus came into the world, the angels made it plain and clear: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and goodwill toward all men. That’s what he came for. But you see the world. You don’t have to go any further than this small city we live in. But there’s still hope, and I just want to share that with people and let them know there’s something better and try to help them with their pain.”

Brown is married to Margaret, and they have three children.

here’s still hope. I just want to share that with people and let them know there’s something better and try to help them with their pain.”

~RPD Chaplain Bobby Brown

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Local ministers reach out to Franklin County inmates Angie Bailey shares a message about wise decision making with three inmates in the Franklin County Jail.

Bailey is one of several women who teach and encourage at the jail.

Story and photos by ALISON JAMES

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or decades, men and women have reached out to share the gospel in a venue that’s less common than your typical steepled church building. There are no stainedglass windows in this house of worship. And yet the name of the Lord is called upon just the same. Jail ministry is an active institution in Franklin County.

With the opening of the “new jail” eight years ago came a surge in people of faith expressing interest in ministering to those who are behind bars. These days, more than a dozen ministers, both men and women, visit weekly to offer hope and encouragement to anyone who wants listen.

The women’s pods are perhaps more active than the men’s pods, although there are ministers to both. On the women’s side, more than ten ministers are involved, with someone visiting every Sunday to pray, share scripture and lead in songs of praise.

One of those in Tangya Warren-Elliott, who has been involved with jail ministry in Franklin County for about five years. An

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Bailey speaks to the women the first Sunday of the month, and, like most of the ministers, she encourages them to participate – to share their thoughts and ask questions.

ordained minister, Warren-Elliott established WIN Outreach (Women in Need) and, in addition to offering a sermon at the jail every fourth Sunday, she operates a transitional house and helps women with the resources and support they might need upon their release from prison.

“It has just been an ongoing passion to keep helping in the county, since it was one of my first jail ministries that I did on my own,” Warren-Elliott explained. “I’ve just fallen in love with the women in Franklin County.

Sometimes Warren-Elliott brings along assistants to help her each fourth Sunday, but she often goes alone, particularly over the last year. She begins with prayer, and then opens the word of God with all inmates who choose to attend. “All my messages come out of the King James Bible, and I give a sermon,” she said. She always gives the call for people who want to turn their lives over to Christ and takes prayer requests and closes with prayer before she leaves. “It’s basically kind of like them going to church,” she explained. “Some of these people have not been able to be in church or had the opportunity to hear the message.”

Jocelynn James is another faithful visiting minister, bringing songs and a message the second and third Sunday of each month. James’ story is, perhaps, unique. She was drawn to jail ministry after serving a six-month sentence herself in 2012.

“My heart is for the people who travel down the road that I went. I want them to know there is life after addiction,” said James, who jumped into ministry following eight months of rehab after she

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verybody is doing a good job, and we’re making a difference in the women’s lives.” ~Tangya Warren-Elliott

completed her sentence. She said she tries to share messages of hope that are grounded in God’s word.

“Sometimes they just want to talk. They open up with me more because I’ve been there. I’ve walked down that road and been through everything they are going through and more.”

James said she stays about two hours each visit.

The message she really wants to drive home is fairly simple.

“Anybody can get clean, and anybody can do right, but only for so long on your own,” she said.

“I was trying to live sober without Christ and God’s Living Word, and I couldn’t do it. You’re always going to fall back … I know if I was not in His Word and being His disciple, I would be back out there. I truly believe that with my whole heart.”

In the inmates, she sees shadows of herself.

“They’re so broken and mad. This whole world is just bound by drugs and sin,” she said. But she wants to remind the community that the inmates “are people too. We all make mistakes and fall short daily.

You have to show God’s grace and mercy because it’s so freely given to us.”

Jail Administrator Theresa Qualls said she sees the positive impact jail ministry can have, and she fully supports the efforts in the local detention center.

“Some people, regardless of what they have done, want to stay connected with God,” Qualls said. “We go to church to stay connected and build up our faith and hear the Word, and even though they are in trouble, I think they should have access to that also.”

Qualls said although not all inmates are open to hearing words of Bible truth, if even one is impacted, then it’s all worth it. “There are some of them who need it to get them through the week because they are depressed about their charges … It helps them to get through,” she said.

Warren-Elliott also sees the effect of ministry among the inmates. “There’s really a big impact,” she said. “People have dedicated and re-dedicated their lives to God.” She said a lot of inmates will keep in touch after they complete their sentences and let her know about their successes – sharing their testimonies, and their stories of getting their kids back or getting married, “telling us how much they appreciate what we’re doing. So I know it’s effective.

Everybody is doing a good job, and we’re making a difference in the women’s lives.”

The holidays are a popular time for extra outreach.

A group from Redemption Outreach Church in Russellville participated in jail ministry Dec. 7 and 14 through a program they called Servolution.

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“I

’ve walked down that road and been through everything they are going through and more.” ~Jocelynn James

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“Especially with it being close to the holidays, people forget about those who are in jail. It’s very hard being in there, away from family,” ROC student pastor Chris Payne said. “We just wanted to go and give hope and let them know there are people thinking about them and not looking down on them.” Payne said his group, about ten men and women, received a good response, and they hope to continue to minster at the jail in the future.

Stephen Hester is one of those inmates who is benefiting from jail ministry in Franklin County. He said hope can be hard to come by. “There’s a lot of hate that goes on here. When they bring something positive, it helps,” Hester said. “They just come in and talk to us and tell us there’s hope … There’s no hope in this place.”

Warren-Elliot said her sermons are messages of faith and encouragement. “I try to let them know that they are no different than me or anyone else – we’re here to save the lost, build you up and tell you, Jesus Christ died for your sins,” she said. “I try to let them know, ‘Your sins are paid for. Someone loved you when you didn’t love yourself.’”

She encourages them to pray to God and even gives them assignments that require them to reflect on the lesson and memorize scriptures so they can have the Word of God in their hearts. “A lot of these women have made bad choices, but some of them have never had someone to show them the right choice.”

Bailey uses a variety of resources, from a conventional Bible to worship songs in her music app, along with devotional books and sermon notes, to share the Lord with inmates.

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FOOD

Cooking with Sam Recipes by SAM WARF

Green-Bean Salad with Feta

1/2 cup red-wine vinegar 2 tsp. Greek seasoning 1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

2 pounds fresh green beans, trimmed 1/2 cup thinly sliced red onion In a large saucepan, cover beans with 1 (6 oz.) can large pitted black olives, water. Bring to a boil over high heat and drained and halved cook until crisp tender, approximately 5 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved minutes. Remove beans from boiling water 1/2 cup olive oil

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and plunge beans into ice water to stop the cooking process; drain.

In a large bowl, combine beans, onion, olives, and tomatoes; stir. Set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, vinegar and Greek seasoning. Pour oil mixture over bean mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours.

Sprinkle feta cheese over salad before serving.

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Honey Chicken Salad 3 cups chopped cooked chicken 1/2 cup seedless red grapes halves 1 cup chopped celery 1/2 cup walnut, chopped 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/3 cup honey In a large bowl, combine chicken, grapes, celery, walnuts and set aside. In a small bowl, mix mayonnaise and honey until combined. Spoon over chicken combination and toss. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Poppy-Seed Chicken Casserole 4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves 1 (10.25 oz.) cream of chicken soup 1 (8 oz.) sour cream 2 tbsp. poppy seeds 1 sleeve buttery crackers, crushed 6 tbsp. butter, melted 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese 2 cups cooked rice Cook chicken, cool and cut up. Preheat oven to 350Ëš. In a large bowl, combine chicken, soup, sour cream, poppy seeds, cracker crumbs and butter. Pour into a 9-inch square baking dish. Top with cheese.

Bake until bubbly, about 45 minutes. Serve over rice.

Squash Slaw 2 large yellow squash, grated and squeezed dry 2 large zucchini squash, grated and squeezed dry 2 carrots, grated 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper 2 green onions, chopped 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar 1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. ground black pepper 1/4 cup vegetable oil Mix squash, carrots, peppers and onions together. Set aside. Mix vinegar, sugar, salt and pepper. Whisk until sugar is dissolved. Gradually add oil while whisking well. Add vinegar mixture to squash mixture, stirring well. Cover and chill for one hour.

Church Coconut Sheet Cake 1 box of yellow cake mix 1 box vanilla pudding mix 1 container of cool whip 1 can Eagle Brand milk 1 tsp. vanilla 2 cups coconut

Bake cake according to package directions.

Prepare pudding mix. Punch holes in the cake and pour the Eagle brand milk over and let absorb. Fold cool whip, pudding mix and vanilla. Spread over top of the cake and sprinkle coconut. Adding maraschino cherries to the top is also a nice and colorful touch.

Corn Salad 4 ears fresh corn, shucked and silked 1 pint container cherry or grape tomatoes, quartered 1/2 cup chopped fresh basil leaves 1/3 cup diced red onion 1/4 chopped fresh parsley 4 oz. crumbled feta cheese 2 tbsp. red wine vinegar 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil salt to taste freshly ground black pepper to taste In a large stockpot bring water to a boil over high heat. Cook corn in boiling water until just tender, 6 to 7 minutes. Cool slightly. parsley, feta cheese, vinegar, and oil. Toss to Cut kernels from cob and place in a medium combine. Season to taste with salt and freshly bowl. Discard cobs. Add tomatoes, basil, onion, ground black pepper.

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You can be APPROVED! 256-734-1930 HOMES FOR SALE Financing Available (wac) Low Down Payments Sheffield, Hackleburg, Town Creek, Courtland, Moulton & Falkville Call Matt 1-855-847-6808 Come Home to Holiday Plaza Apartments (Behind Foodland) Equal Housing Opportunity 256-332-2960 KDC Properties, Inc. 256-355-9090 P.O. Box 987 Decatur, AL 35602 kdcpropertiesinc.com J. Wesley Cain, AL #286; TN #6499 We Buy ATVs Motorcycles & Utility Vehicles Motorsports Superstore 888-880-2277 Hamilton, AL CAGLE SOD FARM 419 Hybrid Bermuda • $1.35 sq.yd.

Meyers Zoysia • $2.50 sq.yd.

Empire Zoysia • $3.00 sq. yd.

DELIVERY AVAILABLE 662-365-3152 www.caglesod.com Need A Job? Need A Better Job? AIDT recruits, screens and trains qualified applicants for outstanding jobs statewide.

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MIXER TRUCK DRIVERS NEEDED Now hiring full-time CDL-qualified mixer truck drivers. Must have good driving record and pass drug-screening.

Benefits: •Highly-competitive pay •Medical/Dental/Vision Insurance •Matched 401K •Paid Vacation/Life Insurance Apply: 4200 Stringfield Road Huntsville, AL 35806 Caregivers & Nurses ALWAYS THERE IN-HOME CARE Immediate need, Flexible hours, Benefits available. Call for more information 256-539-1400 www.alwaysthereinc.com Now Hiring Drivers Carry Transit • Decatur, AL Good Pay • Excellent Benefits & Home Time Must Have 18mos OTR Experience & Class A-CDL w/Tanker Endorsement Apply: www.CarryTransit.com

• Flexible Schedules • Friendly Staff • Endless Opportunities Apply today at: www. homeinstead.com/250 or call 256-883-3080.

DRIVERS WANTED •Experienced Class-A CDL Drivers •Safe & Clean Driving Record Required •Competitive Salary Package Call 205-935-8668 Burger King Hiring General, Assistant & Shift Managers Top Pay/Monthly Bonus/Vacation/ Medical Benefits.

3yrs fast food experience required.

Fax resume: 334-649-1112 or apply at: www.joinbkalabama.com NOW HIRING HVAC & Electrical technicians. Competitive pay and great benefits.

Experience required.

Email resume to wendy@shoalsmpe.com or stop by to fill out an application.

15891 Hwy 43, Russellville, AL 35653 SERVICE TECH Accepting applications for service tech positions. Experience, References, Clean MVR Required.

Call 256-356-4427 Ext. #33 Sunshine Homes

NOW HIRING Elder Care Of North Alabama is in need of caregivers in the Hartselle and Decatur area.

(256)351-6565 or apply online: www. eldercareofnorthalabama. com

OTR DRIVERS WANTED 24 years or older.

Hazmat preferred but not required.

Full benefit package available. Pneumatic tank equipment.

Dry bulk hauling. $500 SIGN-ON BONUS HOME EVERY OTHER WEEKEND Apply Online: vernonmilling.com 800-753-1993

Want a job you Love?

Come work with us as a Caregiver or CNA! • Competitive Wages • Shift premium for Weekends

Fundraisers/Greeters Needed for Charity Greeting customers OUTSIDE of Grocery, Department Stores and Special Events. Travel

involved ... Must have car, driver’s license and be willing to travel! Comp/ Exp paid...P/T WORK. Seniors welcomed!

866.212.5592 or Email resume to: jely@veteransoutreach.com Wiley Sanders Truck Lines Inc $1,000 SIGN-ON-BONUS Longevity-Bonus. Quarterly Safe-Driving AWARD. Competitive Pay Package.

PAID Orientation.

NEW Fleet of Trucks.

Call 1-855-777-9785 & ask for Dale or Brandy.

Nights/weekends, call Jeffrey: 334-372-5049 Ron: 1-850-454-4276 Richard: 334-492-0803 A New Career Starts Today RN & LPN Positions Available Full Time or PRN, 12 hour shifts with every other weekend off, Excellent Benefits. EOE. Apply in person!

Woodland Village Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center, 1900 Olive St. SW, Cullman, AL 35056 256-739-1430 Now Leasing HALLMARK CRESTMOOR APARTMENTS 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom Units Available W/D Hookups•Pest Control Water/Garbage/Sewer Included 1060 Mountain View Road, Hartselle (256)773-7072 Box Trucks Needed A growing company needs independent contractors with vehicles to deliver office and Medical supplies all over N AL. Clean BG/MVR/drug test.

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23

The Swindles – Brandon and Robin, pictured with sons Logan and Jacob – work with young people at Restoration Church in Phil Campbell.

24

FRANKLIN LIVING

youth ministers: Nurturing the church’s future Brandon and Robin Swindle encourage young people of Restoration Church in Phil Campbell Story and photos by ALISON JAMES

T

hey say it takes a village, and part of that village at Restoration Church in Phil Campbell is Brandon and Robin Swindle, who serve as youth ministers.

The couple began in youth ministry in August 2013.

They left in December 2014 to be youth ministers at Refuge Church in Phil Campbell, but when that church dissolved, they returned to Restoration in August 2016.

The Swindles work with 2030 high school-aged children (13-19). “God has pulled us together in this as partners,” Robin said. “I think it’s important for the youth of today to see a married couple serving God … He’s using everything we’ve been through to try to help them.”

“We just love on them and preach God’s truth,” Brandon added. “We are here for them day or night; that’s the first thing we tell them.” And young people have taken them up on that promise, calling even at 2 a.m. to talk over problems. The Swindles encourage their young charges to go to God with their problems and also to talk with their parents, but they provide a ready ear for those issues that need another trusted adult’s perspective.

Robin explained that she and Brandon teach the Wednesday night class, while someone else handles the Sunday morning youth class. “That’s something we really encouraged because it takes a village to raise a kid,” she said. “It takes everybody to be those examples and lead them in the right way.”

Outside of regular Bible classes, the Swindles take the youth to “fun, godly things,” like various Christian concerts and, a particular favorite, The Ramp in Hamilton.

Another tradition for Restoration youth is Fifth Quarter,

“W

a get-together after each Phil Campbell home football game. “They can come over here and hang out. We listen to Christian music and give them something to eat,” Robin said. “It’s a safe alternative to all the other places they could go after a football game.”

“We just open our doors and they come hang out until they get tired,” Brandon added. “One time I didn’t leave here until a little after midnight.”

New in 2016 was GodFest in October, which was a threeartist Christian concert held at the Phil Campbell football stadium. For 2017, the Swindles plan to add a Back to School Bash to their slate of youth activities.

For this couple, the importance of youth ministry is evident – and personal.

“I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for youth ministry,” Brandon said. “I don’t know where I would be spiritually.

Spiritually I’d probably be dead.” It was in 2002, having been invited to tag along on a youth group trip to Winter Jam (a large-scale Christian music tour), that Brandon said he made a commitment to Christ. “It blew my mind, the way the youth there took care of me. They loved on me and treated me like I was a brother,” he said. “It was awesome, and I was so thankful for that youth group.”

Robin said it’s important for the young people to know “they’ve got somebody in their corner, and for that somebody to be reminding them, ‘Hey, God is in your corner too.’”

“It changes things in your mind and heart, and it makes a big difference,” she said.

The Swindles have two sons, Logan, 8, and Jacob, 5.

“But we’ve got 20-30 spiritual kids who are just as much our children as ‘ours’ are,” Robin said.

e just love on them and preach God’s truth.”

~Brandon Swindle

FRANKLIN LIVING

25

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY Tharptown High School held an invitational girls basketball tourney over the holiday season that drew a number of local and regional teams. From Franklin County, fans turned out to cheer on the Belgreen Lady Bulldogs and the Tharptown Lady Wildcats.

Allie Parr, Alayna Ivie, Katie Moore and Abby Martin

Jimmy Green and Ridge Stockton

Justin Jones and Makindle Mcgouhn

Tressa Bragwell

Lori Evans and Madison Elmore

Kylene and Jase smith

Emily, Chris and Katie Smith

Tara Martin and Sandi Ratli

Jill and Chad Boatwright

Pam Clement and Melanie Vandiver

26

FRANKLIN LIVING

FACES OF FRANKLIN COUNTY

Kelsey Wilson, Charley Hogan, Kelsey Williams, Bryn Scott and Mackinley Hogan

Amy Parr and Sandra Kilgore

Franklin County Business & Service Directory Russellville Hotel & Suites Call us today!!

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If you would like to advertise your business or service in this directory, call Nicole at 256-332-1881 FRANKLIN LIVING

27

LOOKING BACK

Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives.

28

FRANKLIN LIVING

LOOKING BACK

Looking back photos courtesy of the Franklin County Archives.

FRANKLIN LIVING

29

PARTING SHOT

“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me ... Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.� ~Matthew 25:35-36, 40

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FRANKLIN LIVING

TifÀn Motor Homes

105 Second Street NW • Red Bay, AL 256-356-8661

David Hester David Hester started working at TifÀn Motorhomes in July 1987. Prior to that time, he was working as a supervisor for Sunshine Furniture when he Àrst took interest in TifÀn Motorhomes, realizing their more competitive pay scale. He was persistent, he said, in seeking a job there.

“I was bugging them every week, sometimes 1-3 times a week,” Hester said. “I knew the plant manager, and they had a time clock. He would go

by at a certain time and check the time cards, so I knew where he was going to be before 7 o’clock, and I got to meeting him there.”

No opportunities arose at TifÀn, so he took a job at a local parts store. Then TifÀn opened a paint and body shop.

With paint and body work knowledge from courses at vocational school at Belgreen, Hester resumed his campaign for a job. He went straight to Bob TifÀn.

“The Àrst time I spoke with him, he told me they didn’t need anybody,” Hester said. But about a week later, a position came up, and Hester tried again. TifÀn mentioned he could maybe hire him on as a sander. “He said, ‘What makes you think you can do that?’ I said, ‘Well, if I can’t, I’ll show you enough respect to let you know I can’t before I quit. I won’t leave you shorthanded.’”

That was a Thursday. Hester started Monday.

He moved to the service department the next year, where he has been ever since.

Hester works speciÀcally with windshield service. It’s a job, he says, most people wouldn’t be interested in. “If a customer comes in with a problem or needs a windshield put in their motorhome, they come and see me,” he said. “I’ve been doing this particular job about 16 years or so. It’s a challenge. Sometimes the windshields don’t Àt well, and there are a few of the

motorhomes that were causing a problem. Since I had body work experience, I started Àberglassing the windshield opening to line up the windshield, where it wouldn’t give them a problem.

We started doing that, and I’ve been on that job ever since.

“That’s when a lot of people didn’t want to fool with it because they don’t like sanding and grinding on Àberglass.

But that’s something I had always done, and it didn’t bother me as much as it does some people. I didn’t mind doing it.”

“I have people who won’t let anybody else do their windshield,” Hester added.

Hester said he appreciates TifÀn Motorhomes’ willingness to work with their employees to make sure they can satisfy every customer. He said the company has always been willing to provide him the tools he needs to provide superior service.

The company has also worked with him as he recently took on his new role as Franklin County commissioner, allowing him to manage his schedule around his new responsibilities. Being able to balance the two is a point of pride for Hester.

“I didn’t want to quit or get laid off and hand my job over to someone else who doesn’t care about that job as much as me,” Hester said. “I’ve got people who will come from California just to let me put their windshield in.

That makes me feel really good.”

www.tifÀnmotorhomes.com

Hwy 43 N. Hamilton, AL

(205) 921-2197

www.FikesChevy.com