Ministers of Gretna Christian Church March 23, 2011

Gretna Christian Church 100th Anniversary

Minister:  Dwight Mays

111 Leftwich Street
Gretna, Virginia
Mailing Address: Post Office Box 644 Gretna, Virginia 24557

Allen B. Stanger Interim Pastor for Gretna Christian Church
Born September 15, 1909 in Blacksburg, Virginia
Died August 17, 1994 in Louisville Kentucky
Education:  Johnson Bible College, Kimberlin Heights, TN  1928-1931
Radford State Teacher's College, summer of 1929
Lynchburg College, 1931-1933 (A.B. Degree)
Yale Divinity School

Reverend Stanger was the Pastor at West End Christian Church Danville, Va; summers 1934-1935
Full time at West End Christian 1936-1942
Director of Religious Education, Chesapeake Area Disciples of Christ, 1942-1947
Director of Religious Activities, Lynchburg College, 1947
Associate Professor of Religion, in charge of student preacher placement
1961 awarded an honorary Doctor of Divinity degree by Christian Theology Seminary
in Indianapolis, Indiana

My mother Atha Bailey found this old newspaper clipping which was probably in the Lynchburg News and Advance.  It was written while Reverend Stanger was the Director of Religious Activities at Lynchburg College.

Why I Entered Ministry

by Reverend A. B. Stanger

As far back as I can remember I have been in association with ministers.  My home was a Christian one, which was a place where ministers were welcome no matter what their religious faith or background.  My parents were devoutly Christian.  My father and mother felt that their work was an evidence of their faith.  He worked as a tenant farmer and a teamster always as a follower of Jesus.  Mother, both a seamstress and homemaker, felt that through her sewing, cleaning and other household duties, she had an opportunity to witness for her Lord.  I was greatly influenced in my early years by my cousins who had no children and who took an interest in me.  Their Christian influence was not one of urging me to be a minister but they did the kind of things that would encourage me to go into this field of work.  It was finally the special encouragement and help of a dentist, a minister, and a woman's missionary worker that actually sealed my decision.  Looking back over the years and these influences, one thing is clear-Jesus Christ was my Saviour and I felt I must share Him with others.  The only testimony I would make beyond the above would be, if I had it to do over again, I would still want to be a minister.

Allen B. Stanger

Thank you to:

Mark E. Poole  photos

Disciples of Christ Historical Society 

Gretna Christian Church

Atha Bailey

Christie Rapp, Lynchburg College

The Danville Bee