The Beginning Reverend H. D. Coffey February 22, 2011

Gretna Christian Church 100th Anniversary

Minister:  Dwight Mays

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

This is a portion of the article written by Reverend H. D. Coffey for the Christian Standard Magazine on December 2, 1911  page 36. The second portion will be published tomorrow.

B. F. Sublett

Christian Standard Magazine

December 2, 1911

By H. D. Coffey

Evangelist for Virginia Christian College

Lynchburg, Virginia

Building Another Church in a Day in Virginia

The Beginning of Gretna Christian Church

Another church has been built in a day in Virginia, where two months before we had only four or five members.  At Franklin Junction we held a meeting in the Episcopal Church.  The people of that place said it would be impossible to get a congregation or have any success there.  For several years the different churches located there had tried to have revivals with very little success.  But with A. B. Hodges, a faithful disciple, in the lead, we planned the meeting.  B. F. Sublett led the song service, assisted by H. O. Crow.  A choir was organized and soon we had plenty of music.  Then a “Sunbeam” choir was organized that did most excellent work.  The children sang as I never heard children sing before.  We had solos, duets and special music.  The interest was good from the beginning though the weather was unfavorable.  We visited the people and preached the simple “Old Jerusalem gospel.”  Soon the house was packed, the aisles full, and the windows blocked with people standing outside.  Also every available space around the pulpit was filled with “Sunbeams” until there was scarcely standing-room for the preacher.  We had conversions early in the meeting, and during the two weeks a congregation of seventy-five people of the town and surrounding country.  This has been increased by several additions since.  The congregation numbers about eighty now.  More than fifty of these were by primary obedience, ten were found in town and surrounding country who were disciples, and the rest were from the denominations.  The gospel was preached in love and it was the power of God.  The success of the meeting was due largely to the splendid song service and personal work.  Arrangements were made to build, a lot secured, money subscribed for material and the date set for building. 

Special Thanks to the following:

Mark E. Poole  without him I would not be able to get the pictures on the site.

Disciples of Christ Historical Society -  I would never have found these articles without their help.

Christian Standard Magazine.

As I read these articles I realize how many people contributed to the establishment of Gretna Christian Church.  Anyone that has any information or an article or pictures, please feel free to contact me.