The Beginning Reverend H. D. Coffey February 24, 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 the third portion of the article written by Reverend H. D. Coffey for the Christian Standard Magazine 

 December 2, 1911  page 36. 

Building a Church in a Day  October 18, 1911

We want to thank the carpenters, and men and women also, for their faithful work in erecting this building.  Beside the many efficient and hustling men of that section  and county, we had J. C. Leake, contractor, from near Charlottesville, with four carpenters; J. E. Carter of Spray, N.C., with Mr. Harris, of same place; Messrs. Lipscomb, Leake, Goode and Mahew from Virginia Christian College; Mr. Parker, from Rocky Mount; Mr. Davis, from Sandy Level, and many others.  None of these men asked or received any pay for the two days’ work.  It was given to the Lord.  We are planning to build several other churches in the same way in Virginia.  We commend this plan to ministers and congregations desiring to build a good house hurriedly and cheaply.  The cost of material is about the expense of the building.  Men will contribute and help on a building of this kind who would not aid in any way to build a church in the ordinary way.

But it takes forethought and continual writing and vigilance of the leader to have everything in place and all the men ready at the appointed time.  I will gladly aid in any way, give any information or do anything that is in my power to aid in this work of building up the Master’s Kingdom and especially in “building” a church in a day.

While working for Virginia Christian College, besides the work done in securing funds, students and introducing the college generally, the writer had more than three hundred additions to the church, organized two churches, two Bible schools, led in erecting two good church buildings, beside reviving some other churches during the past four months. 

Virginia Christian College is rapidly becoming a factor in evangelistic and ministerial work in the East.  Besides more than six hundred added to church of Christ by the writer during the past two years while working for the college, the students and professors are doing good work along these lines.  More than fifteen hundred have been added to the church by ministerial students.  More than a dozen churches are supplied with preaching by these students, some of them going more than one hundred miles to preach.  Professors preach for Gordonsville and Charlottesville, besides supplying other places.  By the help of God and the support of the people, this school will soon exert an influence over the eastern part of our beloved country that will strengthen the stakes and lengthen the cords of our Master’s kingdom.  With such men at Willis, Records, Davis, Shackleford, Kernegie, Hughes, and the other faithful teachers, we hope for great things in the Master’s name.  Let the people support this school and soon we will have buildings erected, churches organized and sustained all over Virginia and the East.  This school will be a great auxiliary to the State Board or Virginia Christian Missionary Society, if properly managed.

H. D. Coffey,  Evangelist for Virginia Christian College  Lynchburg, Virginia

I included these last passages to show what a strong tie was and is between our church and Lynchburg College.  

Special Thanks to the following:

Mark E. Poole  photos

Disciples of Christ Historical Society 

Christian Standard Magazine

Gretna Christian Church