Biodiversity abounds at Big Canoe Creek Nature Preserve. Just look around you.
Trees form more than just shade on a warm, sunny day. They represent the diversity of the preserve’s dense forest. Find beech, red and sugar maple trees as well as stands of river cane.
Among the hardwood and pine forests, discover native plants – wild azaleas, oak leaf hydrangeas, mountain laurels and buckeyes.
Want to go bird watching? There’s plenty to see! So far, eBird’s list of the species spotted there is up to 84, ranging from the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker to the Great Horned Owl and dozens in between. Even the Summer Tanager, the only totally red bird in North America, has made an appearance.
If you need help identifying all of them, just download the Merlin Bird ID app developed by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology on your cell phone. It is a handy helper to determine which tweet is which. Don’t forget to take your binoculars!
And the preserve’s namesake, Big Canoe Creek, is home to more than 50 species of fish, including the rare Trispot Darter, discovered in 2008 in Little Canoe Creek. It is a species that used to be found in Alabama but had not been seen in nearly 50 years. It is now listed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service under the Endangered Species Act, as threatened.
Mussels, nature’s own water filter, were once in “great supply” in Big Canoe Creek, which has retained most of its species and has kept the creek pristine, underscoring its ecological integrity. However, the Canoe Creek Clubshell (Pleurobema athearni) found nowhere else but in Big Canoe Creek is listed under the Endangered Species Act, as recently as 2022 as “endangered”. There is an effort underway to assess the watershed and determine what steps can be taken to keep this species from extinction.
Big Canoe Creek has eight federally listed freshwater mussel species, and its 18-mile main stem stretch was designated a ‘critical habitat’ under the Endangered Species Act in 2004. l
Story by Elaine Hobson Miller Photos by Mackenzie Free
“Hey, well, alright sir. Here we go there and what are ya’ gonna give for ‘em? I have a 600 dollar down here now ten and now 25 and Now 35 and now there 50 now 60 will ya’ give me 60? Now 75, 75 another 85 dollars and buy ‘em there.
It’s Saturday night at the Railroad Auction House in Steele.
General merchandise – thermal socks, gloves, cookware, purses and makeup bags, speakers and phone chargers, are displayed in boxes and packages on and around tables on one side of the room.
In front of the raised auctioneer’s booth, more tables display toys and tool sets, pet beds, jewelry and glassware. Others hold a pile of blankets, a heater, a drone, an espresso machine and more.
It’s like a going-out-of-business sale at Big Lots, except there are no price tags, and people bid on the items, hoping to get them at a price they want to pay.
Seller Linda Robbins holds up a drone from her stock of merchandise
Many of those people are regulars here, bringing their canvas shopping bags and their registered bid cards each week. Most of them leave with their bags full. But it’s not just the merchandise that attracts them. The whole affair is sheer entertainment, which suits the auction house just fine.
“I want everybody to have a good time,” says owner/auctioneer Henry Whisenant. “That’s my goal, to make it entertaining and fun to be here. We’re family-oriented, and we give people things to laugh about.”
Henry knows most of the regulars, calling them out by name. “You want two of these, Bernice?,” he asks one patron regarding aprons that go for $5 each. Speaking about another woman who places a bid on ear muffs, he jokes, “She says she wants ‘em so she can’t hear hubby snore at night.”
Tim Abernathy and his wife, Teresa, frequently drive from Sand Rock to shop and have fun. “We bought all our Christmas gifts here last year, spent about $600-plus,” Teresa says.
“We come here every weekend,” says Christina Lynn, the other half of the “we” being husband Charles. “We like the people who own it, and it’s a good place to buy stuff you need. I buy food, things that I want like home decorations. You never know what you will find. They have good products, and it’s a fun environment.”
25 dollar bid it now, 30 dollar 30 Will you gimmie 30 make it 30 Bid it on a 30 dollar will you gimmie 30 Who’ll bid a 30 dollar bid? 30 dollar bid it now, 35, will you gimmie 35 To make it 35 to bid at 30 Who would a-bid it at a 35 dollar bid?
Each person who wants to bid has anassignednumber, one that he keeps from week to week. Numbers are recorded alongside names so the house can collect payments at the end. The house makes its money by taking a percentage of the sales.
“We have different sellers each week,” Henry says. “Most of the time we have what we call a main hauler, who brings in most of the items for sale that night. They buy in bulk at other locations and sell individually here.”
Tonight’s “main hauler” is Linda Robbins, who brought a lot of personal-use and gift items. “Our prices are cheaper than the box stores,” she says. “It’s one avenue to get out surplus merchandise, and it’s lots of fun.”
John Whisenant (Henry’s son) acts as a sort of runner, going up and down the aisles holding up small goods as his dad goes through the bidding, which includes a description of the product. Carol Ditto or Corey Whisenant, John’s wife, type it into the computer. Once the bid closes, the high bidder gets as many of the items as he or she wants, then other bidders get a chance at what’s left.
“Say the seller wants $10 each for certain items, and the winning bid was $8,” Henry explains. “They will take care of the winning bidder and if there are multiples, high bidder gets what he wants first. Then they go back to second highest for next choice at $10 each. First comes the high bidder, then the backup bidder, then all who bid on it, then seller opens up what’s left to the floor.”
35 dollar bid it now a 40 dollar 40 Will you gimmie 40 make it 40 Bidin’ it on a 40 dollar will you gimmie 40 Who’ll bid a 40 dollar bid? 40 dollar bid it now, 45, will you gimmie 45 To make it a 45 to bid it a 45 Who would a-bid it at a 45 dollar bid?
While Henry is doing his selling chant, John will call out “821 for 3,” etc., referring to the number of the bidder and how many he wants to buy. As John holds up Bluetooth speakers shaped like toy cars with built-in AM/FM radios and headlights that actually light up, his dad tries to start the bidding at $35 each. He has to keep coming down before he finally gets a bid of $20. Then he gets it up to $22.50, then $25, then SOLD!
Allison Whisenant, Henry’s granddaughter and John and Corey’s daughter, entertains herself
Outside, a train roars by about the time Whisenant ends his
auctioneer’s chant, reminding folks of how the auction house got its name. Henry started this business in May of 2003, and now has a second building for his antiques and vintage collectibles auctions up the road at Steele Wholesale Auction.
“I grew up going to auctions and always wanted to be an auctioneer,” he says. “I’ve been one about 10 years. It took me a long time to get up in front of people. I’ve done different things in the meanwhile, such as mechanic, maintenance man, steel construction and truck driving.”
He went to an auction school to get some training. “The only reason I went was it was out of town and no one knew what I was doing,” he says, laughing. “At that time, I was driving a semi, and it just worked out.”
Henry says he got into auctioneering at an older age than most, so he isn’t as good as some of the younger folks. “We didn’t work a lot on chants in school,” he says of the famous way auctioneers carry on the process of bidding. “It was a nine-day course, and you learn more about how to put on an auction and the business side of it. As for the chant, you gotta run it together, so that, ‘What do you bid?’ becomes, Whattaya bid, whatta gone bid.”
45 dollar bid it now a 50 dollar 50 Will you gimmie 50 make it 50 Bidin’ it on a 50 dollar will you gimmie 50 Who’ll bid a 50 dollar bid? 50 dollar bid it now, 55, will you gimmie 55 To make it a 55 to bid at 55 Sold that hog for a 50 dollar bill
Jeanette Green of Centre, Brenda Leek and grandson Keem of Rome, GA, and Edith Taylor of Gadsden came to the auction together tonight. “They have good sales and some good people here,” says Green. “I bought a lighted bar for the back of my husband’s truck once. I also bought large speakers for cell phone music.”
Leek doesn’t have to worry about entertaining her grandson while at the auction. A child-sized table with games and crayons is set up in one corner, along with a couple of tricycles. So, the little tykes pedal up and down the side lanes during the auction, ignoring the chanting and the bidding.
In the fall, as Christmas nears, some of the regulars buy toys and clothes at the auction and put them in the house’s “Toy Box.” Some folks from Church of the Nazarene in Steele (pastor James and wife DeeDee Kilgore, and Rodney and Brenda Free) take them to the elementary school in Steele, where the faculty distributes them to needy kids at Christmas. If an abundance is left after Christmas, the teachers will award points for good grades, and the kids can use their points to buy what’s left. “The auction house also donates to the Toy Box, and some of the haulers, too,” Henry says.
The aroma of popcorn permeates the air during the auction, temporarily taking a person’s mind off the bidding. Donna Bellew, also from Steele, handles the concession stand, selling snacks such as hot dogs, cheesy nachos, popcorn and canned sodas.
Roy Phillips, Steele, comes for fun, and buys an item or two every now and then. “We sit over here and laugh and carry on,” he says, motioning toward the other two or three people who are on the “old-timers’ bench” with him. The bench alongside one wall was so-named by Henry, the auctioneer, probably because his dad, Henry Sr., of Steele, sits there. Often, they are joined by Ellen Jenkins of Chandler Mountain.
“We come every Saturday for the entertainment,” Phillips says. They talk about how old the building is, how it was a hardware store for many years with a post office in one corner. Paul Pope owned the building back then, and had a gas pump, sold tires, meat, and general merchandise.
Bidder No. 846, Gaynelle Sweatt of Ragland, says this is her first time at the auction. She learned about it on Facebook.
“We’ll be back,” she says.
Editor’s Note: The paragraphs in italics throughout this article are from the 1956 Leroy Van Dyke version of the song, “The Auctioneer,” which was written by Van Dyke and Buddy Black.
All through the night, clouds took turns sobbing over Hopewell Cemetery’s tombstones, cedar trees, and leafless dogwoods, and dawn broke dank and damp. In stark contrast in the older section, the recently cleaned tombstones of Jacob Green, Robert Hood, Sarah Hood and John Hood stood white against the gloom, and a new gray granite marker at Jacob Green’s grave glistened from the rain.
The marker drew members of the Broken Arrow Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) to New Hopewell Baptist Church Fellowship Hall on a Saturday morning in January to honor the tribute.
Event preparation began in 2024 when Washington’s DAR National Headquarters announced available grants of $500 to local chapters to celebrate the Semiquincentennial (250th) celebration of the United States. The grant guidelines stipulated that not only must the Revolutionary War veteran’s grave be in the cemetery, but that some of his descendants must also be entombed there, for the marker is in memory of the veteran’s descendants in the same cemetery.
Broken Arrow member Ann Coupland suggested Jacob Green because she knew he was buried at Hopewell Cemetery, and that the Gadsden DAR chapter had placed a tombstone at his grave in 1937. Further, Ann also knew that his name and John Hood’s were not on the Revolutionary War Veterans marker behind the Inzer House.
Joseph and Miranda Wyatt
Choosing John Hood was almost serendipitous. One day, Mindy Manners, Regent of Broken Arrow Chapter, was walking in Hopewell Cemetery near Jacob Green’s resting place. Just a few graves away from Green’s, she saw the tombstone for Robert Hood, “Born April 1793, Died April 12, 1858.” The 1793 date caused her to think Robert had Revolutionary War connections. Back home, she researched Robert’s ancestry and found his father, John Hood, and his service record.
Buried next to Robert is his wife, Sarah (1792-1855); and next to her is their son, Rev. John Hood (1820-1851); however, there’s no stone for John Hood there. Where is he buried?
John Hood lies in an unmarked grave which some writers and researchers have speculated is in the Ashville Cemetery. However, Hopewell Cemetery is more likely for three reasons. First, his son, daughter-in-law, and grandson are interred there. Second, Daniel Hood in his paper titled, “The Noah Hood Family,” states, “The Hood family has been associated with the Hopewell Baptist Church since its construction (organization) in July 1830. Five Hoods were charter members.
Indeed, in the Hopewell Cemetery, Hoods account for some of the earliest residents.” Third, from 19th century obituaries that the community of Hood’s existed, for it is recorded as place of residence, as in Roland Hood’s obituary, Aug. 29, 1889, in The Southern Aegis. “Died on Aug. 25, 1889, at his residence near Hood’s this county, Roland Hood, age 71 years. He had lived in the neighborhood where he breathed his last all his life, except for two years.” So, there exists a strong connection with the Hood family, the church, the cemetery and the community.
Broken Arrow members were busy in the Fellowship Hall, where some decorated tables with patriotic colors, miniature stars and stripes, and flower arrangements, while others set out refreshments. One of those members is especially noteworthy, Emma Scott Milam. She is the only surviving charter member of the Broken Arrow Chapter which was established a little over 70 years ago. As soon as she turned 18, her aunt had her sign the papers to come in as a charter member.
Members of the Green and Hood families and other visitors gradually filled the room as the Fellowship Hall program hour arrived.
Following the opening prayer by Chaplain Emma Milam, the Alabama Society of the Sons of American Revolution Color Guard, in 18th Century military attire, brought the flag to the front for the Pledge of Allegiance, then they placed the flag in its holder.
Next, the assembly read in unison The American’s Creed. Mindy introduced special guests: Rev. Johnny Wilson, host and pastor of New Hopewell; Joe Barker, commander of the SAR Color Guard; Kristi Averette, The Flag of the United States American State Committee Chair, Alabama Society Daughters of the American Revolution; and attending journalist.
Regent Manners related interesting facts about Alabama and St. Clair County Revolutionary War veterans, many of whom moved their families here, and records indicate that more than 700 are buried in Alabama.
Many of the grave markers have been weathered away or destroyed by the passing years, and it is believed that the last veteran to die was William Speer, who lived to be 101. He died in 1859 and is buried in Bivens Chapel Cemetery in Jefferson County.
After the Regent’s remarks, members of Jacob Green’s family were recognized and 8th generation Josiah Jacob Evans, eight years old, read Jacob’s brief history written by his Aunt Beth Evans-Smith.
Jacob Green’s history resonates with America’s and St. Clair County’s early history. He was born in North Carolina in 1767 and was only nine years old when the Declaration of Independence was signed July 4, 1776. Official records show that an 18-year-old Private Jacob Green was “…paid with interest, on 21 June 1785 for duty done in the Militia in 1782.”
In 1787, 20-year-old Jacob married Frances “Fannie” Baker in North Carolina. Over the years, 10 children blessed their home.
Family records state that Jacob also fought in the War of 1812, and that at the end of the war, perhaps around 1815, Jacob and other men journeyed to Alabama to explore land along the Coosa River. Then in 1818, Jacob and Fannie, now living in South Carolina, resigned their membership in the Buffalo Baptist Church and began the tedious trek to Alabama.
Although the date they arrived in St. Clair County with their six younger children is unclear, Green family researchers believe the family arrived here between 1818 and 1820. The 1820 census records show that Jacob Green owned land in St. Clair County and that he formerly resided in South Carolina.
Jacob built the family’s first home on today’s Greensport Road, a little south of Canoe Creek where U.S. 411 crosses into Etowah County. This spacious home also served for many years as a stop on the Montevallo stagecoach route.
Mary Ellen Sparks wrote in an article, Stagecoach Stop, published Aug. 7, 2019, in the St. Clair Times, “Springer and Pollard Stagecoach Lines ran between Pulaski, Tenn., and Montevallo for a total of 133 miles. The mail was delivered semi-weekly at $25 per trip. There were 13 mail stops along this route. It traveled through six Alabama counties. The stagecoach would leave Ashville at 4 a.m. and arrive in Montevallo the next day at 9 a.m. It was a 29-hour ride amidst wild animals, inclement weather and probably hostile Indians and Outlaws.”
By the 1830s, there was a need for a ferryboat on the Coosa River to connect St. Clair County with Calhoun County. When the federal government approached Jacob about operating the ferry, he accepted the challenge. Therefore, he left the Stagecoach house and built another spacious house by the river at what came to be called Greensport.
Jacob successfully operated the ferry for some years as age crept up on him. The 1840 census records list a man about Jacob’s age living with Jacob’s daughter, Nannie Green Dill, and her husband. Jacob’s wife, Fannie, must have predeceased him. His name does not appear in the 1850 census.
When Alabama Power constructed Neeley Henry` Dam and Lake, the house was torn down and lake waters soon flooded over where it once stood. Today on Jacob Green’s Coosa River land is the Greensport RV Park and Campground, and the Greensport Marina, a beautiful and peaceful St. Clair County recreational center on Lake Neely Henry, operated by Jacob’s descendants.
John Hood
When the John Hood family was recognized, Anthony Hood read John’s brief history.
His birth date remains a mystery, but researchers think it occurred in the area of 1745 to 1750. He was the eldest son of Tunis and Elizabeth Harrison Hood of Frederick County, Virginia, now a part of Berkeley County, West Verginia.
The Hood families seemed restless, for in 1772 John was in Burk County, North Carolina, then c1775 they moved to Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. Tunis Hood, John’s father, and other members of the family relocated to Mecklenburg County around 1775, as well.
John’s American Revolution service was with the North Carolina Militia, Salisbury district, made up from Mecklenburg and other counties. Records also show that Tunis Hood gave material aid to Revolutionary forces. John’s brothers, Tunis Jr., Solomon and Robert, served with Mecklenburg County forces as well.
After the war, John moved his family to Greene County, Georgia, around 1792 and stayed there about 24 years before migrating to Alabama c1816. Hood descendants believe John died in 1835 and Sarah in 1837.
John married Sarah “Sallie” Austin in 1777, and they were parents to eight children: Austin, James, Amos, Isaac, Robert, William, Osborn and daughter Lovina. Robert is buried at Hopewell Cemetery.
There is a possible John Hood and Abraham Lincon connection as recorded by Anthony Hood. “John Hood’s mother was Elizabeth Harrison, daughter of John Harrison and granddaughter of Isaiah and Elizabeth Wright Harrison. Elizabeth Wright Harrison died soon after the birth of their fifth child. Isaiah married second to Abigail Smith, and they had three children, with Abigail Harrison being [their] daughter who married Alexander Herring. Abigail Harrison Herring is strongly speculated to be the great-grandmother of Abraham Lincoln, making John Hood a distant cousin to Abraham Lincoln.”
Of special note on other family ties, Elvis Presley is a direct descendant of John Hood. Elvis’s grandmother, Minnie Mae Hood Presley, is John Hood’s great-great-granddaughter. At the Tunis Hood plantation site at Hood’s Crossroads in Mint Hill, North Carolina, there is a plaque commemorating the Elvis connection. Minnie Mae Hood Presley is buried at Graceland.
Tombstones of Robert Hood, Sarah Hood, and Rev. John Hood
When the biographical sketches ended, the DAR ladies served finger foods, hot chocolate and coffee, after which the group reassembled at Jacob Green’s gravesite for the dedication of the memorial:
“COMMEMORATING THE SEMIQUINCENTENNIAL OF / THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA / WE HONOR THE REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS WHO LIVED IN / ST. CLAIR COUNTY, ALABAMA / AND WHOSE DESCENDANTS ARE BURIED HERE / IN HOPEWELL CEMETERY / JOHN HOOD / JACOB GREEN / MARKER PLACED BY BROKEN ARROW CHAPTER NSDAR / 18 JANUARY 2025.”
Regent Manners dedicatory remarks were thought provoking. “It is fitting that we praise especially here today no famous men. We come instead to honor those who fought and died without recognition.
“Their names and deeds are known only to those who were their comrades, families, and of course, known to God… These ordinary soldiers best symbolize such acts of quiet courage by ordinary people whose reward is that their nation and their freedoms remain secure for future generations.”
She ended her remarks with these words from General George Washington, who knew war and its conquests of exposure, wounds and death: “To be prepared for war is one of the most effectual means of preserving peace.”
Chaplain Milam prayed the dedicatory prayer, followed by the SAR Color Guard firing three rounds with their muskets, much to the delight of the children in attendance.
As the musket smoke wafted away, Rev. Johnny Wilson read the lyrics of Taps, of which the poignant last stanza was a fitting end to the ceremony.
All is well… Fare thee well Day has gone, night is on. Thanks and praise, for our days, ‘Neath the sun, ‘Neath the stars, ‘Neath the sky, As we go, this we know, God is nigh.
As folk began drifting back to the Fellowship Hall or the parking lot, clouds drifted apart enough to reveal bits of blue sky above the gray, and feeble sunrays touched the tops of tombstones old and new.
And there in the silent quietness, one might think he heard from far away, the notes of Taps, echoing through the years, “All is well. All is well.”
It won’t be long now. Logan Martin LakeFest & Boat Show makes its 15th return engagement to Pell City Lakeside Park May 9-11. There’s always something for the whole family, and it’s nonstop fun the entire weekend.
Lake lifestyle vendors, entertainment, food to satisfy every palate, giveaways and more mark the event from beginning to end.
If you’ve got boat fever, LakeFest certainly has the cure. Boats and watercrafts of all kinds – with discounted pricing – are on display and ready for a test drive.
It opens Friday, May 9 from 3 p.m.-9 p.m. A fireworks show saluting veterans is a highlight that evening. On Saturday, May 10, hours are from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. And on Sunday – Mother’s Day – festivities get underway at noon with free Mimosas for all the Moms in the crowd.
Gas and convenience retailer breaks ground in Ashville
QuikTrip (QT), one of the nation’s leading convenience and gasoline retailers, has broken ground on a new travel center in Ashville, ushering in what is believed to be an economic boon for the area. It will be located along U.S. 231 and Interstate 59.
QuikTrip currently has eight locations operating in Alabama with multiple additional stores under construction. The Ashville travel center is expected to open in the spring of 2026. QT opened a traditional location in Pell City in 2023.
As a travel center, Ashville’s location features a larger lot and a more spacious store design than a traditional QT.
“We are excited to continue to bring QuikTrip’s signature commitment to quality and efficient service to Alabama residents and travelers by breaking ground on a new location in Ashville,” said QuikTrip Corporate Communications Manager Aisha Jefferson.
“From the very beginning, we have felt a warm welcome and overwhelming support from Mayor (Derrick) Mostella and the other community leaders, which played a huge role in our decision to invest in this community. We’re looking forward to providing a convenient and reliable resource for Ashville and becoming a part of its growing community.”
Huge crowd and city, county officials take part
For decades, people have looked to QT for an on-the-go snack or meal as well as a comfortable atmosphere. The Ashville location will include full-service QT Kitchens featuring freshly prepared grab and go items and custom-made menu items. QT Kitchens customer favorites include warm, soft pretzels, custom breakfast tacos, hardwood smoked BBQ sandwiches, cold brew coffee and frozen treats like QT’s QuikShake®.
Customers will also be able to enjoy fresh donuts, sub sandwiches, wraps, QT’s signature pizza by the slice and roller grill items.
“The City of Ashville would like to extend its heartfelt gratitude to the QuikTrip team,” Mostella said at the groundbreaking. “They have been incredible to work with on this project and have a real commitment to providing a quality shopping experience as well as providing an opportunity for employees to grow within the company. Their professionalism and collaboration have made this project possible.”
St. Clair County Commission Chairman Stan Batemon agreed. “I would like to commend Mayor Mostella and the QuikTrip team for all of their hard work on this project. This company is known for its excellence and will be a destination for travelers. I believe it will also be the catalyst for additional development at Ashville’s interstate interchange.”
This location will create approximately two dozen new jobs.
Since its founding in 1958, QT has established a reputation for its benefits to employees, receiving national recognition as a top place to work year after year. In addition to providing superior benefits and opportunities for advancement, QT offers competitive pay, tuition reimbursement, medical insurance and excellent 401k benefits.
QT expresses pride for its positive impact in the communities it serves, with the company donating five percent of its annual net profits to charitable organizations. Among the organizations QT supports are United Way, Safe Place, local food banks and schools. It also supports Folds of Honor, a non-profit whose mission is to provide educational scholarships to the military and first responder families of those who have been killed or disabled while on active duty.
Over the past 66 years, QT has grown its footprint to more than 1,100 stores across 19 states and employs over 31,000 people.
Story and photos by Roxann Edsall Submitted photos
There’s been a lighted cross just off U.S. 231, south of Pell City, for over a year, marking the spot where a new church will soon stand. Shovels tipped the dirt on a drizzly February morning, signifying the beginning of construction on the $7 million New Life Church.
Site work has already begun at the property adjacent to Cosper Construction on Easonville Road in preparation for the first phase of the project, which will include the building of an outdoor chapel to accommodate 150 people.
The main building will house 20,000 square feet of worship space, classrooms and offices with seating capacity for 300 in the sanctuary.
Byron Smith, owner of studiosmith Architecture, LLC in Pell City, designed the facilities with a nod to the casual “lake life” feel of the area. “In conceptual listening sessions, church members indicated that the proximity to the lake and its relaxed and informal nature was important to incorporate into the design,” said Smith. “The steeple will actually be a cupola with windows on four sides, which you might find at the peak of a home overlooking the lake.”
New Life sanctuary plans
Smith describes the style as “traditional southern vernacular with a modern edge.” “Traditional forms, soaring ceiling heights and exposed timber roof structures were important to me in designing a public building that is recognizable, like a home,” he added. “It’s a reflection of the people who will use it.”
The population of both St. Clair County and Pell City continues to grow, with more than 200 new homes being built just a stone’s throw from this new church.
“Pell City is growing, with new homes and new businesses,” said Rotunda Forman, Pell City Chamber of Commerce vice president. “Even though we do have quite a few churches in Pell City, new churches are about a new voice, a new direction. People need to find what fits them. Our younger generations are looking for that.”
Wes Savage, who serves as lead pastor of New Life Church, agrees wholeheartedly. “We believe firmly that new churches help reach new people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he says. “We’ve seen increases in visitors who were ‘unchurched’ or ‘de-churched’ people coming to experience renewed faith and a passion for their personal relationship with Jesus Christ. We expect that to continue as we are able to provide new facilities for children and youth to meet the needs of families moving into the area.”
“At New Life,” adds Rev. Savage, “we are committed to raising up a new generation of believers and providing a place for families and adults to make new personal connections, find purpose, build community in a local body of Christ, and become equipped for the work Christ has called them to do for his kingdom and for his glory.”
New Life Church was planted in November of 2022 and has quickly grown to 300 members with seven staff. It is an independent church which upholds Protestant Christian beliefs as contained in the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds.
Building committee members celebrate groundbreaking with architect and general contractor
Savage goes on to explain, “First and foremost, we are followers of Jesus Christ, grounded firmly on the unchanging word of God and guided by his eternal spirit. We believe all people should have the opportunity to hear and respond to the good news offered through Jesus. We believe God’s grace is abundant and the new life he offers is life changing.”
Helping to change lives is an important part of New Life’s mission of “glorifying God, making disciples, and blessing others in Jesus’ name.” In their first two years, a focus on missions has been in the forefront of the more than 25 projects New Life members have embraced.
From supporting the physical and spiritual needs of children in Juarez, Mexico, through Hunger House International to supporting the heroes at the Colonel Robert L. Howard State Veterans’ Home in Pell City, there is always a place to serve.
New Life members have collected food for the Christian Love Pantry and participated in distributing at the food giveaways, in addition to providing Thanksgiving dinner for inmates in St. Clair County. Other missions include Dovetail Landing, the Sheriff’s Boys’ Ranch, the Gideons and St. Clair County DHR’s Foster Children Christmas gifts.
Teams have also built solar cubes to help bring electricity to people in 18 countries through Designs for Hope.
Following the disastrous effects of flooding from Hurricane Helene in October, New Life sent a team to work with Samaritan’s Purse Disaster Relief in Boone, North Carolina. “It was such a humbling experience,” said Suzanne Freeman, chairperson of missions for New Life. “We helped three families who had extensive flood damage. We thought we’d come to help them but found ourselves even more blessed by them.”
Services on the new property will begin in the Spring. Until then, services are held each Sunday at 8:30 a.m., 9:40 a.m., and 10:30 a.m. at the Pell City Municipal Complex at 1000 Bruce Etheredge Parkway.
