A couple of weeks ago I was having lunch with Brother Harold Sellers when the subject of who would be the next church in our pathway came up. It might have been me who brought it up. Anyway, I asked Harold if he knew anything about Oakley Baptist, which is only about 10 or 15 minutes from Camp MACOBA. Without hesitation he replied that it was a great church and he loved the folks there. He went on to say, if my memory serves me correctly, that if he lived out that way he would attend there.
This past Sunday we had the pleasure of visiting Oakley Baptist Church and it was a wonderful experience. The pastor there is Brother Charlie Hammons and we were warmly welcomed by him and his wife, Judy. Brother Charlie has been the pastor of the Oakley congregation for ten years, not including two years as interim pastor. I had heard great things about Brother Charlie but had never met him before. The church itself has been there for over a hundred years -- since the late 1800's. Brother Charlie showed me a picture of the church that at one time had been facing a different direction and was picked up and turned around when the main road changed many years ago. A new educational wing has been built in his tenure.
As always we attended both Sunday School and worship, and both were very good. I did see a familiar face while I was there and that was Brother Louis Rickets. He has helped out with some projects at the camp from time to time and as a matter of fact brought his bulldozier out in the spring to help clear out some brush. Mr. Rickets said there was only one other person who had been attending the church there longer than him. It was good to see him again. Everyone was very welcoming and friendly. I was in a mixed SS class where Brother Sonny Bryant was the teacher and did a fine job. During the worship time he and his wife sang a couple of special songs while he played the guitar and she played the banjo. As we were leaving we received many invitations for next Sunday's Fifth Sunday Sing and the potluck dinner to follow. I can almost smell the chicken frying right now!
