Broad Street Church of Christ Scottsboro

The first congregation of the church was started in Scottsboro in 1884 by Dr. Jack Rorex, a dentist who was one of the earlier members of the Stevenson Church of Christ. Dr. Rorex made an appeal through the Gospel Advocate for a minister to come and conduct a gospel meeting. James A. Harding, co-founder of David Lipscomb College, answered the appeal; and in January of 1884, the first service was held. Eight to ten persons were baptized. In the latter part of 1884, J. W. Sheppard, of Kentucky, conducted a second meeting.
In 1886 the first building was erected just off the square on Peachtree Street. James A. Harding was the first minister. In 1950 a new building was erected on the corner of Broad and Charlotte. A minister's house was constructed adjacent to the building on Broad Street. In September of 1968, an annex was added. The minister's house, which was located beside the church building, was moved to the present location at 406 East Charlotte Avenue to make room for the annex (This house was sold in 2002). In April of 1979, the renovation of the building was completed. Expansion and improvement to our parking lot and accommodations for handicapped access and parking were part of the1994 remodeling.

The congregation is presently served by five elders who are responsible for the spiritual leadership and spiritual growth of the congregation. These elders are Tommy Bellomy, Jack Caudle, John Porter, Pat Russell and Brad Wilhelm. Under the direction or these elders, nineteen deacons oversee the following Christian duties: serving the Lord's Supper to those shut-in and hospitalized, caring for the needy, organizing the worship services, organizing fellowship meals, opening and closing the building, maintaining the buildings, operation of the sound system, updating attendance records, providing transportation to worship services, and rendering other tasks as the need arises.

Among the ministers who have preached for this congregation in the past are A. B. Lipscomb, W. R. Craig, G. L. Mann, Jack Wilhelm, Lindsay Allen, Paul Kidwell, Sr., W. A. Black, Charles Cobb, Charles Curtis, Butch Foster, and Johnny Mack Young. Our present minister is Terry Broome.

Services are held on Sunday mornings, Sunday nights, and Wednesday evenings. Through singing, praying, preaching, partaking of the Lord's Supper, giving to support the work of the church, and having fellowship with other Christians, we draw closer to God and gain spiritual strength. The average Sunday morning attendance at the Broad Street church is 318.

The Broad Street Church of Christ engages in out-reach activities to meet the needs of the community. Spiritual needs are met through Sunday afternoon nursing home devotionals and a Bible class for handicapped adults. Physical needs are met by providing furniture and appliances on a limited basis to help families with emergencies. A clothing room and food pantry are provided to help needy families in the community. Monetary help is also provided to needy families who have emergency medical and doctor expenses and housing and utility expenses. Transportation to doctors and hospitals is provided for families who have no transportation. The Church also participates in the Christmas Charities program helping to provide food and clothing for needy families during the Christmas season.
Other outreach activities initiated by the ladies of our congregation include monthly luncheons and holiday baskets for shut-ins, a Ladies' Day for spiritual enrichment for all ladies, a fall luncheon honoring widows of the congregation and community, various projects for AGAPE, and food committees to assist the bereaved and sick of the congregation. The ladies also have a Bible study every Tuesday morning and meet monthly on the second Monday evening for a period of spiritual fellowship in a class entitled Helping Other People Enthusiastically (H.O.P.E.). The H.O.P.E. group has an annual Mother-Daughter Tea and an annual Elder's Appreciation Dinner, and this year started a Caregivers' Dinner for those members of our congregation who provide care for other members of their family or friends. They also host an annual Clothing Room Shower to get clothing for needy school students when school starts back at the end of summer. The young persons of our congregation with the leadership of volunteering adults participate in Service Saturdays on which they volunteer their time to help the elderly families of our congregation with tasks they are not able to do themselves. They also have a Young-at-Heart Banquet each year for the senior members of our congregation.