
Thursday, December 11, 2008
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Community News

Potts Camp News
Dale Hollingsworth

Over 80 family members gather to celebrate Thanksgiving in Gurley home

Mitch Stone Jr. was invited to attend special fifth Sunday services at New Albany United Methodist Church on Sunday night, and sing for them. We all enjoy hearing him sing; he has been song leader for many years.

Joyce Clayton’s brother, Jamie Smith from Desoto County, has been hospitalized. He needs our special prayers.

Mary Lois Gurley celebrated Thanksgiving with her family at the home of grandson Kyle and Melanie Poole and family in Red Banks. Kyle is the son of Arthur and Doris Gurley Poole. Over 80 family members and friends gathered together to give thanks and enjoy a delicious potluck meal. The two newest family members attending their first Thanksgiving event were Davy Simm, great-great grandson of Mrs. Gurley and Brendan Rowland, her great-grandson.

Jeff and Deanna Rowland Knight and family traveled from Florida to spend Thanksgiving with her parents, Bill and Sue Rowland, and other family members. They also attended Thanksgiving at the Poole’s.

Lisa, Amanda and Keri Murphy spent Wednesday night with Mary Lois and Joan Gurley, and were met by Wade and Mark on Thursday for the Gurley Thanksgiving festivities.

Mr. and Mrs. Andy Work drove to Gatlinburg on Wednesday. They plan to be there for the special Christmas parade over the weekend.

Congratulations to Ashley Swinford and Nicholas Moore on their recent wedding at First Baptist Church in Potts Camp. Ashley plans to attend nursing school.

We are thankful that Mary Jo Whaley was able to return home from Oxford Hospital when she had recent surgery. She needs our prayers. We love Mary Jo and Fred Whaley (my relatives) and their family.

Doris Goode, a friend who lives on Old Hwy. 78, hosted a family dinner on Thanksgiving. A large group of family and friends attended. Doris and I have the same relatives; Joann Potts, who was married to my late brother, Rev. Charles (Lindy) Potts is her aunt. Joann and son, Alan and Carol Potts of Tupelo, were among dinner guests of Doris Goode. Alan is a radio announcer.

Thoughts

A small boy learned all about the love of Jesus in Sunday school, and how He lived and died to save us from our sins. He enjoyed the story of Jesus’ birth on Christmas Day, and how they laid him in a manger. When the child went shopping with his mother, he looked at the lovely decorations and gifts everywhere. The music they played was “Jingle Bells.” The child said to his mom, “Where is Jesus?”

I feel that way myself when I look for Christmas cards to send family and friends. They are covered with glitter and pretty pictures and verses about “Merry Christmas,” but they leave Jesus out, also (most of them). He is the most wonderful Savior we could ever have. There would be no Christmas without Him!

Thoughts

1. Records in the Bible tell us that the Lord’s work is not done by great men, but ordinary people who are committed to Him. For thousands of years, God has used people like you and me to do His work. Why should He change now?

2. God has no hands but our hands to do His work today. He has no feet but our feet to lead men on the way. He has no tongue but our tongue to tell men how He died. He has no help but our help to bring man to God’s side. —Lindy’s Newsletter

3. Acts 20:35 says, “It is more blessed to give than to receive, for when you give, not only will the person you give to be helped, but God will give back to you much more than you give.”

We should thank God every day for His many blessings!

Happy birthday to Betty Greer on Dec. 11; to Katy Sanders and Michael Tate on Dec. 15; to David Fuller on Dec. 20; to Mary Lois Gurley on Dec. 23. My birthday is Dec. 16.

Prayer list: Robert Hugh King, Mary Jo Whaley, Lina Mae Rhea, Charles Henderson, Donna Marett, Lina Fay Work, Janette Dunning, Mary Jo McCallum, Diane Clayton, Scott Brownlee, Juanita Howell, Connie Work, Betty Fincher. Pray for all the sad and suffering people and leaders of our country.

Memories of 1986

One of the most exciting events that year was the “Million Dollar Walk for Humanity” by the Habitat group. They stopped in Tupelo, New Albany, Potts Camp and Holly Springs. I was a member of the Potts Camp Civic Club; we prepared a resting place and food for them in a cool, shady lot behind the First Baptist Church (now covered with buildings). We had tables of food and drinks for them when they arrived, and we enjoyed meeting them.

Millard Fuller had started the “Habitat for Humanity” back in 1976. They stopped in 128 towns during the walk from Georgia to Kansas City. I collected names of the group; one nice young man gave me a pin in the shape of his state (Ohio).

Our pastor’s wife, Nancy Petrey was among the group walking in Mississippi from New Albany to Holly Springs.

Other events in 1986, two years before our town’s 100th birthday, included a food site in the new Potts Camp City Hall (now the fire department). Every day, hot lunches were delivered there for about 75 elderly people.

Jimmie Collins (now our town mayor) drove a bus to pick up the senior citizens in this area.

The ladies made some lovely quilts while there. Pictures of the quilters, along with Jimmie Collins, appeared in The South Reporter. They were Jossie Shaw, Lorene McClellan, Lucille Pierce, Ethel Simmons and Inez Jarrett, all deceased but Inez Jarrett. Some of them lived to be over 100 years old. Others who worked on the quilt were Alene Payne, Cora Mann, Reolla Smith and Meritta Walker (all deceased).

Chances were sold on the quilt to help the food site. Kay Garrison won the quilt. It brought $400, ($1 a chance.) Jimmie Collins sold the most tickets.

Those were happy days!

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