NBCF Histrory

     Late in 1968 Pastor David Bain asked Judy Perez to write a history of the local church. Judy devoted a lot of time researching and interviewing to ensure the accuracy of the manuscript.
     Late last year I found my wife's copy of the 50th anniversary history of Natural Bridge Christian Fellowship. I realized that a lot of our newer members had no access to the local church history and felt it was important to save these memories in electronic format.
     Special thanks goes to Judy for all the work she put into the research and interviews. Judy grew up in the local church and her family has been involved here for many many years. Judy and Ruben Perez are Missionaries in Mexico.

Introduction

     For the past four months it has been my pleasure to "touch the surface" in the writing of a church history The only written church history available at the outset was a paragraph of information in a church directory published in 1940 by the Rev. W. J. Green. Consequently, most of the information in this booklet has come from what members have been able to recall. Also former pastors cooperated by sending information. I interviewed five of the former pastors and regret that time (and distance in some cases) did not permit a conversation with all. For fear of omitting someone, I will not attempt to name those who contributed verbally.
     Other sources used were Conference Messengers, Conference Minutes, attendance charts at the Conference office (Dublin), the Rev. G. W. Stanley's book, My Life's Experiences With God, and church secretaries' books (two).
     I have tried to make this factual; realizing that since most knowledge was obtained through interviews, the problem of communication has possibly altered the subject matter in some cases. It is my hope, then, that if there are errors and if after reading this history others can contribute more information, that at a later date a more complete history may be written.
     The experience of writing about these persons who have devoted so much to the cause of establishing and maintaining a Pentecostal Holiness Church at Natural Bridge has given me a greater love for 'old-time holiness' and a challenge to help carry on the work they have begun.

JUDY F. ATKINSON
August 30, 1969