One for all: Spirituality and its presence in Limestone County
Feb. 26—While all believers have a geographic location on the earth, Divya Pradhan said it best when she pointed out that her center serves "not American communities."
Pradhan is the current president of the Hindu Cultural Center of North Alabama, a temple dedicated to honoring the beliefs and cultures of all spiritual devotees. Located in the Harvest area, Limestone County residents may or may not know that the center is there or what they do.
"Our center is Sarvajana Temple. In other words, we worship all the gods, not only just the Hindu gods, but also we have the Buddha statue there and gurus there. ... We believe in the Sanatana dharma," Pradhan explained.
The Sanatana dharma follows four pillars — devotion, knowledge, work, and rituals — and Pradhan says that it is up to believers and their individuals journeys as to what they should do when they come to the temple, as long as they are working towards mukti, that is, liberation from this circle of life.
"If you wish, in the temple, you can go and do rituals. If you wish, we have lots of gurus coming who have taught philosophy. You have meditation. ... You can follow these books and gain knowledge, if that's your path. ... You can also do service in the temple."
The temple isn't just a place to go worship, and the work isn't just directed towards the temple itself. Those who wish to work can participate in the HCCNA can help with community service events, such as this past Saturday, Feb. 18, when the center fed 400 people for free.
"Free food was given out to them. It was not like one small soup or something. It was a proper meal. Anybody, everybody, could walk into the temple, go and pray or meditate — whatever you wish — and then you could come downstairs and eat. The temple is open seven days a week. There is free, small food of some kind — we call it prasad, because whatever is cooked is first offered to God and then distributed — that is offered almost seven days a week."
They don't only serve food. The HCCNA hosts spiritual retreats, such as their upcoming event on March 18-19; allows devotional singing whenever their temple is open; and provides services from their three priests — even if it isn't a service the priest has provided before. They are looking at starting inexpensive academic tutorial sessions as well as a food pantry.
She then explained that, as long as the event is spiritual and open to the community, they have a hall at the center that can be used for these events for free.
Pradhan may currently serve as president of the Hindu temple, but she is no stranger to the Christian faiths that are also so strong in our area.
"It is not 'oh, you have to be of a certain denomination' ... It is open to anybody. When I grew up, I went to a Catholic school, and my father was a teacher at a Protestant school. I know I can pray and meditate anywhere. I've prayed in churches and been to masses."
This means, in part, that Pradhan can relate to spiritual beliefs of others that come through the temple doors.
"Two groups of students, they were starting interfaith — or different cultures, I don't know — but we have a lot of students that come visit our temple and learn about our customs and cultures."
On the other side of town, Limestone's Catholic presence is just as strong.
With the growth in Limestone County being so heavily concentrated on the east side, St. Paul Catholic Church might have once been concerned their parishioners were turning towards Madison County churches, but that is no longer the case.
"We do not have this concern anymore," Father Tom John explained. "With the area growing so rapidly, parishioners seem to be staying within their respective county. We have seen more inflow of parishioners than outflow, and in recent years, we have had more than 100 parishioners join our parish."
Just one of the ways that St. Paul remains active in the community is through their participation in Limestone County Churches Involved. LCCI works together to, according to their website, "food and general assistance to Limestone County residents." Beyond just churches, LCCI provides community organizations from elementary schools to the Athens Arts League a place to work for, a place to send their resources and trust that the food will make it to the hands of the needy.
LCCI's website claims to have used over four million dollars to provide assistance to more than 8,500 households and 19,500 individuals.
As we approach spring and summer, there are several churches around the area that are focusing on the food that endures instead of the fish of John 6 by hosting Gospel Meetings to strengthen the faith of their congregations and planning events such as vacation Bible schools to help our youngest residents' hearts engage with their God.
In preparation for these events, members of congregations such as Eastside church of Christ focus their community work on trying to make connections to invite individuals to join them during the services.
While that is their main goal, Adam Lee, a project estimator for a local roofing company and the deacon at Eastside who organizes these Saturday morning efforts, says that visitors aren't usually the resulting fruit.
"We have had some visitors from door knocking, but most of the effects are seen right there and then. With my [roofing] job in door knocking, that's what happens most of the time. It's an on the spot, right then kind of thing."
He says that, despite the fact that attendance numbers might not be rising, making these connections, keeping a list, and following up on subsequent visits hopefully helps the community remember who they are and see the "light of Christ in [the members of Eastside]."
"For instance, a member knocked on the door, and an older man answered. The man said he was 'not doing good. He had just had a biopsy and was concerned about cancer. ... Prayed for him right there on the spot. That guy was so encouraged by that; he took the card and said he would tell his family about that."
Whether residents are a member of a Christian belief or engage with their faith on a more individual, spiritual level, Limestone County is a growing community full of members who consider themselves as a part of more than just their physical community, as Pradhan pointed out, and are working to care for others at all levels, even when the spiritual impact in their neighbors' lives might be "where we may not ever know or see," as Lee suggests.
Here is a list of every church that lists with The News Courier on the Thursday church pages:
Adventist
Athens Seventh Day Adventist
Hispanic Seventh Day Adventist
State-Line Seventh Day Adventist
Trinity Seventh Day Adventist
Assembly of God
New Life Assembly of God
Baptist
Beacon Baptist
Belmor Baptist
Berea Baptist
Bible Believers Baptist
Blackburn Road Baptist
Calvary Baptist
Capshaw Baptist
Carey Baptist
Cherry Grove Baptist
Clements Baptist Church
Clements Baptist Church Poplar Creek Campus
Community Baptist
Concord Baptist
East Highland Baptist
Ebenezer Baptist Church
Ebenezer Missionary Baptist
Elk River Baptist
Elkmont Baptist
Elkwood Baptist
Elkton Road Baptist
Elm Street Baptist
Emmanuel Baptist
Enon Baptist
Fairview Baptist
Faith Baptist
First Baptist of Ardmore
First Baptist of Tanner
First Baptist of Athens
First M Baptist of Elkmont, Inc
First Union Baptist
Grace Missionary Baptist
Greater Hope Missionary Baptist
Greater Peace Community
Greenbrier Baptist
Holt Road Baptist
James Chapel Missionary Baptist
Lighthouse Baptist
Lindsay Lane Baptist
Little Elk Missionary Baptist
Little Ezekiel Missionary Baptist
Little Zion Missionary Baptist
Madison Baptist
May's Memorial Baptist
Midway Baptist
Mt. Calvary Independent
Mt. Nebo Missionary Baptist
Mt. Pisgah Baptist
New Beginnings Missionary Baptist
New Beria Missionary Baptist
New Bethel Baptist
Newby Chapel Missionary Baptist
New Fellowship Baptist
New Hope Baptist
New Hope Primitive Baptist
New Hopewell Missionary
New Life Baptist
New Oakland Baptist
New Salem Missionary Baptist
New Zion Missionary Baptist Church
Oakdale Baptist
Owens Crossroads Baptist
Parkview Baptist
Peace Missionary Baptist
Piney Grove Baptist
Pleasant Grove Baptist
Poplar Creek Missionary Baptist
Round Island Baptist
Salem Springs Baptist
Sand Springs Baptist
Sardis Springs Baptist
Shanghai First Baptist Church
Solomon Temple Missionary Church
Southside Baptist
St. John Missionary Baptist
St. Luke Missionary Baptist
St. Mark Primitive Baptist
St. Paul Missionary Baptist
St. Paul Baptist
Sweet Home Missionary Baptist
Sweet Springs Baptist
Tabernacle Baptist
Temperance Oak Baptist
Temple Baptist
The Grove
Truth Baptist
West Highland Baptist
Wooley Springs Baptist
Word of Faith Missionary Baptist
Catholic
St. Paul Catholic
Church Of Christ
Athens Church of Christ
Bethel Church of Christ
West Hobbs Street Church of Christ
Capshaw Church of Christ
Carriger Church of Christ
Cartwright Church of Christ
Central Church of Christ
Coxey Church of Christ
Eastside Church of Christ
Elkmont Church of Christ
Elk View Church of Christ
Ephesus Church of Christ
Greenbrier Church of Christ
Hays Mill Church of Christ
Hester Chapel Church of Christ
Holland's Gin Church of Christ
Jackson Drive Church of Christ
Jones Road Church of Christ
Leggtown Church of Christ
Lucas Street Church of Christ
Marion Street Church of Christ
Market Street Church of Christ
Mr. Carmel Church of Christ
Mt. Zion Church of Christ
New Hope Church of Christ
North Athens Church of Christ
Northside Church of Christ
Oakland Church of Christ
O'Neal Church of Christ
Pepper Road Church of Christ
Pleasant Valley Church of Christ
Reunion Church of Christ
Salem Church of Christ
Sandefer Road Church of Christ
Sandlin Road Church of Christ
Sardis Springs Church of Christ
Segars Road Church of Christ
Seven Mile Post Road Church of Christ
Sunny Hill Church of Christ
Tanner Church of Christ
Valley View Church of Christ
Westside Church of Christ
Westview Church of Christ
Church of God
Athens Church of God
The Church of God of Prophecy
Episcopal
St. Timothy's Episcopal
Lutheran
Faith Lutheran Church
Lamb of God Lutheran Church
Messiah Lutheran Church
Methodist
Ardmore UMC
Athens First UMC
Boyd's Chapem UMC
Cairo UM
Elkmont UM
Frazier CME
First Independent Methodist
Friendship North Church
Friendship Church
Good Shepherd UMC
Isom's Chapel UMC
Lakeview UMC
Oak Grove CME
Oakland UM
Parker Chapel UM
Pettusville UM
Riddles Chapel Global Methodist
Salem UM
Tanner UM
Village View UM
Non-Denominational
Arise Worship Center
Christ Temple Holiness Church
Christ Way Church International
Church of the Living God
Faith of Freedom Ministries
Freedom Chapel Church
Full Gospel Tabernacle
Grace Fellowship
Jesus in Me H.O.P.
Lebanon Community
Nebo Community Church
New Covenant Life Ministries
New Song Community Church
Pathway Yo Heaven Chapel
Section Line Community Church
Simply Amazing Ministries
Discovery Church
The Life Church
Victory Full Gospel
Walnut Grove Community Church
Pentecostal
Ark of Promise Apostolic Church
Faith tabernacle
First Pentecostal of Tanner
First Church
Full Gospel Deliverance Center
The Lighthouse Pentecostal
The Pentecostals of Ardmore
New Garden Pentecostal
Presbyterian
Antioch CP in America
Bright Hope CP in America
Copeland Presbyterian
Elkmont CP in America
First Presbyterian
Grace Covenant Church
Pleasant Grove Cumberland
Union Hill CP Church
Voice of Truth Chapel
Word of God Ministry
Other Denominations
Abundant Life Ministries
Christway International
The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints
Emmanuel Church of God in Christ
Fellowship Worship & The Word
First Christian Church
Freedom Christian Center
Heritage Ministries (Full Gospel)
Jesus the New Begining
Kingdom Way Christian Center
Light House Mission
Limestone Apostolic Holiness
Mighty Warrior
Majestic Chapel
New Life Full Gospel
Prayer Chapel
Restoration Church
Southwind Christian Center
The Bridge at Valley
Trinity Congregational
Victory Chapel Church
Word of God Holiness
If your church is not listed or up to date, contact The News Courier to add your information.
