ON JANUARY 31, 1865, the United States Congress passed an amendment to the Constitution. It would be the 13th change or addition to the Constitution up to that point in history, and its goal was to end slavery in every state of the union. Just over 11 months later, on December 6, 1865, the amendment was ratified for the country and officially became a part of the Constitution. It read:
“Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction.”
Eleven years later, 670 miles from Washington, D.C., where the amendment had been passed, three women in Tullahoma started a small church. The location was not a wooden building with a steeple. It was in their homes. Amanda Knott, Amanda Marbury, and Allie Norton had made an impact in Tullahoma through their home congregations. Years later, it would become the first brick church in Tullahoma. Now, the church is known as “the little white church on the corner” and is in its 144th year as a congregation. Beautiful both inside and out, it can be seen as a visual icon for the community, as well as an inspiration of the spirit. That small church that was started in homes just 11 years after slavery ended now has an anti-racism mission of including everyone in the community.
According to Pastor Tom Murdock, the church includes “pro-reconciliation and anti-racism” as a part of its mission.
“Everything we try to do is about being of the community—about things that are important to us, which is unity. It’s really diversity, accepting, and welcoming a whole diverse part of our congregation… now community,” Murdock said.
Pastor Murdock was born and raised in Pensacola, Florida, but moved to Tennessee in 1990. He has been with the First Christian Church congregation for 17 years. While he helps lead the church to connect with the community, he believes what truly matters is how you can make the community better and more inclusive.
“It’s not about who the pastor is. It’s the church and the work it does,” he said.
This historic and community-impacting church consistently takes action to care for the people of Tullahoma.
“Our faith is not bound up in this place,” Murdock began. “It’s expressed in things we do in the community.”
And he was right. The church does take action, which does speak louder than words. One of the many outreaches and care opportunities they provide is food bank locations.
“If somebody wants to, they can get food here,” he said. “This community is very generous,” he said, talking about Tullahoma.
“I hope that this church has been able to live out our faith in a way that has brought some kind of unity to the community—that it’s helped us to broaden our vision of who God is and who we are as a people,” Pastor Murdock said. “I want people to see that. That we were here. And we were engaged with everybody.”
He continued: “I hope part of the legacy [is that] we’re trying to bring people together as best we can to meet the needs of the community.”
The church has been a staple in Tullahoma for almost 150 years, and the legacy it is still creating is one of inclusion, community, and love—all of which the Bible asks of its Christian congregations. The First Christian Church congregation and Pastor Murdock are building a longer table… one that may last another 150 years, impacting and helping a countless amount of people in Tullahoma and beyond. GN
