Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Georgia youth group helps build Hispanic church

A group of teenagers from La Grange, Ga., and a few helpers from Memphis, Tenn., and Nashville, Tenn., united last week with the Red River Baptist Association to help build Iglesia Bautista: Rey de Gloria  translated into English as Baptist Church: King of the Glory.

The mission group, known as Nail Benders, began construction on the churchs framework Monday, June 9, and continued working on getting it dry until Friday, June 13.

A Hispanic church already exists in Gurdon, but the new building will serve as a permanent meeting place for local Hispanic Baptists.

The churchs pastor, Rudy Guittierrez, ministers to three different congregations: his Gurdon congregation, Iglesia Primera Bautista in Arkadelphia and another congregation in Malvern. He has ministered for a total of 16 years, and has spent four years in Gurdon and six years in Arkadelphia.

The mission group, from Troop Baptist Association in Georgia, rested at Richwood Baptist Church in Arkadelphia during their stay.

The youth group from Beech Street Baptist Church helped the out-of-towners in building the outside of the church.

The groups finished their work Friday, and groups from the Red River Baptist Association will finish up the church.