Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By Shirley Thorne

County Line Correspondent

It’s Christmas week and County Liners zre bracing for frigid temps dipping in the mid-teens. As Clarksbury photos show, churches have been presenting programs celebrating the Holy Birth of Jesus Christ, the only Son of God. Some churches will have only one service Christmas Day so that families can have more time together.

Clarksbury United Methodist Church will have the children’s Christmas program at 6:30 p.m.  Friday.  Church members invite everyone for the program followed by snacks with Santa in the fellowship hall.

Salem United Methodist Church will have a Christmas carol singing at 7 p.m. Friday. Church members invite everyone for this joyful time of singing followed by a period of snacks and fellowship.

Salem and Center Methodist churches invite everyone at 8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 24 for a Christmas Eve service at Salem.

Piney Grove AME Zion Church will have only the worship service at 9 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 25.

Society Baptist Church will have only the 11 a.m. worship service Sunday.  There will be no evening service.

Our community extends sympathy to the family of Clark Edwin Young; who died at Iredell Memorial Hospital Sunday, Dec. 6 after a period of declining health.

We extend sympathy to the family of Mildred Burdette Benfield, who died at home early Sunday morning of last week after a few years of declining health. The oldest of three children, she was born in Iredell County in 1931 to the late E. P. and Nettie Burdette of Statesville.

Mildred attended Statesville High School, where she met H. E. “Buck” Benfield. They were married in May 1947 and lived in Statesville and later Winston-Salem for the births of their children from 1948-1953.

About 1959 the couple bought and moved to a farm on Ridge Road at US 64.  When our community saw the need for a fire department, they and another couple donated adjoining land.  Mildred was an active member of the fire department auxiliary and supported suppers and other fundraiser events.  Kind and caring, she was a caregiver for her father and husband as their health declined before their deaths in 2003 and 2016, and was a babysitter for area working parents.

Longtime members of Welcome Baptist Church in Statesville, the couple joined their children in worship at Calvary Baptist in 2015.  A service celebrating her life was held at Calvary Baptist Sunday afternoon.

The Benfield family has supported our community news through the years and has shared treasured photos for our specials.  Their support has always been greatly appreciated.

Margaret Ann Shew and Alice Waugh remain in rehab at Davie Nursing and Rehabilitation.

Join us in prayer for the Lord’s divine healing upon Margaret Ann, Alice, and other residents who are having health problems. Pray for the Lord’s comfort and support upon the families of Clark and Mildred as they miss their loved ones.

Here’s wishing everyone a Merry Christmas filled with the many Blessings of the Holy Birth of Jesus Christ.